“Nothin’,” she lied as the memory solidified in her mind. She could see everything so clearly. The woods were dark and green. Moss grew on the trunks of the trees and rocks allowing for mushrooms to sprout. Two beady little red eyes stared back at her through the hollow of the tree.
“Tell me,” Gabriel asked as his fingers grazed her cheek. “I want to ken.”
“I was just rememberin’ the time ye took me to the woods,” she answered. “We couldnae have been more than ten at the time. But I recall seeing the rabbit in the hollow of the tree.”
Gabriel’s chuckle rocked her body. “Aye, I remember that. Ye were so scared it was a snake or some other wild creature. I recall ye had a fit when I stuck my hand into the tree and snatched it out for ye.”
Elena sighed. “Ye’ve always looked out for me, havenae ye?”
“A time or two,” Gabriel said as he glanced down. Elena found the air in the room growing thin, or maybe it was just her pulling in such short breaths as her thoughts drifted elsewhere. Timid, she lifted her hand to his shirt and pulled the fabric from under the belt. Ever so carefully, she slipped her hand under his shirt and pressed her hand on his warm bare skin.
Gabriel pulled in a quick shallow breath the instant she touched him. It was surprise that lingered on his face, but a desire that matched her own. As her hand drifted towards his heart, she found herself captivated by his eyes. There was so much more to his gaze than she thought. It was as if he could pull her into the deepest parts of himself without fear of what havoc she would cause.
Licking her lips, she found her heart beating frantically as if trying to escape from her chest. Slowly, she shifted until her lips brushed against his. Kissing him tenderly, her mind swirled with all sorts of memories. From their first kiss on the moors to this moment, it seemed as if fate had it all planned out for her.
Gabriel kissed her with such a tenderness it felt as if it would break her if he wasn’t careful. But she wasn’t breakable, not anymore. She wanted so much more than just a kiss from him. Pushing forward, her lips crushed his. The hunger was all-consuming, burning, and intense. There was no escaping.
Cupping his hands around her face, Gabriel stole her very breath. Elena’s mind swam in the current of her passion. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she felt his desires growing as her leg drew over his. Before she knew it, she rested on top of him.
“What are ye doin’?” he whispered as her mouth nibbled on his jawline until it reached the hollow of his neck.
“Lovin’ ye,” she answered. Gabriel’s fingers curled around her arms so tightly she couldn’t help but wonder if he was about to throw her off him. Using what little she could of her hands, she fumbled with the belt and unfastened it. The leather strap came undone, giving her access to the ties of his kilt.
Keeping her eyes locked on him, she removed the cloth barrier that separated him from her. Emotions flickered through Gabriel’s eyes as her fingers traced over his body.
“Are ye certain ye want this from me?” he asked. Fixated on the way his Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat, Elena nodded. She had never been surer of anything in her whole life. She wanted him to the point of need. It was no longer about family ties. It was about her tying her soul to his in a way that could never be undone.
“Aye,” she answered as she leaned down and kissed him once more. “I want ye.”
Elena sat up and pulled the strings of her bodice. Gabriel’s eyes lingered on her, entrapping her within them. Even if she could escape, she wouldn’t. She was ready to submit herself to him and give him everything that he had given to her unconditionally.
With the layers of fabric gone, only the thin shift remained. The candlelight flickered and danced casting shadows on Gabriel’s face. Each breath felt as if it would be her last as she sat on top of Gabriel exposing herself to him. A rapping of his manhood against her inner thigh only made her want him more.
“I’ll nae do anythin’ to hurt ye,” he whispered. Elena could hear his voice cracking as he spoke. She knew his nerves were firing off just as hers were.
“I ken,” she said as her eyes shifted down his body. Gabriel’s hands relaxed around her arms and slowly he released her. The fear of being tossed aside was nothing but a lost memory as he scrambled to remove the last cloth barrier between him.
The instant the shift reached over her head, and the cool air caressed her body, Elena felt the prick of uncertainty. She’d never before exposed herself to anyone before. Although she had gone swimming and the fabric showed more of her than she liked, the fabric was still on. But now, there was nothing but flesh between them.
Without warning, Gabriel’s arms curled around her body and pressed her against him. He was warm and inviting. She closed her eyes allowing herself to drift into him as he rolled her slowly onto her back. Staring up at him, she swallowed hard. Chewing on her lower lip, she wondered what was to happen next.
“This will stin’ a bit,” he said between his kisses.
“Does it have to?”
“I’ll be easy on ye,” he promised as she felt his hand slip between their naked bodies. Elena gulped in air as her back arched the moment she felt the pressure between her legs. The pain wasn’t as sharp as she expected, but it throbbed. Gabriel held his position as her arms curled around his neck. Ever so delicately, the pressure building within her eased.
“Are ye alright?” he asked, propping himself on his elbow. Her eyes were wide and the murky colors of the room seemed brighter to her. It was as if someone turned on the sun in the dead of night. Every sensation was heightened. Her mouth parted as if to say something but no words fell from her lips.
“Elena?”
“Aye,” she gasped.
“Do ye need me to stop?”
“Nay, please. Just stay a moment,” she begged as she found her body molding to Gabriel’s It only took a moment for the pain to flow out of her. Gabriel’s manhood throbbed inside of her, stretching her a bit, but it wasn’t entirely unbearable.
“God, do ye have any idea how long I’ve waited for this moment?” he asked as he lowered his head and rested it on the pillow beside her. “Just to be in ye. To hold yer soul like this? I’d wait a lifetime if ye made me.”