Part 18 (1/2)
”Ye'll be the death of me, for sure woman. I've never had such a response to a woman, never felt such release. The way that ye respond to me is maddening. It's as if ye are a part of me, knowing just what to do to drive me crazy.”
”I quite like driving you to madness, husband,” I smiled, admitting the pleasure that I found in giving pleasure to Devon. ”Imagine what I'll be able to do with a little practice,” I teased, antic.i.p.ating plenty of opportunity for practice.
”Practice makes perfect! And if we must practice, then so be it, la.s.s,” Devon laughed. ”The only problem is that I have a feeling that all I am going to want tae do is practice, practice, practice. I can't get enough of ye, Kate.”
”Wake up, sleepyhead,” Devon said as he kissed my cheek and pulled me close against his chest.
”No,” I grumbled, not sharing his love of the early morning hours.
”Yes,” he whispered breath warm against my neck as he placed gentle kisses across my collarbone. ”I've got something that I'm dying tae show ye and we don't have much time before I have tae lead morning drills.”
”Mmmm,” I moaned in response to his kisses, pressing back against him. ”Can't it wait till later?”
”Nope. It's kind of time sensitive,” he said, slapping my b.u.m gently and rolling out of bed. ”C'mon, ye can crawl back in bed and sleep the day away afterwards.”
Reluctantly, I left the coc.o.o.n of blankets and set a tentative foot onto the cold flagstone floor. I brushed the hair back out of my face and pushed up from the bed, gooseb.u.mps covering my skin in the early morning chill that had overtaken our chambers. Devon was clad only in his kilt and I noticed that the cold never seemed to bother him. He was busy starting a fire in the hearth; a measure that I knew was more for my benefit than his own. I walked over to the chest and chose a simple homespun dress, pulling it over my head, and cinching up the laces. I noticed that Devon had turned and was watching me as I dressed.
”Yer sae beautiful, Kate,” he said, still knelt before the hearth.
I hardly felt beautiful first thing in the morning, but the way that he looked at me, the intensity in his green eyes made me believe that he genuinely thought I was the most beautiful woman in the world. He stood from the fire and walked towards me, enclosing me in his arms in an instant. The skin of his chest was so warm beneath my fingers, and I felt the beginnings of arousal building within my own body.
”Good morning, Wife,” he said, green eyes intense.
”Good morning, Husband,” I said, looking up at him with a slight smile.
I stood on my toes and kissed him like I meant it. His lips were hungry on mine, possessive yet sensitive.
”Are ye sore, sweetheart?” he whispered, looking down at me, concern heavy on his face.
”A little,” I admitted, feeling the tenderness between my legs. ”But I don't mind,” I said, smiling.
”I'm sorry,” he said, kissing me on the forehead as he held me tight against him. ”I shouldna have let ye take advantage of me the second time,” he said jokingly. ”I'll give ye a moment alone tae wake up properly. Is there anything that ye might need before I go?”
”No,” I said kissing his neck before pulling away from his warmth. ”Where are we going?”
”Not far. Meet me in the stables after a few minutes,” he said, placing a tender kiss on my lips before slipping quietly from out chamber and closing the door securely behind himself.
I spent a few minutes tidying my appearance and then left the keep in the earliest moments of the morning light. The sun was just beginning to rise up above the mountains and cast an orange glow up in the sky. My breath came in small puffs as I exhaled into the chilly morning air and I gathered the warm security of Devon's plaid more closely around my shoulders.
As I trod down the well worn path to the stables, I noticed the feeling of peace and happiness that had settled within me. Even though I was not a lover of the early morning hours, in fact I couldn't even remember the last time I had been up this early, there was a skip in my step and an unshakeable feeling of happiness deep within me. I had never thought that it would be possible for me to be happy here, but because of Devon, I was in fact very happy and content.
As I approached the stables, I noticed that Devon was standing in the small pasture attached to the barn, booted foot up on the rail of the fence, seemingly oblivious to the cold morning despite the fact that I knew he was completely bare beneath his kilt. He had the strangest expression on his face as he watched me approach, never taking his eyes off of me until I was standing directly in front of him, but on the opposite side of the fence.
Without saying a word, he reached across the waist high fence and took my hand, then slid it between the b.u.t.tons of his s.h.i.+rt so that it was resting on his warm skin, right in the center of his chest.
”Do ye feel that, Kate?” he asked eyes intense as he held my hand against his chest with his own hand. ”Do ye feel my heartbeat?”
”Yes,” I said cautiously, wondering if he had gone mad. Maybe he was used to getting more sleep than I had allowed him last night.
I felt the quick paced thudding beneath my hand and looked up to see a somewhat forlorn look on Devon's face.
”Ye do that tae me every time that I lay eyes on ye. I canna help myself,” he said, glancing away as if trying to find the right words. ”I can see ye across a room, or lying in bed asleep, or walking down the path towards me right now and it's as if my heart goes wild. Sometimes I fear that it might beat right out of my chest.”
I smiled up as him, touched by the sweetness of his words, hand still encased in his own, resting on his chest.
”And it's no just...just the s.e.x, it's more than that. It's you. I've never had this happen tae me before. It's how my body responds tae ye every time.”
I leaned against the fence, hand still hovering over his heart and kissed him.
”I'll take good care of your heart, Devon,” I smiled, resting my forehead against his.
”Thank ye,” he whispered as he collected himself. ”Are ye ready tae see yer surprise?”
”Sure!” I said, releasing him and walking around to meet him at the front door of the stable.
He met me and took my hand, then led me into the stable.
”Now close yer eyes. No peeking!”
”Alright,” I responded, walking carefully in the direction that he led me, knowing that he would keep me from tripping over anything.
He raised my hand up and placed it on one of the doors that kept the horses separated into their stables, then came to stand behind me and placed his hands on my shoulders.
”Alright, open them,” he whispered into my ear, stubble scratching my cheek.
I opened my eyes to see a baby horse so new that its legs were still wobbly as it stood next to its mother. It was covered in a fuzzy coat of dark brown fur and had little puffb.a.l.l.s of fluff for a mane and tail.
”She's yers, la.s.s,” Devon said proudly.
”Really?” I exclaimed, fingers still clinging to the wooden stall door. ”Can I touch her?”
”Of course. Stella won't mind,” he said, referring to the mare that stood pa.s.sively next to her baby, munching nonchalantly on some hay. Devon opened the stall door, and we walked slowly into the stall.
I stretched out my hand to the tiny gray muzzle, and she sniffed me experimentally before surrendering to a sneeze that shook her entire fuzzy body. Devon and I both laughed.
”See, she likes ye already,” he said, seeking to a.s.sure me that maybe there was a horse on the planet that could like me. ”Stanley's her sire,” he added.
No wonder he was so proud of this tiny horse. She was the daughter of his pride and joy and he was giving this prize of a possession to me.
I ran my fingers through the filly's fuzzy hair, and her bright eyes followed me, so trustingly. I loved her right away.
”Thank you, Devon. I love her,” I said sincerely.