Highland Stone (11 page)

Though he'd been doing his best to avoid Kara, Alaxandar couldn't keep his thoughts in line. His will weakened. The desire to touch overrode common sense.

Grabbing a tankard of ale, he slowly made his way through the masses, stopping to talk with clansmen and their families, all the while moving closer to Kara.

She stood outside watching the sun set. Strolling up quietly, Alaxandar encircled her with his arms and pulled her against his chest. He planted light kisses along her neck.

Kara laid her head on his shoulder which provided better access to her neck and a full view of her breasts. She turned and put hands on his chest. He claimed her mouth, tickling, teasing, devouring. This is what he'd been fighting, the need to touch, to see desire flare, to succumb.

Regretfully, he released her. "We should be getting inside."

She nodded.

Alaxandar clasped fingers and tugged her alongside him. The revelers danced and drank. At one point, everyone halted their merriment and circled Cuilén and Ilysse.

"It be time!" Drummond yelled to the crowd.

Boisterous laughter and catcalls were thrown about before a group of men and women descended on the bride and groom.

"What are they doing?" Kara said.

"It be the custom to strip them down to their nothing." He laughed along with the others.

"What?" she exclaimed. "They're going to take their clothes?"

"Aye, come on." He dragged her with him to follow the group as they carried a naked Cuilén and his wife to their bedchambers.

They were thrown into the marriage bed. Cuilén did his best to hide his new wife from the onlookers with no care that they saw all of him. Kara turned her eyes away. "Good Lord."

Iain and Jamie ushered everyone out. Alaxandar leaned against the door laughing.

Kara shook her head.

"What be the custom where ye come from?" he said.

He moved closer to hear over the well-wishers. "Generally, the bride and groom attend the reception until around midnight and then go off by themselves and spend the night together."

"Hmmmm, alone. I be liking this custom." He grabbed her hand and jogged down a hallway in the opposite direction of the others.

"Where are we going?"

He stopped and she bumped into him. "A place to be alone," he replied in a low voice laced with emotion.

She gazed into the dark depths of his eyes. Her unrestrained breasts poked against the material of her dress. Already she felt him and he hadn't touched her yet. He half pulled, half carried her down the hallway to his bedchamber. Once inside he slammed and bolted the door, and spun her so the front of her body pushed against the wood. Placing his hands on top of hers, he leaned. She was his prisoner in more ways than one.

His erection pushed against her ass and she pushed back.

He wrapped one hand around her waist. "I will have ye this way and every other," he whispered.

Anticipation screamed through her.

"Keep both hands on the door," he ordered.

She did so willingly.

"I wanted to do this from the first time I saw ye." He ran hands down her sides, over her hips and worshipfully gave a love bite to the left cheek.

Kara arched her back so her bottom stuck out even more. He placed hands on her ass and squeezed then slowly raised the hem of her gown. She wiggled her butt against his arms.

He chuckled. "Aye, lass. I be giving ye everything ye need."

As he settled the garment on her waist, he growled low. He caressed her thighs and she gasped. The roughness of his fingers felt incredible on the sensitive areas.  He kissed her hip and bit her ass again.

She moaned. "Can I put my arms down now?"

"I like ye this way," he said and leaned in so his erection ran the crack of her ass. The roughness of the kilt caused sensations to explode across her body.

He moved back. "Turn around."

She started to lower her arms, but he stopped her. "Nay, leave 'em above your head."

"Alaxandar, I can't—"

He pressed his lips to hers.

She relaxed.

He broke contact long enough to lift the dress over her head and toss it to the floor. Then his hands cupped her breasts and massaged them. Her nipples harden in the cool air and she arched her back, pushing them further into his palms. Alaxandar captured one between his thumb and forefinger gently twisting back and forth.

The look in his eyes thrilled, but also frightened her a little. Unfortunately, she picked this inopportune moment to recall the stories her grandmother had told about savage Highlanders.

He untied his kilt and in one swoop, it fell from his body. He didn't waste time removing his shirt. Her eyes feasted on his gloriously nude body, taking note of his attributes. His skin was bronzed from hours outdoors. Dark hair on his chest tapered down to a trim waist. Kara's hungry gaze drifted lower to his well-endowed penis.

Yum.
She wanted to touch all of him. Reaching out, she ran fingers through the short hairs on his chest then over his flat stomach. With a wicked grin, she drew a fingernail up the length of his cock which danced in response. When he didn't stop her, she devilishly wrapped her fingers around him and pumped a couple of times. He hissed when her fingertips played with the velvety head. Reverently, she knelt and slid her mouth around his shaft.

He fisted his hands in her hair and coaxed her to face him. Tender lips kissed her neck, and nibbled on the swell of her breast. One hand held her still while the other caressed its way down her stomach.

His long fingers brushed against her clit. Every nerve ending sizzled. Finally, she had him right where she wanted him—almost. Shamelessly Kara rubbed her pussy against his hand. When he dipped his finger inside, she screamed from the sensation of it.

It had been a long time since she'd been with a man.

Alaxandar's mouth locked onto hers to absorb the next scream.

"Please, Alaxandar. I need—"

Alaxandar eased back to stare at the passionate woman. She possessed the most perfect breasts, soft and just the right size for his hand. Her eyes worshiped him in the firelight. He felt as though he could take on an army single-handed and win.

She'd sucked on him.

He'd never had a woman take that kind of initiative. His cock enlarged even more. This mysterious beauty took pleasure in his demands and gave freely. He reveled in the feel of her skin, the taste of her mouth.

It was intoxicating

He wanted to be inside her. Her creamy walls clutched his fingers and her body swayed. She whimpered and his need skyrocketed.

He eased his fingers from her and spun her around to face the door again. "Put your hands on the door," he ordered.

He ran a palm down her spine. He dipped a finger inside and drew creamy moisture up the crack of her ass, pausing at the rim of the puckered opening.

"Oh, God," she cried, dropping her head and pushing against his finger which breached the hole.

She fascinated him.

He'd fallen hard.

Alaxandar withdrew his finger and guided his cock to the slick female passage with one swift stroke. Fully embedded, he stilled, allowing her to adjust to his size.

"I can feel you—everywhere," she whispered. "You are so deep."

"Aye."

Her firm posterior rocked against him with each thrust. He reached around to titillate the fur between her legs. She moaned the minute his finger connected.

"Yes," she said.

Her walls convulsed around him driving him to the brink. With a roar he released his seed.

Alaxandar felt every shiver and shake until it ended. Gently dislodging himself, he picked Kara up and carried her to the bed. He lay down, covered them both, and pulled her into his arms

He wanted to keep her there forever.

After a few minutes, Kara opened her eyes. Her body tensed and released. "That was the most incredible thing I've ever felt in my life."

Alaxandar flashed his smile. "Aye."

His finger brushed the side of her breast which reacted immediately.

Kara rolled to her side and lay her palm on his chest. "Alaxandar, are you tired?"

"Nay, lass."

"Ummm, I was wondering." She paused.

He quickly moved to settle himself between her legs. "What be the problem, Kara?"

She bit her lip and lowered his head to her breast. She glanced at the breast and then his mouth. "I think you missed a spot."

He laughed. "Dunna fear, afore this night be over, I will have ye screaming again."

Kara woke to noises out in the yard and an empty bed. She fell back against the pillow. Her entire body ached, in a good way. She hadn't had sex like that in—" Well, she'd never had sex like that. Thankfully, she'd gotten her three-month birth control shot not too long ago. Sliding out of the massive bed, she retrieved her dress and slipped it over her head before peering out the small window to see what was happening. The men were paired off and fighting. Fighting seemed to be a constant around this place. She sighed.

Opening the door, she stuck her head out. The coast was clear. Once safe in her own chambers, she washed, put on her everyday skirt and blouse, tied her hair up then went down to the hall. Her stomach rumbled and she needed food.

"What's going on out there?" Kara asked Leelah.

"Me father has ordered the men to make ready for another war."

"War?"

"Aye. The letch that has taken a MacLeod life will pay with his own."

An eye for an eye. "Do they know who it is?"

"Nay, but they will get ready nonetheless."

After they ate, Kara, Leelah and Eleyne went out for a walk. The gray sky loaded with gloomy clouds echoed the grim thoughts of war.

"Where's Ilysse this morning?"

Eleyne snickered and rolled her eyes. "Ye willna see them until this eve."

"Why—oh." Kara smiled. After what she'd done last night with Alaxandar, she imagined if given the choice, they would have stayed in bed as well.

"Cuilén will need to prepare."

Kara's good mood had been vanquished by the disheartening conversation. In one breath they discussed the wedding night, and in the next spoke of war and the young man just married going into it. This was an awful way to live. She knew the stories. Scotland had a brutal past… or was it present?

Kara didn't see Alaxandar. Eleyne said he and his brothers were checking the fields, the clansmen, and the livestock. The women went on about their daily business, so Kara did too. Again, she ended up in the bake house, surrounded by delicious roasting chicken on the spit and soup. When she was little, she and Grams spent many mornings in the kitchen baking sweet rolls and cookies. Treasured times shared with a special woman. Tears filled her eyes. Glynnis had made this mess and cast her into it, and yet, Kara couldn't blame her.

She missed Glynnis.

She missed her parents, too.

She missed being in her own time. Still, it could have been much worse if she'd fallen into a different clan. As it was, she'd made some new friends, had a warm, comfortable place to live, and had fallen for a fierce warrior with a bod to die for. Her goal was still unattainable since her only interactions were with the MacLeods. The unrest stopped her from discussing anything about clan talismans.

She stepped outside to cool off and stretch her aching limbs. Several clansmen were chopping wood and loading it onto wagons to be distributed amongst those living in the outer huts. A few glanced at her and spoke softly to each other. Jamie had obviously been spreading rumors again. Kara leaned her head back against the side of the building. The slight breeze tickled her damp skin and the sun's glow warmed it. A low voice she recognized spoke to her from around the corner, hidden from everyone else's eyes.

"Do me eyes behold the beauty o' a sun sprite?" Alaxandar said.

She smiled but didn't move. "Nay, kind sir, I am but a mere woman."

"Ye lie, wench. A mere woman wouldna draw me to her like a bee to honey."

She glanced at the men by the wood pile before saying, "Perhaps I'm a fairy like everyone thinks and I've put a spell on you."

"Aye, ye have done that. Come here," he growled.

Kara lifted the hair off her neck and fanned herself as she strolled nonchalantly around the corner. Alaxandar's arms glided around her waist, bringing her body against his. His thumbs brushed her nipples. He nibbled her earlobe. Laying her head against the wall, she offered him free access to her body. He ran his hands down the backs of her thighs, clutching the material in his fists and lifting it slowly upward.

Kara pushed against his chest. "We need to stop before someone comes by."

He straightened and through clenched teeth said, "Ye have a witch's power to make me do your bidding."

She chewed on her bottom lip then raised her eyes to his. "Do you think we could go for another ride out on the moors? Then we could finish this—uh—conversation."

The sensual look of her water-blue eyes and wanton grin made Alaxandar yearn to throw her over his shoulder and find a quiet place to lay her down. Alas, he had work to do and needed to get back to it. "I will tell the stable hand to ready the horses after I get done with me duties. I will send word to ye." He grabbed the nape of her neck and smashed his lips on hers. "And ye best come."

She ducked under his arm and skipped to the corner before glancing back to say, "I'll be there with bells on." She blew him a kiss and was gone.

He headed off in the direction of the stables, whistling a Highland tune, his body ramrod stiff in anticipation. Concentrating on work would not be easy now that he had an image in his head of Kara running naked on the moors.

* * * *

Kara's body surged with heat totally unrelated to cooking food. The events of last night played in her mind, including the way she'd responded to everything Alaxandar had done to her. She felt her body flush.

"Kara," Leelah called as she walked up. "Ye need to get out o' this kitchen. You be flushed with heat."

"Oh, please." Eleyne stalked around from behind Leelah. "Her red cheeks have naught to do with cooking."