Highland Sparks: Logan and Gwyneth (Clan Grant Series Book 5) (12 page)

She began to unbind her breasts when Logan jumped, “Please, allow me.”

After he was finished, she stood in front of him, waiting for him to do the same. Somehow, she had felt no shame standing in front of him this way, and the look in his eyes made her feel like a queen. She could tell how pleased he was with her just by the way he let his breath out.

“Lass, you’re beautiful.” Logan’s gaze raked her body before he ripped off the rest of his own clothes.

Gwyneth blushed, but then smiled, happy that she pleased him. He pulled her back to him and cupped her cheeks, kissing her tenderly this time, stroking her tongue with his until she thought her legs would buckle.

He helped her onto the soft plaid, and gazed into her eyes. “Do you know how much I want you?” His hand slid down her side, cupped her breast, then trailed down her hip until he found her hand and placed it on his hard length. “Can you see what you do to me, Gwyneth? You, just you.”

Gwyneth was surprised at the feel of his hardness in her hand, which sent another thrill of power thrumming through her. She let him go and tugged him down for another kiss, letting him tease her with his tongue until she was crazed with need. Grinding her hips against him, she hoped to encourage him to speed things up. She wanted him.

“Relax, lass. We have no need to rush.”

“Aye, we do. When I need something, I don’t like to wait.”

He chuckled as his lips followed her neckline and he cupped her breast in his hand, rubbing his thumb across her nipple until he brought it to a taut peak. His fingers trailed a slow path over one breast, then the other, finally shifting down across her belly and into the dense curls at her sex. He teased her folds and she spread her legs for him, allowing him access to her sheath. He smiled and he slid a finger in and out of her passage.

“Logan, please.” Lord, but she couldn’t understand all the sensations this man was causing her to feel. Her nipples ached, and the spot between her thighs throbbed with a need she didn’t quite comprehend, forcing her to thrust forward in a most unladylike manner. Her entire body thrummed with a sensation completely new to her, but one she rather liked.

“Gwyneth, is this your first time?”

She nodded, and her breathing hitched as he removed his hand from her core and returned it to her nipple, gently rubbing the sensitive tip until she wanted to scream.

“You know ‘twill be painful your first time? I’ll do my best to ease your pain.”

She nodded again. Aye, she had heard it would hurt, but she was a warrior and could handle pain. “Get on with it, I can handle it.”

“Lass, I have no doubt you can, but I wish to make this as pleasurable for you as I can. Relax and enjoy.”

Gwyneth sighed in frustration and then her eyes widened as Logan lowered his head and took her nipple in his mouth. Lord, but she had never experienced such pleasure. He licked and suckled as she moaned in delight, squirming as his lips transferred from one breast to the other. While he continued his assault on her aching breasts, his hands found their way back down her belly, finding her core again and parting her folds with his finger. She moaned in sheer ecstasy as he plunged his finger inside her again and again, tormenting her with a sweet torture that reduced her to begging.

“Och, lass, you are so wet and hot for me. Do you know how that excites me?”

“Logan, please.” She grasped his arms as she moved her pelvis back and forth in response to the pleasure building in her sex.

He brought his lips back to hers and kissed her deeply again. “Aye, lass, I want you as much as you want me.” He settled himself on top of her, supporting his weight on his elbows. “I can’t wait any longer, you make me wild with wanting you.”

Logan teased her entrance a bit more with his shaft before he entered her just enough to cause her to spread her legs in welcome.

“Logan, aye, this is what I want. Please do it now.” She grabbed his hips in an attempt to bring him closer, but he was too strong for her.

“Hang on, love.” Logan paused to kiss her, then plunged inside her and broke through her barrier.

She gave a brief yelp at the sting, but stilled and gazed at Logan for guidance.

“I’m sorry, lass, but that was the worst of it. I won’t move again until you tell me.”

She noted the clenching in his jaw and the tension in his face as he held still, waiting for her. The pain subsided so she moved against him until the ache returned. She pushed ahead as need possessed her again. Logan moaned and pulled back before entering her again swiftly.

Gwyneth did the only thing that felt right, though her boldness embarrassed her. She bent her legs, hoping he could fill her more, get in deeper, and he growled in response.

Logan rammed her hard and she moaned in sheer ecstasy as he picked up his pace, rocking her, hitting her tender pearl just where she needed him. A force was building inside her, coiling with each push, growing as he stoked her to a frenzied peak, faster and harder, intensifying with every jolt against her until the release she had searched for finally let loose, catapulting her over the edge with a scream as she clenched Logan, yelling his name and convulsing with a pleasure she had never known.

Through her bliss, she heard Logan roar as he emptied his seed into her and she swallowed, trying to get her breathing under control so she could watch him as he shuddered against her.

When they had both reached a point where they could speak, Gwyneth met Logan’s eyes and said, “Good Lord, Ramsay. I had no idea.”

Logan grinned and kissed her. “We’re fantastic together, lass.”

Chapter Twelve

Logan had to admit that it had been better than he expected. He kissed Gwyneth’s cheek. “I pleased you, lass? The pain is not too much for you.”

“What pain?” Gwyneth snorted.

Logan quirked an eyebrow at her.

She blushed. “Not a very ladylike sound is it. Rab used to tell me that. I guess it’s a habit. Sorry.”

“You have naught to apologize for. I’m more concerned about whether or not you are still hurting. Every moment was sweet.”

“Nay, I’m fine. The pain was verra mild.”

She gazed into his eyes until he caught the sparkle in them, followed by her sly grin. What was the lass thinking about? A few moments later, he found out.

“How often do you do this?”

Logan chuckled. “A man doesn’t tell other women about his experiences. Why?”

“I don’t care about your other experiences.”

“Then why do you ask?”

“Because…” She hesitated before answering.

He kissed her forehead. “Because?”

“Because I wondered how long before we could do it again.” Gwyneth averted her gaze and blushed, but then returned her gaze for his response.

He chuckled. “If you give me a few moments, I’ll show you.”

“Why do we have to wait a few moments?”

Logan chuckled and gathered her in his arms. “Saucy wench.”

***

A few hours later, Logan rested on his side with Gwyneth cocooned in his arms. They had discussed their family and made love again, and he decided now was the time to broach the topic she didn’t want to hear.

He whispered in her ear, “Do you wish to tell me why you left by yourself? Don’t you think ‘twas a wee bit foolish?”

“I can handle myself. You saw that in the archery contest.”

He could tell her defenses had instantly gone up. “An archery contest is not the same thing as a trip alone. None of the Grants would have tried such a thing.”

“You would have.” She stared at him, quite sure of herself.

But other than her encounters with Duff Erskine, he was willing to bet Gwyneth had lived a sheltered life in the Kirk. Logan sighed. “Aye, but I have traveled these Highlands enough to know them a bit better than you do. Can you not admit you were almost in trouble by yourself?”

“Aye—” she bobbed her head, “—I should have climbed into the trees.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“Because.” She glanced off into the distance, her voice barely a whisper.

Logan was baffled to see her this embarrassed. “I know you can climb; you must have climbed a tree to get all those apples for the lassies.”

“Aye.” She still avoided his gaze.

“And so, you didn’t climb the tree because…”

She brought her gaze back to his, her eyes narrowed in a challenge. “Because. I’m afraid of heights. I can only climb the lowest branches as I did to retrieve the apples. I can’t go any higher or I risk fainting. Does that please you?”

Now it made sense. The lass didn’t want to admit to any sort of weakness. “Being afraid of heights isn’t uncommon. There is no reason to be embarrassed. It
is
a reason to make sure you are not caught in such a situation again.” He waited for her agreement, but none was forthcoming.

She changed the subject. “How far are you going?”

“However far you are going.”

She sat up and turned to glare at him. “Why did you follow me?”

“When I found out you left alone, I had no choice,” he said, sitting up and facing her. “I wasn’t convinced you could make it alone in the Highlands. And I’m glad I came. I’ll follow you to Glasgow.”

“You don’t need to follow me. Go back. I have a job to do, and I don’t need your help.”

“You mean killing Duff Erskine?”

“Aye. Who told you that?” She crossed her arms in front of her glorious breasts.

“Caralyn did. Is it a secret?” He reached over and grasped her hands to pull them away from her front. Slud, he liked looking at her.

“Nay!” She slapped his hands away and crossed her arms again.

“Then why are you upset?”

“I’m not upset.” She turned her back on him and flounced back down on the ground.

“Aye, you are.” Hellfire, she had spirit and he loved it. He fought to quell his grin or he suspected she would start swinging at him.

Logan allowed silence to settle between them again to give her time to sort out her thoughts. He ran his hand down her back in a soft caress, his fingertips just grazing her skin. After a few minutes, he started again. “Why don’t you tell me everything about Duff Erskine?”

She sat up and turned back to face him. “Logan, I know you are trying to be helpful, but this is my battle. If you came in and killed him for me, I would be furious. He’s mine to kill, and I can do it on my own. This has been my goal for the last seven years.”

“But he put you on the boat not too long ago. Why seven years?” He needed to hear it all from her.

“Aye, he tried to sell me because he knows I’m after him. He’s afraid of me because he knows I won’t quit until he’s dead. The only way he could control me was to have his men drug me.” She crossed her legs and played with several leaves on the ground, staring at her hands as she spoke.

Logan tugged her onto his lap, turning her sideways so she could rest her head on his shoulder. He rubbed her arm and said, “Why? Why is he afraid of you?”

“Because he killed my father and my brother, and now I won’t rest until he is dead.” Her hand rested on his arm as if she needed something to steady her.

The fact that she reached for him instead of pushing him away was a good sign. He had to earn her trust. She shouldn’t have to fight this battle on her own, but he knew he would have to convince her of it. “You know for a fact it was Erskine who killed your father and brother?”

“Aye, my younger brother and I saw it happen in front of us.”

Logan's stomach clenched as he fought to hold back his gasp. He hadn’t realized she had watched her own family die in front of her. God’s teeth, he couldn’t imagine a lass watching that. No wonder she had an edge and a mission. This changed everything. Vowing to help her carry this out, he waited, hoping the pause would bring forth the full explanation. He wanted every detail of the story.

Gwyneth cleared her throat. “I’ll tell you everything, but you must understand that I’m doing so to make you understand what I must do. He is mine to kill and I want you to promise me, here and now, that if you have the opportunity, you won’t do it for me with the intent of helping me. ‘Tis something I need to do for myself. Understood?” She sat up and gazed at him, awaiting his pledge.

What she asked went against his better judgment, but he didn’t think she would budge on this request. Logan rubbed his eyes in thought and held his breath before releasing it in a whoosh. “Aye, unless the situation is the same as with the boars. It could be you or him. If it gets to that point, I’ll kill him. Don’t ever doubt that. I won’t watch you die for your pride.” He would probably live to regret this oath, but he could not deny her.

“My thanks.” She settled herself back against his chest. “I grew up in Glasgow. My mama died a few days after she birthed my brother, Rab, when I was only a year old. I don’t remember her. I had an older brother, Gordon, who was four summers my senior.

“After my mama died, my father raised the three of us as best he could. He taught us all how to use a bow to hunt, and we did so often. We never went anywhere without our bows except to the Kirk. Papa always said ‘twas disrespectful to take a weapon to the Kirk.” She played with the hair on his arm as if she needed a distraction to give her the strength to continue.

“My Uncle Innis was a priest at the Kirk in Glasgow. ’Twas one night after we left the Kirk when our nightmare happened. We had gone to pray and then stayed late for a visit with my uncle. We lived in a small cottage near the firth. As we neared our home, Papa heard someone crying, so we moved toward the sound, which came from near the river.

“When we got close enough, we found a couple of men loading women into a cart. My sire was a strong man who believed in right and wrong, so he yelled out to the men and asked them what they were about. It was verra dark, and I couldn’t make out much of what they were doing, especially since I stood behind Da and Gordon.”

Gwyneth sat up and turned to face Logan, tears misting in her eyes. “Logan, he pulled out his bow and killed my father and brother right in front of me. I was standing between the two, so I could see him undeniably clear. Duff stepped forward and fired without saying a word. I’ll never forget that moment for as long as I live.”