When had he started thinking of her that way?
And yet he did.
When he thought Ryan had come back for her... It had d.a.m.ned near killed him. Now that he had her with him again he didn"t want to let her go.
She was the world to him.
She was everything...
Dear saints, heloved her.
He truly, truly loved her.
Nora hadn"t realized a tear had fallen down her cheek until Ewan wiped her face with the backs of his fingers.
"Don"t cry, love."
He pulled her gently toward him and held her close to his chest so that she could take comfort in the sound of his heart pounding under her cheek.
Nora returned his embrace and was just grateful she hadn"t lost him, too.
Graham MacKaid was a madman who would have gladly killed them both.
But they were safe now. She had Ewan with her, and they were both in one piece.
She hugged him even more tightly, so glad for that one basic fact.
Ewan cupped her face in his bound hands and kissed her.
She tasted him with more than just her mouth. She tasted him with her soul.
"Make love to me, Nora," he whispered. "I need to be inside you right now."
She should be shocked by his words, but she wasn"t. In truth, she wanted the same thing. "You"re hurt."
"I"m notthat hurt."
"But you"re tied."
He grinned wickedly at her. His hot look made her blush profusely. He lifted his hands over her head and lowered them so that she was in the circle of his arms. He leaned back, drawing her with him.
Careful not to hurt him or touch his side, Nora couldn"t help laughing at what they must look like, entwined like this. But when he kissed her, her mirth died under a wave of profound desire.
He nibbled her lips, then pulled back. "I"ll need you to take my trewes off."
Nora had never contemplated such a thing. She should be mortified by the mere suggestion, and yet a part of her thrilled at the idea.
Ewan lifted his arms, giving her freedom again.
Taking courage from the needful look on his face, she did as he asked and loosened his trewes, then pulled them free of his long legs.
He was already fully erect.
Her heart pounded at the sight of him lying exposed and somewhat helpless. It was strangely erotic.
One corner of her mouth quirked up.
"Should I be concerned by that look?" Ewan asked.
Nora bit her lip. "I"m not sure. I was just thinking that I have you all to myself."
"Aye, love, that you do."
"You"re virtually helpless..."
"I"m always helpless where you"re concerned."
She smiled at that. Nora didn"t know where her boldness came from, but as she watched him, curiosity took hold of her. She wanted to explore his body.
Running her hands up his bare legs, she saw his shaft jerk in response.
"May I touch you?" she asked.
"Aye," he said, his voice deep and husky. "You can touch me anywhere you want to, and I won"t mind."
Tentatively she moved her hand over to his rigid shaft. He groaned the instant she brushed her fingers over it.
His breathing ragged, he moved his hand to cover hers and show her how to stroke him.
Nora was thrilled by the pleasure on his face, by his deep, masculine moans. He was so hard and yet soft to the touch. She"d never before really examined a man"s part; now she took her time exploring it.
She ran her fingers over the tip, letting his wetness coat her skin. Then she went down the length of him to the base and gently cupped his sac.
He arched his back, growling at her.
Ewan watched her innocent exploration of his body. He"d never known anything more splendid than her hands on him. He wished he had his hands free long enough to return her caresses.
"Does this feel good?" she asked as she ran her finger over the tip of him again.
"Aye."
"Why is the tip leaking?"
He groaned. The woman was completely unabashed with her questions. "It"s just something it does when I"m aroused."
"Can I taste you like you tasted me?"
Ewan groaned again at the very thought. "Aye."
He watched as she lowered her head tentatively to his shaft. And when she took him into her mouth, he thought he would die of the ecstasy of it.
He growled as he forced himself to lie still while she discovered him. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her or cause her to pull back.
But the feel of her tongue stroking him while her mouth wrapped him in moist heat was almost more pleasure than he could bear.
No woman had ever done this to him before. It was something a man didn"t ask a lady to do for him, and yet she had done it on her own.
Aye, he loved her boldness. Her curiosity.
Most of all he loved her.
He ran his bound hands through her hair and reveled in the feel of her. She sucked and teased him to the heights of pleasure, until he was nearly bursting.
Then suddenly she pulled away and stared up at him. "I want you inside me, Ewan."
"Straddle my waist."
She did as he asked.
Arching his back, Ewan guided her hips to his.
Without undressing, Nora slid herself slowly onto him.
They moaned in unison.
Ewan took her hand into his and led it to his lips so that he could nibble her fingertips as she gently rode him.
It was so strangely evocative for her to make love to him while his hands were tied and she was still fully dressed. Her bare thighs burned against his hips as she writhed above him.
He was at her mercy, and she was in control of their pleasure.
He would never have imagined the thrill this gave him.
Nora watched him watch her as she ground herself against him. "You feel so good inside me," she breathed. "I think I can feel you all the way to my womb."
Ewan moaned at her words and at the thought of his seed taking root there. He had long ago given up the hope of a wife and children.
But as he watched her, he wanted those things now. He wanted to see her belly grow with his child.
Wanted to hold her in his arms as she suckled his baby.
He could imagine no better paradise.
She came calling his name.
Ewan thrust himself against her, then growled as his own release came swiftly and carried him away to a place that only Nora had ever shown him.
She collapsed on top of him, carefully avoiding his wound. "What is it about you that makes me crave you so?" she asked innocently.
"I know not, my lady, I only pray that whatever it is, you never grow immune to it."
She smiled at that and slid herself off him.
They cleaned themselves and then Nora helped redress him.
He settled down near the horse on the damp ground. Nora lay down beside him and cuddled close.
She went to sleep while mumbling to him about the stars.
Ewan watched her as she slept on him, but his own sleep didn"t come. He didn"t dare let it.
So he lay for hours, listening to the night, grateful that the MacKaids hadn"t found them.
At least not yet.
Every time he dared to doze, he immediately came awake with a jerk.
As dawn approached, he heard the sound of footsteps approaching.
Chapter 11.
"Nora," Ewan breathed, shaking her awake.
She woke up slowly. "Aye?"
"Someone"s coming."
She jerked up instantly. "Where?"
Ewan indicated the direction with a tilt of his head. He pushed himself to his feet, then hid her behind a shrub.
He grabbed a limb from the ground and waited in the early dawn light for whoever it was to show himself. It was a poor weapon, and his hands were bound in such a way that he held it awkwardly. Even so, he planned to make good use of it.
The footsteps drew closer.
Closer...
He lifted the branch.
It sounded as if someone stumbled, and then a curse rang out. "Oh b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l, that hurt!"
Laughing at the words, Ewan breathed a sigh of relief as he heard Viktor"s irate voice.