Plead Forgiveness: Betrayed Twice (Loyalty Series) (12 page)

Ella emerged from
behind the tapestry and into the eerie glow of the fire’s flickering light.
 Wearing only a knee length chemise, she walked slowly over to Gavin with
one goal in mind. Seduction

His bold words to
Alice shattered the protective barrier shielding Ella’s heart. The sincerity
etched in his tone, moments ago, strengthened her courage to give herself to
him, body and soul. 
Yet, would he accept?

He stood facing
the window, wearing only a plaid that hung low on his hips. The contours of his
bare, muscular back glowed bronze, as did his broad shoulders. His thick, dark
hair fell loose, and she imagined running her fingers through the wavy strands.

“So ye have
discovered the hidden door between our chambers, have ye? I suggest ye make use
of it and return to yer bed.”

She dismissed his
suggestion and continued forward. With gentle fingers, she reached out and
touched his shoulder.

Like a flash of
lighting, Gavin turned and grabbed her wrist, then pulled her roughly to him.
Face to face, he felt her breath as she gasped in fright.

Aye, he wanted to
scare her, wanted her out of his chamber, out of his mind, out of his heart.
Why was she here, to torment him further? He could take no more rejection or
insults from the woman he wanted with a fire that burned like an inferno.

His massive body
dwarfed Ella as he growled, “What do ye want?”

She stood
motionless, stunned by his ire, but her determination did not falter. She would
offer him her heart and reveal all she kept hidden.  

He suddenly
railed, “Why are ye here? What do ye want?”

Ella whispered
only one word. “You.”

Gavin did not know
what game she played, but at that moment, he did not care. His iron grip
tightened on her wrist. With his free arm, he encircled her waist and lifted
her off the ground, slamming her body into his. Her feet dangled from the floor
as he covered her mouth in a punishing, angry kiss meant to frighten her.

When his brutal
kiss evoked a small, feminine whimper, he pulled back and saw her bruised,
swollen lips. Although instantly contrite by his rough behavior, he did not
loosen his hold. With her lithe form plastered to his and her chemise hiked up
to mid thigh, he could feel her scalding heat and the soft skin of her slender
legs. Closing his eyes, he took a moment to control his intense desire for the
woman in his arms.

With ardent
determination, Ella aimed to end his torment. She tenderly stroked the side of
his face, silently asking him to trust her intent. When his eyes opened, filled
with uncertainty, she brushed her lips across his. She slightly parted her lips
and explored the velvet warmth of his mouth.

The softness in
her expression stunned Gavin, as did the feel of her lips demanding a response.
In spite of the delicious sensation, he refused to yield his grip on her wrist
or the misgivings he felt in his heart.

However, when she
curled her arm around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist, his
uncertainty vanished. He responded as a man starved for air.

Gavin’s lips
burned with fiery possession, while his hands cupped the backs of her bare
thighs, moving slowly towards the perfectly curved buttocks. Feeling the fabric
of her chemise, he growled, “Take it off, now!”

Passion pounded
the blood in Ella’s heart as she complied with his seductive demand, leaving
her naked in his embrace. With her arms wrapped about his neck, legs around his
waist, she reclaimed his lips and drowned in the heady sensation that consumed
her.

As Gavin carried
her to the bed, devouring her mouth, he lovingly massaged her taut bottom and
lithe thighs. With gentleness, he lowered her to the bed then proceeded to
trail hot, wet kisses down her throat and neck. Aware that she cradled him
between her legs only heightened his ravenous need to claim her. Only when her
fire equaled his own would he join their bodies to share the cataclysmic end of
their mating.

When his hands
caressed her swollen breasts, Ella arched her body, craving his touch and heat.
Unexpectedly, brisk air rushed over her feverish body. Opening her eyes, she
saw Gavin looking at her as if he had never seen her before.

Breathtaking.
Glorious. Mine.
 While his eyes worshiped her,
his hands slid down her taut body. He drank in the sight and feel of her flat
stomach, slender hips and sleek thighs. In a husky voice, he said slowly, “My
God, ye are so beautiful.”

With a smile on
her face, Ella sat up and boldly grabbed the back of his neck. “Kiss me,
husband.” She did not wait for his reply as she hungrily crushed her lips to
his. Their bodies sank slowly into the bed.

Gavin felt a fierce
possessiveness take hold, hearing the woman in his arms call him husband. He
kissed her breast, taking each rosy nipple into his mouth and suckling them
until they were hard as pebbles. Her encouraging moans heightened his ardor.
His mouth moved lower to taste the soft skin of her belly and hips.

When his head
disappeared, Ella thought to protest, but lost all ability to speak. Her
fingers curled in his hair as the tremors came faster and harder, reaching for
some unknown goal.

The tension became
unbearable and she gasped, “Gavin!”

“Dinna hold back,
nae from me, nae from this.”

Gavin almost
spilled his seed when he felt her scorching heat. Tearing away his kilt, he
moved up her body and in a strained voice said, “I canna wait any longer, my
love.”

“Neither can I,”
she moaned and felt his hardness press into her.

Slowly guiding
himself into her, he instantly felt her pulsating warmth. He groaned, knowing
one thrust would give her release.

“Look at me,” he
demanded as his whole body stiffened in anticipation of being inside her,
watching and feeling her explosive climax.

When her pleading,
passion glazed eyes locked with his, he thrust into her burning core, all the
way to the hilt. His control snapped when she cried out his name and he felt
her earth shattering release.

Gavin raised her
hands above her head, entwining his fingers with hers, and then began the slow
sensual rhythm. He took her fiercely with insatiable desire and all the love in
his heart.

Tightening her
legs around his waist, Ella cried, “Don’t stop! Please, Gavin!”

“I want ye so
badly, want to. . . .”

“Aye.”

The way she
responded to him unleashed his predatory need for the woman who stole his
heart. They made love like ravenous wild animals. Her second release came in an
eruption of sensation, followed by his last explosive thrust. Clinging to each
other as though fearing to be apart, they rode the waves of euphoria,
breathless and sated.

Unable to speak
for long moments, Gavin lay in awe of the overpowering passion they shared.
When he finally raised himself onto his elbows, their gazes locked and they
simultaneously smiled at one another.

Giving her swollen
lips a tender kiss, he asked, “Did I hurt ye, love? Was there any pain?”

Ella’s heart
melted at hearing the endearment as well as the concern in his voice. “Nae, I
feel . . . wonderful!”

Chuckling at her
dazed expression, he said, “I must be certain I dinna hurt ye.”

Before she could
ask how he intended to do that, he left her body and the bed, and then walked
over to the washbasin to wet a small piece of linen. When he returned, he had
to pry the covers away she used to conceal her nudity.

In a teasing
voice, Gavin said, “Such modesty has nae place in are bed, especially since
that magnificent body of yers excites me like nae other.”

She gave him a shy
smile and allowed him to cleanse her body. Seeing his intense gaze, she asked,
“What are you looking for?”

“Blood. Ye were so
tight, I thought I might have . . . ” His sentence trailed off, satisfied with
what he saw. After cleaning himself, he slid back into the bed and pulled her
close. With her head and hand resting on his chest, he sighed in contentment.

“What made ye come
to me tonight? After the way I treated ye-”

Ella put her
fingers to his lips and said, “Nae, Gavin. You have treated me better than I
deserve. I wrongly blamed you for the deaths of my aunt and uncle. I know that
now. You risked your life to try to save them, and were prepared to give them a
home as well as your protection for the remainder of their days. I . . . I . .
.”

The feel of his
fingers stroking her cheek gave her added strength to continue. “Everything
happened so fast, and I was so confused. Please, forgive me.”

Gavin stopped her
words with a kiss, and then said in a soothing voice, “Nae, little one. I lied
to ye, and more than once. For that, I am truly sorry. ‘Twas nae honorable, but
given the choice again between my honor and ye, I would choose ye.”

He readjusted her
so she was lying atop him, then asked, “Now, what made ye come to my chamber
this night?”

Seeing her bite
her bottom lip, he grinned and said, “Ye heard what I said to that bitch.”

Ella nodded and
explained, “When I returned from delivering Rachel’s bairn early this morn,
Alice was leaving the chamber across from yours. I . . . I had learned that ye
kept yer. . . ah . . . leman in that chamber before ye wed me. Alice said you
ordered her to return to the chambers she occupied before I arrived. While I
bathed, she also said things that made me believe that . . that . . .”

Cupping her face
with his massive hands, Gavin said, “Trust me when I say this, once I had ye in
my life, I wanted nae other. I dinna deny she occupied my bed on occasion afore
I brought ye home. When the rain was heavy last eve, she asked to stay within
the castle. I consented and sent her to the servant’s quarters. I dinna ken she
took the chamber across from mine, especially since I spent the night in the
hall waiting for ye to return.”

“You spent the
night in the hall just for me?”

“Aye, I knew ye
neither slept nor eaten, and I became worried.” Pausing briefly, he then added,
“I will ne’er shame ye. I saw what that kind of shame did to my mother, and
what it did to our family. I want better for the woman I wed, for ye. Since ye
heard all of what I said to Alice, ye know she will nae longer be able to hurt
ye or any other.” With a broad smile, he said, “I am proud of the way ye
defended Thea.”

“You should have
given me more time with her,” Ella admitted then felt his booming laughter as
she kissed his vibrating chest.

Her kisses made
his appetite for her return full force. Not giving her time to protest, he
cupped her backside and said, “Time to ride, lass.”

“Ride?”

“Aye, wife. Here,
let me assist ye to mount.”

Ella found herself
impaled and completely filled, and although unsure of this method, she soon
caught on and found herself enjoying the control from the new position. She
moved slowly at first, watching him cup her breast and hips, urging her to ride
him faster.

She took him to
heaven, Gavin thought as he watched the spectacular view of his wife’s
exquisite body. He wished for another pair of hands, so he could fondle both
breasts as well as her perfectly curved buttock.

They made love
long into the night, each soaring to an awesome, shuddering ecstasy, then
collapsing into each other’s arms. She remained sprawled on top of him when
sleep claimed her.

With tenderness,
Gavin adjusted her pliant body so her back pressed to his chest, her sweet
derriere nestled against his groin. He stroked her hip and thigh, and then fell
into a blissful sleep.

Ella woke the next
morning with her head pillowed on Gavin chest, her body snuggled into his side.
After rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she noted that he remained asleep and
looked more handsome than any man had a right to. She lowered her head back on
his bare chest, and moved the blanket down so she could stroke his finely
sculpted abdomen.

With unabashed
curiosity, she decided to take the opportunity that presented itself by peeking
at the part of her husband she had yet to see, only feel.. With light fingers,
she lifted the plaid to see his sex, and almost gasped aloud when she saw it
growing larger.

Quickly replacing
the cover to its previous state, and then to her horror the plaid tented out.
She bit her bottom lip as she tried to pull the plaid down, in hopes it would
make what lay beneath go down as well. The tent only continued to grow. Lifting
the plaid again, she stared in astonishment at the size. 
Dear God, did
that really fit inside of me.

Suddenly, her
husband’s entire body started to shake and his highly amused laughter fill the
air.

“Is there
something I can help ye with, wife?”

Ella closed her
eyes tightly, shook her head, and then slowly lowered the plaid to cover his
nether region.

“Ye can open yer
eyes, little one?”

Hearing his sweet
tone, she turned to look at him, and then giggled at his pompous expression.

 “You must
think I am a complete wanton.”

Gavin cupped the
back of her head and kissed her before saying, “Ye are a beautiful wanton.”

Her mouth curved
into an unconscious grin. “If that is what you think, you have only yourself to
blame.”

“I dinna deny that
fact.”

“Careful Macleod,
your pride his showing,” she said, turning to get out of the bed.

Hauling her back
into his arms, with his chest to her back, Gavin said, “Aye, I do have pride .
. . in my wife.”

He caressed her
breasts and lean belly.

“Gavin?”

“With ye naked in
my bed, I will be hard as a rock every morn.”

“I did that to
you?”

Her naivety and
innocence aroused him. “Aye.”

Filled with
excitement, Ella wiggled her backside against his hardest part of his body,
causing Gavin to groan. His arousing, skillful touch heated her flesh with
sensual need. Yet, when she tried to turn and face him, he denied her silent
request.

With morning light
streaming through the window, he would have a clear view of the scars that
marred her back. She desperately wanted to divert his gaze as she yielded to
his experienced hands.

Gavin slowly
entered her, bending her legs further so that he could delve deeper into her
heavenly pool. He heard a slight gasp, but assumed it was from the new position
and erotic sensation. He continued to stroke her as he surged and retreated
like and ocean tide. In response, she panted and moaned for more.

Sweet agony
replaced the slight tenderness Ella felt when he began to make love to her.
Their bodies found an exquisite harmony for long, breath taking moments before
crying out their release and exploding in a downpour of fiery sensations.

They clung to each
other as if vines intertwined in a tree, savoring the feel of uncontrollable
joy and contentment in the aftermath. Yet, the peace they captured together did
not last.

When Gavin pulled
out of her warm body, she let out a gasp of discomfort, similar to the one he
had heard moments ago. Pushing her so she lay on her back, he asked, “Why dinna
ye tell me ye were sore this morn? I would nae have made love to ye again if I
knew it would pain ye.”

“The pain was
minimal and brief, coming only in the beginning and just now,” Ella said as she
stroked his cheek.

“In future, wife,
ye will tell me when ye are too tender to make love. I dinna want to hurt ye.”

She kissed his
chin and said, “Aye, but the small amount of pain was worth the pleasure you
gave me, husband.”

An arrogant smile
replaced his frown of concern. “I enjoy hearing ye call me, husband.”

“As I enjoy you
calling me wife,” she chuckled. “Now, I believe I should return to my chamber.
I would not want Maeve to come and find my chamber empty. They do not know that
we . . . that I . . um . . .that we-”

With uncontained
mirth, he chuckled, “Enough. I get yer meaning, little one. I will go now and
inform her to nae be concerned. Dress in yer chemise if ‘tis yer wish, but
remain here. When I return, we will go to the loch to bathe.”

“Oh, I would like
that very much. But, I need to dress in more than my chemise if I will be
leaving this chamber.”

“Trust me. I will
explain when I return.”

Leaping off the
bed, Gavin donned a fresh plaid while she slipped on her chemise. When Gavin
opened the door, Arth enthusiastically greeted him. Yet, the moment the great
beast saw Ella, he raced over to be with her.

Gavin shook his
head as the affectionate pair played on the bed, remembering the days when his
clan shunned Arth. Yet now, because of Ella, his furry friend is no longer the
pariah.

Gavin hastily
sought out Maeve and explained with a wide grin Ella’s whereabouts. He eagerly
made his way back to his wife, so he could resume where they had left off. He
wanted to talk with her and make love to her. Nae, he silently corrected
himself. Making love to his beautiful wife would have to wait until she fully
healed, which he hoped would be by this eve.

When he returned
to his chamber, Arth lay on his back, absorbing all the love and attention Ella
so effortless gave the big, hairy beast. He knew that Arth had taken to
spending each night in Ella’s chamber. Probably because she allowed him on the
bed, Gavin mused. However, in truth, Arth simply adored her, and she spoiled
him rotten.

As Gavin sat
beside her on the bed, he scratched Arth’s neck and said, “There is much I wish
to discuss with ye, one being this overgrown mutt. I ne’er thank ye for what ye
did for him and my mother.”

“And you will
never have to,” Ella stated.

He grinned at her,
and then asked, “Did ye have dogs growing up?”

“Aye, wolfhounds,”
she replied without thinking. “I loved them as if they were my siblings.”

“Will ye tell me
more of yer childhood or mayhap yer parents?”

“There’s not much
to tell.” Trying to switch topics, she said, “Are we still going to go to the
loch?”

“Aye, lass.” He
paused briefly, before adding, “’Tis my hope that one day ye will want to share
with me tales of yer family.”

“I have told you
about my family.”

“I would ken about
yer parents and siblings.”

“It pains me to
speak of them.”

“I will nae push
ye,” he said as he took hold of her hand, “but I will remain hopeful.”

“Thank you.”