as he had done. The scent of his skin filled her senses, triggering a flare of passion that licked over her skin. His other hand opened and the fingers cupped her neck. She felt him move closer. Felt the way his body loomed over hers, surrounding her with strength.
“I love ye too much nae to be cross with ye, lass. This is nae a place that I want to see ye in. Even if I longed for ye so badly I thought it might kill me.”
She opened her eyes and stared into his dark ones. “Any place we are together is perfect.”
“I’ll nae argue with being together, but I do wish it were on me own land.”
He kissed her and she rose up to meet his lips. Conversation had lost its appeal now that she could smell his skin, feel his warm embrace. Her wet clothing chafed, irritating her skin. She wanted to return to the security the king’s guard had interrupted. The kiss was hard with need, his lips moving over hers and pressing her to open her mouth for a deeper kiss. The tip of his tongue slipped along her lower lip until she complied and allowed it to tease her own tongue. A shiver went down her back and her husband lifted his mouth away from hers.
“I should paddle yer bottom.”
Helena frowned at him. “I’ll overstarch your shirts.”
He chuckled and reached for the top button of her doublet.
“No.”
“No?” One dark eyebrow rose in question.
Helena stepped back and noticed that she left a wet smear on the stone floor. She reached up and unbuttoned her doublet. The wet wool was difficult to manage with chilled fingers. But she finished and opened the garment herself. It was too stiff to slip down her arms. Instead it stuck to her shoulders.
“Perhaps ye’ll reconsider.”
He didn’t wait for a response. His hands gripped the doublet and swept it down her arms. “I’m nae sure what I find more attractive—the idea of ye disrobing for me or the satisfaction of doing it with me own hands.”
He wasn’t wearing a doublet and his shirt was wet. Helena reached for the ties that held it closed at the neck.
“I confess that I don’t care how it happens, so long as we both rid ourselves of these clothes.”
“A point I find myself agreeing with ye on.”
Her clothing didn’t make it an easy task. It took his greater strength to unknot her corset tie. The log he’d placed in the fire had caught and heat radiated out toward her. Keir pulled at her corset until he freed it, gaining a soft sound of delight from her.
“Och now, there’s another thing we can agree on. I prefer ye without all these layers, as well.”
Her breath caught on a gasp. An amused chuckle rumbled form his chest. “Is this the lass who just offered to disrobe for me?” He opened her waistband and reached inside to find her bum roll. His hands pushed the entire wet mess down her legs in another few moments.
Her cheeks warmed. “I am still becoming accustomed to your way of saying things so boldly.”
“Good.”
He leaned toward her and pressed a warm kiss against her neck. It sent a delicious ripple of sensation over her skin that traveled down to her breasts. Freed from her boned stays, the delicate skin rose into goose bumps. His gaze dropped to her chest and she realized that her chemise was translucent in its wet condition. The thin fabric stuck to her every curve, the coral tips of her nipples showing plainly through.
She stepped out of her skirts and enjoyed the way his eyes remained on her. It was empowering, the way his face changed, his features becoming tighter, his eyes narrowing. She turned in a slow motion and paused with her back to him while peeking over her shoulder.
“Ye’re beautiful, lass.”
She believed him, actually felt her confidence rising. He pulled off his clothing, his motions rougher than they’d been on her. She turned back around, watching his skin being revealed. It was the most erotic thing she had ever witnessed, and the most tender. Unlike her wedding night, she was completely at peace. More than eager for the coming union but also content to enjoy the motions that would lead them to intimacy. There was a subtle seduction in the way they watched each other, something that words wouldn’t translate. It was in the slant of his eyes and the way his nostrils flared ever so slightly. Her