Chapter 27

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

In the middle of dinner, the bath water arrived, lugged in by two hefty footmen, along with soap, washcloths, and clan towels. The tub was dragged to the hearth and filled with the steaming liquid, ready for them to wash off the muck and dust.

“I’m so lookin’ forward tae getting’ in there and gettin’ clean,” Catalina admitted cheerfully, feeling much better now she had a full belly.

“Aye, me too,” Ivar agreed. “Ye get in first. If the water’s too black after that, I’ll have some clean fetched for mesel’.”

“How cheeky! It’ll nae be black at all. I’m nae that dirty,” she protested, laughing somewhat doubtfully. “Am I?”

He raised his eyebrows dubiously. “We’ll soon find out.” He got up and lifted her up.

“What are ye doin’?” she asked, alarmed.

“Ye said ye wanted tae bathe, did ye nae? Well, I’m helpin’ ye,” he told her, making her shriek with laughter as he deposited her, shift and all, into the tub.

“Ivar!” she chided him. But then, as the lovely hot water suffused her limbs, she relaxed, sinking into it with a small moan of pleasure. “Och, that is heavenly,” she declared.

“I’ll come and scrub yer back fer ye,” he said, grabbing soap and a washcloth before stationing himself on his knees by the tub, leaning on the edge with his forearms.

“Ye can wash me hair, if ye dinnae mind that is,” Catalina said, eager to feel clean all over. She peeled off her shift and handed it to him.

“What am I supposed tae dae with it?” he asked as the garment dripped water all over the rug.

“Wring it out and put it in the laundry fer washin’,” she suggested, sinking down once more and letting her hair drift on the surface of the water. It was not just dirt she wanted to wash away but the memory of Chisholm’s men having their hands upon her.

Strangely, she felt not an ounce of embarrassment at being stark naked in front of Ivar. It felt perfectly natural. She supposed that was because they had already seen and explored each other’s bodies back at Agnes’ cottage. As the memory came to her, she looked at him and tingled all over.

Then she remembered he was betrothed to Anastasia and felt a pang of guilt. Still, despite that unhappy fact, there seemed little point in false modesty now, so she tried to put it out of her mind and enjoy the present.

She gave herself up to the luxury of having Ivar wash her hair for her. He was surprisingly delicate and seemed to enjoy the task. It was marvelous to her that the huge, muscular warrior’s physique, trained for killing, could at the same time harbor such gentleness. If she was not so happy being with him, she would have felt very sad that he could never be hers. Because she could not imagine ever meeting a man who could ever make her feel like Ivar did, nor one she could ever want more than him.

“Ivar, ye ken the other night at Agnes’s cottage?” she asked hesitantly, needing some sort of explanation for what she felt.

He paused for a split second before carefully continuing what he was doing, rinsing the soap from her hair with a jug of fresh water. “Aye.”

“Well, ye said we’d talk about it in the mornin’, but we didnae have the chance because Chisholm attacked us. D’ye think we should talk about it now?”

He gently wrung the water from her hair and wrapped it in a towel, delicately resting her head against the tub. Their eyes met. “I suppose so.” He did not sound very enthusiastic.

“I think it’s important that we should.”

He nodded. “All right.”

“What is happening between us, Ivar?” she asked, genuinely confused.

He just shook his head and looked downcast as he leaned against the side of the tub. “I dinnae ken what tae tell ye, Cat. I hardly ken meself what’s goin’ on. I’m betrothed tae yer sister, but now, well, everythin’ seems such a mess.”

He sounded so sad, her heart went out to him, and she put her hand on his arm. “Ivar, tell me, when I was unconscious, ye didnae leave me side the whole time. Is that right?”

“Aye.”

“Why?”

He looked into her eyes, and after a few moments, he said in a choked voice, “I couldnae. I was just too terrified I was going tae loose ye.” He looked so scared, so vulnerable, Catalina responded to the urge to put her arms around him and hold him. They hugged each other in silence for a while before pulling back slightly to look at each other. Before she knew what was happening, their heads drew closer until, finally, their lips met.

The kisses deepened and grew in intensity as their mouths devoured each other.

“’Tis nay good,” she said at last as their lips broke apart for a moment, “kisses are nae enough, I need all of ye.” With a sudden burst of strength, she laid hold of him and pulled him into the tub with her, sending water everywhere.

“What are ye doin’, ye mad woman?” he gasped laughingly, dashing water from his eyes as he settled against the end of the tub.

“What does it look like?” she asked playfully, enjoying the sensation of having his slippery, naked body next to hers. She decided to forget about their troubles and simply let herself get lost in him, savoring the feel of her breasts pressing against his face, his hands everywhere as she knelt before him in the water. “Ye need a wash, so I’m goin’ tae wash ye.”

Catalina grabbed the soap and began washing him, while Ivar, grinning hungrily, began exploring her body in the most tantalizing of ways, catching the tops of her breasts in this mouth and nibbing and sucking on the tips, making her gasp.

“That’s nae fair. How can I concentrate when ye’re doin’ that tae me?” she complained, gasping as he toyed with her, teasing her body with his mouth and hands. Everything he did seemed specially designed for her pleasure, like when he nuzzled her breasts, sending waves of excitement through her with his bristly stubble as it rubbed against her tender skin.

“I dinnae ken, I’m waiting tae see how long ye can last.”

“I’m nae sure mesel’,” she admitted breathily, almost swooning when he covered her neck in hot kisses and then sighing when his fingers stroked her between her legs and slid inside her. He watched her with slitted eyes, smiling as he teased and toyed with her until she was moaning with want.

“Och, Ivar, ye have a magic way with yer fingers,” she murmured, the soap sliding out of her hands. “The things ye dae tae me are amazin’. I never thought I could feel like this.” She abandoned herself to the blissful sensations he was causing her body to feel. And though he was restrained, she knew he was just as excited as her, for his shaft was throbbing rock-hard against her legs.

“’Tis the same fer me, Cat. Let’s stand up,” he murmured, rising in one swift movement and taking her with him, oblivious to the small tidal wave that splashed over the rug. “Turn around.” In a blissful trance, she obeyed without question, awaiting further intoxication as she leaned back against his chest.

She shivered in delight as his hands glided over her, cupping and squeezing her breasts while he bit and sucked gently at her neck. His other hand moved over her belly and prized her thighs apart, stroking her rosebud with his thumb while opening her with his fingers.

“Och, Ivar, ye’ll drive me mad,” she whispered raggedly, her legs turning to jelly. But she had no fear of falling, for he held her pinned against him. She raised up her arms and linked them around his neck, tilting her head to bestow hot, urgent kisses on his lips, which he returned with equal passion.

Moaning softly, she leaned back against him as he worked his fingers deeper inside her, making her mutter his name repeatedly as he strummed her excited bud. “Ye ken, Cat, I’d like tae dae this with ye every day and every night until I cannae dae it anymore.”

She burst out laughing against his mouth, loving the vibration of his deep- throated chuckle against her back. “I’m only just findin’ out that ye’re nae the miserable bugger everyone thinks ye are. Ye actually have a sense of humor. Ye’ve kept that well-hidden, I must say,” she told him laughingly.

“Mmmh, I only let it out on special occasions,” he whispered, biting her shoulder and sucking hard on the skin. He groaned as he pressed his stiff shaft against her back. It was just too exciting, and she could contain herself no longer.

“I need ye,” she gasped in her ecstasy, keeping one arm around his neck as she reached behind her and gripped his shaft in her hand.

Taking her by surprise, he put one arm around her waist and lifted her up, his hardness nosing against her hot wetness.

“How much d’ye want me, Cat?”

“With all of me, Ivar,” she breathed, weak with desire as he teased her with his length, pressing it into her soft folds, back and forth.

“Are ye certain? We cannae go back…”

“Yes Ivar! I want ye” Cat gasped.

“Mmm, I like tae hear me name on yer tongue. Say it again,” he told her, his voice deep with desire.

“Ivar, Ivar, Ivar MacLeod, the handsomest man in all the Highlands!” she moaned, helplessly caught in the throes of passion. She cared for nothing but to have him in her.

“Only the Highlands? I’m disappointed, but I suppose I can live with it,” he murmured, then, with a grunt deep in his throat, he thrust himself all the way into her, hard, and began moving his hips urgently.

“Oh, God!” Catalina screamed, at first in shock, then for an instant in pain, then with in intense pleasure, clinging to his arm as he pounded into her, panting in her ear, murmuring her name.

“Catalina, my Catalina, me little wild Cat,” he panted, his free hand frantically working her stiffened rosebud.

“It’s coming,” she gasped as the waves of heat began traveling up the length of her body.

“Aye,” he breathed, speeding up, using the weight of her body to increase the power of his thrusts.

Catalina bounced against him, close to the peak of her delirium. “Harder, Ivar, harder!” she cried, the waves of ecstasy finally overwhelming her. She clutched at his arm screamed and shuddered against him, feeling him stiffen and grow inside her before he too reached a shattering climax.

“Cat?”

“Mmm?” She peppered his face with kisses and ran her fingertips over his stubble in fascination, unable to get enough of him.

“Dar ye regret what we did?”

“Nay, never. But I admit I dae feel terrible fer goin’ behind Ana’s back,” she said.

“We will make things right Cat, I promise ye,” he assured her, stroking her hair.

“Aye, Ivar, we must.” Cat nestled in the crook of his arm.

“But in the meantime, I have a request,” he said with a teasing smile.

“Oooh, that sounds interestin’,” she said giggling. “What is it?”

“Ye ken that trick with the apple?”

“Aye, what about it?” she asked, but she thought she could guess what was coming, and she smiled to herself.

“I want ye tae show me how tae dae it. Will ye teach me?”

She laughed and said, “I thought ye’d never ask.”

“Grand,” he murmured, looking pleased. “Now, come here, so I can show ye how grateful I am,” he added, grinning at her wolfishly as he pulled her down on top of him, sloshing bath water everywhere.

“Again, Ivar? So soon?” she asked in wonder, her pulse racing with fresh excitement as she felt his hardness jutting into her belly once more. Inwardly, she rejoiced at how wonderful it was to be so desired by this beautiful, complicated, battle-hardened man—whom she desired so fervently in return!

“Och aye, bonny lassie, again and again and again, so ye’d best get used tae it,” he mumbled playfully into her mouth, abruptly stopping her giggles.