Page 65 of Dark Seduction

Claire dug her nails deep. “I hate you,” she wept.

“Aye, fer a moment.” He kissed her briefly and then began a slow entry, inch by single inch.

Pleasure cloaked her mind. She couldn’t breathe. He smiled, pushing four inches deeper, then five. Claire felt herself begin to shake. She heard herself panting and she realized she was begging, but he did not accelerate his pace. And before he was through, she felt herself break.

She met his gaze and as he watched her, she came. So much ecstasy shattered over her, sweeping her into that dark scintillating universe where waves of pleasure begat even greater waves, and Claire cried out, eagerly embracing the vortex. “Malcolm!”

He smiled once, triumphant, and he moved more swiftly, joining her in that mindless frenzy now.

“CLAIRE, ’TIS ALMOST DAWN.”

Claire barely heard as Malcolm left her, moving onto his back beside her. She was in a daze of ecstasy and agony, the evening spent in pure frenzied hedonistic passion. She had long since lost the ability to think. She closed her eyes, absolutely breathless, waiting for the tremors and trembling of her aroused body to cease, waiting for her heart to finally slow.

And when she was coherent, she was in disbelief. Malcolm was an insatiable but superb lover, and his prowess in bed was clearly not human. No man could arouse and continually pleasure a woman as he had done for hours and hours, without tiring or even flagging. She was finally aware of being exhausted. She was also aware of a level of satiation that was impossible to define. And there was even more than that. Her heart began a little dance inside her chest. No, she thought quickly, don’t you dare go there!

They were lovers, that’s all, and clearly that made her one very lucky lady.

Slowly, she turned her head to look at him in the gray light of the coming dawn. And she inhaled at the tender look in his eyes.

He had one arm under his head and he was regarding her intently. “Ye be pleased, lass?”

She had to smile. “Are you kidding?” And before he could tell her he did not understand, she said softly, “I am very pleased, Malcolm. I have never been so well pleased.”

To her surprise, he abruptly reached out and pulled her against his side, smiling in satisfaction.

Claire was amazed. He wanted to cuddle? She pressed her cheek against his chest and was rewarded with the slow, strong thudding of his heart. It would be so easy to fall for this man, she thought.

His hand stroked down her arm, then he toyed with strands of her hair. “Tha ur falt brèagha,” he said softly.

Claire looked up. “You said that to me in my store. What does it mean?”

“Yer hair be beautiful,” he murmured, his gaze holding hers. “Almost as beautiful as ye.”

Claire felt a rush of pleasure. She ran her hand down his magnificent torso. “You are the beautiful one.”

He laughed. “One o’ us needs be dressed.” He got up, reaching for his brat, which was on the floor.

Claire shifted so she could ogle him openly. He smiled at her as he deftly wrapped the brat around his bare hips. Amazingly, Claire felt her mouth water. “That is sexier than nothing at all.”

He smiled and returned to the bed, instantly taking her back into his arms. “It pleases me that ye like my manliness.” He hugged her.

Claire’s heart danced anew and she reminded it to stop. “All women like your manliness,” she said with a smile.

“Aye.”

Claire decided not to go there. She had just been made love to as if there was no tomorrow, in ways that weren’t really possible, and she was floating with satiation and happiness. If he made love to other women that way, she didn’t want to know.

“I ha’never wanted any woman as I do ye,” he said gently, clearly having listened to her thoughts.

“You haven’t?”

“Nay.” He tilted up her chin. “An’ ye, lass?”

It took her a moment. Claire started. Was she supposed to confess that she had never wanted a man as she did him? And that she never would? After last night, she doubted she’d ever want to go to bed with someone else. God, when she went home, she’d spend the rest of her life in celibacy. Claire had not a doubt.

He pulled her close and stroked her hair and she felt him smile.

He had listened to her thoughts! Claire jerked away from him. “I hope you’re happy,” she said tersely.