PENETRATE (The Portals of Time Book 1) (23 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Ainslee had never been inside the chieftain’s chamber. She’d peeked once, and then never again. It was sacrosanct space. She knew the room was very large, with high ceilings, even higher than the duchess’s suite. The furnishings were constructed of heavy wood. It was very dark. Solemn. The chamber exuded power. Might. Majesty.

She wouldn’t have entered it even though no one would have ever known.

Niall’s steps had slowed as he’d reached the great hall, and then climbed one side of the staircase. He was breathing heavily, each breath lifted strands of hair at her forehead. His heart was pounding with mighty thumps, too. She felt every beat right against the side of her breast where it was smashed against him. They reached his chamber door. He moved her slightly to access the handle, and then shouldered the door open. The door sucked shut behind them. Niall set her on her feet.

“You’re...not going to faint, are you?” He peered down at her to ask it.

“Um. N-no.”  She stammered the answer.

“Want me to order up a repast?”

“Sup...per?” 

“I did just haul you away from one, Ainslee. Are you hungry?”

“Are you?”

Niall looked away for a moment. When he looked back, his gaze bore into her. She almost backed a step.

“Oh, yes. Very. But. Not. For. Food,” he replied, breaking the words up as was his wont.

Ainslee gasped.

“So? Back to my original question. I’m going to leave you for a bit. Set a few things up. Are you going to be all right?”

“I
am
a Highlander,” she replied with the slightest trace of indignity.

“Hold that thought.”

He winked and spun before she could react. His kilt swayed with the quickness of his motions as he slammed the bolt down on the chamber door. The sound reverberated through the room, as if in accompaniment to Niall’s steps. He reached the door that connected their rooms, pulled the bolt down to bar it. He did the same to a large wooden door that must lead outside. Then he moved along that same wall, raised an arm, and pulled drapes aside, revealing a vista of sea and sky lit with sunset hues of orange and red.

Ainslee slapped her hands to her breast and watched awestruck, as he opened the other side of the drape. His action put a warm hue of light on the entire room, lighting up all kinds of items. She glanced about with a slight niggling of nervousness.

Where the duchess’s chamber had been altered over the centuries with wainscoting and fabric and all manner of elegant refinement, the chieftain chamber retained the original dark gray stone walls. The stone might have been smoothed, but it still looked rough-cut. Impenetrable. There was an immense fireplace opposite the window, the black pit looking massive and regal from behind a screen of Straith plaid with a stitched rendition of a roaring flame on it.

Long, narrow tapestries hung from close to the ceiling. Despite craning her neck Ainslee couldn’t spot where they began. They covered a good amount of the stone walls. Not enough to mute the chill. Just enough to add a regal presence to an already majestic chamber. They were mostly worked in dark threads. Blood-colored reds. Dark gold. Deep blues. Teals. Grays and blacks. Here and there were touches of metallic threads that sparkled. The tapestries depicted scenes of battle, green, fertile dales, mature stags at hunting season, storm-whipped seas. They were all bordered with Straith plaid. Shields covered some of the space between tapestries. They were works of beauty and grandeur, especially visual when highlighted and caressed by the flame-colored radiance coming from beyond the span of glass Niall had revealed.

The sunset also touched on furniture. Armoires. Bureaus. A couch. A large round table with high-backed chairs. Here and there the light hit brass knobs, lamps and torch brackets, gilt edges. When that happened, the surface glinted. But the main piece of furniture was an enormous bed set atop a large platform. Ainslee’s heart took a sudden dive. It felt extremely real. Her belly started pounding in rhythm with her heartbeat. The sensation wasn’t remotely painful. It carried a lot of thrill. Excitement. Anticipation.

Niall’s bed was immense, made more so by its position atop a foot-high dais. Ainslee swallowed nervously as she scanned upward. The footboard was a masterwork of wood, carved with thistles and Celtic knots and other images she couldn’t quite make out. It probably stood above her head. The headboard was fashioned of the same wood, carved throughout to match. It was so high the top disappeared into the ceiling’s shadow. Despite craning her neck, she couldn’t see it.

And then Niall cleared his throat.

Ainslee dropped her gaze. He’d moved from the wall of window, but stopped in front of his footboard. She’d been off a bit. The footboard was way above her head even if she stood on the platform. It was twice Niall’s height. But she should factor in that the pedestal started somewhere in the range of Niall’s calf. Ainslee gasped and quickly looked back up to his face. Niall was just standing there, his arms folded, his chin lowered. He regarded her without expression. But she sensed something. A tenseness. Near anger. Something that was almost auditory. It raised the temperature. And her heart-rate.   

“Have you ever been so close to losing control, that you had...but one choice?” 

She blinked at the surprise. “What?”

He started undressing. Her eyes widened as he unfastened his scabbard and set the sword on the platform beside him. His next move was to pull daggers from beneath his belt. He placed them beside the sword. He did it without looking. He didn’t take his gaze from her.

“It’s akin to lock-down.”

“A...what?”

“Lock-down. Of emotion. And motion. Because anything else...might prove disastrous.”

“Disastrous?”

“If I scare you, you’ll let me know?”

“You do na’ scare me.”

“Thus far.”

He lifted a leg. Pulled off his boot. Slid a
skean dhu
from his sock. Tossed it atop the other daggers. Did the same with his other leg.

“I am going to make love to you, Ainslee. I will be gentle – to the best of my ability. But it is not. Going to be easy.”

A loud gasp escaped in one breath. He regarded her for several moments, when all she could hear was her continued quick breaths and her rapidly increasing pulse.

“You make me afraid, my love.”

My love.

Her heart stuttered. Her voice matched. “Y-you? Afraid?”

“Oh, babe. You have no idea. So. Let’s just skirt that little issue for the moment. You ready to finish your thought?”

“What...thought?” she asked.

“The Highlander remark. Explain it.”

Ainslee lifted her chin and stared at him. “How?”

“It means you’re fearless. Strong. Brave. No matter what the odds. Am I close?”

“You are a Highlander too, Niall.”

“You’re mispronouncing it. The name is Neal. Rhymes with meal. And tonight. When you cry my name out. I want to hear Neal. Okay?”

Something shot through her. It electrified. Blazed. Instantly dissipated. Leaving her shocked and stunned. Ainslee trembled for a moment and then stilled.

“I...do na’ understand,” she relied.

“Oh. You will. All of which is a waste of time. You ready to answer? Or are you frightened?”

“Nae.”

“Good. Because I think you’re going to have to come here, babe. To me. Now.” 

“What?” Ainslee didn’t have to feign surprise.

“I need you to come over to me. Trust me. It’s not a good idea if I fetch you.”

Ainslee’s head went back slightly at his tone. Deep. Full of something close to menace.

“You want me to say it nicer?” he asked.

“Uh...”

“Forget I offered. I’m not certain I can. Come here, Ainslee.”

“Niall.”

“Close, babe. But it’s Neal.”

“Neal,” she parroted.

“Exactly. Now. Are you going to come over here? Or am I going to have to come. Fetch you?”

“You are...scaring me.”

“Well. Great. That is exactly what I’m trying
not
to do. It’s bad enough one of us is already terrified.”

“You?”  Her feet started moving toward him. She hadn’t even sent the order to do so.

“Oh. Yeah. Me. Terror has been my constant companion since meeting you, I think.”

“It has?”

Ainslee stopped an arms-length from him. Looked up. He nodded.

“Yep. It’s real. And it is always there. Abject. Complete. Are you wearing a sexy little corset tonight?”

Her eyes went wide. He groaned. Answered it himself.

“Of course you are. Turn about.”  He put a finger out and spun it.

“Why should I?”

“Because I asked you to.”

“You are acting...”

“Yes?”

“Verra different.”

“Oh, darling. If I acted the way I want to, things would get real ugly. Real fast.”

She gasped. “They would?”

“You’re...untouched. Yes?”

She nodded.

He licked his lips. Shuddered. “Translation of that – totally ugly. Now, turn around. Please.”

She did. Every hair on her body whispered to attention as shivers flowed all over her skin. They raised goosebumps. Launched her heart into palpitations. Sent all kinds of sparks throughout her belly. And then the sensation went lower. Her private-most area experienced a series of quivers that shocked. Stimulated. And rapidly excited. Her nipples even hardened.

She felt his fingers along her spine.

“I had you turn around so I can slide every one of these little buttons out of their little buttonholes. It’s the best I can manage. The alternative is to rip them off. Oh, God.” 

His voice got lower. More intense. Her thighs started quivering.

“You’re wearing a red one.”

The back of her dress ripped as he tugged at it. Little buttons bounced on the wood at their feet.

“Give my apologies to your seamstress. I didn’t...uh. Mean to do that.”

And then what had to be his lips touched the juncture between her throat and shoulders!

Ainslee jerked at the contact, gasped, and then felt something completely different. And truly unbelievable. A melting sensation went through her entire body as he kissed her skin. It thrilled. Enticed. And scared. Somewhere in the juncture of her thighs things sizzled and swelled. Her legs wavered. His arms snaked about her, his hands cupping her breasts as he yanked her back against him. She might have fallen if he hadn’t.

But he wasn’t using the hold to support her. His fingers massaged and toyed, each move sending thrills she’d never felt before. Her breasts grew wickedly heavy. Deliciously alert. Somehow enlarged within his hands.

Oh, my!

Ainslee caught breath after breath as her nipples turned into darts of sensitivity. Sparks shot from where they were jammed against the restriction of satin and ribbon to join the myriad of sensations pooling in her belly and nether area. And it just kept getting stronger. Hotter. And larger.

Ainslee tilted her head, making access easier for him. Niall pushed the bodice of her gown down, slid his hands beneath the boning of her corset, and touched flesh. And Ainslee’s knees gave out. She sagged minutely before he lifted her, bending his knees to support her, all the while his fingers continued questing, reaching, and then toying with the crests of each breast. Ainslee grabbed a huge breath, slammed her eyes shut, and watched a spear of lightning flash through her vision. She arched back. Sent moans winging outward. Niall continued his circular motion. Sending sensation. Fire. And intensity. Ainslee arched backward.  

“Oh, my. Oh, Niall. Niall. I did na’—”

“It’s
Neal,
babe.” 

His voice was deeper than she’d ever heard it. With a sobbed sound at the end. Tormented-sounding, yet still commanding. It rumbled through her back where she pressed to him. Punctured through the bubble of bliss that gathered about her. His fingers continually played with her nubs, pulling. Massaging. Moving quicker and quicker. A riot of sensation built within her. Enlarged. And then it erupted.

“Neal!” 

The name was a cry. It hovered in the room about them, blending with his groan. The suction of his lips grew harder. More fierce. He moved his caress up her throat, reached an ear, and sent a blizzard of shivers with every motion of his tongue and lips on the spot. Each of Ainslee’s panted breaths ended in a moan.

“Ah!”

He yanked his head back, and gave a tormented-sounding cry.

“This is not working! I have to be gentle! Slow. Measured!”

He spun her around, and set her atop the platform, placing her above him and then stepped back. One step. Two. He was breathing harshly. His nostrils flared. He began shuddering.

“Oh, Ainslee. You are beautiful beyond belief. Beloved beyond measure. And I am scaring the crap out of myself with just how much I want you and how difficult it is to keep it contained. Ah!”