simply reflected the gold gown she wore. Once again, Niall remembered Father James had called her radiant and he couldn’t find a better word to describe her.
~ * ~
Laird MacLennan spared nothing for the feast. His staff served an endless variety of delicacies and wine flowed freely. Malcolm could not have been a more charming host. It warmed Katherine’s heart to see the love and respect Niall had for Malcolm. After years under her uncle’s cruelty, she had forgotten what it meant to be loved as part of a family. Malcolm certainly had made her feel welcome and she realized how much she missed it. She wondered if Niall’s clansmen would accept her as easily when she reached Duncurra.
Until that evening, she had not left their bedchamber and she enjoyed herself immensely. The evening would have been perfect except she had the impression many of the women disapproved of her. She felt this most acutely from Duncan’s wife, Lana, who sat at the laird’s table with them. Lana made no attempt to hide her disdain. She barely spoke to Katherine, pointedly turning away from her and not engaging in conversation during the meal. Occasionally, Katherine caught Lana staring at her with contempt. Katherine couldn’t imagine what she had done, but she assumed it might be because she wasn’t a Highlander, so she tried to ignore it.
~ * ~
Although the feast showed signs of lasting well into the night, Niall told Malcolm he wanted to make sure Katherine rested well before they began their journey, so they retired early.
When they reached their chamber, the beautiful man she had married finally kissed her in a way he had only hinted at before. She shyly responded, opening her lips, and he deepened the kiss, exploring her mouth with his tongue. She put her arms around his neck, giving in to the wonderful sensations, returning his kiss with abandon. He stroked her back lightly and, with the pain from her injuries gone, she shivered with delight. He cupped one breast through the fabric of her gown, rubbing the nipple lightly. Awed, she felt it harden at his touch and was surprised to realize the throaty moan of pleasure she heard was her own. As he trailed kisses down her neck, she arched her head back, giving him greater access.
“Lass,” he whispered roughly, “I was going to wait,” claiming her mouth again, “until we were home...ye need to rest.”
“I don’t want to rest.” As he continued to caress her nipple, the warmth kindled with his kiss became a liquid fire spreading through her. The feeling of his tongue exploring her mouth, together with his hand on her breast, made her knees weak. She didn’t know exactly what she wanted, she only knew she wanted more. She needed more.
She felt him remove her belt before he stopped kissing her to turn her away. She had a moment of panic as she thought she might have done something wrong, but then he unlaced her gown and pulled it off her shoulders. He turned her back to face him again before continuing the tender onslaught of her mouth. He removed the rest of her clothes, letting them fall to the floor. He stopped kissing her for a moment and simply looked at her. Realizing for the first time she stood naked in front of him, she raised her hands up nervously to cover herself.
He grasped her hands and held them away from her, saying, “Nay, lass, ye are lovely. Let me look at ye.” She flushed under his perusal and, although she couldn’t quite look at him, she didn’t cover herself when he released her hands.
Leaning down he captured one pert nipple in his mouth, suckling on it. This new sensation fed the fire building in her core until it became almost unbearable. Returning once again to her lips, his kisses became more urgent and she put her hands around his neck again.
“My sweet lass, I have wanted ye from the moment I saw ye.” He pulled her hair free from its braid, running his fingers gently through her tresses.
Stepping away from her, Niall quickly removed
~ * ~
Laird MacLennan spared nothing for the feast. His staff served an endless variety of delicacies and wine flowed freely. Malcolm could not have been a more charming host. It warmed Katherine’s heart to see the love and respect Niall had for Malcolm. After years under her uncle’s cruelty, she had forgotten what it meant to be loved as part of a family. Malcolm certainly had made her feel welcome and she realized how much she missed it. She wondered if Niall’s clansmen would accept her as easily when she reached Duncurra.
Until that evening, she had not left their bedchamber and she enjoyed herself immensely. The evening would have been perfect except she had the impression many of the women disapproved of her. She felt this most acutely from Duncan’s wife, Lana, who sat at the laird’s table with them. Lana made no attempt to hide her disdain. She barely spoke to Katherine, pointedly turning away from her and not engaging in conversation during the meal. Occasionally, Katherine caught Lana staring at her with contempt. Katherine couldn’t imagine what she had done, but she assumed it might be because she wasn’t a Highlander, so she tried to ignore it.
~ * ~
Although the feast showed signs of lasting well into the night, Niall told Malcolm he wanted to make sure Katherine rested well before they began their journey, so they retired early.
When they reached their chamber, the beautiful man she had married finally kissed her in a way he had only hinted at before. She shyly responded, opening her lips, and he deepened the kiss, exploring her mouth with his tongue. She put her arms around his neck, giving in to the wonderful sensations, returning his kiss with abandon. He stroked her back lightly and, with the pain from her injuries gone, she shivered with delight. He cupped one breast through the fabric of her gown, rubbing the nipple lightly. Awed, she felt it harden at his touch and was surprised to realize the throaty moan of pleasure she heard was her own. As he trailed kisses down her neck, she arched her head back, giving him greater access.
“Lass,” he whispered roughly, “I was going to wait,” claiming her mouth again, “until we were home...ye need to rest.”
“I don’t want to rest.” As he continued to caress her nipple, the warmth kindled with his kiss became a liquid fire spreading through her. The feeling of his tongue exploring her mouth, together with his hand on her breast, made her knees weak. She didn’t know exactly what she wanted, she only knew she wanted more. She needed more.
She felt him remove her belt before he stopped kissing her to turn her away. She had a moment of panic as she thought she might have done something wrong, but then he unlaced her gown and pulled it off her shoulders. He turned her back to face him again before continuing the tender onslaught of her mouth. He removed the rest of her clothes, letting them fall to the floor. He stopped kissing her for a moment and simply looked at her. Realizing for the first time she stood naked in front of him, she raised her hands up nervously to cover herself.
He grasped her hands and held them away from her, saying, “Nay, lass, ye are lovely. Let me look at ye.” She flushed under his perusal and, although she couldn’t quite look at him, she didn’t cover herself when he released her hands.
Leaning down he captured one pert nipple in his mouth, suckling on it. This new sensation fed the fire building in her core until it became almost unbearable. Returning once again to her lips, his kisses became more urgent and she put her hands around his neck again.
“My sweet lass, I have wanted ye from the moment I saw ye.” He pulled her hair free from its braid, running his fingers gently through her tresses.
Stepping away from her, Niall quickly removed
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