“I think ’tis time I repay you for all your teasing.”

Her fingers clenched. Promise?

Aye! In a single fluid motion he lifted her up, carried her to their waiting bed. There, she stretched out in a shameless display of legs and arms.

“What’s under that kilt?”

His smile teased. “Need.”

Only a clasp held his plaid in place. One quick tug and he showed her. He wore only the kilt and nothing else.

His need looked ready and wanting.

“Now, dear wife, how will I unwrap this present of mine?” he asked as he stretched out beside her.

His lips caught her throat. “Slowly, I think.”

His hands traveled the path hers had. The silk was cool in his hands. Under it, her ni**les displayed her passion, pushing against the cloth.

He spread his fingers along her stomach, letting them dip lower.

She arched up, aching for more contact.

He stopped short of where she wanted his hand to go, and traveled back up to cup the fullness of her breast. He would tease her, and make her want before he possessed.

Her hands made their own journey across his naked back, detouring to make bold strokes over his hips and thighs.

Five long days, Duncan. I thought I would die.

Death could never be so sweet.

He peeled the silk from her shoulders. With her arms freed, he lowered it inch by painful inch, murmuring how much he loved his gift and how he would savor each layer . Ah now, look at this. Such a lovely navel.

His lips explored her abdomen, his beard scraped her skin. She bucked beneath his touch. The silk dipped lower, exposing the swatch of hair covering her sex.

“And this,” his accent thickened, “this I need to explore more thoroughly.”

Please. He lowered the silk to her ankles. With a slight kick of her legs, the small piece of cloth sailed to the side of the bed.

His lips traced her hips, her thighs. An ocean of desire threatened to flood her before he finally found her center.

Tara wanted to tease him. Had done so shamelessly, but now he was the one in control, and his slow pace maddened her. He devoured her, lick by lick. He flooded her thoughts with images of his mouth covering her core, a pleasure she had yet to experience. “You’re driving me mad,” she told him.

“The longer I take, the more pleasure I will bring.”

Tantalizing kisses explored her thighs. Heart racing, she pleaded with him to find her. His mouth moved over her sex, breathing puffs of hot air onto her sensitive skin.

When he pressed his mouth forward and found her nub of pleasure, his tongue and teeth drove circles around her.

Cries of pleasure at the intimacy of such a caress wailed from her lungs. Her hands clenched the sheets balling them in desperation. Currents of pleasure coursed through her blood.

With every moan, he moved faster.

She thrashed, lust pouring through her limbs.

When she thought she could take it no longer she begged him to take her. “Please, Duncan, I need you in me. All of you.”

He pulled up and in one swift motion drove himself home. The waiting did have its advantages.

“Heaven,” he murmured, sheathing himself to the hilt in her warmth. With each thrust he branded her his.

Mine. He chanted in his head.

Tara heard him and smiled. He possessed her mind, body, and soul, and she would have it no other way. Love poured out of her when they crested together.

Love floated over them as they fell asleep still joined.

It took several days for the wedding festivities to end, and even longer for the last of the guests to leave. Several times during the celebrations, Duncan and Tara rode off together for a few hours of alone time. They often returned to heckling.

Settling into a routine once the Keep was rid of its guests had a calming effect on Tara. She worked in the gardens tending the vegetables and herbs.

“I’m telling you, malnutrition is the death of so many people in this century. We need every vitamin and mineral we can grow.” She dug into the soil with the help of a small wooden hand tool. Duncan stood over her with a scowl.

“We have servants to do this, lass. I don’t want to see you covered in dirt.”

Tara glanced up, sent him a chaste smile. “You didn’t mind a few days ago.”

She referred to the day when they didn’t make it all the way into the cabin where they had first made love. It was a good thing the cabin was sheltered by a grouping of trees. Otherwise, anyone could have seen the future Laird of Coinnich rolling around in the grass with his wife. She didn’t even try and explain the dirt stains on her dress when they came back to the Keep.

“Still...” Duncan bent down and stopped her from digging.

“Try to understand. I’m not good at needle point and every time I go to the kitchens someone chases me away. At least out here I can do something useful.”

“But...”

“And I like it, I really do. Just look at this.” She stood and walked him to a plant with huge green leaves and a bright yellow flower. “It’s my first Zucchini. I never had time to do this before, now I have more time than I know what to do with.”

“I don’t know.”

She saw a crack in his resolve, and drove her point further. “If I can have a little help from my big powerful husband, and his special gift, I’ll be able to keep this garden going all winter. Or at least most of it.” “What kind of help?” he asked.

“Oh, just a little heating of the soil.” Tara had learned Duncan’s most powerful Druid gift was fire.

Not simply the ability to light one, but control it. He could apply heat without a flame as well. If he wanted hot water for tea he merely placed a finger in the glass and bingo. Hot water. Just as Myra could move the wind without any external sign from her, Duncan could burn anything with barely a thought.

“You want me to heat the soil?”

“Yes, and maybe a quick little dehydrating of a few seeds.”

“Tara...”

“I’ll make it worth your while.” She moved closer, until she felt her br**sts push up against his chest. “Very worth your while.” She nibbled a sexy little spot on his neck.

You’re wicked.

And you love it!

By the time Duncan walked away, a small section of Tara’s garden had a lovely warm temperature that would germinate the seeds placed under a layer of rich soil.

Tara talked to the plants while she finished up her work for the day. “Now you be sure and grow quickly. I have an appetite for a rich tomato sauce, and the garlic is almost ready.” She picked a wayward weed and tossed it aside. She added a splash of water before brushing off her hands for the last time. “There.” She looked down at her handiwork. “Not bad for a day’s labor.”