My Heart's in the Highlands by Angeline Fortin (ebook reader screen TXT) 📕

hand grasped her thigh, urging it across his hips untilshe was astride him, before he slid both hands up to cup herbottom. Ian held her firmly, arching against her, and Hero inhaledsharply at the feel of his hard length pressing against her throughthe thin barrier of the sheet.

“Can ye feel what ye do to me with just atouch, lass?” he asked in an almost unintelligible brogue. “GoodLord save me if I were to want ye any more than I already do.”

Still Hero wavered indecisively, wonderingwhat to do next, since she wasn’t in a position that she had evershared with Robert. Years of occasional interludes consisting ofquick, no-nonsense intercourse hadn’t provided much insight on howto please a man, and Hero did so want to please Ian. As if he couldsee into her mind, Ian smoothed a tendril of hair back from herforehead and whispered, “Do as ye like, my love. Whatever it iswill please me, I promise ye.”

Releasing a shaky breath, Hero pushed herselfup and looked down at his broad chest once more. The sight of itbared to her when she had come to his bedside had drawn her eyesagain and again. Those hard planes called to her, and her handsitched to caress the raw masculine beauty before her. “I—I want totouch you.”

“Then do,” he invited, releasing her andrelaxing back against the pillows.

Spreading her hands across his abdomen, Herofanned her fingers outward until they just reached the curve of hissides. Slowly, she slid them upward, feeling muscle flex and tense,her eyes following intently. His skin was hot and smooth beneathher fingers. Her palms slid over his rib cage, up and over hisshoulders, as they had moments before. Downward then, retracing thepath down to his navel and lower, where hair roughened hisskin.

His erection leapt beneath her and Herowiggled against the hard length, drawing a low moan from Ian. Shelooked up curiously. Ian’s eyes were closed, his face tight. Sheundulated against him once more, felt his body clench beneath her.Her heart, which had already been pounding heavily, raced withexhilaration.

With a groan, Ian clasped his hands about herwaist and lifted her, toeing the sheets down before setting herupon him once more. Hero barely had a moment to gasp as his nakedheat was pressed against her core before Ian sat up, wrapping onearm around her and pulling her against him. His other hand doveinto her hair, fisting and pulling her forward to meet hiskiss.

His mouth was open and hot as it met hers. Heangled his head to the side, exploring her more fervently. Histongue stroked hers, and Hero moaned against his lips, sliding herarms up and over his shoulders to clutch him tightly to her. Ian’swhisker-roughened chin lightly abraded hers, and his callousedhands chafed against her back and neck, the differences betweenthem only heightening the intensity of the contact. Her body burnedwhere it touched his, and Hero’s head swam dizzily, delightfully,as passion overwhelmed her. “Oh, oh,” she exhaled the word over andover. “Oh, yes.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

With an animalistic growl, Ian lifted her andturned her on her back against the mattress, his weight descendingover her. A thrill of exultation tore through Hero as she felt hishands on her breasts, kneading. Not gently, not tenderly, asbefore, but fervidly, his zeal inciting Hero’s passion to a nearfrenzy. His mouth left hers, trailing hotly down her neck andshoulder until his lips closed over one nipple. Hero cried out,unconsciously grasping his head to her breast as he suckled deeplythen licked the sting away before turning his attention to herother breast.

Hero threw her head back and cried out oncemore as thrilling electricity streaked through her body and downher limbs. Already racing, her heart beat frantically against herribs and her breathing became rushed and labored. She feltintoxicated, drunk on him.

Scorching lips dragged over her breast, histeeth scraping roughly against the tender underside and down hersoft belly. His tongue laved her navel before he shifted, movinglower. Ian lifted her leg, lightly biting her inner thigh andrasping the delicate skin against his stubbled cheek. Hero felt hisfingers trace along her inner folds, opening her, but before shecould react, his hot mouth engulfed her and Hero arched off the bedwith a euphoric scream. His tongue swirled against her ferventlyand tension built low in her belly, tendrils of fire licking downher thighs. Her head thrashed from side to side on the pillow, andher breathing became desperate pants as the unknown approached.

“Ian,” she gasped in an impassioned plea, andIan rose over her, lifting her legs around his hips as he drovedeeply into her. Her cry of rapture harmonized with his groan ofsatisfaction, and for a moment he paused, unmoving, looking down ather.

Hero lifted her hands to his heaving chestand froze as well, caught by the look in his eyes. A myriad ofemotions shone in those dark depths. Not just passion or even love.There was tenderness, astonishment. She could feel him throbbingwithin her, but Ian didn’t move as she expected. Instead, he leanedover her, resting his weight on his forearm, his chest brushinghers, his hand sliding up her thigh to cradle her bottom in hispalm. His fingers toyed with the hair at her temple and his throatworked as Ian swallowed deeply. As it tended to when he was in highemotion, Ian’s brogue was heavy and hoarse when he spoke. “Never,my love. I swear to ye, never before.”

Hero didn’t have to ask what he meant. Sheknew what he was saying. “I know,” she whispered. “I love you.”

“I love ye,” he murmured, then released ahusky chuckle. “By God but I’ve never seen anything so bonny in mylife as the sight of ye lying here beneath me. But I do know onething that will be even more lovely.”

Blinking, Hero asked, “You do?” But Iandidn’t answer; instead, he flexed his hips and pushed deeper intoher depths. Withdrawing slowly, he slid into her again, and Herogasped, her body clenching around him. Again and again, heretreated and plunged, his pace quickening. Still he watchedher.

Hero wrapped her arms around him, one