The South Carolina peach orchard was warm with the promise of the heat that would come later that afternoon. The humidity was sultry and hair-curlingly pleasant in the green shade of field eleven’s freshly harvested peach trees. The grass was as it was in my dream (a dream that felt like a million years ago) patchy and green only where the cool waters of the irrigation system had spread. I leaned against the nearest tree and sought to memorize my family’s orchard knowing it was inevitable that I would not be walking it for sometime.
Rowan was due back to the house soon where we would have dinner with my family
before driving to the airport and eventually back home to Skye. As if the simple thought of his name conjured him from the warm southern air I spotted him coming sideways toward me from the direction of the house.
“There ye are,” he called out. Rowan wore a well-fitted collard shirt with slacks and a pair of newly purchased designer flip-flops, a concession he reluctantly made to the heat. Smiling brightly, though somewhat nervously he closed the distance between us swiftly and kissed me before I could get in a hello.
I laughed as his kiss lingered and deepened like a man starved of a woman's touch, “I take it your trip into town was successful?” I asked when I came up for air.
“Aye, I found what I wanted, and he did quite good.” He said and reached into his pocket as the early afternoon sunlight dimmed over the orchard, “He was able to refurbish something I've been working hard tae get released tae me from the estate. Did ye know that he’s a Scot too? Dinnae keen tha' until today, his family are Campbell’s.” he said and smiled nervously as he pulled out a velvet black box, “I told him tha's alright he cannae help it.” Rowan's nervous smile waivered.
“Rowan.” I said, looking at the box – my heart going light. We had been culturally married for sometime since our hand-tying earlier in the year, but we had yet to formalize it with rings.
Rowan opened the box, “Oh my god . . .” I heard my voice say.
“I finally got this released tae me.” he said then sank to one knee holding up the ring of Lady MacLaoch.
“Cole?” he started, “I know tha' ye have already tied yourself tae me, but allow me tae beg ye one last time and seal it with the gold tha’ was always meant tae be yours. Before I met ye, I was a man in a shell walking through this life waiting for the moment when God would reach down and take me off this Earth. The day I met ye was the first day I dinnae think of Vick, the first day I dinnae think tha' I was born as punishment by the curse.” his breathing became heavy as emotion choked him. “All I could think was where did tha' crazy American go? Where is she now? I wanted tae be everywhere with ye, watching and listening tae tha' funny way ye talk. Then I wanted tae feel what your skin felt like, what it would taste like tae kiss ye and knew with what was left of my heart that ye were the one I wanted tae spend the rest of my life with. Cole,” he continued softly his eyes becoming moody, “will ye ease my heart once again and acquiesce to my begging and be my wife, my partner and my love forever?”
I felt his words resonate within me, as emotional tears leaked from the corners of my eyes, “Yes. The answer will always be yes, Rowan MacLaoch.” And leaning down I cupped the side of his face and kissed him softly.
Rowan plucked the ring from its protective velvet pillow; thunder, moody and deep, rolled in the distance. The ring slipped onto my finger as the winds changed directions blowing strands of my hair in my face. Despite my temporary blindness I felt the cool of the ancient metal warm instantly as if itself was coming to life.
A sigh escaped my lips as I brushed my hair back with my other hand and looked at the ring. Rowan held it in his as he stood and brought his other around my waist, the gold band despite a fresh cleaning still looked as if it were from centuries past. The clan insignia carved delicately around the band with thistle and interlocking Celtic knots.
“Finally,” he said, “it’s come home.” “Home.” I said feeling that word resonate within me.
Rowan put his lips to mine as thunder cracked opening the sky above us and rain belted down through the leaves of the orchard, warm and satisfying from the heavens.
In the time it took for us to place our lips upon each other’s and come up for air next, we were thoroughly rain soaked. The thunderclouds rumbled and roared in the near distance reminding me of a force that once brought rain and heavenly power down upon our heads before. Only this time we were in it.
Arms and necks, wet and slippery, Rowan pressed me gently back against the peach tree I had been leaning against. The humidity and descending rain made for an ethereal affect of the orchard. Steam lifted from the ground carrying with it the sweet pungent smell of the recently harvested peaches and plunged us into a watery mist.
“Oh God tha’ feels good.” He said pulling his shirt off over his head. Fat droplets slithered down over his toned skin moving slow like a lover’s caress over the rise and fall of his lithe musculature.
The rising steam and his rain slickened skin made my breath catch, he looked every part
the Scottish warrior emerging from the mists. His bullet wounds stood out white against his skin at his shoulder and hip, making it feel all the more like a dream come to life.
“If I remember correctly,” he said meeting my appreciative gaze, “ye had on a little less when we were here last.”
Rowan leaned in and kissed me. Rain slithered down my neck and between my shoulder blades as he warmed my front with his own. His hand tucked under my shirt and with the other pressed me to the trunk of the tree and lifted my shirt up over my head. Flicking it to the ground he wasted no time in removing every other piece of clothing of his and mine while our lips and hands never left each other.
Thunder rolled again, this time closer, its reverberations felt through the tree I was
nakedly pressed against.
“I dinnae think I can wait any longer. A week in your parents home in separate beds like wee ones is killing me.” He said against my neck.
I closed my eyes and savored the feel of his unclothed and hardened body against mine, contrasting to the softness of his lips and gentleness of his touch. The latter becoming rougher with his increasing need.
“Mmmm, we might be married,” I managed, “but not in the eyes of Carolina law or my mother.”
“Aye, one and the same.” He said grasping me at the waist and lifting me off the ground. Instinctively I wrapped my legs around him as he sought refuge within me. Rowan and I groaned in unison as he slipped within, bark roughed up against my back as his first thrusts pushed me against the tree. Blissfully I slid my hands over his muscled shoulders, enjoying the feel of his power beneath my palms. I also noticed his gunshot shoulder shook with the exertion.
Rowan paused breathing heavily in the moist air, “I dinnae,” he said stopping, “I’ll have tae put ye down. My shoulder.” He leaned back as he tried to lift me up. Thunder cracked over us again, “Oh,” I heard him say in pain just before we both crashed into the soft grass at the base of the peach tree.
I found myself atop him, completely shrouded in mist, “Are you okay?” I asked, laying on his chest and gingerly touched the bullet scar at his shoulder. “Aye. Not used tae using the shoulder like tha’ yet.” He said giving me a grimacing smile. “I see.” I said kissing the place where my fingers had been then softly on his lips, “Let me help with that,” as rain pitter patted down upon my back in cool droplets, I slid back fitting him deep within me once more.
Rowan groaned closing his eyes, “Aye, tha’ll do.” He said, slipping his hand up to my hip where I moved against him, then up over my waist and across my back tucking into my hair. He pulled my hair back from my face and secured it under his hand before resting his other on my rear gently pushing and pulling in rhythm. Rowan opened his eyes watching me and with a gentle tug at the back of my head brought my lips down to his as another rumbling groan escaped him.
Erotic warmth swirled in my belly as I rode the man I’d been destined for centuries before we were ever born. The synchronous repetition of our lovemaking unfurled a yearning for him deep in my belly – despite our closeness, I needed him closer. Deeper. For him to slip under my skin and become one with my blood, for our breaths to become one and his soul to meld into mine.
Quicker our pace became blowing flame to the thunderous emotional release that built within us. Our breath came in gasps as our lips found each other, slipping and tasting -our tongues mimicked our lovemaking. “Oh Rowan.” Escaped from between my lips, with an answer tearing somewhere beyond my comprehension from the sky.
Our bodies, wet from rain and sweat, slid against each other. Rowan’s guidance became quicker, needing, begging for release. Tension gripped between my legs as I slid Rowan in and out of me, pushing and pulling us higher and higher. A groan rumbled in his chest, as my breasts tight with need rubbed against him.
“Cole…” I heard from below me as pleasure twisted and pulled deep within my belly. The first ripples of convulsive pleasure teased out capturing my breath and begging for Rowan to love me harder.
I felt his grip at my hip tighten, his fingers digging in as his hips rode up higher and faster to greet me, pushing himself farther and deeper within. My soul felt him as I tightened and contracted around his thick stroking heat. A rumbling feeling, as if pulled deep from the earth itself, caught my breath and released a long cry of pleasure as the orgasm we built shook us.
Peaked, Rowan brought himself against me in quick succession before growling into his own release.
As the last grips of the orgasm shuddered through our bodies, our breath became one, our blood pounded in unison and with the tight grip of MacLaoch gold on my ring finger I felt his soul meld into mine.
“Forever Rowan.” I whispered against his lips.
“Forever.”
Okay. So that was, um.. HOT.
You guys can find Becky at her website HERE!
The Legend of Lady MacLaoch can be purchased at Barnes & Noble and Amazon
Read my review of The Legend of Lady MacLaoch --> HERE!
Let's thank Becky Banks because she has been kind enough to donate a signed copy of her book for a giveaway! YAY!
The Deets:
1. One entry per person.
2. You must be 18 or older.
3. Giveaway is International
4. Giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. on May 7th.
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