Clan Ross: His Heart's Desire Part 14

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE.

Braden stood on the front step for a second before forgetting his promise to behave. He stepped into the entry hall, shoved the front door shut with his foot, and gathered Catrona in his arms and began devouring her mouth. This was the perfect way for him to forget how overwhelmed he'd been this past evening. Braden needed to be reminded of what was important and it wasn't their location or even the time period. The emotions between them were tantamount and he needed to remember this.

Their kiss swept both of them into a sensual storm. He made love to her mouth like he planned on making love to her body. He knew what drove his la.s.s crazy with l.u.s.t and put every ounce of his knowledge to good use. Alternating sucking and nibbling kisses, he slowly ran his hands up her back in order to cradle her head.

Braden thought Catrona tasted like sin and desire. His erection swelled and throbbed, and he wanted nothing more than to bury his aching flesh in her warm and welcoming body.

Braden pulled back from the kiss, taking deep ragged breaths, but continued to hold Catrona tightly against him. He knew if he didn't get himself under control, he would take her in the hallway. She deserved better than that, he wanted to take his time and savor her.

His breath was warm and moist against her face. He could feel her heart racing His hard c.o.c.k pressed against her belly, and it took everything he had not to wrap her legs around his waist right then and there. She ran her fingers through his hair, loving the feel of the long, dark, coa.r.s.e strands falling through her fingers.

He moaned low in his throat. "I love when you touch me."

Slowly she began to kiss him, first on his chin, and then on the corner of his mouth. With deliberate care, she ran her tongue along the seam of his mouth, seeking entrance. Braden groaned again. Her tongue was gentle and seeking. She took her time tasting and exploring him.

His body shaking with need, he swept her into his arms and hurried up the stairs. After reaching the second floor, he pulled back only far enough to say in a husky voice, "G.o.d, mo chridh! Much more of that, darlin', and this is going to be over before it gets started."

Cat just smiled a sweet, s.e.xy smile, and said, "What does it matter? Do you have someplace you have to be later?"

Braden gently laid her on the bed and kicked off his dress shoes. "No, darlin', the only place I have to be is right here." After taking off his socks, slacks, and dress s.h.i.+rt, he set about divesting Catrona of her clothes with more speed than finesse.

He started with small nibbling kisses from her foot to her ankle while running his fingers up and down her silky legs. Catrona moaned softly. Braden continued trailing kisses up her leg and behind her knee. He laved and sucked on her flesh, loving the taste and scent of her skin. Cat lifted her head and noted his erection, straining the confines of his brief, ached with desire. Finally he made it to her skirt. Slowly he slipped the material down her hips, then down her thighs and finally off her legs.

"I just discovered my favorite thing."

"What's that, Braden?"

"You in nothing but scarlet red lace." His husky voice sent gooseflesh over her body.

She watched with antic.i.p.ation as he lowered his head and gave her a gentle kiss through the sc.r.a.pe of fabric.

"I love your feminine scent," he said in a whisper.

After placing another gentle kiss on her feminine mound, Braden replaced his lips with the palm of his hand. Slowly he rotated his hand roughly against her center, while at the same time bending to dip his tongue in her navel.

Her feminine folds were damp and swollen. Each grind of Braden's palm against her center seemed to send shockwaves through her body. She arched into his touch, wanting, needing the contact of his skin against hers.

Braden worked his way to her chest. He eased the lacy cup of her bra aside and his tongue tantalized the rosy buds, which had swollen to their fullest. He laved and caressed each sensitive peak. She reached out to run her hands up and down his strong back, wanting more, needing to feel more of him.

Braden lavished each delicate mound before raising himself over her. His rock hard erection poked out of the band of his briefs; his control was at its end. He could no longer wait to make her his again. He marveled that each time they made love was like the first time.

Lifting his hips away from her body, Cat helped to lower his briefs. Not to be left out of the fun, she lightly pushed him against the mattress, and then cupped the full sack below his throbbing erection. Braden groaned as she explored him, tasted him, devour him.

His erection strained up toward his belly, the head of his p.e.n.i.s almost brus.h.i.+ng his navel. Cat gently laved the liquid drop that had formed at the crown of his erection before lowering her mouth and taking him as deep as she could.

Braden could think of nothing s.e.xier than the vision before him, but he had been holding himself back for so long that he couldn't take it anymore.

"Darlin', you need to stop."

Catrona lifted her head and smiled. Before she could resume her ministrations, Braden sat up and dragged her along his aroused body before rolling her onto her back.

He lowered his body over hers, making love to her mouth. He had never realized how s.e.xy a kiss could be until he kissed Catrona. Braden pulled back to whisper his desire for her into her ear.

"I need to be inside you now, love."

Catrona grabbed his throbbing erection and led him to her drenched and swollen entrance. Slowly he sank into her warmth. They moaned in mutual satisfaction.

Once he was deeply seated, Braden paused and took her mouth again. He put all of his feelings and desires into that touch. With his kiss, he tried to tell her she was more than a quick tumble, and she meant more to him than even he understood. She was so tight he felt as if he was in his very own paradise. Her silken sheath clasped him in a warm embrace. When he withdrew slightly, her body grasped him and caused sensations to run up and down his spine.

He tried to set a slow pace, but she was not interested.

Braden brought her leg up and rested it high on his thigh, allowing for deeper penetration. Palming her backside, he pulled her closer to him and ground his pelvis against hers, causing shockwaves to s.h.i.+mmer up his c.o.c.k and tighten his b.a.l.l.s.

Cat ran her hands down his back and finally grabbed his b.u.t.tocks, pulling him closer and deeper. Something snapped and he plunged in and out of her honeyed warmth. He continued to kiss her, his tongue mimicking his hips, in and out, in and out. Catrona met him move for move, thrust for thrust, and the sensation was more than he could stand.

His arousal brushed against the heart of her femininity, and his s.c.r.o.t.u.m lightly hit her backside with each thrust. It was delicious and wicked. Braden ground the root of his erection against her, sending her over the edge.

"Catrona . . . uh, G.o.d . . . you feel so d.a.m.n good." Braden could feel her body as she experienced her o.r.g.a.s.m. Catrona called out his name as he continued thrusting. Soon, he was following her into sensual bliss.

Braden raised his hands to her head and held her still as he placed a gentle, whisper-soft kiss to her wet and swollen lips. "You are so beautiful."

Catrona smiled up at him. "You are so handsome." She brushed his long hair behind his ears and pulled him back down for another long and lingering kiss.

They were both covered with a light sheen of sweat, and the ceiling fan was slowly cooling them with the light breeze. Still connected, Braden pulled up the sheet before rolling onto his side, pulling Cat with him. He kissed her on the forehead and gently held her to him. Wrapped in the protective coc.o.o.n of his arms, Cat relaxed. Slowly Braden ran light fingers up and down her back.

"Um, that feels so good. Don't stop," Catrona muttered in sleepy response.

Braden smiled. "So demanding." He couldn't stop himself. He kissed the top of her head. She felt perfect wrapped in his arms. He closed his eyes.

"Welcome to New Orleans, Braden."

He chuckled and hugged her close. "Now that's a welcome I could get used to." He smoothed her hair. Contentment crashed over him.

Looking up into his beautiful dark eyes, she whispered, "I love you."

Braden stilled. "I love you, too." And he did. But would their love be enough to breach the chasm of differences between them?

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO.

Braden woke in the middle of the night desiring the beauty he held in his arms. Unable to help himself, he began wors.h.i.+ping her body with his mouth. Now and then he came to a section that he felt he must linger over, if only to do her justice.

His lips awakened as he lingered at her navel. He felt Catrona awaken and he smiled at her moans of appreciation to her wake-up call. He moved his lips over the smooth skin of her stomach toward her straining nipples, loving the way her b.r.e.a.s.t.s filled his hands, and how responsive they were to his touch. He loved the way she smelled of sin and tasted sweet like warm summer strawberries. After he drove her crazy by loving her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, he applied himself to other areas he wanted to explore. He took considerable time working his way down to her feminine center.

Slowly he parted her nether lips and gently blew on the exposed flesh, eliciting a soft moan from her as she arched into his touch.

Braden lowered his mouth and loved her until she came to a screaming climax. Before her shudders subsided, Braden entered with one deep thrust. Catrona wrapped her legs around his hips and he thrust in, rocking her to another powerful o.r.g.a.s.m and joined her in the exploding ecstasy.

Both of them lay motionless and Braden listened as Cat's heavy breathing slowed in time with his own. This thing happening to them was not only happening fast, but was more than a quick tumble.

Braden felt Catrona slip back into sleep. He stared at the shadows dancing across the ceiling and walls. He vowed to do all he could to make sure that this time she was not taken from him, and that they would grow old together. His time in the fade had taught him a great deal and one thing he had learned was to value what you had; fate was a fickle mistress. He must not let his pride get bruised by having his la.s.s take care of him. For now he'd enjoy the moment. A perfect moment with his love in his arms.

Dawn arrived too early, silently heralding a new day. A day Braden knew would be filled with challenges and questions. Always more questions. He rolled over and stared at the beauty lying beside him. The night before had been incredible. They had made love twice more through the night; each time better than the last. He was waxing poetic and it was pitiful. Him. A Highland warrior overcome with emotion.

Coming into this time period was proving to be more emotional than he planned. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed her.

But in the bright light of morning he allowed himself to dwell on the things that had bedeviled him for the past few days. What was he going to do in this new country, in this new time? He knew there was no call for a Highland warrior. The world had changed while he lived in his misty realm.

Until he had boarded the plane, it really hadn't sunk in just how much. Oh, he'd been aware of the changes the world had undergone, but hearing about airline travel and experiencing it were two very different things. Internet, SUVs, cell phones. This was all so much to absorb.

He was letting pride get in the way. Vain and stupid pride, but it was all he had in many ways. In the parameters of his mind, he admitted to his fear. Fear of not fitting in, fear of letting his la.s.s down.

And there was more. This place was haunted; he felt the souls that had long departed this plane for the next. He also felt unsettled. One thing he always knew was you couldn't outrun your past and the future was always uncertain.

Stifling a yawn, Catrona snuggled up to Braden. "I love that you are here with me." She placed nibbling kisses along his chest.

Braden chuckled and pulled her closer. "I love being here too, darlin'."

Catrona draped her arm over his stomach and kissed his shoulder. "Did you sleep well?"

"Aye. Like a babe." Braden ran his fingers through her soft hair.

"Did you hear Alec come home last night?"

"No. But don't worry about him. I'm sure he's fine. He's a grown man, la.s.s."

He watched as she wrinkled her sweet little nose. "I know, but I still feel responsible for him."

"Why?" Braden sat up against the headboard and held her close.

"I don't know. There's something about him that makes me feel maternal."

"Aye, he does act like a lad at times. But I'm sure your friends will take care of him."

His words caused her to laugh. "That is true."

Catrona stretched like a lazy cat and moaned in pleasure. "I'm hungry."

Braden felt his stomach rumble. "Me, too."

"Since I don't have anything to eat here at the house right now, do you want to get a shower and go to Cafe du Monde? They have the greatest beignets."

"What is a beignet?"

"Only the most delicious doughnuts in the world."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go." Braden flipped back the covers and smacked Catrona on her sweet backside. "Get a move on, woman."

She laughed. "Well, I didn't expect that modern phrase to come out of your old world mouth." She leaned in. "That's going to cost you."

Cat wrapped her fingers around Braden's as they walked around the Vieux Carre on their way toward Jackson Square.

Cafe Du Monde was a tradition in the French Quarter for tourists and locals alike. Normally the locals would stop by on their way home after a long night at the bars. Tourists came in droves to experience the world-famous, puffy, squared, powdered sugar-covered doughnuts and the delicious cafe au lait.

Cat and Braden purchased their beignets and coffee before sitting on the terrace to people-watch while they enjoyed their sugary treats.

Oh, how she'd missed these while in Scotland. She sank her teeth into the warm sugary pastry. Powdered sugar covered her lips and fingers, but she didn't care.

Braden sat back and watched her consume two in short order. Laughing, he reached over and kissed the sugar off of her lips. "I love to see a woman enjoy her food." Cat swallowed and then stuck her tongue out at him, pitching a wadded-up napkin at him. He laughed and ducked the flimsy missile.

Sitting back and licking his own lips in appreciation, he smiled at her and took a bite of his own beignet. Soon he managed to polish off six and was finally content.

"What would you like to do today?" Cat picked up another beignet and took a delicate bite.

"I dinnae ken. What do you suggest?"

Cat knew they needed to talk about the future, what they planned on doing, and to introduce Braden to his new home, but the coward in her wanted to put this off for as long as possible. "Why don't we take a walk around and maybe take a carriage tour?"

Braden took a sip of the hot chicory-laced coffee. "This beverage is delicious."

"Don't sound so surprised, big guy. I think you'll find the food here is going to give your Scottish cuisine a run for its money."

"I'm not familiar with that turn of phrase, but I'll trust your opinion."

"Good man." She winked at him and he was stunned anew by how much this Catrona was so different from the woman he'd known all those centuries past. But, it was different in a good way. She was self-a.s.sured and not timid. He hoped her childhood had been a good one. He knew the parts when she'd come to visit her grandma. What was a mystery was the time she had spent away from the kindly old woman. One day he'd ask her about that time.

Cat loved to sit still and let the world pa.s.s her by. It was fun to listen to all the different languages one could hear if they were listening closely.

New Orleans was really an incredible place. There was so much history regarding the river city and so many different ethnic backgrounds. French, Spanish, Cajun, Creole and so many more had made their home in her wonderful city.

It was also a city that had much to offer like jazz and Dixieland music, the arts, historic landmarks, restaurants with a whole range of options from barbeque to French cuisine and everything in between. There was also something for people that believed in things like voodoo and love potions. Many of the visitors were the fans of Ann Rice. She alone had managed to create a whole new society and tourist draw. The vampire tours and costume b.a.l.l.s were large crowd pleasers.