Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Alison found his nearness overwhelming. A feeling she was not at all familiar with. She always had the upper hand when it came to dealing with people. Especially men. She didn't trust them and never would. Her heart could not take another beating like it had before.

Before her brain had cleared enough from seeing Finn Mackay in all his naked glory, she was sitting in the sleeping gown and sipping whisky. The sleeping gown he'd brought to her was the one that her cousin, Mairi, had made for her and presented when she'd first arrived.

Embarrassed to even touch the thing, she'd stuffed it into the back of her wardrobe. It seemed quite suspicious that Finn just happened to pull that one out.

And then he took her glass out of her hand and kissed her.

Her heart hammering in her ears, he covered her mouth with his. Warm, soft, exploring. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

The thin garments they wore felt like nothing at all. She could feel the heat and muscles of his chest. The liene was opened at the throat, giving her a glimpse of his strong chest, covered with soft, dark hair, very much like the hair on his head.

Finn's kiss grew more solid, more possessive. He nudged her lips with his tongue and when she opened, it slid in, touching all the places in her mouth that she had no idea were so sensitive.

She felt a loss when he drew back, but then his mouth moved from her lips to her neck where his teeth grazed her earlobe, nipping at it, then soothing it with his warm, wet tongue.

Not wishing to have everything done to her and not respond, Alison slid her hands up Finn's chest and played with the ends of his short hair.

Her husband's kisses grew more demanding, more masterful. He was in charge and let her know by his actions. He moved her body how he wanted it, he plundered her mouth over and over. She felt as though she was spinning, causing her to cling to her husband's shoulders, hanging on.

He pulled back and, before she could even take a breath, his large hands slid underneath her sleeping gown and within seconds it was going over her head.

Instead of feeling chilled—the fire must have been doing its job—she was warm, very, very warm.

"Ach, sweetheart, we would be much more comfortable in the bed."

Unable to even form words, she merely nodded, and he swept her up, the sleeping gown dropping to the floor.

Naked in his arms, he carried her to the bed and gently laid her down. Any embarrassment she felt before had vanished. Finn studied her as he removed his liene and climbed in next to her.

He seemed to be as fascinated by her breasts as she was with Finn's man part. It was long and thick and jutted out from his body. She knew what that was for, but she should have asked to see it before she was ordered to marry.

This object would not fit.

Finn fondled her breasts, pulled at her nipples and, when she thought she could take no more, he covered one of her breasts with his mouth.

It felt as good as it had in the stables and she was sure that sound was her moaning. Her breasts grew heavy and the area between her legs warm and wet. He released her breast with a pop sound, bringing a "nay" from her. Before the word was barely out, his arm went around her body and pulled her against him.

The sensation of rubbing her already stiffened nipples against his muscular chest with soft, scattered hair kept her heart wildly thumping and her lungs gasping for air.

After a few more mind-numbing kisses, he flipped her on her back and, leaning over, brushed the now damp hair from her face. "I have wanted you in this position almost since I arrived at Castle Varrich."

Alison's brows rose. "I doubt that, husband. Ye did no'thing but order me around."

"Aye, but that doesna mean I dinna desire ye. And ye deserve a mon who wants ye in his bed more than anyone else."

Knowing he was referring to Archie Sinclair, he had managed to sooth her rejection and bring more fluttering to her stomach and more warmth and wetness to the area now aching for his touch.

"And ye're married to me by accident."

"Nay, wife. ‘Twas meant to be," he growled. "Too much talk." He ended that statement with another soul searching kiss.

Her hand wandered down to his man part, feeling it for the first time, enjoying the feel of something so very odd. Soft and hard. A bit of moisture on the tip.

Finn let out a low whistle through his teeth. "Are ye sure ye want to do that, lass? As good as it feels, it might bring an end to this before ye have yer pleasure."

"It feels so strange."

His laugh sounded as if he was strangling. While he kept his mouth busy, softly speaking in her ear in Gaelic phrases, sucking on her skin, kissing all over her face, she ran her hand over his strong, smooth back muscles.

Not since her brothers had died, had she felt protected. Learning how to use the bow and the sgian dubh didn't help as much as she'd thought it would. Her world as she'd known it, as the only daughter and sister, had practically disappeared.

She felt as though she'd lost all the men in her family, especially when her da decided to marry her off to a man who didn't want her. She doubted her brothers would have allowed it. But the da she'd grown up with was as dead as her brothers.

Now she had a strong, virile man who had vowed to protect her. Except his protection came at a price.

"Stop thinking, lass. I can hear yer brain mumbling." Finn slid his fingers down her sensitive body to the wet, warm folds between her thighs. "This will keep yer mind from wandering."

No truer words had ever been spoken. Once his large finger slid through the folds of her swollen woman's part, she began to feel as though she needed something those fingers would do.

"Relax, m'eudail. I ken ye're needing something, but if ye tense up it will take longer. I will ne'er leave ye wanting."

She had no idea what he meant, but, since he promised to bring her pleasure, she had to trust that he would. Trust. The one word she intended never to use again.

Her thoughts came right back to the activity Finn was doing with his finger. He slid it into the opening between her legs and she nearly shot off the bed. Then he added a second one. "Ye're so tight, lass."

"Is that bad?"

"Nay. But ‘twill take some time to get ye ready for me."

"Doona stop what ye were doing."

Finn smiled. "No' a chance, wife." Once again he covered her mouth, caressing it more than kissing it.

‘Twas no surprise that Alison responded so well to his attentions. Based on their confrontations he'd already determined that the lass had passion inside her. What a waste for her to be tied to a man who didn't want her.

As his fingers worked, she began to thrash around, moaning and begging. He knew she was close, so he spread her legs and climbed between them, placing his cock at the entrance to her lush body.

He started to slowly enter her while still working the stiff flesh begging for his attention. "I am close to something, Finn," she panted.

"I ken, mo chridhe, just relax." He barely got the words out when she tightened the muscles in her legs and let out with a keening sound. He pushed forward until he reached her barrier.

He closed his eyes, almost in pain as he waited for the ripples teasing his cock to stop, not wanting to interfere with her pleasure by causing pain.

She collapsed and, as soon as she did, he surged forward.

"Ouch."

"I'm sorry, lass, but there won't be any more pain, just pleasure."

A lone tear slid down her cheek which he licked away, then took her face in his hand and kissed her gently. She closed her eyes and moved her hips against him.

That was all the invitation he needed. He began to slide in and out, growing faster as her breathing increased and she continued to press against him. Wanting to give her more pleasure, he reached between them and used his thumb to rotate against the stiffening flesh.

His heart pounded as he thrust over and over, her thrashing and moaning driving him to a place he'd never been before.

Soon he let out with a shout as he poured his seed into her just as she began to milk him, having experienced another climax.

He rested his forehead on hers as they both attempted to calm their breathing. After a minute or so, he rolled off her sweat-covered body and pulled her next to him.

It had been quite a while, and perhaps not ever, that he'd had such a release. And to think it had come from his own troublemaking, little wife.

"That was quite nice, husband."

Finn grinned at her with surprise. "Only nice, Alison? Mayhap I will have to try harder the next time."

She poked him in the chest. "Nay. ‘Twas more than nice, I just wanted to see that smile of satisfaction on yer face disappear."

"What will we do now?" Alison asked.

"Go to sleep."

She rolled over and propped her hand on her upraised hand. "Aye, I agree. I'm weary myself, but what I meant was, how will we go on with this marriage? We ne'er even had a chance to speak since we went from forced marriage to wedding."

He shifted so his body rested the same way on his side. "Is that how ye feel, lass? Forced?"

"Wasn't I?"

He shrugged. "No more than I was. But considering that right now ye could be laying in a cold bed by yerself on yer wedding night had things turned out the way they were planned, mayhap forcing ye was a good thing."

She reached out and pushed a short damp lock of hair from his forehead. "What about ye? Do ye feel forced?"

He rolled to his back, resting his head on his linked fingers. "I wasna happy with the arrangement ye da had worked out for ye with Archie Sinclair." He turned his head to gaze at her. "Ye deserve so much more."

Smirking, she punched him lightly on his side. "Like ye?"

"Aye."

Alison flopped onto her back and placed her hands on her chest. "I doona want to be told what to do."

"I doona want ye to put yerself in danger."

"I can take care of myself."

"Nay. Ye canno'."

"I have my weapons."

"Ye have no weapons against a mon who wants to hurt ye."

She gave a deep sigh. "I believe we should sleep now, husband. I am tired and I doona want to ruin what we just did by arguing."

He leaned over and kissed her briefly on her lips, still swollen from his kisses. He was ready to have her once again, but no doubt she was sore.

Never having bedded a virgin before, he just realized it was his job to make sure she was comfortable for a night's sleep.

He threw off the bedcovers and strode to the trunk where the bowl and pitcher with water in it stood. He took one of the linens next to it and dipped it into the water.

He turned back to the bed, and she watched him. "What are ye doing?"

"Taking care of my wife."

Once he settled next to her, he reached down and cleaned her up. He looked at Alison and she was smiling. "Well done, husband."

He tossed the cloth in the pile of clothes to be sent to the laundry room, then settled in alongside her. "Now ‘tis time to sleep."

She yawned and rolled to her side. "Aye."

Finn pulled her to him, wrapping his arm around her waist, pulling her next to him all tucked in for the night.

Within minutes they were both asleep.