Devil of the Highlands Page 0,58

in. He liked her. Her husband liked her. Well, that was just… She didn't know how to feel or even what to think. And then his hands returned to trying to remove her gown, and she repeated, "What are you doing?"

"I like ye," was all he said, and it reminded her of his repeating that he was the Duncan the first day they'd met. She hadn't understood what he'd meant then and no better understood him now. Obviously 'I like ye' was some code, but she hadn't a clue for what, then he said, "I've told ye, now I'm going to show ye. Ye said ye wanted both, and so I shall give ye both."

Evelinde blinked as sudden understanding set in. He meant to—

"Here?" she gasped with amazement.

"Aye. Here, in our bed, on the fur before the fire… There are a lot of places I've imagined showing ye, and now that yer no sore, I can."

Evelinde's eyes had widened at his words as she realized that while she'd been sitting about fearing he didn't want her at all, he'd been sitting about imagining all these places to—

"You—"

"Wife," Cullen interrupted with a sigh. "Ye may think I speak too little, but ye tend to speak too much. Shut up and let me love ye."

Evelinde stilled at the order, then gasped as he suddenly gave up on her gown and bent to kiss her.

Shut up and let me love ye. The words rang in her ears, and she sighed as his lips urged hers apart, wishing that it was love. Heir husband liked her and enjoyed bedding her, but she didn't think it was love… not on his part. As for her… Well, in truth, Evelinde was confused about her own feelings. She found the man exasperating, frustrating, considerate, attractive, sweet… and dear God when he kissed her with the hunger he was showing her now, he made her very toes curl. How could a man be so many conflicting things at once, she wondered, then gave up trying to think and slid her arms around his neck.

The man really was a very good kisser, Evelinde acknowledged as excitement began to build in her. She felt his hands return to her gown, but this time did not try to hamper his efforts to remove it, even lowering her arms so he could slide it off. When it dropped to pool around her feet, leaving her in nothing but her chemise, she slid her hands up over his chest, searching blindly for the pin that held his plaid in place. Evelinde managed to poke herself once with the tip as she struggled to undo it but finally got it loose. She sighed into his mouth as his plaid slid away, joining her gown on the ground.

She then broke the kiss long enough to glance down and drop the pin on the plaid before tugging his shirt up to remove it as well. Evelinde had barely removed the garment when Cullen swept her up into his arms, his mouth claiming hers. With him kissing her, she couldn't see where he was heading, but smiled against his mouth when he sat on what she presumed was a boulder or fallen log, settling her sideways in his lap. It reminded her of their first meeting and her regret at the time that she'd had to end their embrace. This time she need not. They were married.

"Yer smiling," Cullen murmured, his lips moving across her cheek.

"Aye. Because I like you, too," she said simply, and he raised his head to peer at her and kissed her again. He was more demanding this time, one hand tangled in her hair, positioning her head where he wanted it as he plundered her mouth. He kissed her until she moaned and arched, kissing him back with an eagerness and hunger that she would have been embarrassed by had she been able to think at that moment.

His hand slid up over her ribs to one breast, and Evelinde gasped encouragement and pressed into the touch as he kneaded the flesh through her chemise. A disappointed groan slid from her mouth into his when his hand slid away, but then she realized that he was tugging impatiently at the collar of her shift, trying to get it out of the way.

Evelinde immediately moved to help him, shimmying free of the shift until it dropped away to pool around her waist. Cullen's hand immediately covered one breast, squeezing briefly before his fingers concentrated