Page 55 of Wedded to the Twisted Highlander
Her lips parted as disbelief washed over her like a sudden spring shower. How was it that he could captivate and bewitch her so?
Her eyes flickered to his mouth, which curled into a mischievous smile that accentuated the devilish glint in his eyes. His hands hovered above her skin, tracing an invisible line that sent shivers through her.
Astrid’s body thrummed as her frantic heartbeat thundered in her ears. A heavy fog shrouded her as her body betrayed her. The heat of her desire pooled deep within her like an eager tide, rising and falling at the whim of the Laird.
With a burst of courage, Astrid stepped closer and claimed his lips with her own. Need and hunger roared inside her as she threw her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his.
“What are ye doin’?” she gasped the moment she felt him lift her off her feet and pin her to the wall. The thrill of uncertainty coiled tightly in her belly.
“I want ye to trust me. Will ye?” he murmured, his voice as smooth as the aged whiskey still lingering on his breath.
The question caught Astrid off guard. The Laird hadn’t asked if she could trust him, but if shewould. He was giving her the choice—something no other man had done before.
“From the moment I laid eyes on ye, ye bewitched and vexed me,” he said as he rubbed his fingertips over her soft lips. “Ye’ve weathered storms that nay one should have gone through, let alone go through them alone. But I swear I’ll never hurt ye.”
He held her gaze, and the sincerity in his eyes was like a balm to her tired soul.
“Do ye believe me?” he asked.
Astrid closed her eyes and nodded her head. The cool evening air swirled around her but did nothing to stifle the flames burning her alive.
The Laird’s eyes remained on her as he pulled her shift up to her hips. A gasp escaped Astrid’s parted lips as the chilly air kissed her bare legs. Her breath hitched as his fingertips grazed her thigh and traced the curve of her leg.
There was no hesitation, no apprehension, only longing. Astrid stared at the Laird, almost daring him to keep going. As if he could read her like an open book, his fingers found the slit between her legs. Her eyes widened as she swallowed hard.
“Trust me,” he whispered, his teeth grazing her earlobe.
The fleeting sensation caused little goosebumps to rise all over her skin. Astrid tried to get her body to relax, but nothing she could say or do would make it listen.
“I swear, I’ll nae harm ye. Nor will I allow anything to hurt ye or Melody ever again,” he whispered.
Hearing the conviction in his voice felt as if he’d laid the cornerstone of their relationship right there in her heart. She stared at him as the weight of his words sank in.
His fingertip stroked the slit between her legs, taunting and teasing her with each pass. But Astrid’s body was not yielding, not even under the gentlest of touches.
“I cannae,” she managed to say and pushed his hand aside. “I’m sorry. I never should have allowed it to go so far.”
“I’m the one who should be apologizin’ to ye. Ye gave me yer trust, and at the first test, I betrayed ye. Perhaps if ye told me what happened, then we could avoid such touches in the future?”
Astrid shook her head as guilt and uncertainty pecked at her like a starved bird. “I’m sorry.”
“Astrid, please, dinnae go. Tell me what I did or didnae do. I cannae keep goin’ on like this. Ye are drivin’ me crazy. Ye’re hot then cold. If ye would just tell me…”
“I cannae,” she answered, her voice strained with anger as she pulled her robe tighter around her shoulders. Suddenly, she felt too exposed. Too vulnerable.
“And ye cannae keep avoidin’ me,” the Laird interjected as she turned to head to her room. His words made her pause.
“I’m nae,” she said over her shoulder. “It’s me I’m tryin’ to avoid.”
“And how is that workin’ for ye?”
Astrid turned to face him and shook her head. “It’s nae.”
“Then what do we do? Because I cannae have rumors unchecked in me castle, and I’ll nae have a wife who refuses to look at me even though I’m the only one on the balcony wit’ her.”
“Ye dinnae understand,” she said, unable to find a way to explain the gravity of what she was feeling.
“Then help me understand,” he pleaded as he grabbed her wrist, refusing to let her leave. “I want to get close to ye. But every time I try, something always comes up. Tell me, so I can end it.”
