Highland Desire (2 page)

The door closed without sound and she moved closer. When she stepped into a ray of moonlight, Jamie lost his breath. Her sheer gown left very little to his imagination. Soft curves
were
outlined down to her long, lithe legs. "I --I am not sure why I came, I couldn
't sleep knowing you are here."

Torn, Jamie could only stare
, transfixed.

Cailyn shrugged. "Well, I suppose it's best I return to my chambers. I apologize to have disturbed you."

He bounded from the bed and took her around the waist, his mouth instantly over hers. Even if the price of having her was death, he became powerless to allow her to leave. Slow and precise, he pressed kisses along her jaw line, down to her throat.

Cailyn moaned and her head fell back, while her hands slid up his back
.
S
he drew her fingers through his hair in encouragement. He yanked her ni
ghtgown over her shoulders, tossing it to the floor
and cupped her breasts with both hands. His lips' descent continued, and he did not stop until he pulled her tight nipple into his mouth.

From one to the other, he continued to taste her breasts with eyes closed. He'd memorize each moment for the long, lonely months at sea. Every touch, stroke and kiss would be committed to memory to keep him company in the solitude to come.

"Jamie," she hissed, when he cupped her tight, round ass and pulled her into his stone-hardened cock. "I want you."

He kissed her until she clung to his shoulders, and then stepped away to undress.

Her regard of his jetting member made him harder. "As you can clearly see, I'm very much in need of you
as well
." Jamie moved to her and picked her up.

As soon as they fell into the bed, he took her mouth again. Cailyn's hips lifted up to grind against him, and he fought not to take her. Her nails trailed down his back to grab at his derrière, and he bucked forwar
d
,
the tip of his cock at her entrance.

"Open wider for me," he instructed. Cailyn was too tight for him to chance hurting her. He slipped a finger inside her wet sheath, sliding it in and out while she mewled against his neck.

"Ahhh, so good." Jamie moved down her bod
y
,
needing to ensure she was fully prepared for him.

Cailyn wanted to scream when Jamie's lips traveled down her body. He lifted her legs to bend at the knees
and pulled them apart leaving her fully exposed to him
. More than anything, she wanted him inside her.

Delicious frustration mounted when his tongue traced circular patterns on her inner thighs. He licked at her core. "Oh!" she exclaimed, concentrating on keeping her voice down, which became exponentially more difficult when his hot mouth covered her entirely, and his tongue began to flick at her throbbing nub. She pushed up into his mouth and began to float.

Again and again, his wicked mouth caressed between her folds until Cailyn lost control and fell into the abyss of stars and darkness, with only enough consciousness to bring some bedding against her mouth to muffle her cries.

From her flat stomach back up to her chest, Jamie pressed kisses and nipped gently at her skin. Cailyn floated back down as he positioned himself between her legs. "I dreamed of fucking you again, just like this." The huskiness in his voice fell like a warm blanket over her
heated skin. Her embers fanned at
watching his muscles bunch while he pressed himself
close
r
,
sliding his cock against
the
already heated core. "I need to be inside you
Cailyn
."

Cailyn reached between them and took him in hand. His cock was moistened by her
juices, which allowed
her hand to slide down the thick shaft, then back up to the head with eas
e
.
"I want you
so much
, Captain."

Positioned at her entrance, he pushed in with excruciating slowness. Both of them let out a loud sigh when he was fully sheathed inside her.

"Take me," Cailyn brought his face down to her and took his mouth, suckling at his full lips. "Hurry, love, I need you so much."

His hips began to move, slowly at first. Then with her urging
s
,
he picked up the pace,
sliding
in and out
faster
.

Jamie lifted her hips with both hands and pulled her to the edge
of the bed
. He stoo
d
an
d
positioned
her legs up against his chest, then drove into her harder. The tempo of his drives became more and more hurried, his breath came in pants. She fought to not lose all control, wanting to plunge with him.

He released her legs and continued driving so hard that the sounds of their lovemaking rivaled their moans. Cailyn finally surrendered, and came with so much force she wept. Jamie thrust into her only twice before he, too, cam
e
,
groaning quietly into her throat. With a final jerk, he drew out of her and spilled his seed.

"Lay with me for a bit."
T
hey settled onto the bed, snuggling together under the thick fur
s
.

Cailyn
gazed at
Jamie
's face
and he kissed her
with soft lips
, his eyes already drooping with sleep.

When his breathing became even and a soft snore escape
d
,
Cailyn slid from the bed. She tugged her nightgown on and went back to stand by the bed to steal one last look at
him
, before slipping from his chamber to hers.

****

Two days later, dressed for the road, Jamie put down his cup when Victoria came into the drawing room where he'd been waiting. Admittedly, his sister glowed, her face split with a wide smile
at spotting him
. Victoria's eyes
, which he knew matched his,
shined bright with unshed tears when she came closer and hugged him.

"Oh, Jamie, must you leave so soon?" She frowned up at him. "Stay for the season. It will be winter soon, you should not be out sailing in such weather. I'll be sad without you here." Her pout made him waiver. His weakness for women, especially his sister, made it hard to keep
his resolve
.

"I must," he replied, and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "It seems that your new husband keeps you plenty company."

Victoria laughed and nodded. "Yes, he does. Oh, Jamie, I am in love. For the first time in my life, I am deliriously happy." She beamed up at him, her face flushed.

"I can see that." Jamie glanced toward the doorway. He needed to leave.

Cowardice or self-perseverance, he wasn't sure which
,
propelled his departure. He didn't want to run into Cailyn. He'd actually managed to avoid time alone with her since their time together.

"She's not here," Victoria told him with a cocked eyebrow. "I don't know why you don't admit it. You are smitten with Cailyn, and she with you. It's silly, really, for you to go. Why not stay and court her?"

Jamie moved away from his sister. "I have business to complete. I am not a man of leisure. Someone who spends life at sea cannot expect his wife to remain alone for months at a time."

"Bah!" She waved his comment off. "You have enough money to allow you
rself
to no longer sail about the ocean hither and yon." Victoria crossed her arms and glared at him. "Personally I think you are afraid, dear brother. Love terrifies you."

He ignored her comments and bent to kiss her brow. "I take my leave, Victoria. I've already given my appreciation and farewell to the laird and your husband."

After a last hug, he left the keep and Cailyn, with no plans to return in the near futur
e
.

****

His men kept sliding questioning gazes at him, and Jamie ignored the
m
.
Sure he'd barked at them several times
, but that shouldn't cause them to act so bothered
. In all the years as captain of his ship, he'd ruled with a soft-spoken, but firm manner. After all, most of his sailors were men who'd proven themselves before joining him. Men who preferred to remain neutral during the Scottish-English war, each with good reason to not take side
s
.

"Captain Westcott," his first mate and close friend, Geoffrey, finally spoke. "Will we go directly to the ship?"

"Aye." Jamie frowned at him. "Why do you ask?"

"I thought perhaps you'd like to stop at a brothel and see about your dour disposition." The man had the gall to grin and shake his head.

"There is no need for it," Jamie snapped.

"Perhaps you require something else then. Whatever it is, there is no need for you to take it out on the men." Geoffrey
rode alongside him, his steed prancing
.

Something else?

"Aye, Captain, we all have a purpose in life, and sometimes it's easier to accept that we don't always control our destiny." Geoffrey's eyes bore into his. "I, for one, know what mine is. I will return home, been too long away from my wife and children."

"I did not know you were married." Jamie studied the stout, ruddy man, imagining him with children.

Geoffrey chuckled. "Made time for it, Cap'
n
.
Have four wee ones." The man gazed toward the distance. "My oldest boy is about to marry, start a family of 'is own."

"Well good on you mate," Jamie told him meaning it.

"I will miss the seas, but I miss my family more.
"
With a grin, Geoffrey urged his mount forward, when one of the other men pulled the first mate into conversation.

Jamie pondered his friend’s words. What was his destiny? Was he fighting it? Cailyn's face appeared
instantly
in his mind. Was he a coward to not accept that he more than cared for her?

"Geoffrey!" He called
reigning his horse to a stop
. "Take the ships to England, I will stay in Scotland for the winter season."

"Aye, Captain," Geoffrey waved over his shoulder, and the men galloped off
without him
.

*****

"I'm not hungry," Cailyn repeated once again. This time her brother, Conor, was the one to ask. "I will eat later."

The sound of the door closing gave her leave to climb into the bed. Ever since he left, she'd been in the room where Jamie slept. Pretending to straighten it, she'd fought not to cry.

"Augh." She punched at the bedding. And her a McDougall, a strong Scottish woman. She did not need to be simpering over a man who'd left without so much as a farewel
l
.
In fact, she should ride after him and throttled hi
m
.
A good lesson for his lack of chivalr
y
.

Anger rose and she clenched her hands into fists. Cailyn stalked to the door and continued on to the stables. Moments late
r
,
rider and horse galloped toward the path that Jamie had taken.

Just an hour into her unintended trip, she slowed and climbed down from her horse. Cailyn walked to a clearing and sank down onto a fallen tree trunk. This was a mistake
.
Jamie had chosen to leave. She'd not go after him.

The sound of hooves alerted her to a rider approaching. Cailyn jumped to her feet and reached for her dirk, only to realize she'd left it behind in her haste.

Dropping her horse's reins, she darted to the tree line and hid behind a tree.

A rider came into the clearing, and took in her horse before scanning the foliag
e
.

Cailyn stepped from behind the thicket. "What brings you here?"

Jamie dismounted and stood beside his steed. "I was returning to Somerset. To speak to you."

She took in the proud man who stood rigid, his chiseled, handsome face and sea-green eyes locked with hers. "You were returning to speak to me?" Cailyn looked past him. "Where are your men?"

He shrugged a wide shoulder. "They are going to the ship." He motioned to her horse. "Where are you headed? What bring
s
you to this clearing?"

"I considered catching up to you and giving you a piece of my mind for leaving without a proper goodbye.  Then I realized it wasn't worth the effort for a man without honor."

"You are correct, I am without honor." He stepped closer to her. "I am a man who is not worthy of a woman like you."