The Highlander's Woman (The Reckless Rockwoods #3) (3 page)

“Just a gentle roar.” Julian’s eyes twinkled with amusement, and she quickly pushed him onto his back. She stared down at him in mock annoyance.

“A gentle roar? I’ll have you know I do
not
snore at all.”

“I’m sorry
mo ghràdh.
” He shook his head. “I do no’ lie, but it is a beautiful snore nonetheless.”

“I think perhaps I should punish you for such impertinence, Mr. MacTavish.”

“And what punishment might you inflict, madam?” His eyes darkened as his deep chuckle vibrated against the palm of her hand.

Patience lowered her head to flick her tongue over his left nipple before she grabbed it with her teeth and gently abraded it. The fresh scent of evergreen mixed with the heat of his skin and brushed against her nose as she breathed in the potent male smell of him. She nipped at him again, savoring the delicious taste of him against her tongue. The action pulled a low growl out of him. His hands cupped her face, but she pulled away to move her mouth lower to where he was already stiff and hard.

Feathering light kisses across his stomach, she blew gently on his erection before continuing to brush her mouth across his muscular hip down to his leg. He was hot and all male against her lips. Her mouth brushed over the small, birthmark on his hip that reminded her of a bird in flight. Gently, she bit down on the mauve colored flesh, marking him as hers in much the same way nature had. Another growl rumbled out of him, and she smiled against his skin before grazing her teeth across his leg to his inner thigh.

“If this is your form of punishment,
mo leannan
, I approve.”

“Do you?” she lifted her head and blew across his hard, thick length before her tongue flicked out to lightly trace its way up to the salty tip of him.

“Aye,” he said hoarsely as his fingers slipped through her hair to cradle the back of her head.

She blew across his erection again before her tongue swirled around the tip of him. Repeating the action, she heard him draw in a sharp hiss of air. Slowly, she licked across the top of him as she looked up at his face. Eyes closed, he arched his hips upward slightly in a silent request for her to continue.

When she didn’t move, his eyes opened, and she smiled at the frustration flashing in the dark depths. Their gazes locked, she licked the tip of him once more as she might a spoon covered with the last traces of cream. A low groan reverberated out of him.

“Should I stop?” she murmured as her tongue swirled around him once more.

“God, no.” He shook his head forcefully. “But I’d rather have you astride me, lass. I want to feel you wrapped around me—milking me the way only you can.”

Ignoring his words, she swirled her tongue around the cap of his thick length before she took him completely into her mouth. The action pulled a dark cry from his throat as his lower body jerked hard in a display of pleasure. As she slid her mouth up and down over his erection, she applied pressure to the spot just behind his sacs that she’d discovered always enhanced his pleasure. Another groan of desire echoed above her head as she tightened her mouth on him. He jerked again before his hands firmly grasped her arms, and he dragged her upward to make her straddle him.

“No,
mo ghràdh
, you will have your satisfaction, too.”

As he spoke, he thrust hard up into her. Pleasure streaked through her as their bodies joined together, and he encouraged her to ride him hard. One strong hand curled around her hip, while his other pressed against her breast bone to force her backward until his hard, thick length hit a sensitive spot inside her. The sensation tugged a cry of pleasure from her throat. Hands braced against his hard thighs, she arched her back and worshipped his body with hers as she met his thrusts with equal force.

With each stroke of her body against his, her heart beat faster as she cried out his name as desire cascaded over her. Heat spread its way through every cell in her body until she was on fire. A familiar sensation of euphoria began to build inside her, and she increased the pace of her body rocking against his.

Small ripples of pleasure pulled at her insides as her body gripped his with increasing pressure. The faster she moved against him, the more quickly her body pulsed against his. As her spasms increased, his body continued to pound fiercely against hers until in a fevered pitch of pleasure her body jerked to a stop. Her cry of satisfaction echoed over them as her insides shuddered and flexed around his thick erection.

A second later, his shout of pleasure matched hers as he made one last thrust into her then throbbed hard inside her. The intensity of their joining made her fall forward to press her forehead against hers. Harsh breaths emanated from both of them, and her heart was beating wildly in her chest.

Julian’s strong hands caressed her hips in a loving fashion before they slid up along her sides and cupped her face. With slow, tender kisses, his caresses left her sighing as she allowed her body to settle against his. Her head pressed into the curve of his shoulder, she breathed in his unique aroma. It was reminiscent of the beautiful, harsh, and wild highlands. It emphasized the man holding her came from a long line of fiercely proud and strong Scotsmen.

“I love you, Julian,” she whispered against his jaw. At her declaration he turned his head and pressed his lips to her brow.

“And I you,
mo ghràdh
,” he said with a rough edge of emotion in his voice. Nestled in his arms, Patience released a happy sigh, and a chuckle rumbled out of him. “I take it you are satisfied, Mrs. MacTavish?”

“For the moment,” she said with a laugh. His hand swatted her behind, and she yelped in surprise.

“My absence has turned you into an insatiable wench.” His fingers tilted her chin up so he could see her face. “But ‘tis good to know you missed me.”

“I did,” she whispered as she stroked a cheek rough with stubble. “Please don’t leave me alone for so long if you must go to Crianlarich.”

“I had no choice, Patience. My father had need of me, and I could no’ shirk my duty.”

Julian stared up at the ceiling, and the tension in him said her refusal to go to Crianlarich had disappointed him more than she realized. Worse, her request just now had sounded as if she didn’t want him to go back to his childhood home at all. She rested her hand on his heart as she curled into his side.

“I’m sorry, my darling. I didn’t mean it that way. I just missed you.”

“Then next time, come with me,” he said quietly. The statement made her stiffen.

“We both know that will make things more difficult for you.” She didn’t bother to elaborate that her father-in-law would do his best to make her miserable for the entire time she was at the castle.

“I know my father is a hard man, Patience. But he had thought I would marry a bride of his choosing.”

“A bride who didn’t have English blood.”

“There’s more than enough Stewart blood in you to suit my fancy.”

“And what about a bride who cannot give you a son,” she choked out.

With a small jerk, she pulled away from him to roll onto her side with her back to him. The Crianlarich wanted a grandson, and she’d failed to produce another heir to the Crianlarich lineage. She wanted nothing more than to give Julian a son, but she had come to believe it would never happen. Julian’s hand caressed her shoulder as he kissed the nape of her neck.

“You do your name injustice, Patience. These things take time.”

“And time only proves your father right,” she said with self-pity. “Marrying me might have been the worst thing you could have ever done.”

“Do no’
ever
say that again,” he bit out harshly as with a sharp tug he forced her onto her back so he could stare down at her. The anger on his face made her eyes widen. “You’re mine, Patience MacTavish. I did no’ marry you because I needed an heir. I married you because I could no’ live without you.”

The fierce declaration made tears form in her eyes as she stared up at him. His harsh expression softened as he shook his head then kissed her gently.

“You belong to me, Patience.” A possessive note rang through his whisper as his gaze roved its way across her bare body before returning to her face. “Do no’ ever forget that.”

Patience nodded and cupped his cheek with her hand. Julian turned his face into her palm and pressed his mouth hard against her skin.

“Show me I’m yours,” she whispered. Desire darkened Julian’s face as the back of his hand brushed its way across the base of her neck.

“With pleasure,
mo leannan
. With pleasure,” he uttered hoarsely before his mouth captured hers in a passionate kiss.

T
he rattle of china pierced Patience’s sleep, and she sat up to see Julian seated at the breakfast table next to their bedroom window.

“Do you intend to spend the rest of the day in bed, Mrs. MacTavish?” he said without looking at her. The amusement in his voice made Patience toss a pillow at his head. For the past three days, he’d been the one insistent on spending most of the day in bed. Julian easily batted the stuffed headrest aside and turned his head to grin at her. She arched her eyebrows at him.

“I think I will, Mr. MacTavish. I feel quite spent,” she said with a feigned sigh of exhaustion. “Won’t you join me?”

Patience deliberately allowed the sheets to fall to her waist as she smiled sweetly at him. The newspaper in his hand fell carelessly onto the table as desire swept across his face. A wicked smile curved his sensual lips, while his hot gaze caressed her until her entire body ached for him to touch her. His smile widened, obviously aware of her arousal, before regret swept across his face. With a sigh, he shook his head.

“I can think of nothing that would give me greater pleasure,
mo ghràdh
. But if I come back to bed I’ll not leave it for the rest of the day.” Julian’s eyes darkened. “And as much as I would love pleasuring you until you truly
are
spent from my touch, I must meet with Lord Mayberry this morning.”

“I thought you said your meeting with him was tomorrow afternoon,” she said with a surprised frown. For a brief instant, she could have sworn Julian looked guilty before he smiled and shook his head.

“Did I? I obviously confused my dates,” he said with a sinful twist of his lips. “But how can I be faulted for forgetting the order of my appointments when my wife bewitches me so.”

“If I’m so bewitching, how are you able to resist me now?” she teased as she crawled out of bed and moved toward him. She smiled at the desire in her husband’s eyes as his gaze roamed over her naked body.

“God help me, Patience. You’ll be the death of me,” he muttered as she sat down in his lap.

One arm wrapped around his neck, she ran her hand across his shirt and bent her head to kiss his cheek. His hand warmed her skin as he lifted her bare breast to suckle her. A soft mewl escaped her lips, and she arched backward, enjoying the delightful sensation of his mouth tugging on her gently. With one last nip at the tip of her, he pulled her head down and kissed her hard. Then in an authoritative move he set her back on her feet, turned her around, and swatted her bottom.

“Either get dressed or get back in bed. You’re far too distracting, and it’s not just Lord Mayberry I have to meet,” he growled with frustrated affection. “I have several matters of business to attend to for my father as well.”

“All right,” she said with disappointment. “I have correspondence I’ve neglected for the past three days. When that’s finished, I’m sure I can find something to occupy my time while you complete whatever business you need to complete for your father.”

Patience circled the bed to pick her night robe up off the floor. The mere mention or thought of her father-in-law always put a damper on her mood. No matter how often Julian reassured her that his father wouldn’t come between them, it didn’t make her father-in-law’s contempt for her any easier to bear. She slipped her arms through the sleeves of her robe biting her lower lip.

The last time she’d seen Fergus MacTavish, Laird of Crianlarich, had been shortly after she and Julian were married. The Crianlarich had made her stay so unpleasant she’d vowed not to go back. Although Julian had shielded her whenever he could, it had not stopped his father’s vicious taunts and insults when they were out of Julian’s hearing.

Not even the occasional presence of Julian’s younger sister, Muireall, had provided any real buffer from the Crianlarich’s acerbic tongue. Patience’s fingers fumbled with the sash of her robe at the painful memory. A strong hand gripped her shoulder as Julian forced her to turn around.

“I’ve told you before, Patience. My father will
never
come between us.” Reassurance reverberated in his voice as he cupped her face with his hands and kissed her gently. “I married you because I love you.”

“He might not come between us, but I’ll never come close to having his approval if I don’t give him a grandson. Your heir,” she whispered as she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek against the soft, lightweight wool of his jacket.

“I told you the other night that it takes time,
mo leannan
.”

“How much time?” She pulled away from him as tears welled in her eyes. “How long before you believe what I already know? I’ve fulfilled your father’s prediction. I’m an Englishwoman who will never give you a son.”

“That’s enough, Patience.” Anger darkened Julian’s face as he eyed her sternly. “A son—or daughter for that matter—was
never
a condition of my marrying you.”

“But you can’t say you’re not disappointed.”

“Can you?” he asked gently. “I know you want to give me a son,
mo ghràdh
, but if it doesn’t happen, I’ll not stop loving you.”

Patience leaned into him again, and Julian engulfed her in his embrace. Even though she might be barren, he still loved her. The realization eased some of her heartache, but not completely. She longed to have Julian’s child.

“I must go,
mo leannan
,” Julian said with a tender kiss. “I can no’ miss my meeting with Lord Mayberry about the land values tax, and if I stay here with you I’ll most definitely no’ be meeting with the man.”