Page 38 of To Charm a Highlander

To his surprise, she turned back and smiled at him.She wrapped her arms around his waist.“Ye have no clothes on, husband!”She began to edge away, but he pulled her back.

“Aye.Verra observant, wife.I ne’er sleep with clothes on.Ye will get used to it.”He brushed her soft, silky hair off her face and bent to kiss her.She was more enthusiastic than he’d expected.

Taking a chance, he ran his tongue against her lips and this time she dinna pull away, but dinna open her mouth, either.He began to kiss her cheeks, nose, forehead, jaw and neck.She stiffened at first, but then relaxed and sighed softly.

His hand wandered over her waist and moved up and down her back and lower to her bottom.He squeezed the firm flesh and shifted his mouth to nibble on her lips, but she still dinna allow him to enter her mouth.But he really felt as though they were making much more progress than he’d expected.

After a few more minutes of him touching her and her stiffening, then relaxing, she pulled back, her breath coming in gasps.Slowly, she pulled up the bedclothes so his chest was covered.“I think I’m feeling weary and need some sleep.”

“One more kiss?”

She hesitated for a moment.“Aye.”

He pulled her against him again and made this last kiss a verra good one.He finally edged her mouth open, but after a few seconds she pulled back and wiped her mouth.

“Good night, love,” he said.

“Good night, husband,” she replied.

Callum awoketo screams piercing the air.He rolled over and Donella was thrashing around the bed.She kept screaming, “Nay, nay, nay.Get off, yer hurting me.”

He took hold of her arms and shook her slightly.“Donella, love, yer dreaming, wake up.”

She shook her head back and forth, her screams turning to moans.When he attempted to pull her into his arms, she shoved him back with her palms on his chest, taking him off guard, almost knocking him off the bed.

After a few minutes of whimpering, she opened her eyes, her arms wrapped tightly around her body.“I remembered.”She took gulps of air.“All of it.”Her body shook and sweat covered her face.

He was sure the marriage ceremony, sharing a bed, and the little bit of cuddling they’d done had provoked the dream.

“Do ye wish to talk about it?”

“’Tis what they all thought,” she wailed.“I was taken, abused and I finally escaped.‘Twas horrible.”She wiped the sweat from her face with a shaky hand.

“I had been walking in the woods, something I did all the time.He grabbed me from behind and covered my mouth with his hand.He brought me to this small cottage and tied me up.”Her hand continued to shake as she pushed her hair from her face.“He left me there and returned several times bringing me food and then he would…”

Callum pulled her into his arms, happy that she allowed it.He would find the mon if it took the rest of his life and make sure he died a painful death.“Do ye think ye remember him enough so that yer brothers and I could find the mon?”

She shook her head.“Nay.That would be impossible.”

“’Tis a long time, to be sure, but that doona mean he isna still around here.”

She brought her knees to her chin and hugged them to her.“The mon will ne’er be found.”She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes, her face as pale as new milk.“I killed him,” she whispered.“And I’m going to hell.”