“Come and eat.” He pulled out a chair for her.
“I’m famished.” She eased out of bed, swiped his white tunic from the corner chair and slid it over her head as she sashayed toward him. The white cotton fluttered past her knees, the deep V neckline dipping all the way to her navel and the sides of her breasts showing. She was such a vision, her dark hair swishing about her tiny waist and her brown eyes flecked with gold, burning bright. She halted before him, her gaze flicking to the window. “The weather looks dismal.”
“We’ll remain here until this storm breaks.” He caught the dangling ties of his tunic and tugged her closer. “I just spoke to Hamish and he’ll alert my men of our plans to travel to Dunscaith, as well as inform them of our handfasting. All they are to learn is that I desire your fae blood, wish for it to flow strongly through my own direct line, and now I’ve ensured that.”
“I understand. That certainly is the best option to take if you wish to keep your secrets safe.” She rubbed her breasts against his chest, a tease of her pink aureoles showing through the thin white cotton.
“You look beautiful in my tunic.” He wrapped one arm around her back, the other around her waist and dipped her backward, the sleeves of his shirt slipping over her shoulders and her breasts bobbing completely free. He buried his nose between both mounds and breathed deep. “Now you hold my name, there is no doubt should the MacDonald learn of it, that you’d become a very valuable pawn in our war.”
“You forget my skill.” She twined her arms around his neck. “There is none who can successfully capture and contain a compeller. We are very hard to restrain when with only a few words we can so easily see to our own release. I shall also take great care no’ to let him hear of our vows being spoken until after my mission is complete. Following that, I simply willnae visit Dunscaith anymore.”
“Aye, agreed. You’re mine now, Ella, forever mine to protect and care for.”
“As you’re mine, and I also intend to see to your safety and protection as well during our coming mission. Make no mistake about that.” She nipped his ear then so damn hypnotically, murmured, “Release me, Duncan. I wish to break my fast.”
“Ella.” He growled her name as he tried to wrestle against her compulsion, only he didn’t have a chance of doing so. With a snap of his teeth, he straightened and set her back on her feet and let her go.
“Thank you. See, with only a few words I can ensure my own release.” Grinning, she pulled the dangling ties of her shirt closed and knotted them, swished across to the table and sat on the chair. She stuck her nose into the steam wafting over the hot cup of tea, daintily picked it up and sipped. Knife and fork in hand, she cut into the bacon and eggs and ate. “Mmm, this is delicious. Come and join me.”
He stepped in behind her, slid her hair over one shoulder and sucked the skin of her neck into his mouth and left a nice red mark behind as he did. “You are far more of an appealing meal. I’d rather eat you.”
“I cannae provide nourishment, whereas this food can.” She popped a rasher of bacon into his mouth and demanded in her compelling tone, “Sit.”
“We need to speak about your commands and when I dinnae wish for you to utter them.” He went to sit only a knock sounded and he opened the door and bid the two lads holding a tub between them to enter.
Barefoot and with sooty marks on the rolled hems of their loose-legged tan breeches, they heaved the tub before the crackling fireplace then scuttled out. Maids entered carrying pails of steamy water and filled the tub. Lizzie arrived with clean drying cloths, set them on the side table, added a dash of vanilla scented oil to the bathwater then tossed another log on the fire and once done, bobbed her head and closed the door behind her and the others as they left.
He sat at the table and forked eggs into his mouth, devoured the bacon rashes and smeared a slice of the crusty bread with jam and polished that off as well.
“I need to warn you.” Ella watched him as she munched, her gaze firm on him. “You’ve wed a very strong woman, one who likes to use her skill as needed.”
“And you’ve wed a man who thrives on protecting his loved ones.”
“So I see.”
She couldn’t argue that fact, and she had no desire to change it either. They’d work things out in the days to come, ensure both of them survived their current mission.
With the bath beckoning, she rose from the table, hunkered down before the tub, swirled one hand through the water and sighed as a delicious curl of steam wafted from it. “This is the perfect heat. Would you care to join me for a bath?”
“Absolutely.” He prowled to the door, slid the bolt home and halted in front of her.
“I want you to undress me.” On the tips of her toes, she kissed his chin, her compelling tone strong.