Page 81 of The Highlander's Accidental Wife
Helena gasped and surged forward, snatching a book. “This is…” She picked up another, then another, and her hands began to shake. Her eyes darted around, and she shook her head. “No… how?”
She set them down and flipped the first one open, not believing it until she saw the name on the flyleaf. The precise scrawl of her mother’s name, followed by her own hand.
“I sent me most trusted men to get yer books, of course,” Damien said. “Weeks ago.”
“But…”
“Cannae leave me now, Hel,” Damien drawled. “I’ve got all yer books.”
“And Sophia,” Helena said, whirling to him. He dipped his head in a nod. “Why?”
“Sophia misses ye,” he said with a shrug. “Also, I think Gwennie would have me head. I told her it was a good idea, though.” He grinned. “Aye, I had Gwennie charmin’ yer sister, but of course, Lovell women are too easy to love.” He scowled. “Even if they’re bloody difficult women, too. Yer sister is a right terror.”
Helena sagged against the table. “This—you…”
Damien smirked and shrugged his big shoulders. “Ye are more than welcome to try and set up defenses against me, sweetheart, but it’s a bit too late.” He straightened and stepped forward, looking into her face. “Ye were so convinced that I wouldnae follow through, hm? Like I give a damn about that Lady Highbrow nonsense. Or that I what?” he snorted. “Lied aboutadorin’ yer fierceness? Yer fire?” His gaze dipped and roamed over her. “Ye?”
“I…”
Helena backed up, remembering her impression of the waterfalls and the cave.This is a rout,she’d said to herself. But now, this was…
“Oh.”
Helena turned and looked at the books, then around at the library. She thought of her chambers upstairs, the desk under the window, the fresh sheets of paper, the ink, and the chair. Or her gowns, of her sister, of Jolly.
Lady Merie, Gwen, Orrick, and the rest of their family.
“This is our life,” she said.
“Aye.”
Damien suddenly pulled her against him, his hand pressing below her breasts, and the other sliding up her neck to tilt her face up, her head cradled against his shoulder.
“Now ye ken.” He kissed her, a hard and bracing kiss. “It is also this. And if I have to wait for a year, then I mean to find every other goddamn way to pleasure ye, Hel.”
His teeth caught her ear, and she almost cried out.
“And I think ye might find a way to thank me for me restraint, love.”
CHAPTER 32
When he capturedher lips again, Damien decided that unless she told him to stop, he was not asking ever again if he could kiss her or not. Of course, if his bride-to-be wanted to ask for something carnal, he’d be more than happy to oblige.
A desperate groan escaped him as he slipped his hand lower and cupped Helena’s breast, working his thumb over her hard nipple.
He began to kiss her jaw, loving the way she gasped and mewled.
“Christ, but ye taste so sweet, especially when ye moan for me,” he said against her neck. He pinched the bud lightly while he pulled up her skirts with his other hand. “Are ye achin’ for me, Hel?”
He let out a curse when Helena leaned up and lightlybithis jaw.
“Yes,” she said. “So, why did you stop?”
Almost snarling at her, even as satisfaction and amusement filled his chest, Damien hiked up her skirts further. Then, he slid his hand up her underclothes, found a bare inch of hot skin, and trailed his fingertips across it. Laughter escaped him as Helena arched her back and tried to suppress her cries.
“Mhm, I shall have ye beggin’ soon,Sassenach,” Damien said.
He stroked his fingers over her heat, torturing her a bit in return. She writhed and pressed against him, causing his manhood to harden even more.
