The Imposter Part 13

I lowered myself down to the rug, pulling him down with me. He settled himself on top of me, intensifying our kiss, hungry with his need. His hands found my b.r.e.a.s.t.s and he kneaded them gently through the linen of his s.h.i.+rt, placing kisses up and down my neck. I groaned in pleasure and pressed my hips up meeting his arousal, showing him my desire.

"I want you too, Devon," I whispered, breathing heavily. I was frightened by the burning that I felt between my thighs, but I knew that I wanted more. I wanted him to make love to me.

Devon lowered his head down and bit my nipple through the fabric of his s.h.i.+rt, which I was completely naked beneath.

I squealed in response to the teasing bite. What an amazing, new sensation!

Devon looked up at me, a devious smile on his face.

"No tonight, la.s.s," he said playfully nipping at my breast again through the fabric. He rose up above me and looked down at my face, green eyes intense with desire. "We've both had a rather eventful day, and I want ye thinking clearly when ye decide tae take me tae yer bed."

"I am thinking clearly," I said firmly, and pressed my hips up against his pulsing groin. I knew that he wanted me, wanted me badly. He wanted me as much as I wanted him right now. I reached my hand up behind his neck and pulled him down towards me, and kissed him wantonly.

He growled low and deep in his throat and pulled away from me. His breathing was ragged and I could tell that he was hanging onto his last thread of composure to keep himself from giving in to my invitation.

"I told ye on our wedding night that I would ken when ye were ready tae become my wife in every sense of the word, and Kate, I feel what it is between us growing, growing stronger each day. I'll no let myself take ye tonight when yer no in a clear state of mind."

"I'm fine, Devon. Promise." I said trying to a.s.sure him. At this moment, there was nothing more that I wanted than for him to quell the burning, the desire that I felt for him deep within my belly.

"It kills me tae tell ye no, but Kate, the answer is no tonight. We've both had a traumatic day, and I willna allow ye tae take this decision lightly," he said, eyes challenging me. "I want ye more than anything that I've ever wanted in the whole of my life, but I want the first time between us tae be perfect. I'll no be persuaded otherwise, no matter what womanly charms ye try tae persuade me with," he said, palm still cupping my right breast, thumb teasing my nipple.

I pressed my hips up against his erection one last time knowing that my "womanly charms" were futile against his steadfast will.

"You have amazing willpower, Husband," I said, kissing his neck and whispering into his ear.

"I told ye already that yer charms willna work tonight, and I'm a man of my word. Although, I'd love tae oblige ye," he said, pressing back against me. He leaned down and kissed me solidly once more. Then he pulled himself away from me, standing up slowly. "If ye could turn away, sae as tae protect my modestly, I think that I need to take a quick dip into that tub. I'm counting on the water being freezing cold now, as I have a present need tae cool off considerably."

I turned away and giggled, hearing the swish of his kilt hitting the flagstone floor and the splash as he lowered himself into the now cold water of the bath tub.

"Whooo!" he exclaimed, sinking into the water and leaning back against the side of the tub. "I think ye'll be the death of me, woman," he muttered. "Now could ye help me out by putting on yer dressing gown over my s.h.i.+rt? Ye look sae d.a.m.n beautiful wearing my s.h.i.+rt that it's about tae drive me mad. Please?" he insisted, gritting his teeth from the cold of the water and from the effort that it took to quell his desire.

"Actually, I was thinking that it is getting rather toasty in here, I thought that I might just take this off to cool down a little," I said teasingly, beginning to pull the tails of his s.h.i.+rt up to expose the skin of my upper thighs.

Devon groaned and rolled his green eyes heavenward. He was a tortured man. He took a deep breath and slid slowly down the side of the tub until he was completely submerged beneath the cold water. I knew that he couldn't stay down there forever, so I walked over to the tub and waited for him to resurface.

His head slowly broke the surface of the water, and his green eyes locked with mine instantly.

"As you wish, Husband," I said sweetly, bending over and planting a chaste kiss on his now chilly lips. As I bent over, the neckline of his linen s.h.i.+rt that was way too big for me hung down, giving him a perfect view of my naked b.r.e.a.s.t.s and everything else that was beneath the s.h.i.+rt. I leaned over the tub, showing him what he was missing out on for just a few seconds longer than was necessary before I turned to go in search of my dressing gown.

He groaned again and I heard a splash as he slipped beneath the surface of the chilly water once more, blowing out bubbles of frustration underwater.

Chapter Twelve.

An hour later, covered from neck to ankles by my thick dressing gown, I stood behind Devon with an enormous pair of deadly looking scissors in my hands. The scissors were leaden in my hand. I gauged their weight as the firelight glinted from their silvery blades. As if standing outside my body, I willed myself to do it. I grasped a lock of chestnut hair between the fingers of my left hand, noticing how pale my skin was in contrast to the dark hair. With my right hand, I raised the weight of the scissors so that the blades surrounded the hair, poised and ready for me to make the first cut. My fingers applied pressure to the hinge of the scissors and they deftly sliced through the hair with an almost silent whoosh. I watched numbly as the length of hair fell lifeless to the flagstones and again, I felt the unwelcome weight of the scissors' cool metal against my skin.

"It's just hair la.s.s, ywe fas.h.i.+ng about as if it were a funeral!" Devon's voice broke my pensive silence. In his effort to make light of the situation, he realized almost immediately that "funeral" may not have been the wisest choice of words, and changed course.

"It will grow back, ye ken," he encouraged.

"You know how much I love your hair. I just a I just can't." I let the scissors go slack in my hand. Devon gathered me in his arms and settled me on his lap, trying his best to soothe away my sudden onset of tears. I knew that my tears were over much more than just giving my husband a haircut.

"Ye ken that I must go, Kate." The words fell silently between us. He took my face between his hands and wiped away my tears with his thumbs. "Ye canna cry, la.s.s. Don't do that to me. It breaks my heart tae see ye so."

"And if you are killed?" I questioned urgently, the scissors still heavy between my fingers. I silently wondered what I would do without him. I couldn't bear the thought of my newfound safety and security being taken away, causing me to be alone again. Dread filled the pit of my stomach. What if my father's men came inquiring about me while Devon was gone? What if Katherine Berks.h.i.+re's family stopped by for a visit? The possibilities were disastrous and endless as they terrorized my thoughts.

"I'll not die on ye la.s.s. I promise. I've been to battle many times and every time I've returned, all in one piece. I promise, now that I have someone to fight for, someone waiting for me, there is nothing that can keep me from coming home tae ye," he willed me to believe him.

"And that, love, is another reason why ye need to cut my hair. If I'm to return to ye safe and sound, I canna have hair in my face while I'm fighting. If ye won't do it Kate, I'll have to. Might not look sae pretty, but....."

I silently rose from his lap and began cutting his hair, dark clumps of it were falling to the ground as I worked with methodical proficiency. I tried not to think about why I was doing this, and focused on making the rough haircut look as best as it might, given the circ.u.mstances. I cut the hair at the base of his skull very short, exposing new, baby white skin underneath the shortly cropped hair. I ran my fingers across the base of his head, enjoying the st.u.r.dy construction of his body.

It was hard to accept the reality that people wanted to kill my husband, so strong and smart and beautiful that he was. And more than that, he was mine and I could not accept the possibility that I might lose him so soon.

The newly cropped hair felt foreign beneath my fingertips. Devon caught my hand, as if he was reading my thoughts. He turned in the chair and whispered, "Thank ye, love."

His honeyed words unnerved me again. When he called me "love" my knees wobbled.

Does he love me?

Running a quick, exploratory hand through his hair, his eyes met mine, trying to convince me again that all would be well. He rose from the chair and enveloped me in his strong arms. He gently guided my face to his bare chest, and rested his chin atop my head and held me close.

"We leave at first light tomorrow," he whispered into my hair.

I dropped the shears to the floor and wrapped my arms around his waist. I looked up and my blue eyes met his green.

"I can't bear you leaving," I said, reaching up and tracing the line of his jaw, his stubble scratchy under my fingers. Fire grew deep in my belly as I took him in, he was so masculine, so perfect, so Devon. My fingers grazed across his mouth, pausing on his lips.

He kissed my fingertip, and then pulled my mouth towards his.

My lips were searching, desperate beneath his. His tongue dueled with mine, hungry and persistent. I raked my fingernails across his bare chest, leaving marks that would claim him as mine.

"Make love to me," I demanded, pressing my body against his, tormenting him. I knew that he wanted me badly, and I felt his erection pressed firmly against his leg. He groaned against me in response, muscles tense with desire.

His lips arched over mine, possessing me, claiming me as his own. His hands were rough as they held me close to him, roving over my b.u.t.tocks and across my b.r.e.a.s.t.s. "No," he whispered, it came out as a growl as he forced my body away from his.

"Why not?" I said insistently, hurt by his refusal, and feeling more and more pathetic for begging him. I could tell that he wanted me as much as I wanted him. My stare was intense as I examined his face, his breathing was ragged and his face was flushed from my kisses. "I need this from you in case you don't come home. I need this part of you to keep."

"I said no, Kate," his eyes stern, challenging me not to argue with him as he raked a hand through his hair. I could tell that the sensation was a strange one. He had always raked his hand through his long hair when he was nervous, and now said hair was gone. "I want ye sae bad that I'm fit to explode with the wantin' of ye, but we can't do this tonight."

"Then give me a good reason why we can't," I demanded, confused. My body ached for him, and I could tell that it took every thread of control that Devon had to keep himself away from me. He wanted me too. I wanted to make love to him, to have something to tie me to him forever just in case his didn't make it back to me alive. I wanted to make love to him so that I didn't miss the chance.

'"Do ye ken how hard it is for me tae tell ye no? Can ye no see how ye affect me?" he asked, fingers skimming over the skin of my neck. His eyes were hooded, and he looked tortured.

"Then don't fight it anymore, Devon," I said, taking his hand and kissing his knuckles.

Devon pulled me close and spoke into my hair, "I plan to fight like h.e.l.l to return to ye, and if I ken that this is waiting for me when I return, there is nothing that will keep me from coming home tae ye, Kate," he said heatedly, eyes imploring me to understand. "I want ye sae bad that it's about to kill me."

I pushed away from him suddenly so that I could look up at his face.

"Then don't wait! What if you don't come back?" I said, challenging him. I did not like the feeling of his rebuff, his flat refusal to consummate our marriage. I wanted to make love to this beautiful man who was mine. I wanted to be completely his.

. He wrapped his arms around my back, stroking me gently.

"I'll think of ye day and night until I return to ye," he vowed, still stroking my back. "A chuisle mo chroi," he whispered against my hair as he pressed me against his body. His repressed desire for me was evident, throbbing against my belly. I knew that denying himself in this way must be painful.

"I'll be waiting for you," I whispered into his chest, resigning myself to the fact that he was not going to give in to his desire. I pulled away slightly so that I could look up into his green eyes. "What did you say, what did that mean?" I asked, curious about the Gaelic phrase that he had said.

"A chuisle mo chroi," he said simply. "In Gaelic, it means pulse of my heart."

I kissed him again gently, my heart melting. As I looked up at my husband, I knew that I was in deep trouble. There was no way that I could leave this man.

I have to tell him.

My body thrummed with adrenaline from his touch, and from the realization that I had to tell him about my Father, about Katherine Berks.h.i.+re. Will he reject me for lying to him, for keeping these secrets?

A heavy pang of guilt tugged at my conscious,and my lips were silenced before I had a chance to get my confession out. His lips were on mine, demanding, possessing. I opened my mouth in response to his kiss, knowing that entrance to my mouth was what he desired. His tongue drove into my mouth, tasting me and staking claim to what was his.

"Tae the bed," he ordered huskily, breaking away from me and undoing the tie on my dressing gown.

My heart soared. He has changed his mind! A sudden terror overtook me when I thought about what was going to take place between us. I wanted him badly, I knew that it was only his touch that could quell this unknown burning within me, but at the same time, I was scared. I had never known a man's touch, and the stories of pain flew to the forefront of my mind.

Boldly, I walked towards the ma.s.sive bed, willing my knees to hold out as they quivered with antic.i.p.ation and a tinge of fear.

Will he be gentle with me?

I was both terrified and exhilarated by the thought of making love to Devon.

I stood at the edge of the bed, and looked over my shoulder at Devon, who stood still as a statue in front of the fire. His eyes were clouded with desire, and the muscles of his chest were tense. Daily drills and training with his men had sculpted his body into that of an Adonis. I still couldn't believe that this beautiful man was really mine. Mine to touch, mine to admire.

Feeling bold, I held his gaze as I slid my fingers under the hem of his billowing white s.h.i.+rt and began to inch it up ever so slowly over my thighs.

"Nay, leave that on," he ordered. "I want tae touch ye with it on," he said, closing the distance between us and sliding his hand up underneath the s.h.i.+rt to palm my bottom. "Mmm, ye feel sae good, Kate," he groaned, cupping my cheek and then grazing his fingers lightly over my s.e.x as he moved his hand to cup the other side of my bottom.

My breathing was heavy from his intimate touch. The faint touch of his fingers as they had pa.s.sed over the junction of my thighs had sent s.h.i.+vers up my spine and I now realized that my knees had in fact given out. Devon was supporting me with one arm, crus.h.i.+ng me to his chest as he nuzzled my neck and continued to toy with my bottom. His touch felt so good, so right.

I wanted more from him. The dull burning between my thighs was now a raging fire that he continued to stoke with each expert pa.s.s of his fingers.

He lifted me now and settled me in the middle of the enormous bed. I needed his touch. Beneath his fingers I felt uninhibited, I was unafraid. I bit my lip now as I looked up at him, I wanted him badly.

"Ye canna do that, Kate," he whispered through clenched teeth. "I've told ye that it drives me mad and I'm still trying tae be a gentleman."

"I don't think a gentleman touches ladies the way you just touched me," I taunted him, seeking to spur him on.

"Nay, a gentleman doesna touch ladies the way that I just touched ye, but he does touch his wife that way," he said, eyes mischievous and burning with l.u.s.t.

"I liked the way that you were touching me, Devon," I said, biting my lip again, this time intentionally.

"Aye, I ken that ye did and that pleases me greatly," he said huskily, joining me on the bed now. "I never want ye tae be afraid of me, Kate," he said, lowering his lips to mine, kissing me gently, softly as he trailed his fingers slowly from my ankle up to the top of my thigh.

His fingers toyed with the hem of his s.h.i.+rt that I was wearing, stroking my skin and dancing closer to the junction of my thighs as he deepened our kiss. I wanted him to touch me, to touch me there. His hand slid away from my heat and palmed my bottom, squeezing slightly. I writhed against him, unabashed by my desire for him as he trailed kisses down my neck and I raked my fingernails down the skin of his back.

"Do ye want me tae touch ye, Kate?" he asked, releasing my bottom and skimming his fingertips over my flushed skin, towards the heat of my desire.

"Yes," I whispered, breathlessly, head spinning from the new feelings that his touch had evoked.

"Say it then. Tell me what ye want," he said, eyes locked with mine.

"I want you to touch me," I whispered unashamed of my desire as I looked into his eyes.

Devon watched me as his fingers danced ever so lightly over the curls that were s.h.i.+elding my womanhood. He moved his hand away and I gasped, not wanting him to stop the sweet torment. He smiled devilishly at my response, knowing that I longed for him to touch me again. His hand slid up my bent leg to rest on my knee, which he tilted out, opening me further to his touch.

His fingers were on me again, flitting lightly over the curls at the junction of my thighs. I moaned in response to his touch and raised my hips toward his hand. He pulled his hand away again, tormenting me.

"Open yer legs for me, Kate," he whispered hungrily. Without hesitation, I did as he asked.

Fire shot through my body as his fingers parted my folds and caressed my most sensitive skin for the first time.

"Yer sae wet for me baby. I'm pleased," he said, struggling to remain in control as he touched me. "That feels sae good doesn't it?" he asked.

My only response was a whimper. His expert fingers ma.s.saged the bead of my desire, stroking and toying with the wetness that was between my thighs. My body began to quiver uncontrollably and I wasn't sure what was happening. Suddenly, he pulled his hand away and I gasped in response. I only knew that I needed more of his touch. I needed more of him.

My hands were frantic, and I caught him behind his neck, pulling him down towards me, claiming his lips with demanding kisses. His shortly cropped hair felt foreign beneath my fingers and I grabbed at it desperately as we kissed.

"Not yet, he whispered. I'm not done with ye," he chuckled, pulling away again. "Open for me," he ordered.

I gasped when his finger slid inside of me, never having felt such intense all consuming pleasure. I kissed his lips and clawed the skin of his back, now mad with desire. Slowly, he withdrew his finger and then slid it back inside of me. A groan of pleasure escaped from my lips, and again, I felt my body begin to tremble around his finger.

"Not yet," he whispered, teasing now as he again withdrew his finger.

"I need, I need..." I tried to find the words to tell him that I wanted more.

"What do ye need, Kate?"

"I need you inside of me," I whispered, opening my eyes and looking up at him. For good measure, I bit my lower lip, knowing that it would drive him wild.

All at once, he growled with satisfaction and again, his finger was inside of me. He slid deliciously in and out of my sheath, stroking my bead of desire with his thumb as he worked his expert fingers to pleasure me. My hips met his thrusts and in reward, he slid another finger inside of me, stretching me, filling me more fully.

I was wild beneath him, and when my body began to tremble around his fingers, he responded by driving into me harder and faster, spurring me forward.

"Devon!" I called out his name as I felt myself shatter into a thousand peaces, the fire within me exploding from his touch.

He smiled above me, and slowly withdrew his fingers as he kissed me gently on the lips, then trailed kisses up so that he could nip my earlobe with his teeth.