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

“Find yer heaven, my love, then I will,” hewhispered encouragingly.

Shaking her head, Hero tore away from him andturned back, throwing her arms around his shoulders and pulling hismouth to hers. She kissed him with all the frenzied passion he hadjust roused in her, parting her lips and brushing her tongue acrosshis. His reaction was instantaneous. Ian crushed her against him,his hands cupping her bottom and drawing her tightly against him,but the rough abrasion of his clothes against her sensitive breastsreminded Hero of the disparity of their attire or lack of it, andshe pulled back, tugging at his cravat. “Now you.”

Ian’s eyes were dark as midnight as he lookeddown at her and helped her by shrugging off his jacket andunbuttoning his waistcoat. “Is that how it’s going to be then, mylove? Are ye thinking to take charge of every situation?”

“No,” Hero murmured. “I’m just thinking thatwhat we do, we do together.”

She could hear his chuckle as he pulled hisshirt over his head. “I can guarantee it right now, lass, ye’llfind yer release far more often than I during the course of thismarriage. I wouldn’t consider myself much of a man or a lover if itwent any other way.”

Shivering at the promise in his voice, Herorelented as she worked the buttons of Ian’s trousers. “Fine, butnot tonight. Tonight, I want to share everything with you.”

“Aye, then. Tonight it will be as ye like,”Ian said. He finished toeing off his shoes and lifted her highagainst him until she wrapped her legs around his waist. He carriedher to the bed and lowered them both down, but his fingers hadalready found her once more, circling and circling once more beforehis fingers plunged deep within her. Helplessly, she arched againsthis hand with a tortured moan. He retreated then and his fingersrubbed once more, now slick and wet. Hero cried out in ecstasy.Almost, her body strained.

“Now?”

“Now.” Hero moaned and urged him forwarduntil he was pressed against her. She could feel the turgid lengthof him probing, then sliding within her slowly. He stretched her,filled her with tormenting languor until Hero was sobbing with theintensity of her arousal. She was trembling with need. Throbbingaround his length. Almost. “Now, Ian, please.”

He drove forward then until she could feelhim throbbing against her womb. “Yer so hot, my love. Wet. Tight,”he murmured in Hero’s ear as he withdrew and slowly, wickedly,plunged once more, drawing a low groan from her. She kicked herheels against his thighs, urging him on. “Am I going too slow forye, lass?”

There was humor in his voice, but Hero wasbeyond caring. She wanted him. This fire might make her a wantonwho begged for release, but it was a fire Ian had built. “Ian…”

“Don’t ye want me to make slow love to ye?”he growled. Hero shook her head and locked her legs more tightlyaround his waist. “Tell me then. Tell me what you want.”

Hero bit her lip but Ian continued with hisslow thrusts, keeping her hovering just on the edge of her release.It was there waiting for her. An abyss that her body cried out for.She needed him to take her there. Needed him with her. “Please,Ian. Faster,” she commanded.

And he obeyed, thrusting deeply, almostsavagely, as if the dam had broken on his control. Hero lifted herhips against him until they met in perfect rhythm. Heat flooded hercore and spiraled outward within seconds, and she cried out as herclimax came hard. “Now!” she begged desperately and Ian pumpedagainst her violently with a guttural moan.

She felt his seed flow hotly into her, butIan thrust again. Again. His body was shaking, his muscles taut.“Never enough,” he groaned. “It will never be enough.”

Hero wrapped her body around his and held himtightly. “I know.”

And she did.

A thousand times. A million.

She would want him just as desperatelystill.

Chapter Thirty

A sound woke Ian and he tensed, prepared tofight if need be. Fight against the dream that still lingered inhis mind. A dream where Hero had been taken from him by force andIan was left searching, constantly searching for her with a soulleft as empty and barren as the deserts of the east. Reaching outfor her, Ian found the bed next to him warm but empty, and the fearroused itself again.

A low grating sound broke the silence, and heturned to find Hero standing in front of the empty fireplace in herdressing gown with her back to him. She held a single candle in itssmall dish-like holder aloft, the wispy flame scarcely cleaving thedarkness beyond her. “What are you doing?”

Turning with a smile, she came to his sideand sat on the edge of the bed, the candleholder in one hand, herother tightly fisted. “I didn’t mean to wake you. I’m sorry.”

“What have you there?” Ian nodded to herfisted hand and she opened it sheepishly and held up a ring. Herwedding ring that he had given her hours before. It had been hismother’s and his grandmother’s as well before that bonny old ladyhad given it to his father on his wedding day. Ian’s mother hadgiven it to him before she died to give to the woman he loved oneday. It was a beautiful ring with a large central sapphire flankedon each side by two long, diamond baguettes. “Don’t you likeit?”

“Oh, I do,” Hero said instantly. “I love it,but it’s a wee bit too big and I almost lost in the bed linens whenit worked its way off my finger.”

“I’m sorry I dinnae ha’ time to ha’ it sizedfor ye,” he whispered regretfully.

“I’m not worried about that,” she assuredhim. “I just didn’t want to lose it.”

“So ye were throwing it the fireplace?”

Her smile was broad. “Of course not. I wasputting it in the safe.”

Ian frowned. “What safe?”

“I have one in here, just like you do in yourroom,” she answered, then frowned as well. “I guess you were nevertold about it, were you? No one else knows about them. Not evenMandy or Biggs, Robert’s old valet. Come here, I’ll show you.”

Pushing aside the sheets, Ian rose andfollowed