Highlander’s Wicked Temptation: A Steamy Scottish Historical Romance Novel Maddie MacKenna (young adult books to read .TXT) 📖

Only when she moaned did his rhythm speed up. She couldn’t believe how good he felt or how easy it was to be with him. All the anticipation, excitement and fear that she had bottled up within her seemed to be released in that single moment.

Staring at him, she noticed there was more than just lust in his eyes. She thought of the day that he fondled her in the garden and noticed the spark of passion mingled with a sense of love and partnership.

He moved slowly, allowing her to feel every inch of him that pushed deeper into her before slipping back out.

Cleopatra nodded her head quickly as she dug her fingers into the small of his back to hold him in place and anchor her body to his. She knew that this moment wouldn’t last forever, but she was determined to hold onto him as long as she possibly could.

Cleopatra gasped as she felt her body molding to him. It seemed as if every single muscle was tightening and she felt as if she was going to explode from the inside out. She dropped her hands to the mattress and dug her nails into the sheets as her back arched.

“Ye’re amazin’. Everythin’ about ye astonishes me,” Jude said. “if ye let go, I will hold ye together.” His teeth grazed her earlobe as he whispered in her ear and she couldn’t help herself but obey his commands.

Exhaling she let everything out, including a moan that had been swelling in her chest.

Suddenly it wasn’t gravity that held her down. Nor was it Jude’s body pressing against hers. She was weightless and floating high above them, as if, somehow, he had managed to unlock her soul from her body and allowed her to escape into the unknown. Cleopatra felt like a cloud, in that moment, she felt as if she could fly away and never come back. Every joint in her body unhinged and although she wanted desperately to cling to Jude as tightly as she could, she found her body unwilling and unresponsive.

“I love ye,” Jude said as he brushed the strands of hair away from her face and crushed his lips to hers.

Pulling away Cleopatra gasped for air as she found herself full of joy and happiness that she never knew existed before. It didn’t matter where she’d come from, who she was or even her bloodline. All that mattered to her was that she was with the man that she adored and he was with her.

“I love you too,” Cleo said staring at Jude. Snuggling into the nook of his arm, she wished the world would stop.

“Do ye honestly mean it?” Jude asked.

“You think I throw my emotions around?”

“Ye’re a woman,” Jude said with a smirk, “it’s bound to happen.”

“Well, I mean it,” Cleo said slapping her hand down on his chest.

“Then I shall have to remedy that immediately,” Jude said as he slowly propped himself up onto his elbow. as he stared down at her.

“What are you saying?” Cleo asked as she felt her chest tightening.

“Then marry me,” Jude said brushing her hair away from her face, “marry me and be with me forever.”

18

Is this really happening? Is he really offering his hand to me?

Cleopatra’s heart fluttered as she stared deep into his eyes, searching for some sign of hesitation. Yet she found none, nor did she see lack of confidence in his expression. She knew there was once a time in her life she had dreamed someone would come to whisk her away and free her from her Father’s clutches and as she studied Jude, she realized that he was granting her deepest wish.

She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jude was her soulmate and the man she was meant to be with.

Exhaling slowly, a smile played at the corner of her lips as she realized that her fate had been changed the moment they met. All of her fantasies and daydreams of running away and being free had finally come to pass. She realized that she would no longer be the girl locked away and hidden.

I must be a fool. There is no way that this is happening to me. Yet he seems so sincere. There is no point denying my love for him.

It was clear by Jude’s expression that he loved her unconditionally. His eyes were soft and eager for her to make her decision. Her heart swelled as she bobbed her head knowing that this single act would seal her fate.

“Yes, of course, I will marry you,” she said as she threw her arms around his neck and pressed her body tightly to his. She kissed him with such a fierceness that surprised even her.

Jude’s laugh filled the room as she clung to him refusing to let him go. They rolled around in the bed consumed by absolute blissfulness. Cleopatra never thought that she would ever be so happy. Yet here she was, only moments before giving herself to him in every conceivable way. To her it only seemed right to say yes to his marriage proposal.

Although Jude had said that she had stolen his heart, it was he who had stolen everything from her. Yet the more she thought about it the more she realized that he was no thief for she had given everything to him willingly.

“We will make arrangements soon,” Jude said, “everythin’ will be perfect, you’ll see.”

As Cleopatra placed her lips to his once again, a sharp rapping of knuckles on the door startled her. Whipping her head around she eased her grip around Jude’s neck and stared at the door. Suddenly she felt awkward and ashamed. It wasn’t that she was afraid to be with Jude, she just never expected the moment to end so abruptly.

Cleo’s eyes shifted from the door to her dress realizing that she was an absolute mess. Her dress was wrinkled and bunched at her hips as Jude laid beside her half naked.