had given her in the hall. They’d sort it out—he’d never seen a closer and more loving family than the Grants. The bigger question, for him, was why Connor had given Derric leave to take Dyna outside the gates.
But he thought he might know the answer to that, too. Knowing Dyna as he did, Connor had likely known damn well that she would get up in the middle of the night and go after her grandsire. By encouraging Derric to escort her, he’d guaranteed there would be at least one person to assist her.
Connor Grant was a wise man.
And he hoped he would have the chance to ask the man if he had his approval to marry his daughter. That is, if Dyna agreed. She was a stubborn lass.
He fell asleep with a smile on his face.
Less than an hour later, he awakened feeling an arousal stronger than anything he’d ever experienced. He looked down, surprised to see a hand had snaked underneath his trews and was stroking him.
Dyna gave him a wicked smile when he looked up at her. “Diamond, if you keep that up, we’ll finish. This will not be one-sided either. You will finish.”
She let her hand drop from his hardened sex and removed her tunic, tossing it off to the side. Moonlight bathed her breasts in a soft glow, and he couldn’t stop himself for reaching for her, but she stepped back.
“You’re a tease, are you?”
She smiled and slid her leggings down over her legs with a wriggle, turning sideways to give him a tantalizing view of her bottom before she stepped out of her clothing, now gloriously nude.
He was out of his trews in a second, and he whipped off his tunic and tugged her close, wrapping his arms around her so they were skin to skin. “So you wish to finish this, lass?”
“Aye, I do. I love you, Derric Corbett, and I wish to be with you always. Handfast with me?” she said, running her hands across his bulging biceps.
“I thought the man was supposed to ask the woman to marry. Or are you balking convention again?”
She grinned. “You did not answer. Accept or reject my proposal first.”
“Naught would please me more. Will you marry me, Dyna Grant?”
“Aye. It is done. Now finish this.”
His lips captured hers in a searing kiss, his tongue parting her lips so he could taste all of her. Groaning, he pulled back. “Bloody hell, Diamond. You’re enough to drive a man daft. Do you know how many times I’ve thought of this? Thought of how I hurt you, how I wronged you?”
“’Tis as I said. You didn’t wrong me.”
“But—”
She pressed a finger to his lips. “I want you. Now.”
He smoothed a plaid on the ground, and she lowered herself onto it, bringing him with her. Derric was on top of her, but he hadn’t settled himself between her thighs yet. Determined to give her pleasure first, he whispered, “I promise you’ll not want to push me away this time. It should not hurt.”
“Derric, I need to see this finished. I need to know what ’tis like.”
He kissed her again, slanting his mouth over hers, then he trailed a line of kisses down her neck to her breast, suckling one and kneading the other as she arched against him.
Her hands roamed his body, his buttocks, his hips, his upper arms, something he found highly arousing. Her need was as great as his, which gave him an idea—he rolled onto his back and settled her on top. She stared down at him for a moment, questioning his move. “Diamond, you’ll be in control.”
“But I don’t know what to do.”
“You’ll figure it out. Kiss me,” he said, his hand going to the vee between her legs, pleased to find her slick with need already. He thrust a finger inside her liquid heat and swallowed her gasp. He couldn’t stop from moaning as her passion reached a feverish pitch from his caresses. His hands found her backside and caressed her there as he eased her over him.
“Take me in your hand, Diamond. You’re ready for me. Slide me inside.”
She positioned his tip, testing it carefully. He guessed she was fearful that it would hurt like it had last time, so he allowed her to move slowly, taking him inside a bit more with each thrust, her hand still on him.
Once he was halfway inside her, she spread her legs wider and leveraged herself just right to take all of him inside, burying him