Page 84 of Conquer the Highlander

Titus stopped him before he could get through the door entirely. “Ye have my everlasting gratitude, m’laird,” he said. “Ye canna know what this means tae me. Tae us. We’ll never forget it.”

Clegg’s yellowed eyes glimmered in the weak light. “A happy Titus is a victorious Titus,” he said. He winked at the pair. “Here is to our victory this night.”

With that, he was through the door, out into the coming dawn. Titus shut the door behind him, throwing the bolt before turning to Esme. He was trying to think of something meaningful to say to her at such an important moment, but she held out the ring to him.

“Put this on me,” she said.

He took the little ring from her, slipping it onto her right hand, which was customary in Christian marriages. He looked at the ring for a moment before kissing it and her finger.

“I had no idea Clegg was married once,” he said. “I feel as if he has given us something of great importance tae him and I’m hesitant tae accept it, tae be truthful.”

Esme looked at the ring, which was a little large, but not terribly so. “I know,” she said. “I feel the same way, but he seemed to very much want us to have it. It was very kind of him to do so.”

Titus nodded, still looking at the ring, before his gaze trailed up to her face. He looked at her a moment, hardly believing he’d just married the woman.

But nothing had ever felt so right in his entire life.

“Lady Stewart?” he said softly.

She looked up at him, grinning at the use of her new name. “Aye?”

Titus tilted his head in the direction of the rear chamber where the big, comfortable bed was. “Shall we make this official?”

Esme nodded with great anticipation. “We shall.”

With a sly grin, Titus took her by the hand and led her back into the smaller chamber.

It was dark and cold in the room. There was a small brazier in the corner used to heat the chamber, but it sat empty. Titus didn’t bother with such things as heat and light. At the moment, he had one thing on his mind and it had nothing to do with lighting fires in a brazier.

He intended to light one elsewhere.

Without a word, he sat Esme down on the bed and completely disrobed before her. That gorgeous, muscular, nude form was now on full display, and although Esme had seen him without his clothing before, this was the first time she’d really gotten a good look at him unimpeded. As she studied him, the words from that woman long ago came to mind.

I’ve heard he has a manhood as big as a rutting stallion.

Esme had seen stallions before. She was fairly certain the woman had been right.

But her view of his enormous and semi-flaccid manhood was cut short when he sat down beside her on the bed, his eyes drifting over the clothing she was wearing. It was another old dress, this time from Isadora, and full, white cleavage daringly peaked out from the neckline. Titus’ gaze was lustily drawn to it. One arm went around her shoulders as the other went to her torso, and he pulled her close again, his mouth on her cheek as the hand on her torso began to gently stroke her belly.

“Ye’re so incredibly beautiful,” he murmured, kissing her neck. “I dunna know what I have done in life tae warrant such a prize as ye, but know that I will always treat ye with the greatest respect. I’ll love ye ’til the end of time, Bee, I swear it.”

Esme’s eyes were closed as he nuzzled her neck, the hand on her belly moving gently to her ribcage. She was so overcome by his hot breath on her skin that she threw her arms around his neck, falling back onto the bed and pulling him with her. Titus gladly lay down, his nude body half-covering her own.

His seeking lips slanted over her mouth and he kissed her deeply. The hand on her belly moved to the underswell of her right breast, and she gasped softly as she felt his hand against her bosom. Already, her heart was racing at his touch, and Titus lowered his head to gently kiss her shoulder. As he nuzzled her soft, warm skin, his hand moved up and enclosed her right breast. He fondled her gently, and Esme groaned when she realized how good it felt.

She wanted more.

Titus heard her groan and his kisses resumed with force. His hand on her breast grew bolder. Fingers slipped along the neckline, trying to pull it away somehow, but the bodice fit snugly against her body. He was forced to take a moment to disrobe her, and Esme helped him. In fact, she was working faster than he was. Lifting her arms for him, he removed both her dress and her shift in one swift motion.

Titus was on her again in a flash, his mouth was on her soft cleavage and his palm against her naked breast. A taut nipple rubbed against his hand and his hot mouth descended upon it, suckling furiously.

Esme gasped as his hot, wet mouth pulled her nipple into a hard, little pellet. He had already managed to wedge himself in between her legs, his big body covering her, and Esme welcomed it. She lusted after the man as badly as he lusted after her, and everything he was doing to her was new and wonderful and wicked.

She demanded more.

Titus could feel Esme writhing beneath him, her nubile body reacting to his touch. Her flesh was delicious and he nursed hungrily at her breasts, but there was such a magic to the moment that he paused in his onslaught, admiring her naked body, the voluptuous lines of her breasts and hips. He’d never been so aroused in his entire life. There was only one thing he wanted now and that was her body, impaled by his, claiming her as his own, as it was always meant to be.

But he was also aware that a man of his considerable size could quite possibly cause her some pain in their first experience together. He’d bedded virgins before, and he suddenly had visions of Esme crying in pain as he eased into her. That wasn’t something he was willing to chance, for he wanted her to crave his body as much as he craved hers.