Page 38 of Bound to a Scot
He stood in the water and Emmeline had gazed admiringly at his hard body. She’d admired his taut, corded muscles and the way the beads of water glistened upon his skin like morning dew. He was the most handsome man she’d ever seen in her life. But whathe was doing in the pool of water was what had been seared into her mind the most.
As she sat in front of the chess board, Emmeline shifted in the chair, feeling herself start to grow uncomfortably warm and wet once more as she recalled watching Maddox pleasuring himself in the water. His eyes had been closed, his face tilted to the sky, working his hand up and down on his long, rigid shaft. Emmeline knew she should have turned away, but she couldn’t. It was like her feet had grown roots, preventing her from moving. And as she watched him, she had felt her sex flutter wildly as it grew hot and wet.
Emmeline didn’t have much experience in the way of lovemaking. When he wanted to couple and one of his many mistresses was not available, Burchard would stumble into her chamber, usually drunk, climb on top of her and thrust himself into her, grunting like a beast the whole time. When he was spent, he would roll off and stumble back out of her chambers again. The whole thing usually lasted five minutes or less and he never gave consideration to her pleasure.
As she watched Maddox in the pool, stroking his hard lance, she had a feeling he would seek to please her. To make sure she enjoyed the experience. Hiding behind the stone outcropping, her eyes fixed on Maddox and his groans of pleasure ringing in her ears, Emmeline had slipped her hand beneath her shift and touched herself. She had stroked herself until she climaxed along with Maddox, biting her bottom lip so hard to keep from crying out, she’d tasted blood.
It was only after that, her head spinning, her mind still filled with images of Maddox standing in the pool pleasuring himself that Emmeline had walked back to the keep on legs shaking so hard, she’d been afraid they’d give out beneath her. But she’d walked back to her bedchamber with a smile on her face—a smile she was having a hard time keeping off her face now.
“Are ye certain ye dinnae want tae take that move back?” Maddox asked.
“I’m certain,” she replied.
Maddox laughed. The orange light from the fire flickered across his strong jawline and glittered in his eyes, somehow making him even more handsome. She longed to lean forward and kiss him. Yearned to feel his touch. After spying on him in the hot spring, she was desperate to feel him inside of her.
Burchard coughed, snapping Emmeline out of her fantasies and as he closed his book and got to his feet, she leaned back in her chair and let a blank expression cross her face. As if taking her cue, Maddox sat back and folded his arms over his chest, making a show of staring at the chess board, his brow furrowed in concentration.
“I am going tae retire,” Burchard said.
“All right,” Emmeline replied. “Good night then.”
“I think it’s time fer ye tae go tae bed as well, Emmeline,” he said.
“I’m nae tired?—”
“I dinnae care. This little gatherin’ was meant fer Laird MacLachlan and Cecilia tae get tae ken each other better. Nae fer ye tae take up all his time playin’ silly games.”
There was something about the way he’d said it that sent a cold chill down her spine. There was a meaning beneath his words she didn’t like. And judging by the look on Cecilia’s face, she’d heard it too. There was a fear in the girl’s eyes that pulled at Emmeline’s heart and though she didn’t fear Maddox doing anything untoward, she worried that Burchard might force the issue.
“I’d like tae finish me game first, if ye dinnae mind,” Emmeline.
He sighed, annoyance coloring his features. “Be quick about it then,” he said. “Give Laird MacLachlan and Cecilia some time alone so they may get tae ken each other afore they wed.”
“Aye, me laird,” Emmeline replied demurely.
“Thank ye, Laird Macfie,” Maddox echoed. “I too, would like tae finish the game.”
“Very well,” Macfie replied.
His eyes fixed on his wife coldly, Burchard gave her a very pointed look as he crossed the room then left, closing the door hard behind him. When he was gone, she turned to Maddox whopulled a face and let out a loud breath, the relief on his face mirroring Emmeline’s. As they looked at each other, they shared a quiet laugh.
Cecilia closed her book and got to her feet as well. “I think I’ll turn in as well.”
Maddox nodded. “Just give it another minute or two tae make sure ye dinnae run intae yer faither in the halls.”
The girl smiled. “Thank ye, me Laird—Maddox.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Left alone in the salon, Maddox sat back in his chair, feeling the weight on his shoulders lift as he relaxed for the first time all evening. He ran his hands over his face then through his wavy locks and looked up to find Emmeline staring back at him. And when their eyes met, he felt his heart skip a beat as his stomach churned. All he could think about in that moment was watching Emmeline bathing in the hot spring.
He cleared his throat and tried to banish the image from his mind but didn’t seem able to shed it completely. She truly was the most beautiful, most exquisite woman he’d ever seen. She was breathtaking. And her naked form was indelibly etched into his mind. Even sitting there across from her at the table, doing something as mundane as playing a game of chess, Maddox found it almost impossible to not feel his heart race and his breath quicken as he thought of her.
He knew he had to find a way to banish those thoughts, to quell his desires. He was to marry Cecilia, whether he wanted to or not, and continuing to indulge in fantasies of the womanacross from him was a recipe for disaster. Worse, it was a path that would undoubtedly lead him to madness. A path that would see him spending his life longing for something that was unattainable.
“’Tis yer move.”
Emmeline’s voice snapped him out of his reverie. He cleared his throat and sat forward as a shaky smile crossed his lips.
