Sunlight (7 page)

He reverently laid a hand over one of her small breasts, cupping it. “Just as lovely as I remembered.” She shivered at the touch, moving closer to him again and lifting her mouth for another kiss. Callum’s mouth swooped over hers, the kiss hot, and wet, and brief.

“Ye wanted to go fast this time?” he whispered huskily. “Did ye not?” She nodded, her gaze on his mouth, shining and slick in the candlelight.

God, he was a gorgeous man.

He pulled her close, and his hands clenched on her bottom again. Before she realized what he was doing, he grabbed her and lifted her into the air. Hope squeaked in surprise, wrapping her legs around his waist, her arms encircling his neck. “What are you doing?”

“Dragging you to bed with me,” he said in a low, rough voice, and leaned forward for another kiss.

Hope pressed her mouth to his, moaning when his tongue stroked into her mouth in a quick thrust.

She felt his cock jerk against her bottom, rubbing up against her as he walked.

They moved to her narrow cot. Hope knew from experience that the so-called mattress was little more than hard-packed, smelly straw with a blanket over it. But at least she had that much. She continued to cling to his body even as he lowered her to the bed, pinning her underneath him. He didn’t get up off of her, though. Instead, he rocked his hips against hers, letting her feel the length of his arousal.

A soft gasp escaped her throat.

“Are ye wet and ready for me, Hope?”

She shivered when he used her name. It sounded so good on his lips. “I–I don’t know.” All she knew was she wanted him to keep touching her.

His hand slid between them and brushed against her curls. She gasped again as she felt his fingers slide between the lips of her pussy and stroke there.

“Wet and soft,” he said in a low voice that made her insides clench with need. “But I think I want you wetter.”

She bit her lip, eyes wide as she watched his face. He had this intense, self-possessed look on his face as he touched her. It was so arousing to see. It was as if he knew how much his touch turned her on, how much she liked looking at him. How much she enjoyed being in his arms.

And he planned to torture her with it, very sweetly.

Those clever fingers stroked back and forth over her damp flesh, grazing her clit briefly before sliding down through her folds again. She moaned, unable to stand the torture. His fingers circled the opening of her sex, and he leaned in to nip at her neck.

“Are ye sore?”

“No,” she breathed. She wasn’t anything but desperately needy for him. “Please, Callum. I need you.” He continued to stroke her soft flesh over and over again. When she moaned his name, he rewarded her with another graze over her clit. She arched against him, whimpering.

“Beautiful, lass,” he murmured. “Do ye want that?”

“Yes.” She stared up at him with glazed eyes. “Touch me.” Callum’s thick fingers settled over her clit, and he gently rolled the small bud between them, stroking back and forth in a circular motion.

The feel of it was maddening to her. Her body was electric. It was on fire. Her hips rose and jerked with every caress, and she was making a high-pitched, keening noise in her throat, her legs spread wide so he could keep touching her– Hope shattered before she even realized she was in danger of coming. Waves of pleasure rocketed through her and she clung to him, moaning. “Oh, Callum.”

“I’m here,” he said in a low voice, and she felt him continue to rub her clit slowly, forcing the waves of pleasure to continue undulating through her even as he rose over her. She felt his cock press against the entrance of her sex, and then he sank deep inside.

She gasped at the fullness of him, her fingers digging into his skin.

He stilled over her, gaze moving over her face. “Do ye hurt?” She gave a small wiggle, testing.

Things felt a little tight, but in a good way. His cock was so large that she felt incredibly full of him.

“I’m fine.”

He arched an eyebrow. “Only fine?”

And then he rocked forward, just a little, pressing deeper. Sensation rocketed through her again and she sucked in a breath.

“Better than fine,” she amended, her eyes wide. “Pretty marvelous, actually.” Callum chuckled, the sound low and husky. “That’s more like it, lass.” He stroked deep inside her, and she sucked in a breath at the wealth of sensations that rocketed through her body. Instinctively, she raised her hips, wanting him deeper inside her. He was happy to oblige, thrusting deep again, and when she gasped, he began to set a rough, hard rhythm that had her clinging to his neck and crying out with every plunge of his cock deep inside her. His body pressed hers to the mattress, but every time he thrust, he jolted their twined bodies so hard that they surged forward until the blankets were wadded up behind her back and she was dizzy from the pleasure of it. He was taking her hard, and fierce, like she’d wanted.

Her pussy spasmed around him, her entire body clenching. She whimpered as the second orgasm ripped through her. Over her, Callum thrust again, then swore. She felt his seed spill deep inside her as he came and she clung to him. He collapsed on top of her after a moment, then rolled to the side so he wouldn’t crush her and pulled her against him. Their skin was sticky with exertion, her hair clinging to both of them, but neither of them seemed to mind.

Hope lay in his arms, thinking. They hadn’t used condoms. She wasn’t on birth control–there’d never been any need, not when she was an invalid. But here, well, she wondered if she should have been taking precautions. Muffin hadn’t said anything about it, though. Surely the fairy godmother wouldn’t let her get knocked up if she wasn’t a sure thing for staying here? It didn’t seem likely. And if she could heal Hope’s weak heart, surely she could stop a few sperm from swimming upstream.

She snuggled back into Callum’s arms, comforted at the thought.

He brushed a lock of hair from her cheek. “So tell me about this place you are from and the witch who brought you here.”

“Fairy godmother,” she corrected. “Not a witch. There’s no such thing as witches.”

“There’s one in the next village,” he said quite seriously. “A mean old crone who wanders at night and mutters to herself. Everyone in the village is terrified she’ll turn them into goats.” Hope snorted.

“It’s probably just some old widow.”

“She’s a witch,” Callum said. “An’ it sounds like a witch brought you here.”

“She did not–”

“You told me ’tis an old woman who cast a spell and placed you in the old Rapunzel’s body?” He grasped a handful of her thick, dark hair. “And this is enchanted to grow at the touch of sunlight?”

Well, when he put it that way, it did sound an awful lot like witchcraft. She bit her lip. “It’s hard to explain. Sometimes I’m not entirely sure I understand it myself.”

“Just be careful,” he said, running a hand down her arm. “Witches are not to be trusted. Anyone with a bit o’ sense will just avoid them altogether.”

She couldn’t avoid Muffin. After all, the old woman was the only help she had. But it wasn’t worth arguing over. She smoothed a lock of hair from his forehead. “All I know is that I need to find out who cursed me and get them to break the curse. Then I can leave this tower behind.”

“And where will you go? A wee lass out in the wild is fair game for any man.” She burrowed against his chest. “I don’t know. How’s your place sound?” He stroked her hair, and sighed. “You’re a lady.

I’m naught but a laird of a small, poor clan. We are no’

the same. Ye wouldn’t be happy with me.”

“Technically, Rapunzel is a lady,” Hope corrected. “I’m not much of anyone in my time. And I want to go with you. I don’t care about money. I just want to be happy.” She had her health, and a handsome man in her bed. What more did she need, really? “And I’m happy with you.” He grinned, looking utterly gorgeous and kissable as he smiled down at her. “I’ll get in quite a lot of trouble with the prince if I steal his woman.” But his hand slipped around her thigh, dragging her leg back over his hips.

“I guess we’ll have to hide out together,” she said softly, tracing a finger down his chest. “Snuggle up in a cabin somewhere and ride things out.”

“Now that sounds like a plan.”

She frowned, thinking hard. “You’ll be in trouble with the prince–will it bother you?” He shook his head. “Hate court. Only go when I have to. ’Tis full of prancing sissies and bootlickers. I’d much rather stay home and tend to my castle and my men.”

That sounded good to her. “Tell me about your home.” She wanted to hear him talk more. She loved the sound of his voice.

“Well,” he said slowly, his fingers trailing up her thigh in a ticklish motion. “’Tis not much to look at.

Clan Kincaide has a small keep on the edge of the loch, and we have a great many sheep. But the land is beautiful and green in the summer, and cold and snowy in the winter.” She couldn’t wait to see it. Just as soon as she got free from this stupid tower. Hope sighed, tucking her head against him. “I’m not sure if I want you to keep talking or keep touching me.” His fingers slid over the curve of her buttock. “I can talk and touch ye at the same time, Hope, lass.” She gave a small moan of pleasure as he proved just that. “And that is why I like you so much.” His chuckle filled the small tower room.

Callum woke sometime in the middle of the night and crept from her bed. Half asleep and tucked under the covers, Hope barely heard his clothing rustle and the buckles clang as he redressed himself. Then, he leaned in to kiss her forehead and whispered something to her, but she was too sleepy to notice.

When she woke up a short time later, the shutters were open and he was gone, the rope ladder still hanging from the window. She padded over to it, yawning, and dragged the ladder inside, careful to avoid letting her hair hit any of the streaming sunlight.

As she tugged in the ends of the ladder, she was surprised to see that a bunch of flowers had been twisted into the cords of the rope. Purple, white and yellow flowers dotted the cord, and she plucked one out of the binding and raised it to her nose, smiling.

Perhaps he’d return tonight. She missed him already.

With nothing else to do to pass the time, Hope decided to search the tower room once more. She paced through the circular tower room all day, tearing through her belongings. By the time the sun was close to setting, she’d come to a few conclusions.

One–that being stuck in a dark tower all day really, really sucked. It was driving her stir-crazy.

Worse, it reminded her of the times that she’d been trapped in hospitals for weeks on end. She wanted to get out in the open and live now that she was healthy. Being stuck in the tower?

Pure torture for her.

Two–that whatever had cursed her? Wasn’t in this tower. She’d looked high and low for anything that might have seemed out of the ordinary, but there was nothing.

And three–that if she wanted to find out what was going on, she was clearly going to have to leave the tower with Callum tonight. Perhaps they’d go to the village he’d mentioned and hunt down the witch.

Maybe she would know what Hope was looking for.

***

And she wanted Callum back. Which was silly, really–they’d only known each other for a few days.

But she felt alive when she was around him. When he was here, the tower didn’t feel so suffocating.

Using a broom handle, she pushed open the shutters to the tower window and sighed at the sunlight streaming in. It was beautiful outside.

Breezy, gorgeous, with blue skies and puffs of white clouds. She could make out just a hint of greenery– a forest of some kind–below. Intense longing shot through her and Hope edged toward the window wistfully. Immediately, her scalp began to itch, her hair surging, and she stepped back again.

Damn it. This curse was annoying.

Frustrated, she flopped back down on her bed in the small corner of the room and stared out the open window, daydreaming about Callum.

His warm hands brushing over her naked skin. His smile as he undressed her. The look of his naked body as he loomed over hers…she sighed.

For someone who had only known the man a few days, she had it pretty bad for him. She closed her eyes and fluffed her sad little pillow, dragging it under her cheek.

Maybe she’d take a nap and by the time she woke up, he’d be back and they could discuss just how they were going to get rid of this stupid curse– “Rapunzel!”

She jerked awake, her eyes flicking open. The tower was dark, the skies outside orange with twilight.

Had she heard her name?

“Rapunzel!”

Excited, she scrambled to the window and peered down, her hair beginning to grow at the touch of sunlight, flowing like water down the side of the tower wall.

She was disappointed to see that it was Prince Walter, though. And to make matters worse, he was alone.

“Hi,” she said weakly. “It’s you.”

“I’ve come to visit you, my precious pet,” he said. “Let down your hair so I may climb it and show you my love!”

Her hair surged forward, the weight of it pulling on her scalp something fierce. As she watched, it grew long enough for him to grasp it with his fingers, and he gave it a jerk. Hope winced at the sensation, grabbing a double-handful of the hair and resisting the urge to yank it out of his hands.

“Hang on,” she called. “I have to brace myself if you’re going to climb up.” She raced to the pole and wrapped her hair around twice, muttering to herself about impatient princes.

The rope ladder that Callum had twined with flowers lay neatly bundled at her feet and she kicked it aside in annoyance. Where was Callum tonight?

Why didn’t he want to come visit her? She gave the hair wrapped around the pole another firm tug, then called out, “Ready!”

There was a familiar tug on her hair, and she held the thick length braced against the pole. Another tug, and the hair on the windowsill seemed to almost spin, which was odd. Then it jerked again, and she could barely make out the sound of cursing.