We were both famished after days on the road and dined happily on an assortment of bread, ale, and meat pies made for us by Tinley’s wife—all of it delicious. By the time we’d had our fill, the sun began to dip down into the sky, casting a spectacle of light through the water and into the cave.
I stood from the small table where the food had been so beautifully laid out and ventured nearer the room’s edge, hesitantly extending a hand into the running water. Its force sent my hand flying down to my side, but I pulled it upward once again, enjoying the feeling of the water’s power running through my fingers, its spray splashing onto my face and body, getting my dress rather wet.
“I think it best ye remove yer dress, before ye soak it so through it willna dry for days.”
I laughed but stepped away, reaching behind to work my laces. “True, but if it takes days for my dress to dry, I suppose that also means that I’d be naked for days.”
His hands were grasping my arms in an instant. “Too true, lass.” He lifted me in the air, swinging me over his shoulder as he stepped into the spray, drenching us both in the cool water.
I gasped and floundered against him, my laughter drowned out by the water that covered us both. Once we were both dripping, he stepped back, setting me on my feet while he laughed deeply enough for the noise to reverberate off the stone.
“What did you do that for? I thought you didn’t like water—especially the sound of it falling.” I pulled all my hair around over one shoulder, ringing out some of the water.
He removed his kilt unabashedly, his chest still covered with water droplets as he watched me. “I doona like water, but this is a special place and ’tis too beautiful to dislike. Besides, I would be a damn fool no to stick ye into the waterfall after ye told me that doing so would leave ye naked for days. Do ye know how breathtaking ye are, Grace?”
Despite the cold, heavy dress now glued to my body, I warmed through instantly, blushing as I combed my blonde hair through with my fingers. “Not so breathtaking really, I imagine. You’re just partial. You have to say things like that now that I’m your wife.”
He crossed his arms while he shook his head, his own red hair dripping and shaggy once more. It grew quickly. Already he neared the need for another cut.
“No, Grace. I doona have to say any such thing to ye. I know plenty of lads who doona think their wives to be pretty and wouldna tell them so just because they were married.”
I frowned reactively. “Well, that’s quite sad.”
“’Tis verra true. I wouldna say it to ye if I dinna mean it, lass. I can scarcely breathe when I stand in front of ye, even dripping like a wet dog as ye are now.”
“The wet dog look is your doing. I was content to let the water touch my hands.”
“Aye, ’tis. Now, turn around and let me help ye out of yer dress so that we may let it dry.”
The laces were difficult to maneuver now that they were wet, but Eoghanan managed them nicely. Once all were untied, he spun me toward him, slowly peeling the heavy fabric off me as if it were a second skin. He paused as he pulled the dress over my breasts, bending down to pull one of my nipples deep into his mouth. The sudden exposure to air tightened them immediately, and the sharp bud flooded with sensation as his lips and tongue moved over it.
My hands moved to his hair, pulling him closer, a silent plea to continue. He rose to kiss me before resuming the work of removing my dress, stepping away once I was fully exposed to him.
“Are ye still too sore, lass?”
“Huh?” The question took a moment to process through my now lusty brain. I was so eager to join him in bed that any lingering soreness had slipped my mind.
“I’m asking ye if ye wish me no to touch ye. I doona wish to hurt ye if ye are still no feeling so well.”
One glance down at him told me that regardless of how sore I might be, his current state would have to be attended to.
“No.” I walked across the length of the room, passing him as I crawled slowly onto the bed, rolling onto my back once I reached the end. “I’m fine. Just take it more slowly this time.”
“Aye,” his voice was dry and cracked, his eyes hazy with lust as he moved across the room to join me. “We shall take our time with one another this night, so that we might do that soul reaching that I spoke of.”
He ducked his head as he crawled on top of me, taking a moment to search for my soul in between my thighs. He didn’t find it, but what he did find made me cry out as I arched beneath him, trembling in response to his touch.