Kiernan's eye shot open and he seized her shoulders, eyes momentarily unfocused in the dim lamplight. Phoebe lowered her gaze to his chest and began unbuttoning the top button on his shirt. She unbuttoned the next button and the next, until his chest lay bare. She removed the Highland belt pistol from his waistband and set the weapon on the opposite cushion, then flattened her palms on his chest and pushed aside the shirt. Then she kissed a nipple. The rise and fall of his chest grew heavier. She took the nipple into her mouth. His quick intake of breath brought an answering pulse from the place between her legs.
Kiernan’s fingers tightened on her shoulders. She sucked harder. He drew her body closer. She moved to the other nipple and administered the same treatment. He shifted, brushing her head with his chin as he straightened. His shaft pressed enthusiastically beneath her buttocks. She slid her tongue up his chest to his neck, found his ear, and nibbled on the lobe. Kiernan pressed her down, grinding her against his arousal. The carriage hit a bump in the road, forcing her weight down on him with a sudden jolt, and he grunted. Moving her hands downward, Phoebe skimmed his chest until she found the first button on his trousers.
Her knuckles brushed the tip of his shaft as she pushed the button through its hole and she snapped her head up, meeting his gaze. The blaze in his eyes brought on a heady dizziness. By heavens, he liked what she was doing. With trembling fingers, she pushed the next button through its hole. Another, and the top of the trousers opened, revealing the upper half of his erection.
In quick succession, she unbuttoned the remaining three buttons. Her mouth went dry at sight of his engorged rod resting on his belly. She slowly wrapped her fingers around him. The carriage rocked slightly, and Kiernan arched his hips, sliding his shaft between her fingers. He pulled her against him. The carriage shifted and she accidentally gave him a hard squeeze. He groaned.
“Careful, my dear,” he whispered hoarsely in her ear, “or you may bring too quick an end to this.”
Phoebe released him and shifted on her knees until her cleft hovered over his erection. The gentle rocking of the carriage teased their joining as Phoebe lowered herself onto him. Kiernan slid his hands beneath her skirts, up her thighs to her waist. She kissed him slowly and he let her. His fingers flexed against her waist. She broke the kiss, then braced her hands on his shoulders as she slid up, then down again. Up, then down again, and again until Kiernan’s hold on her turned fierce.
He quickened their rhythm. Bringing her down hard, he filled her to the hilt. Ripples of pleasure radiated deep within her. When he lifted and brought her down on him again, he arched his hips, meeting the stroke in midair. Phoebe trembled. He gave another hard thrust, gripping her bottom and grinding them together. He groaned, his head thrown back. Phoebe kissed him where neck met shoulder and nipped at his flesh. Kiernan hugged her close and she slid her arms around his neck.
He moved in her, circling slowly, the base of his shaft rubbing with firm insistence against her swollen sex. Phoebe gasped at the unexpected jolt of pleasure. He abruptly turned and lowered her onto her back and loomed over her, thrusting hard.
He kissed her, then whispered in her ear, “Together this time." He reached between them and massaged her sex.
Need coursed through her. He massaged faster. Climax ripped through her. Her breath caught, then pleasure shot through her on another, more intense wave. Kiernan ripped his hand away from her sex and, braced on one elbow, gripped her shoulder with the other hand and plunged deep inside her. She arched her hips, meeting his powerful thrust, and he groaned with his own release.
An unexpected shout came from Mather. Kiernan's head snapped in the direction of the door. A pounding on the top of the carriage followed and he yanked his shaft from inside her as they came to a thunderous halt. Phoebe felt herself slipping from the seat, but Kiernan caught her and shoved her back against the cushion. She sat up and he had his trousers buttoned in the next second. He grabbed the revolver from the opposite seat as a shot rang out, followed by a heavy thud up top.
“Don’t do it!” shouted a man.
“Stand down, lads!” Mather yelled, and all went silent.
The carriage door flung open and Phoebe stared at a man and the Wilkinson double barrel over-and-under pistol he pointed at Kiernan.
"Well, well," he said through a kerchief that covered the lower half of his face, "what have we got here?" He glanced at Kiernan's open shirt.
Kiernan began buttoning his shirt. "Did you kill any of my men?"
"Never mind them," the man said. "I'm more interested in what you've been helping yourself to in this carriage.”
“Are you willing to murder five people for a bit of sport?” Kiernan demanded.
"Never heard the fancy call fucking his wife a bit o’ sport.’”
“She would be nothing more to you. What do you want?"
The man's eyes narrowed and her heart jumped. He intended to pull the trigger. Vaguely, she registered the other two masked highwaymen on horseback behind him, their weapons trained on the men up top. Then she kicked the man's arm. His arm flew upwards and the gun fired as Kiernan lunged for him. They hit the ground hard and Phoebe seized the revolver Kiernan had dropped.