Part 9 (1/2)

”Wait until I get ye alone,” he growled softly.

”Is that a challenge or an invitation?” I asked, provoking him.

”Both,” he said, eyes flaming. ”Are ye ready to get out of here?” he whispered, breath hot against my ear.

”Let's go,” I whispered in return, eager to leave the prying eyes of the great hall and to continue what I had started with Devon when I bit my lip. I loved that my smallest action could affect him so greatly.

My response was all the encouragement that Devon needed and he took my hand, leading me away from the crowd and out of the great hall.

”Give it tae her good!” came the first shout from an unknown male voice.

”I ken that yer Da would have!” shouted a second voice above the crowd.

I wanted to die from embarra.s.sment and I knew that Devon was not pleased as he let loose a low growl underneath his breath, almost dragging me up the stairs. He must have decided that my progress was not quick enough, because in one svelte move, he swept me from my feet and carried me up the stairs two at a time.

”a.r.s.eholes,” he muttered underneath his breath as we reached the top of the stairs and headed towards his chambers, which I just now realized, we would share from now on. He walked swiftly down the hall, still carrying me in his arms and opened the heavy wooden door, setting my feet onto the flagstone floor.

Devon closed the chamber door, silencing the ruckus, bawdy shouts from below the stairs. As he lowered the bar into place, locking the door from the inside, there was a heavy, final clunk as it settled into place. The reality of my situation hit me with a deafening blow. He knows nothing about how I came here or where I am from. I am living a lie and he is married to a lie.

”Are ye alright, la.s.s?” he asked, seeing the emotions play across my face. He tucked a stray hair behind my ear.

”Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired from the party.”

He knew that I was lying, reading me like an open book.

”Sorry about that,” he said, clearly embarra.s.sed by the suggestive shouts that had sent us into married life. ”I'll make them pay for it tomorrow,” he promised in an effort to make me feel better.

Silently, he grasped my hand and walked over and sat on the edge of the giant bed. I nervously sat down next to him, heart beating uncontrollably fast. He wrapped his arms around me and I felt enveloped by his immense strength. It had been a long time since I had felt safe. He raised his hand to my cheek and guided my head to his expansive chest.

”Lay yer head la.s.s. It's been a long day,” he said as he smoothed my hair and held me close. He settled his chin atop my head and held me. ”We went through with it. Can ye imagine yet that we're marrit?”

”Crazy isn't it?”

”Crazy indeed. I'm still having a hard time believing that yer mine.”

I let out a deep sigh and leaned into his warmth. I don't know if it was the wine that I drank at the party or the feeling of security that washed over me, but the next thing that I knew, there were tears rolling down my cheeks. Devon kissed my forehead and wiped the tears from my cheeks with his thumbs as he cradled my face. How embarra.s.sing, I thought. This was not how I had envisioned my wedding night and I was surprised that he wasn't looking for a way out the door. He kissed me again and raised my chin with his index finger so that my gaze met his. I was reluctant to meet his eyes, but slowly raised my gaze to his deep green eyes.

”I know that this is not what ye wanted, Kate. It wasna what I had planned either,” he forced a slight smile.

I pulled away and wiped the silly tears from my cheeks, knowing that now my eyes were puffy and my nose was red. Some blus.h.i.+ng bride I had turned out to be.

”It's not that, Devon. It's not you, I promise. I'm just feeling overwhelmed. I've drank too much, and you're right, it's been a long day,” I sniffed my nose in a most unlady-like fas.h.i.+on, which made him chuckle. ”Honestly, I just feel safe, and that's something that I haven't felt in a long time. I feel safe because of you,” I smiled shyly as I looked up at him, sure that my eyes were bloodshot and that I looked awful.

A broad smile broke across his solemn face. ”Ye don't know how much that means to me, la.s.s. Ye'll have the protection of my name and my body until my last breath leaves me,” he vowed, raising my chin to force my eyes to meet his. ”As yer husband, I will protect ye with my life, Kate.”

He wrapped me up in his arms and I melted into him, enjoying the warmth of his arms and the heady feeling from the wine that I had been drinking. ”I guess that I hadna ken just how unsafe ye felt here,” he confessed, hand stroking my back in support. ”Ye keep bringing it up and I'm glad that now I can be here for ye.”

I knew that he meant it. My inner self caught upon the word ”husband.” This word drew me back to the reality that I must prepare myself for. Wives had duties to their husbands, one of which I would unquestionably be expected to perform tonight. It wasn't that I was not attracted to Devon, but, my G.o.d, I hardly knew the man and I was terrified and embarra.s.sed about the intimate act that would soon take place between us. I felt a flush spread to my cheeks as I thought about what would transpire tonight in this giant bed.

Devon absently stroked my hair and rested his cheek atop my head. He pulled away and spoke clearly and directly from his heart.

”There's something that I must ask of ye, Kate,” he said, his green eyes pierced my being as he rested one hand on each of my shoulders. ”I must ask ye for honesty and faithfulness. I got tae thinking about what ye said earlier, about how there's the two of us now. There aren't many people that I can trust, Kate, and I'm counting on being able tae trust ye. I pledge ye my faithfulness, and honesty, and I ask that ye do the same. I ken that we don't know much about each other, but I think that if we have this, this commitment, it's a good start for us. Can ye pledge the same, la.s.s?” his gaze held mine, probing, questioning.

”Of course,” I said, eyes meeting his, brought close to tears again by the sincerity in his request. ”I will be faithful to you, and I'll always be honest with you, even when it hurts,” I said as I met his gaze, whole heartedly meaning each word, but knowing that there were things about my past that I simply could not tell him yet.

His hand slid from my shoulder up to the base of my neck, guiding my lips towards his. He kissed me softly, but pa.s.sionately, his probing tongue a question at my lips. I met his question with intensity, staking claim to him. My lips parted, allowing him entry that he eagerly took, his mouth claiming my own. The pa.s.sion and tenderness in his kiss conflicted with each other, igniting a fire within me. I knew that he was holding back, struggling to retain control. He shuddered as he drew himself away from me. Electricity coursed through my veins, Devon's controlled pa.s.sion and his palpable need for me awakened my desire for him. I could not help but acknowledge the way that my body responded to this man.

Shaken by his response to our kiss, Devon pulled himself farther away from me and sat up straighter on the bed. ”Thank ye, Kate. If nothing else, we have a start. There's the two of us now.” A genuine smile spread across his face as admired me, brus.h.i.+ng a strand of hair from my face and trailing his fingers lightly over my exposed collarbone. ”Yer beautiful, my wife.”

I suddenly felt very shy and looked away, wondering how he thought bloodshot eyes and a stuffy nose could be beautiful.

”Ye are beautiful, Kate,” he looked deep into my eyes, demanding me to look at him.

”I can see that yer no at ease, that this is hard for ye,” his hand reached out, and cupped my cheek, encouraging my eyes to meet his. His eyes were sincere, locked with my own, daring me to look away. ”If it makes ye feel better, I'm nervous too,” he smiled, green eyes intent on me as he pushed my hair back and settled it behind my ear. ”We're in this together, Kate, and I think that it could be a great thing if we let it,” he said encouragingly.

”Can I tell you something?” I asked, suddenly emboldened.

”Sure,” he said, rubbing my back in an effort to put me at ease.

”I'm glad it's you, and not your Dad, or the Cameron Laird,” I confessed, with sincerity.

Devon smiled, ”I'd hoped that ye'd feel that way. I mean, I'd not expected tae take a wife, but I'm glad that I was able to save ye from that Cameron b.a.s.t.a.r.d, and as for my Da, well, I would have been jealous as h.e.l.l if he had taken ye tae wife,” he said.

”It's funny to think that you might have been my step-son!” I giggled, wiping the last remnants of my tears away and settling closer to Devon on the bed.

”I've a feeling that I'll never live that one down,” he said, taking my hand in his, and continuing. ”Kate, I want this tae work between us. I want it tae be more than just a marriage of necessity.”

”Me too,” I said sincerely, stroking the back of his hand with my thumb, enjoying the warmth of his skin.

”I think that we may have a tough road ahead of us, with my brother and all,” he said sternly. Life may not always be easy with me, but I want ye tae ken that I'll do my best to keep ye safe, keep ye fed and most of all, keep ye happy. Life with me will take ye tae some crazy places and all I ask is that no matter where life takes us, that ye'll be my home.”

I was taken aback by his tenderness and sincerity. The way that he spoke this vow resounded deep within me. I knew that he meant it. Without thinking, I heard my voice, ”I will always be your home, Devon.” A tear rolled down my cheek, and it was met by his strong hand. He moved slowly towards me and kissed the stray tear, knowing that I had meant what I said as well.

Emboldened, I raised my lips to his and captured them in a seductive kiss. He was fueled by my boldness and I felt the stinging of his stubble as his lips opened over mine, urging, pressing for more. I gave him what he was boldly seeking, and met his kiss with equal fire and pa.s.sion. His lips slanted above mine, hungrily daring me to press for more. I acknowledged the fire growing within me. I slowly broke the kiss and pulled slightly away.

”I want this to work,” I whispered, inhaling his scent, memorizing the smell of him. My hands drifted over the unfamiliar terrain of his broad chest, tracing the contours of his body. His body felt foreign beneath my fingertips, but my senses hungered for more of him.

”Me too,” he said in return, resting his forehead against mine. ”Now that I have ye for my own, I want this more than ye can imagine.”

”I like it when you kiss me,” I whispered boldly.

His lips curled into a delicious smile. ”Aye, I like it too,” he said so close that his lips hovered just above mine.

My fingers continued familiarizing themselves with his shoulders, his back and his neck. They twined themselves in the thick tail of hair at the base of his neck. Devon closed his eyes, gooseflesh spreading over his skin beneath my fingers. I felt him swiftly intake a breath. His response to my touch made me feel powerful. It felt good to evoke such a response with just a light touch of my fingertips. I felt his muscles tense as my fingers moved from his neck and slid down across the expansive muscles of his chest.

He placed a soft kiss in the hollow between my ear and my neck, and slowly trailed kisses down the length of my neck, languis.h.i.+ng as his lips brushed the sensitive skin of my collarbone. I reached my hand up behind his neck and his arms encircled me as he lowered my body towards the bed.