Highland Song (42 page)

"You?" Slade asked.

"Aye. You didn't so much as look at me or give me any indication that you wanted me. And I wanted you so much--I was afraid."

"I didn't dare look at you, Lainie. I was terrified."

"Afraid of what? That I would say no? I'm not a tease. Why does that thought make you so grim and unapproachable?"

Slade let out his breath in a stifled curse.

"There isn't a woman alive who has ever made me feel the way you do. Not even the little witch I thought I'd fallen in love with years ago," he said raggedly.

"You don't like the way I make you feel?" she asked, truly confused yet there was a memory in the back of her head, something he'd told her the first time he'd tried to make love to her.

"Not one damn bit."

"I would never hurt you. I lov--" Lainie corrected herself instantly, not wanting to give her innermost thoughts to a cynical man who would never love her, "I want you to much to hold out my favors, then refuse to let you make love to me. I would never do that. You’ve taught me well, Aaron Slade."

She held the blankets aside in silent invitation.

Slade shook his head seeming to deny her. "We're both too tired for a romp in your blankets," Slade said in a curt voice. "Tomorrow will be just as hard on you as today. I should have enough self-control to let you have a good nights sleep."

"I don't want you to have control," Lainie said. "I want you to make love to me then hold me through the night. I want to feel alive again."

"Lainie," Slade whispered, trying and failing to control the crazy burst of fire that had overcome him when she spoke.

He knelt down beside her with a soundless groan of passion and desire then he stretched out beside her, pulling her into his arms in one lithe motion. When she bracketed his face with her hands, she felt the trembling in her fingers and was amazed at the intensity and honesty of her reaction to him.

"I don't want to hurt you," he said hoarsely. "I want you so much, and you were so tight and so small…"

"I'll be fine." Lainie interrupted.

Lainie moved her head, fluttering kisses on his lips and his chin while he inhaled her scent and wondered again how this delicate woman could have so much power over him.

"You burn me, darling."

He took control of the kiss, demanding her sweet surrender and found that he surrendered instead. The heat of the kiss raced though him, and went straight to his head just like fine French brandy. He inhaled the satin warmth of her mouth with intense, deep movements of his tongue, exploring and caressing, needing Lainie with a fierceness that was like nothing he had ever known before. She was a fire in his soul.

"Then we will go up in flames together," Lainie said.

Slade tried to slow down the molten hot inferno rushing between them and had been gnawing at him for hours on end, but self-control kept vanishing like landmarks in the dense highland mist.

When Slade finally forced himself to pull away from the kiss, he was totally, agonizingly aroused. He braced himself on his elbows and closed his eyes, battling for control that for the first time since his first encounter with a woman eluded him.

Lainie touched his chin with her fingertip and the innocent moistening of her lips made him desperate to have her. The air surrounding him was filled with the scent of roses and Lainie's secret warmth.

"I hope you need me half as much as that kiss suggested," he said in a tight ragged voice. "There's a storm brewing inside me and I'm not sure if I can stop it."

Lainie nodded and touched his hand. Her fingers were small, delicate. What she was doing stole his breath. As her hand closed around his, she slowly moved it to her breasts. Slade's breath caught in the back of his throat when he felt her nipple hardening into a tight little bud at his touch. "The storm is inside me too. Do you feel it?"

He nodded. "I wish the trees weren't so thick and the moonlight could shine through. I want to watch you."

"Why?"

Slade was too eaten up with raw hunger to answer. He bent and caught the tip of Lainie's breast between his lips, then pulled it deep into his mouth, tugging on her, lingering then nipping gently.

Her soft cries were music to Slade's ears. The throaty sound in the back of her throat pushed him farther over the precipice he fought to stay on. His hands slid beneath her, holding her while he fed on the tender skin she had offered him. He seduced and shaped her breasts with his lips and teeth and tongue until they were full, flushed and crowned by nipples that stood up hungrily against the sheer fabric of her shirt.

Slade raised his head and looked at the proof of Lainie's desire. The sight did nothing to cool the savage hunger of his body.

"That's why I wish for moonlight," he said huskily. "I want to see the pink buds swelling on top of your breasts."

He laughed softly as he felt the wave of heat climb up Lainie's body at his words.

"And the rose color that paints your cheeks when I talk about what I'm going to do to you," Slade said. "I like to watch that too. I want to see all of you as clearly as the sun at noon would show me. But the darkness hides you from me. Even the fire has burned so low it cast no light upon you."

Lainie made a sound that was half laughter half embarrassment.

"I am so amazed at your innocent passion." Grinning he leaned over and captured between his teeth one of the laces that held her shirt together. With quick motions of his mouth, he tugged until the strings came undone.

"Take off your clothes, little darling. I want to see and taste and explore all of you."

Slade felt the shudder that ripped through Lainie as plainly as she did. "I want to see you too," she countered. "You take off your clothes."

He ignored her proposal. "I could do it. Strip you naked," he said softly, "but then I'd have to stop touching you. I can't do that. So take your clothes off for me."

"I'd rather take your clothes off you," she said.

He flexed his fingers and tightened his arms, deepening the arch of Lainie's back until her nipples just brushed against his cheek. His smile came from the inside out as he watched her shiver and arch impatiently, in quest of a more intense caress.

"Lainie," Slade said urgently. "All delicate and fragile. Undress for me. Undress now or I think I will surely burst."

Please, want me as much as I want you.

Slade didn't wait for Lainie to take her clothes off, he kissed her breast, her throat, her lips, taking tiny bites of her in between each nuzzling caress. He moved just enough to let her slip free from her shirt and then continued with his urgent explorations while she wiggled and tried to get her breeches off.

"Don't stop. This time when I make love to you, I don't want one stitch of cloth to come between us."

With fingers that shook from the intensity of his words, Lainie undid her pants and pushed them down her legs until she was the way Slade wanted her. Her flesh caught what there was of the moonlight and shone like cream-colored roses.

"Do you have thorns, little darling?" he asked. Ah, but he knew all women had thorns that could rip away a man's hide. But he didn't care. He wanted Lainie too much to care.

He pushed back so that he could see her. All day he'd envisioned this moment. Lainie, lying naked, with moonlight dancing around her and on her. All day he'd remembered what it felt like to be buried deep inside her and feel the heat of her passion.

"You're beautiful," Slade whispered. "So very beautiful you'd put Venus to shame."

She slipped her hands beneath his shirt and pushed it up and over his head.

Chapter Sixteen

Slade lowered himself against her, reveling in the feel of flesh against flesh. She shuddered and cried out as his caress left her arching into him once again. When the tip of his tongue fenced with her taut nipples, she arched again and moaned softly. He wanted her now.

Slade gave Lainie what she asked for, his lips both caressing and demanding, his fingers exploring the length of her body, searching for the sultry, delicate flesh that lay hidden between her legs. When he discovered her and caressed her very lightly, she cried out.

Slade stiffened, concern for Lainie clouding the moment. He withdrew. The memory of all the pain he'd caused her haunted him. He gritted his teeth against the ache of needing her but not having her.

"I'm sorry," Slade said. "I didn't mean to
cause
you pain again."

"You didn't," she whispered. "Please Slade."

"You cried out," he continued, determined to make sure she wanted him as much as he needed her.

Lainie touched his chest with hands that shook. Her eyes were wide and the sight nearly made his heart brake.

"I know," she told him her voice husky.

"You know?" he queried, confused. "Answer my question."

"What question was that?' she asked.

"Did I hurt you?"

Lainie shook her head, her hands still shaking. "Nay." Lainie stroked Slade, "I like the way you feel," she said. "Please don't stop."

"It's too soon," he said.

"I wasn't a virgin. We both know I'm ready for you. Lie beside me. Help me erase the feel of Bertram's hands on my body."

The thought of Bertram brought a curse to Slade's lips.

"It's cold without you," she whispered. "Slade you make me dizzy from wanting you--so dizzy all I can do is
feel
. Help me forget."

Slade swallowed the lump of fear in his throat and willed himself to control the sudden burn of desire deep in his loins, a knife turning, bringing hungry need.

"You're sure you're fine?" he asked.

She nodded, running her hands across his chest, lingering and exploring all of him.

He held back for a fleeting instant then touched the thicket of hair that guarded Lainie's hidden secrets. Her breath came in raggedly, a warm echo of the fire that swept into him.

"Little darling, talk to me. Tell me what you like?"

"I like all that you do, everywhere you touch. I want to touch you too. I want to make you feel all hot and dizzy and aching with the need to have me."

"Oh, I do ache with the need," he told her.

Slade's laughed and bent down to kiss the hardened tips of her breasts. And when he did, they tightened even more.

She pushed against him, writhing beneath his touch. Please Slade.

"Please what?" he queried softly, close to her stomach. She raked her nails down the length of his back. "Tell me."

"Please, I need you. I ache everywhere."

"Need me to do what?" he teased, loving the intense passion he evoked from Lainie. Still Slade hesitated, remembering the flatness of Lainie's voice the first time he took her.

That wasn't what I thought it would be
.

He would never forget her words. He wanted to make this perfect for her. He wanted every time to be perfect for her. When he left her, he needed for her to remember how it felt when they made love.

With tender concern, he caressed Lainie, smoothing over the cloud at the apex of her legs that looked bright in the moonlight. He heard the catch in her breath, the break, the ragged sigh as his fingertips sought and found the soft satin petals and felt the liquid heat spill from her.

"Is this good for you?" Slade whispered.

She nodded. "May I touch you?"

He inhaled swiftly just the thought of her fingers folding around him sent flames shooting through him. His body jerked with anticipation.

"No, not right now."

"Why?"

"Later."

Instinctively, she opened her legs for him, He watched with hunger and patience. When he traced the dark crease between her legs, he felt her pleasure as a sultry kiss wept over his fingertips. The heady scent of her response sank into him, sending him into an arousal that was pain and pleasure fiercely combined.

Suddenly and without thought to the consequences, Slade slipped out of his pants. Then with more clarity than he would ever give himself credit for, he realized how close he had just come to taking Lainie. The sirens call had lured him, and he had followed so completely he had no control of his actions. He pushed away from Lainie and to his feet in a single quick movement.

Fists clenched at his sides, he breathed hard and fast, as though he'd been riding hard for days. He watched the girl lying below him, who was staring back at him with wide eyes and a hunger that was both raw and deep with burning desire. The quick rise and fall of her breasts with each breath she took made him want to tear off his few clothes and sink into her.

The fierceness of Slade's need was greater now that it had ever been. With each passing day, the need grew rather than diminished. He didn't understand, and he didn't like it. Once a long time ago he'd made a vow he meant to keep but Lainie MacPherson was making maintaining that promise to
himself
harder every moment.

I do not want her with an ache so intense it's like a fist in the heart.

"Slade?" Lainie whispered.

"I'm afraid of hurting you. No one should want another so much."

She sat up and held out her arms. "Please love me."

"Lainie…sweet Jesu…you don't know what you're asking."

Yet Slade was powerless to stop. His hands stripped away his remaining clothes even as his mind told him to turn around, walk back into the forest and stay there until the ache for her vanished and he was more certain of his control.

With wide eyes, Lainie watched Slade undress.

"You're beautiful," she whispered.

He stopped, surprised at her comment. No one had called him beautiful before. She reached out as if she wanted to touch him, but drew back.

"Don't be afraid," he told her.

She nodded. "I am though. Not of making love," she countered quickly. "But of giving you…"

"You should be afraid," he told her. "I've never felt like this before and certainly never wanted anyone as much as I want you right now."

Lainie's only reply was a sinuous movement of her body. Her breasts swayed provocatively. Her hair tumbled around her, catching the moonlight.

Slade knelt down beside her, his grip on control vanishing.

"You don't understand," he said. But he couldn't finish.

"Then help me," she whispered. "Help me understand what it is you need. I want to give you pleasure."

With a muttered word that was both wicked and awed, Slade pulled Lainie into his arms. He forced himself to control his body and move slowly, but it was nearly impossible. With each pulse of his heart and each breath he inhaled, his body responded more violently to her and needed her more fiercely than he'd ever remembered needing anyone.

Reverently, he ran his fingers from her ankle to her inner thigh, hesitating at her knees circling, seducing, enticing the sensitive flesh and parting her legs even more. He closed his eyes, desperate to resist the temptation offered him, but he was helpless to deny his need.

He was a man well and truly damned.

To Slade, Lainie felt warmer than satin, and so hot he thought he would surely melt. She shivered with desire as he caressed her. Liquid heat swept over him as he slid inside her.

Carefully Slade withdrew then entered her again, a gentle penetration and then withdrawal again and again. His body trembled, caused both by his restraint and the pleasure she evoked in him. He wouldn't stop. He hadn't expected the passion in her to be so vivid and so damn hot. She was ready for him. Her response surprised and pleased him.

"I promise you, little darling. If it's the last thing I do for you, I will give you pleasure so great you will never remember anything else," Slade said through clenched teeth, praying she would forget what had happened to her.

Or anyone else
.

"You've already erased the memory and the shame. I will always be in your debt forever," Lainie said. "You've taught me what it can be like between a man and a woman. You gave me pleasure I didn’t believe existed. I will never forget what you."