Page 38 of An English Rose for the Highlander
The tartan fabric dropped to the floor somewhere unseen, and Rose could not pry her stare away from her husband. Her eyes were wide, her lips parted as she took in the sight of him—allof him. Rose’s heartbeat became a frenzy behind her ribs, and while tension was there, much stronger was the desire to feelhim, to know how he would fit within her with his impressive stature.
“When ye look at me like that, lass,” Dominik smiled, gathering up the remaining barrier that hid her until her shift was bunched up around her waist, “I should think we will never leave these chambers.”
Rose chuckled, swallowing down her nerves as her husband at last took the shift from her and again flung the unwanted fabric behind him.
“God above, lass.” He looked so entirely shocked, and Rose’s brow furrowed.
“Am I…did I do something?—”
“Ye are stunning, Rose. The most beautiful sight I’ve ever laid eyes on.”
Heat filled her, and she smiled wide, melting into Dominik’s kiss as he leaned forward once more. His body was warm and welcoming against hers, their skin meeting for this first time, and the dance began. Dominik roused such desire and passion within her, a slick need pooling in her core. His length found her as his hips pushed her legs wide, and she moaned loudly enough to fill the room as he slowly worked within her.
They were at last joined, her body claimed, and Rose rode the waves of pleasure as they moved as one, a give and take thatmirrored the steps of the Highland reel. The sensations were nearly overwhelming as their bodies slid back and forth, up and down, with sweat now clinging to them as her legs wrapped around his hips.
“Dominik…I…oh…”
A blaze of heat, of some alien sensation, overtook her. It was such a profound pleasure that she arched off the bed, taking her husband deep within her. He moaned along with her now, a grunt leaving him as his rocking motion stuttered. Then, still more warmth flooded her as Dominik held her shoulders up off the bed, his lips pressed to hers.
His own release. Oh, sweet heavens…
Afterward, Rose lay with Dominik in her bed, curled against him as she tried to steady her breathing. A profound exhaustion claimed her, but Rose felt an odd, wonderful sense of peace and satisfaction.
“I had thought I might feel strange,” she whispered, causing Dominik to look down at her. “But quite the contrary. It feels…right.”
Dominik stiffened against her, and when Rose looked up at him, his expression had changed, his stare distant. Before shecould utter another word, he adjusted in the bed, sitting up and beginning to retrieve his clothing.
“Of course it does, lass.” Rose furrowed her brow as Dominik spoke with his back to her. “It was our duty. It always feels as such if you have honored your responsibilities.”
Hurt lanced through her chest, making Rose shift backward. “Responsibilities?”
But Dominik did not say more, and she could not bring herself to speak either. Instead, she simply watched him dress and then exit her chambers, leaving her alone in her room, tears streaming from her eyes.
19
Morning in the keep came soon enough, and Dominik’s gut churned despite the absence of any physical ailment he could pinpoint. He felt stiff and off-center, his steps slow as he made his way down the long corridors to the Great Hall. He was meant to enjoy a morning meal, to converse with some of the clan, and carry out a plan to visit the inherited land once more with miners.
He would do those things, but…every step felt as if he had to summon the energy from some bottomless pit inside him. And why? Dominik knew precisely why. Because last evening was the best in recent memory. Hell, it had been the best he could ever think of, and
Dominik had been convincing himself that that reality could not be so since the moment he met Rose.
Rose.
As Dominik had walked away last night, he had seen the look on her face, heard the soft sobs that bled from under the door even as he hurried down the hallway. It had been his doing, and while he knew—he knew—that their relationship was only a matter of duty…Dominik could not be convinced to feel better about his actions.
Hurting Rose had been the last thought on his mind. He couldn’t deny how much he had enjoyed himself, and not only because she was a gorgeous woman whose body felt like heaven itself against him. And that much was undisputed. No, it was also because she had smiled at him. They had joked. A growing understanding of one another had occurred, and Dominik could see plainly how much Rose cared about nurturing her new people and being the Lady they deserved. It was admirable.
So why then did he still have such trouble admitting to himself or her, for that matter, that hedidcare?
Marriage was a contract, a duty to the clan to provide them with what they needed. But it was also a partnership between two people. He’d never seen a particularly successful one in his own upbringing, but Dominik’s comrades and fellow warriors didn’t all fit that mold. Many of his friends had loving parents who loved each other just as much.
It was only so foreign to him. Even Rose’s parents, though clearly in need of financial education, appeared to at least appreciate one another’s company.
“Ye’re daft. Focus on the matter in front of ye.”
“Excuse me?”
Dominik spun around, seeing Oskar standing just a few paces away from him. The Laird worked to school his expression, shaking away his tumultuous thoughts and indeed focusing on the matter at hand, visiting the land with the miners, and ensuring its usability as a copper mine.
