Page 27 of Highlander’s Devious Ally

“How are you feeling?” he murmured.

“Much better,” she replied, “and waking up like this is heavenly.”

“Indeed it is!” he agreed, laughing. “Are you hungry?”

“Not yet,” she whispered. “Oh, God, Lyall, I cannot tell you how much I missed you!”

He wanted to hug her, but the bed clothes got in the way, so he slipped underneath them so that their bodies were pressed close together from chest to knee.

“I missed you too sweetheart,” he sighed. “All I could think about was how he was treating you, and it was even worse than I feared. He will suffer for it, I promise you. And I have sent for your father and mother. I think we need to talk to them, and they will have to come for the wedding anyway.”

“I don’t relish the thought of talking to my father,” she said, shivering. “This nonsense about the curse is what started all these problems in the beginning. I will find it hard to be civil to him.” She was scowling fiercely.

“Let us not talk about it now,” she begged. “We are together and we have better things to do.”

“What better things?” he asked innocently.

Then she kissed him, and it started a fire. Ailith could feel his body pressing hers. She wondered if this sensation of warm dampness and pleasant tingling between her legs was normal, because it was the most delicious sensation she had ever experienced, and she knew it was being caused by the feeling of Lyall’s body against her own. She felt her breath becoming shorter and shallower, and the feeling between her legs became more intense.

She looked at him helplessly, and saw his lips part, then his gaze strayed to her mouth and up to her eyes again.

His eyes were soft with love, and she realized at that moment that she could have asked anything of him and he would have done it for her, such was the power she had over him. He towered above her, and there was brute strength in every muscle in his body, but it would never be used against her.

“I wish I could make you mine, right here and now," he said sadly. “But such things should be saved for our wedding night, when we have no fear of being censured or interrupted or...anything.”

“Then I think we should be married very soon, Lyall,” she said tenderly. She was rubbing her hand gently on his chest underneath his shirt. “As soon as I am better.”

Lyall took her hand away and kissed it. Her touch was awakening sensations that he knew would be difficult to control in a few moments.

But he had to wait…

He leaned down to plant another soft kiss on her lips but she held onto the back of his head and kissed him back fiercely. He groaned and rolled on top of her, with passion.

Ailith had never kissed him this way before, but strangely his weight did not give her any discomfort. She felt his arousal pressing against her and wondered what it would feel like when they could finally give into the temptation.

16

In Heaven

He pulled her down to lie beside him, and she rested her head on his chest. His heartbeat was as loud and strong in her ears as a drumbeat, and the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest was like a memory she had of being rocked to sleep in her crib as a child. She felt as safe as she had then, protected both by his strength and his gentleness.

She reached up and ran her fingers over and through his hair, then kissed him softly.

“What are you doing do me?" he whispered in disbelief. “You could wrap me around your little finger and I would not complain.”

“I will try not to do that, then." she replied, laughing into his eyes. “I have no wish to hurt you.”

He laughed softly. “You can only hurt me by leaving, my love.” He rolled away from her. “Oh, my Ailie, I can’t remember what I did before you came into my life. It must have been barren.”

“My life was never barren," she told him, tracing the line of his lips with her fingertips, “but I have never loved anyone, and—and no man’s body has ever excited me the way yours does, Lyall. Not that I have ever seen any unclothed,” she added.

“Not even Jock’s?" he asked, dreading the answer.

She sighed. “Especially not his,” she replied tartly.

Lyall nodded, but he could not be bothered thinking about anyone else, not when this lovely woman, the woman he would do anything for, was here with him.

Matthew and Maria Galloway arrived three days later in Inverness on the boat from Yell in Skye. Maria was an older version of Ailith except that her eyes were brown instead of green and Matthew was tall, with swept-back gray hair and hawk-like aquiline features. Ailith had obviously inherited her bright apple green eyes from him. Lyall liked Maria at once, but he knew that he would take a while to warm to Matthew, who seemed to him to be cold and evasive.