The Heiress Bride - Catherine Coulter [67]
“I think Colin is quite the handsomest man in all of Scotland,” Serena said.
“You’re stupid and silly,” Aunt Arleth said. “Just like your sister was.”
Sinjun drew a deep breath and kept a smile pinned to her mouth.
It was after midnight when Colin came quietly into the laird’s bedchamber. Joan was sleeping very close to the far edge of the bed, the covers pulled to her nose. He smiled, then stripped off his clothes. Naked, he walked to the bed and stepped onto the dais. Slowly, he eased the covers down. She stirred, batting at the covers with her hands, but she didn’t awaken. Slowly, he eased up her long cotton nightgown. Easy and slow, he told himself. He’d gotten it up to her thighs when he was content to stop for a moment and look at her long white legs. Very nice legs, very nice indeed. He felt himself swell, but knew she couldn’t accommodate him tonight. No, he wanted to see if he could accommodate her. He gently lifted her hips and pulled the nightgown to her waist. He moved the candle closer. Ah, but she was lovely. He stared at the chestnut hair that covered her woman’s mound, her flat white belly that could even now have his child growing there. It was a heady thought. She tried to twist away from him, moaning a bit in her sleep. He eased her legs open, and she obligingly parted them more widely. Now, he thought. He bent her knees up and parted her flesh. He winced at the sight of that soft flesh roughened from the hard riding they’d done. He parted her with his fingers, wincing again at the redness. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly, and wondered if he should try to give her pleasure. Why not? She needed to learn that it was possible to enjoy him. He leaned down and lightly touched his mouth to her white belly. She quivered; he felt the smooth muscles tighten at the touch of his mouth. He continued kissing her, light, nipping kisses, until he eased down between her legs and found her and blew his warm breath over her flesh. She squirmed. He smiled, pleased.
He parted her soft flesh and lightly touched her with his tongue. In the next instant, she screamed, jerking away from him, flinging her hands out to ward him off, pulling her nightgown down.
“Hello,” he said, grinning up at her. “I love your taste, but I must have more of you to be certain. What do you think, Joan?”
CHAPTER
10
SINJUN OPENED HER mouth to yell again, then closed it. He was lying between her legs, his arms hooked around her thighs, his chin lightly resting on her belly. He was grinning at her.
“Well? Would you like me to do more?”
She got hold of herself, by a meager thread. It was difficult because she’d never imagined such . . .
She said aloud, “What you were doing—it was startling. It is very embarrassing. Are you certain such things are done?”
He leaned down and lightly kissed her again, then raised his head, pushed her legs more widely apart, and gave her a beautiful smile. “You do taste good, Joan. Yes, my dear, a man much enjoys kissing a woman between her legs.”
“I feel very odd, Colin. Would you please let me go? I am not used to having my nightgown around my waist and anyone positioned precisely where you are. It is disconcerting. And you are a man, after all.”
“If I continue to kiss and caress you here, you will enjoy it immensely.”
“Oh no, how could that be true? Really, Colin, let me go now. Goodness, you’re naked!”
“Yes. Don’t be frightened. I have no intention of taking you again. Actually I wanted to see how badly you’d hurt yourself by riding today.”
“I hurt myself! What gall! ’Twas you who hurt me.”
He drew himself up between her legs and she saw that he was staring down at her and now his fingers were lightly stroking over her and she was so embarrassed she couldn’t think of a word to say. “You’re raw, I’m afraid. But you will heal. Just stay off a horse for a while.” Then he kissed her belly, lowered himself over her, and settled himself comfortably. She felt his sex hard and