relax, moaning in soft protest to a dull ache. He paused, eased out again, and repeated the movements. Now resting on his knees and forearms, he no longer kept her mouth occupied with his lips and tongue, but the sensations below, both mesmerizing and somewhat worrisome, kept her mind well occupied.
Moving one hand to cup her left breast, he used his thumb to tease the nipple, diverting her attention just as he pressed himself fully inside her.
Gasping at the increasing pain, she felt her body respond nonetheless to his. She had closed her eyes, but she opened them to see his face contorting as if he were the one in pain. His body gave a sudden start, and his grimace became more profound as he drew in a long deep breath and let it out again. Just as she wondered what would come next, his face relaxed and he eased himself out of her.
“That should satisfy anyone bumptious enough to inquire into the matter,” he said gruffly as he shifted to lie beside her. “Was it so painful, lassie?”
“It ached some, but now it feels only hot and a bit prickly,” she said.
“A good word,” he said with a chuckle. “We’ll get you cleaned up then, or do you want me to shout for Ailvie? I do need to change my clothes for the journey.”
“Prithee, don’t call her until I can tidy myself, but you must do as you like.”
“I don’t like it at all,” he said with a wry smile. “I’d rather stay right where I am. And I should warn you that all I’m going to be thinking about until we’re safely in bed together at Castle Moigh is that I have unfinished business with you.”
She nearly told him that she would be thinking much the same thing. Then, she remembered that she was still annoyed with him. Somehow, that little detail had flown right out of her head the moment he had touched her.
Since she still wanted to make her feelings clear, she thought it might be wiser not to admit the effect that his touch had on her, so she said lightly, “You may not be safe as soon as you think, sir. We still have matters to discuss, you and I.”
“Aye, sure, lass. In turn, I’d remind you that a husband has greater rights in such discussion than a guest or a friend does. You have given your temper free rein several times since we met. I prefer that my wife remain civil in her manner to me.”
“Do you, sir?”
He gave her a direct look. “I do, aye.”
“Then do not give me cause to lose my temper, and all will be well.”
Holding her gaze, he said, “We’ll see just how well it is, won’t we?”
Fin grinned at her as he got out of bed and was glad to receive a wry smile in return. He did not want to debate anymore until they were on the road.
Shortly afterward, wearing suitable attire for riding, they joined James, Morag, their attendants, guests, and family members at the boat landing, where the travelers piled into one of the larger boats. Fin was thankful for all the company, the activity, and his mantle, because his body still expressed its disapproval of his decision to remove himself from the velvety warmth of Catriona’s sheath.
All the feelings that she had engendered remained wide awake in him, albeit not as strong as at the time of his withdrawal. Then it had elicited a surge of instinctive, primitive yearning to conquer her. His cock still twitched in awareness of her nearness, but at least it no longer ached.
That his decision had been the right one, he knew. Just watching her on the landing with the family, seeing how naturally she smiled when she spoke with the others and how gracefully she got into the boat assured him that their brief coupling had not hurt her enough to cause her distress as they traveled.
If God was kind, He would reward them both by nightfall. If He was in a more fractious mood, He would resurrect the earlier, more irritable lass.
Fin would do his best to prevent the latter choice.
They reached the opposite landing to find Toby and Ian waiting with a string of Highland garrons, the small, sure-footed horses that could travel nearly anywhere in mountainous terrain without missing a step. Four of them were sumpter ponies.
The others bore minimal leather saddles similar to those that Borderers used. Like the men, the women rode