had her chemise on. She crawled into the bed and pulled the bedclothes up to her chin. When Connor got in, the mattress sank under his weight. She had to brace herself to keep from rolling into him as he stretched out beside her.
The tension between them jangled her nerves as they lay face-to-face across the pillow. Connor's eyes, which sometimes looked gray, were steely-blue now, and his jaw was dark with the day's beard. He lay still as a wildcat watching its prey.
"What's wrong?" she asked when he made no move to touch her.
"I'm waiting for ye to stop being afraid of me."
"I'm a bit nervous is all." It was ridiculous since they had done this before. But as he said, this time was different.
"Have ye changed your mind?"
"No!" she said quickly, and his white teeth gleamed in a sudden smile.
"I can understand if you're frightened after last time," he said. "I hadn't had a woman in a very long time, and I didn't know that...Well, I regret I was too rough and rushed."
"No, ye weren't." She shook her head against the pillow, wanting to reassure him. "It was...quite exciting."
"Ahh, Ilysa," he said on an exhale, and his eyes held that darkness again that robbed her of air.
She dropped her gaze to his chest, taking in the well-defined muscles, the dark curly hair, the arrow wound that had finally healed, and the white lines of old injuries. Of its own accord, her hand went to the long gash that ran across his ribs on his left side.
"You have so many scars," she said as she traced it with her finger. "I remember this one from the MacKinnon attack."
"I don't notice them." He enfolded her hand and brought it to his mouth. His breath was warm on her fingers. "Do they bother ye?"
"It pains me to know how many times people have tried to kill ye." She withdrew her hand from his to brush her fingers through the hair at his temple. "But each scar reminds me of how very precious your life is."
"The last two days have reminded me how quickly life can be cut short," he said, and his eyes clouded.
Ilysa feared she was losing him to the darkness that had engulfed him earlier and rested her hand against his cheek to draw his attention. The scratch of his whiskers felt good against her palm.
"Save your worries for tomorrow. Tonight, it's just you and me." She leaned across the pillow. "Forget everything else and kiss me."
Connor gathered her into his arms and gave her a long, melting kiss that made her toes curl. His hands roamed her body, slowly and deliberately, sending waves of heat everywhere he touched. She wanted to touch him, too, but she did not know where or how she ought to do it. Last time, she was caught in a maelstrom before she had time to fret about being so ignorant. But now, she did not know what she was supposed to do.
As his kisses grew more fervent, she forgot her worries and let her hands go where they would. She ran them through his hair, letting the dark strands slide through her fingers, then traced the muscles of his shoulders and back.
Connor's breathing grew harsher, and he rolled her onto her back. He was all heat and passion, and she lost herself in the feel of his body pressed against hers. How had she lived without his touch? He kissed her throat, and then she felt his breath through her chemise as he moved down her breastbone.
It startled her when she felt the moist heat of his mouth on her breast through the cloth. Needles of pleasure shot to her womb as he suckled her breast. Unexpected little moans came from her mouth, and she had a fleeting concern that he would wonder what was wrong with her.
"I love the sounds ye make," he said, looking up at her with such heat in his eyes that she knew he was not just saying it.
After a time, she felt cold air on her thigh. She was in such a daze that it took her a moment to realize Connor was pulling her chemise up.
"What are ye doing?" She tried to sit up, but he was in her way.
"I'm desperate to feel your skin against mine," he said. "I sorely regret leaving your clothes on ye last time."
Ilysa swallowed. She had never been completely naked in front of a man before. Was this necessary? From