Free Donovan's Struggle, an Erotic Romance Novella (Anam Céile Chronicles) by Rosalind Scarlett

form!
    As she walked towards me, I knew I still appeared
incredulous. 
    She spoke.  “Donovan, ‘tis indeed me, Aislinn,” she
enunciated, her voice slow and calm as though she fully comprehended me shock
at seeing her.
    The shock melting from me eyes as they connected with hers,
they raked over her scrumptious naked form. 
    Finally I spoke, me voice laden with speculative concern,
“Aislinn?”
    “Aye, me love!  ‘Tis truly me!” she confirmed.
    “Aislinn!” I cried out in relief.  “What has become of you? 
Why are you naked?  Where is it you have been?  Tell me you are alright!” 
Panic infiltrated me tone, as me eyes widened with bewilderment.
    Coming to me senses, I reached me arms out to her beginning
to run forwards, closing the distance between us in long strides.  And then, at
last, I was upon her. 
    We wrapped our arms about each other, our embrace teeming
with desperation.  Indeed she was real.  Though, why she was nude, still I did
not know.  Yet little did I care fer that in that moment as I held her within
me strong arms once more. 
    Capturing her face within me hands, me eyes bored into hers fer
a long moment before me mouth claimed hers.  Fervently she reciprocated, and I
felt her love pouring into me through that one kiss.  Though the kiss was an
answer to me prayers, I could not deny the profound difference in her, though
just what it was, I did not yet know. 
    When finally we withdrew our lips from each other, she was
searching me face.
    “What is it, me love?” she probed with concern.
    “Something . . . is different about you,” I confessed,
furrowing me brow.  “Place it I cannot, but ‘tis all at once both enticing and
alarming.”
    In response, she dropped her face, uttering not a word.
    Brushing me inner warning aside, I continued interrogating her. 
    “Where have you been , Aislinn?” I entreated, becoming
heated, tightening me grip upon her arms.  I gazed down upon her, me face
etched deep with concern, all the pain her disappearance had caused me rushing
to the surface.
    “’Tis a rather long story,” she replied evasively.  Then she
tried to deter me questioning with a dose of her charms.  “Perhaps I may tell
you of it hence once you invite me into your cottage to make me decent?”
    Nevertheless, I conceded.  “Aye, naturally, Aislinn! 
Forgive me manners!”  Then quickly I added, wincing as I spoke the words, “You
were running away from our wedding . . . from me, were you not?”
    She stared at me bewildered, as though she did not comprehend
me words.
     “That simply is not true, Donovan!”  Her eyes went wide,
intense with apparent sincerity.  “I did not!  Never would I run away from our
wedding . . . from you!  Not possible I could even fathom such a thing!  Do you
still not know the way I feel fer you?”  
    Me face assuming an injured expression, I merely lowered me
eyes, her claim doing little to take away the sadness which had taken up
residence within me heart the month past. 
    “I awoke somewhere far from here without the slightest idea
of how ‘twas I came to be there!”  Her voice turned pleading.  “Please do
believe me, Donovan!  It has always been you fer me!  Only you could it have
ever been . . .” she choked as the tears began to pool in her eyes. 
    Perhaps she does speak the truth.  I am just being a
selfish bastard.
    I pulled Aislinn into the warmth of me chest and consoled
her, caressing her back.  Nestling her face into me, she buried the fingers of
one hand into the curls of hair upon me chest. 
    As me hand caressed her back, me worries drifted to the
background, replaced with me immense desire fer her.  Me hand descending to her
lovely derriere, I fondled it with urgency.  Rising her eyes to gaze into mine,
a moan escaped her lips as Aislinn lifted her hand and entwined it within me
hair.  Abruptly overcome with a passionate possession fer her, me smouldering
eyes gazed back into hers with a