The Highlander's Promise

  Groaning, Jetta shifted and almost struggled in his arms briefly under the passionate teasing, and then she couldn't take it anymore and tangled her hands in his hair to pull his face to hers for another kiss. This time she was the aggressor, thrusting her own tongue forward to duel with his. Jetta even got so bold as to let one hand creep down toward the hardness pressing against her so intimately. The moment she neared it, however, Aulay broke their kiss, dragged a chair over with one foot and then dropped to sit in it.

  Jetta stared at him with confusion, unsure what was happening. Was all that lovely passion over? Was she supposed to slip off the table and take the other seat as if nothing had hap--

  "Husband!" she cried with shock when he suddenly caught her by each leg, drew her forward until her bottom was almost off the table, and then ducked his head under the hem of her shift and began to press kisses up along first one thigh and then the other. "Husband, please," she muttered, unsure herself if she were begging him to stop or to continue, and then he spread her wider and buried his head between her legs, his mouth finding the core of her. Gasping, Jetta did a little hop on the tabletop, her legs closing like a vise around his head and her hands reaching to clutch at him through the cloth of her shift as his tongue rasped over her most tender skin.

  "Oh God!" Jetta cried, her eyes wide open one moment and squeezed shut the next as he did things she had never imagined could be done. Things she was also sure shouldn't be done in the eyes of the church. Jetta was aware that he had pushed her legs open again and was holding them that way as he devoured her with his lips, teeth and tongue. But mostly she was aware only of the sensations now ripping through her as Aulay licked, suckled and nipped at her tender flesh, causing such exquisite pleasure.

  It was a revelation to her, and Jetta could not believe that it was possible to forget something so incredibly powerful as this. Family and loved ones? Aye, perhaps they could be lost to memory, but this mad passion? How had she forgotten this? How had she not begged for it the moment she opened her eyes? Dear God, it felt as if he were drawing her very soul out of her. Her entire body was taut as a bow and quivering with the need he was producing in her. She was panting for breath, her heart thudding wildly. Jetta felt as if she might lose her mind if he continued, but was sure she would surely die if he stopped . . . and then something shattered within her. Some fine string that he was pulling just snapped under the strain, and pleasure exploded within her, drawing a scream from her lips and making her body convulse as she was overwhelmed with a sweet release.

  When Jetta regained some small semblance of herself and opened her eyes, she was no longer on the tabletop. She was again in Aulay's arms and he was carrying her to the bed. In fact, they'd reached it, she realized when he stopped and bent to lay her in it. Jetta immediately slid her arms around his neck, pulling on him and urging him to kiss her when he would have straightened. Aulay hesitated, but then pressed a quick kiss to her lips even as he caught her hands and said, "Someone is at the door."

  As if to prove his words, a loud knock sounded at the door then. Knowing it probably wasn't the first round of knocking and that she had simply been too overwhelmed by her release to hear the first, Jetta reluctantly lay back on the bed and allowed him to disentangle himself and straighten.

  "'Tis probably Mavis with the soup I sent for," he said with a smile, and then squeezed her hands before releasing them and turning to head for the door.

  Jetta closed her eyes and listened drowsily as Aulay answered the door and began to speak with who she was sure was Rory. At least, it sounded to her like it was Rory's voice she was hearing. She couldn't make out what was being said, but the younger man seemed agitated, she thought with a complete lack of curiosity just before sleep pulled her down into its gentle folds.

  Chapter 4

  "What the devil are ye doing to the poor lass? I heard her screaming all the way out at the well."

  Aulay scowled at Rory and stepped into the hall to pull the door closed so that Jetta wouldn't hear. As he shut it, he wondered, though, if Mavis too had heard Jetta's passionate cries. The lass was a very vocal lover, which he'd found vastly satisfying at the time, but now realized could be something of a problem.

  "Thank God, Mavis didn't hear," Rory said now, answering that question. "At least I do no' think so. She is out hunting up wild herbs and spices to cook with and said she would bring up the soup once I'd watered it down a bit with water from the well. Which is fortunate," he assured him. "Had she been here she probably would have rushed into the room to stop ye from killing the poor lass. What the devil was going on? Is she having nightmares?"

  Aulay raised his eyebrows at that and then shook his head with disgust. "The very fact that ye'd ask that tells me ye really need to set yer medicinal studies aside once in a while and visit the local light skirt, brother."

  Rory stiffened at the words and then narrowed his eyes. "Aulay, ye did no'--?"

  "Nay," he interrupted firmly, and shifted to ease his discomfort as he added, "I just . . . distracted her." That wasn't strictly true, of course, he admitted to himself. He'd originally intended to distract her by moving her to the table and making her eat. But when she'd said she found him attractive and enjoyed the idea of his having his way with her, Aulay had been . . . well, frankly he'd been shocked, amazed and so damned happy and turned on he'd wanted to--

  "Aulay," Rory snapped, and if he was to judge by the level of irritation in his brother's tone, not for the first time. "When I said distract her, I did no' mean that ye should make free with her virtue. I--"

  "Her virtue is intact," Aulay interrupted stiffly, and then spotted Mavis coming up the hall behind Rory and gave him a warning look before nodding at the woman and saying, "Ye're back."

  "Aye." She smiled. "I found what I needed pretty quick. I think there must ha'e been a garden near here at one time. I found a variety o' herbs and spices nearby."

  "That's helpful," Aulay murmured.

  "Aye." Mavis smiled and then glanced to Rory and smiled at him as well. "Thank ye fer adding the water. The soup was already bubbling again when I came back in."

  Aulay's eyebrows rose at the guilt-stricken expression that now claimed Rory's face. Obviously, he hadn't added the water in the end. No doubt Jetta's screams had distracted him from his purpose. To keep the maid from noticing his brother's reaction, Aulay said, "Thank ye, Mavis. The lass is too thin and needs to eat as much and as often as she can to regain her strength."

  "Aye, she is frightfully skinny," the woman agreed solemnly as she reached them and Aulay took the tray. "I'll have a try at making some o' those sweet pastries Cook is always making up at the castle. Everyone loves those and they'll help put some weight on the girl."

  "Good idea," Aulay said with approval as she turned and headed back the way she'd come. Once she had reached the stairs and was again out of earshot, Aulay shifted his gaze back to his brother. Noting the anger still burning in the younger man's eyes, he said, "Her virtue is intact. She is under me care and protection. I would no' betray her trust by taking advantage."

  Rory arched one eyebrow grimly. "She thinks ye're her husband, Aulay. Do ye think she'd let ye kiss her, or anything else, if she knew ye were no' married? Even kissing her is betraying her trust in this situation. At least it is until ye tell her the truth."

  "Ye're the one who told me no' to tell her the truth," he pointed out with irritation. "Ye said it might set back her recovery."

  "Aye, I did," he agreed. "And I still believe that. Head wounds are a tricky business and until she is fully recovered I think she needs to rest as much as possible, feel as safe and comfortable as possible, and avoid excitement of any kind."

  "Christ," Aulay muttered through clenched teeth, and then took a calming breath and said, "Fine. I'll no' get her excited in any way."

  Rory nodded with satisfaction. "Good."

  Shaking his head, Aulay started to turn back toward the door.

  "Oh, I almost forgot."

&nbs
p; "What?" Aulay asked impatiently, pausing.

  "Alick arrived earlier," he announced.

  Aulay raised an eyebrow. "What did he want?"

  "Just to let ye ken that Conran and Geordie set out yesterday to ask about any boats that may have sunk three weeks ago."

  "Conran?" Aulay said with a frown. "My message instructed Alick and Geordie to do it."

  "Aye, but then apparently Conran got thinking on it and felt he and Geordie should do it so Alick could continue on with their plans for him to visit Saidh," Rory explained. Mouth twisting, he added, "No doubt, Conran did no' wish to be stuck with that particular chore himself, so took Alick's task so Alick could still head to MacDonnell."

  Aulay arched his eyebrows at that. "Alick planned to visit Saidh?"

  Rory nodded. "Aye, the boys were talking after they got the message from ye that Jetta had awoken and decided Alick should visit Saidh and see if she had any spare dresses that might fit Jetta. They all felt she might soon want to wear more than Mavis's borrowed shifts and such now that she is awake."

  "Good God, nay!" Aulay said at once.

  "Nay?" Rory asked with surprise.

  "If Saidh finds out about Jetta she will ride straight here to find out what is about. That is the last thing we need right now. Tell Alick to go find a cloth merchant instead. Some of them also carry already sewn gowns. But even if he can no' find one who carries them, he should buy cloth and we could set several of the women at Buchanan to sewing."

  "Ah," Rory murmured, suddenly looking down at his feet and appearing uncomfortable in general.

  "What is it?" Aulay asked, his eyes narrowing.

  "Actually, ye misunderstood me. Alick has already been and left here. He is on his way to Saidh's as we speak."

  "What?" Aulay growled the word.

  "Aye," Rory said apologetically. "He arrived just after we returned from hunting and ye came back upstairs to break yer fast with Jetta."

  "And ye're only telling me this now?" he snapped.

  Rory shrugged. "I forgot."

  "God's teeth, Rory! Saidh'll be headed here by dawn," Aulay said with exasperation.

  "Maybe no'," Rory said. "Mayhap ye'll be lucky and when Alick gets to MacDonnell it will only be to learn that Saidh is off visiting Edith or Murine, or Jo."

  "When have I ever been that lucky?" Aulay asked with disgust.

  "Hmm," Rory said and then grinned. "Ye're right. She'll be here by dawn."

  Cursing, Aulay turned away and nudged the door open. He then stepped into the room and used one foot to push the door closed on his brother's laughing face.

  "Bastard," he muttered to himself as he started toward the bed. His footsteps slowed, though, and he then stopped and grimaced at the tray he held when Aulay realized that Jetta was sound asleep and snoring softly.

  Jetta wrinkled her itchy nose and reached up sleepily to scratch it, managing to poke herself in the eye instead. Fortunately, it was closed, but the action brought it open and she peered blearily around at the dim room and then glanced to the window to see the weak predawn light slipping around the shutters. It was early yet, she saw and closed her eyes, intending to go back to sleep, but a soft snore made them pop open again and she sat up to peer down at the floor beside the bed.

  A smile curved Jetta's lips when she spotted her husband there, still sound asleep. The man had been up and out of the room every morning since their tryst on the table nine long days ago. Mavis had been the first face she'd seen this last week and two days, when she'd arrived to help her with her morning ablutions. Aulay had only rejoined her once she was up and seated at the table, ready to break her fast. Aside from his no longer being there when she woke up, another change was that he hadn't kissed her even once since then, or done any of those other delicious things that had given her such pleasure.

  Her smile faded at the thought. Jetta had no idea what had happened. Was he angry with her? Did he not find her attractive anymore? Her hand moved self-consciously to the bald spot on the back of her head. It seemed they'd shaved away the hair there to tend to her wounds. Those were healed now, but the hair hadn't grown back more than an inch or so and felt strange when she touched it. It probably looked strange too, Jetta thought with a frown.

  Still, she'd had that hair missing since before waking and it hadn't seemed to stop him from kissing her and . . . er . . . stuff on the table then. Jetta had no idea why he hadn't touched her since, but was beginning to worry about what that might mean for her marriage. Not that he wasn't still kind and attentive. Aulay spent all of his time with her once Mavis had helped her with her ablutions and such and left the room. He returned then and played chess and other games with her, or told her tales about his brothers and sisters and growing up. He also took every meal with her, and was constantly fetching sweets and other snacks for her in an effort to make her eat more.

  In truth, Jetta didn't think she could ask for a better husband. He was most kind and attentive. It was just his refusal to kiss and touch her that was different, and she found it worrisome. Jetta didn't think she could bear living with him for the rest of her life if she never again got to enjoy the pleasure he'd shown her. In fact, she now found she craved it constantly. If his hand brushed hers, or his arm, or if he even looked at her lips, her heart tripped and started pounding with excitement and anticipation. And all she had to do was look at him and she wanted him to kiss or touch her. But he didn't, and she was hurt and confused by the fact that he no longer seemed to want to.

  Jetta peered at him silently, trying to sort out why and suddenly realized that while he had shown her great pleasure that time at the table, and even the time before, she had done little but moan and groan and cry out in response. She'd barely even kissed him back properly, let alone touch him in return. Not only had that been incredibly selfish, but it may have made him think she did not wish him to do the things he'd done to her. She needed to let him know that she did enjoy and desire his attentions that way, and the best way she could think to do that was to show him.

  Letting out the little breath she'd been holding, Jetta straightened her shoulders and slid her feet to the floor, only to pause and simply sit on the bed, contemplating her husband. He was lying on his side, cocooned in his plaid, which might be a problem. She would surely wake him up did she try to unwrap him, and Jetta suspected that if he woke up before she at least did something to rouse his interest, he would bring an end to her efforts before they had even started.

  Biting her lip, she considered him briefly and then smiled and turned to pull the largest fur off the bed and into her lap. Grasping it firmly in hand, she then stood and let it drop to the floor between her and her husband before gently and carefully laying it over him. Straightening then, she backed up and sat on the edge of the bed to wait. It seemed to take forever, and Jetta was beginning to fear that it wouldn't work, and then he murmured sleepily and shifted onto his back, pushing the furs and plaid restlessly away from his overheated body.

  Jetta almost leapt to her feet and clapped and squealed over the fact that her plan had worked, but she managed to restrain herself and then she lost the urge as she took in what her actions had revealed.

  Aulay hadn't just pushed away the fur, he'd pushed off the plaid too. He was now covered only by a linen shirt that was presently tangled around his stomach, leaving him completely on display from the waist down.

  Jetta had thought she'd known what to expect. She instinctively knew she'd seen naked babies, both male and female. But the little jigglies she'd seen on baby boys bore no resemblance to the monster sleeping in its nest of curls that she was presently staring at. And she had absolutely no recollection of seeing that before.

  Good Lord! What was she supposed to do with it?

  The question echoed in her head briefly. Unfortunately, no answer came to her mind and Jetta actually considered lying back in bed and pretending to sleep until he woke up and left the room. But then she steeled herself and shook her head. If she wished to enjoy th
e pleasure he showed her, it did seem she should show him some too. Besides, she would just do to him what he had done to her. That should work . . . shouldn't it?

  Grimacing, Jetta slid off the bed to kneel beside him and glanced nervously from his sleeping member to his sleeping face and back as she tried to figure out how to start. Aulay had begun by kissing his way up her thighs, and then . . . well, she wasn't quite sure what he'd done once he'd reached the spot between her legs. She felt sure he'd licked and nibbled and . . . well, frankly, she'd been so excited and wound up, she'd concentrated on the sensations he was causing rather than what exactly he was doing.

  So, kissing, nibbling and licking it would be, Jetta thought. That was what she would do. How hard could it be?

  Kneeling next to him, she pressed a kiss to the skin just inside of one of his knees, and then the other, and then a little higher on each leg, and then a little higher still, and then she raised her head and blinked as she noted that the sleeping monster had woken and was slowly stretching. She bit her lip briefly, but then straightened her shoulders again and began to press kisses along the length of the monster itself, her eyes widening as it grew longer and began to stand under her attention. It was becoming quite impressive by the time she kissed the tip, but when she experimentally closed her mouth over it Jetta learned just how hard it could be as it swelled even more and pushed against the back of her throat.