The Raider (A Highland Guard Novel) Read online

  Swinging her up in his arms, he carried her over to the bed. He broke the kiss only long enough to set her down and slide in next to her. He wasn’t going to give either of them time to think.

  Perhaps she had the same thought, because the moment her head touched the pillow she was reaching for him again. Circling her hands around his neck to bring his mouth down on hers. Bring him down on top of her. He let her feel his weight while he savored the incredible feel of that soft, curvy body under his.

  But it wasn’t enough. Not now. Not with the image blaring in his head. He was moving faster now. His lips slid to her jaw, her neck, to the tender place below her ear that made her shiver, to her throat, and finally to her breasts.

  The rapid beat of her heart and uneven catching of her breath hammered in his ears, egging him on faster and faster. Too fast. But she didn’t seem to care. She was right there with him.

  Her hands were in his hair as he worked the laces of her gown and then her shift—neither of which garments he’d ever seen before. Only the thought of having to explain to Joanna how they’d become ripped prevented him from tearing both off her.

  “Hurry,” she breathed, her impatience matching his own.

  He muttered an expletive. Christ, she was killing him. His normally deft fingers felt twice as big and were practically shaking. Hell, they were shaking. So much for experience. When it came to Rosalin this was all new.

  No skin had ever felt so soft, no lips had ever tasted so sweet, no one had ever smelled so damned good, and no woman had ever made him this hot.

  But it was more than that, and he knew it. Even if he didn’t want to think about it. For the first time in his life, he was making love to a woman with more than his cock.

  Finally, he had both the gown and chemise underneath loose enough to take her beautiful breasts in his mouth. He cupped her, squeezing gently as his lips closed over one taut nipple. He sucked it gently, circling it with his tongue and plucking it between his teeth. She gave a soft cry and arched into his mouth, her fingers tightening their grip on his hair. His whole scalp tingled as pleasure poured over him in a hot wave, dragging him under.

  He wanted to strip her naked and worship every inch of that creamy white skin. But he wasn’t going to last five minutes. Not like this. Though he had to at least try.

  “Oh God, Robbie…”

  The soft plea took his intentions to go slow and ground them to dust. He gave her what she wanted and sucked her hard into his mouth. She was so beautiful, so damned responsive, it drove him wild. He couldn’t get enough of her. He ravished her breasts with his lips and tongue. Teasing, laving, sucking until he felt her body tremble with the promise of pleasure.

  He wasn’t going to make her wait.

  Rosalin knew what she was doing—she hoped. It was the biggest gamble of her life. But the reward…

  The reward would be a lifetime of happiness.

  He loved her. She was sure of it. It was right there in his kiss. She’d pushed him with far more confidence than she’d felt. She’d never seen him so near the end of his rope. Yet when he kissed her, instead of rough and punishing, his lips had been soft and gentle. Did he realize how he cradled her against him? How his big, battle-hardened hands caressed her skin as if she were a delicate piece of porcelain?

  She had to make him see the truth before it was too late. She’d already offered him her heart, so she’d gambled with the only thing she had left: her body.

  On some level she knew it was a fool’s wager, that she should value her virtue more highly, and that if he truly cared for her, she would not need to prove her love. But on the other hand, nothing had ever seemed more natural—or right. And somewhat brazenly, she admitted that she wanted the experience for herself. That no matter what the result, she wanted to know what it felt like to be joined with the man she loved.

  And from the moment his mouth fell on hers, hungrily and with purpose, she knew there would be no turning back. The knowledge was a little overwhelming—frightening even. She was a virgin, and although she knew the basics (she’d seen more than one couple mating under a blanket in a crowded, dark Hall), she also knew there would be pain. But Robbie would have care for her innocence. She trusted him without reservation.

  He would make it good for her. And she hoped she would make it good for him. She wanted desperately to please him.

  But as she’d neglected to take advantage of the potential tutors she had at her disposal at camp, she had little knowledge of how to do so. All she had was instinct. She gave over to the desire, holding nothing back, and returned his kiss with all the passion he’d awakened inside of her.

  She ran her palms over his arms and shoulders and down his back, the way she’d dreamed so many times of doing. He growled at her touch, the muscles flexing under her fingertips. His body was a thing of beauty. Sheer masculine perfection. Smooth skin pulled tight over rock-hard muscle, lean and chiseled. There was not an inch of extra flesh upon him, just slab after slab of perfectly delineated muscle. His arms were bulging with strength, his stomach flat, and his waist narrow. He was so hard. So solid. And so hot. His skin was practically burning under her fingertips. Fevered. And the fever infected them both with its scorching heat.

  She sensed the change that came over him when he lifted her toward the bed. His kiss became rougher and more carnal, leaving her no doubt of his intentions.

  His big hands covered her body, her breasts. And then his mouth…his mouth was sucking, and she thought she’d died and gone to heaven. Tiny needles of pleasure shot to her toes and heat rushed between her legs. She felt the same hot restlessness she’d felt last time, right before he’d touched her with his fingers.

  She desperately wanted him to do that again, so she arched against his mouth on her breast, lifting her hips with a gentle press.

  He made some kind of tortured sound. It might have been an oath, but she was too lost in the haze of pleasure to notice.

  Cool air washed over the skin of her legs as he tossed up her skirts. His mouth ravished her breasts, the scratch of his beard burning—marking—a trail on her sensitive skin.

  He lifted his head from her breast. When he sank his finger inside her, she cried out. The damp skin of her breast prickled in the cool air.

  “God, you feel good.”

  Her half-lidded eyes fluttered. But then he stroked her again, and any response she might have made was lost in the wave of sensation that crashed over her.

  His voice was tight and strained. “Damn it,” he growled fiercely. “I can’t wait much longer.”

  Neither could she. She arched into his hand with a cry as he stroked her again. And again.

  Then suddenly his hand was gone and he was holding her by the hips. If she’d had any inkling of what he intended to do, she was sure she would have objected. She would have locked her thighs tightly together and refused the wicked kiss. She would have been properly shocked and traumatized for at least a full minute. At least.

  Certainly longer than the two seconds of stunned stiffness she’d managed before dissolving like a complete and utter wanton against his mouth. His glorious mouth. There. Between her legs. Kissing her. With his warm, soft lips and his tongue. Yes, with his tongue. His incredible, talented tongue that made her arch and moan, and then shudder and cry out in pure sinful delight. It came over her in molten wave after molten wave, flooding her body with heat.

  When it was over, she was a puddle of sensation, warm, soft, and ready. She opened her eyes as he moved himself into position over her. His handsome face was tight and drawn with something resembling pain. A thin sheen of sweat had gathered on his brow.

  She looked down. Somehow he’d managed to loosen his chausses and braies, and his manhood bobbed hard between them. His very sizable manhood. Some of the flush from her cheeks paled.

  “I don’t want to hurt you,” he said through clenched teeth.

  She lifted her gaze back to his. “I know.”

  The trust in her eyes