“Once we join, you’ll be mine, just as I’ll be yours.” He traced one finger along the low-cut neckline of her shift where the upper swells of her breasts rose. Her nipples beaded and poked the cloth, the fabric wet and molding her full breasts. Those nipples were juicy morsels he couldn’t wait to taste. He scooped her up, pushed through the water with her in his arms toward the ledge that ran along each side of the pool and sat her on top of the chiseled rock. Water sluiced down her legs and dripped into the pool.
After hauling himself up beside her, he stood and lifted her to her feet then led her along the ledge and deeper into the darkened rear where a shower of fresh water sprayed into the cavern between two cracks high in the rock wall. She might have exhausted her fire, but he wouldn’t take any unnecessary risks, not when she worried so greatly about hurting him.
“This is perfect.” She stepped under the spray and with a giggle, twirled around. The water plastered her already wet shift to every curve of her body, outlining her trim waist and slim legs.
Hell, he couldn’t wait to strip that garment from her.
“It’s been far too long since I was last here.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, reached up on her toes and kissed his chin.
“You missed my lips by an inch.”
“Then bend a little.”
He swooped down, claimed her lips and kissed her as the spray covered them both. Breath melded with hers, his desire to complete the bond with his mate pulsed through him. “Since I arrived in this time, I’ve searched for you each and every day, and would never have given up. From this moment forth, we will be as one. Never will I be parted from you again.”
“You are the only one I want, always and forever.”
“I want to make love to you, to bury myself so deeply inside you that neither of us will know where one ends and the other begins.” Slowly, he skimmed her sides, stroked around to her bottom and brought her hard up against him. Sensations stormed through him. His heartbeat pounded. His blood rushed, hot and needy. His fingers twitched to touch more of her, and his tongue ached to taste.
“That is what I desire too.” A breathy answer, and all he needed to hear.
“Then let me do this right.” She wasn’t from the future, her time here quite different to his own. He removed the leather tie at the waist of his tan pants, clasped his right hand with her right and wrapped the thin strip of rawhide around both their wrists. The symbolic gesture brought all his protective urges to the forefront. “So there is no misunderstanding about our bond, I wish a handfast. Bind yourself to me as my wife for a year and a day, and before that time has passed, I’ll ensure we’re wed proper before our clans.”
“Are you certain?”
“Your fire has been exhausted, and we’ll find a way to exhaust it again, and as often as we can.” Finding an answer to do so would consume him. “You must hold the hope and faith that we will.”
“I will. You have my word I will.” Delight flared in her blue eyes. “I dinnae wish to lose this one precious moment. I’ve dreamed of being with you.”
“How is that since we just met?”
“Never mind.” She kissed him and his question flittered from his mind. “Is there to be a handfast?”
“There is.” He lowered to his knees, caught her hands and brought them to his lips. “Speak vows with me, Arabel. There is no other I’ll ever desire than you. I’ll begin.” He cleared his throat. “I, Finlay Michael Matheson, of Ivanson Castle, pledge my troth to Arabel, of the House of Clan Matheson. With this handfast, I take her as my wife for the next year and a day, and as my mate for all time.” He tightened his grip on her hand. “I want you as mine, in every single way.”
“As I want you. I cannae believe I am going to handfast with you.” She sank to her knees, her fingers twined with his. “I, Arabel, of the House of Clan Matheson, pledge my troth to Finlay Michael Matheson. With this handfast, I take him as my husband for the next year and a day, and as my mate for all time.” She stared at the leather around their wrists and smiled as she raised her gaze back to his. “My parents would have adored you for doing this.”
“As I adore you, my wife and my mate. Now we seal the vows with a kiss.” He captured her mouth and kissed her, until her soft body swayed forward and embedded his with a fierce heat that had nothing to do with her skill. His need to join with her increased tenfold, although his need to ensure she reached the heights of pleasure before he entered her, even more so. “Whatever you need from me, you’ll speak it. I want to know what you like, or what you don’t like. What you’d prefer for me to do, or not do.”
“I want to experience everything you can offer, while it’s possible for me to receive it, to be with you in every way, but if I sense my skill is reigniting then we stop, without question.”
“Of course. Safety comes first.” He tugged the leather strip binding their wrists free then rose to his feet and drew her to hers. “I’m going to remove your shift. Is that acceptable?”