Victoria Roberts - [Bad Boys of the Highlands 03] by To Wed a Wicked Highlander

toward his aunt warmed Sybella’s heart. Perhaps this marriage would be easier than she had anticipated. But that would make her true purpose much harder to carry out.
    “Be warned. When Aunt Iseabail asks ye to take a walk in the garden, her purpose is to make ye pull weeds,” said Alexander in a jesting tone. He sat back down on the bench and they shared a smile.
    “ ’ Tis perfectly fine with me. I would rather have my hands in the dirt than sit idle.”
    “And yet, that doesnae surprise me.”
    He patted her leg and her skin tingled when he touched her. She cleared her throat in a nervous gesture, and almost as if her husband knew how he affected her, he fingered a loose tendril of hair on her cheek. She was by no means blind to his attraction, and his nearness made her senses spin. It was far too easy to get caught up in the way he looked at her.
    As Sybella moistened her dry lips, he quirked his eyebrow questioningly. He reached out and caught her hand in his. It was an odd sensation, but once her fingers touched the warmth of his hand, she felt…safe.
    A devilish look came into his eyes and he slowly lowered his head to kiss her.
    “God’s teeth, Alexander! Are ye two just going to sit there all day, or are ye going to help me pull these overgrown weeds?”
    Sybella brought up her hand to stifle her giggles, and Alexander managed a choking laugh.
    “Your timing is impeccable, Aunt.”

Eight
    The day had not turned out the way Alex had planned. He’d wanted to gently woo his wife and slowly stir her passion. He had not expected to be disrupted in the middle of a tryst with his wife to hunt for Aunt Iseabail and strike down a wolf with his broadsword. This eve, he was determined not to be interrupted again and held from his purpose.
    Before long, Sybella would be with child and he would have fulfilled his duty to the MacDonell clan. Of course, that was if he could undo the damage of Mary’s outlandish words to Sybella. Nothing killed his ardor more than having a woman with clenched eyes beneath him counting sheep.
    This eve, he had given the lass more than enough time to prepare for him to come to her. Alex opened the adjoining door to Sybella’s bedchamber and gently closed it behind him. One bedside candle remained lit and he almost cursed the darkness. Selfish as it might be, he wanted to see all that the lass had to offer.
    As he approached the bed, he could see his wife’s golden locks tumbled carelessly over her shoulders. Her full, rosy lips were parted in gentle, rhythmic breathing. He brushed his fingers through her hair and softly caressed her cheek. When she let out a little snort and then rolled over onto her side, he could barely contain the chuckle that escaped him.
    A perfect ending to a less than perfect day.
    Not having the heart to wake the sleeping beauty, Alex sought his own bed and tried unsuccessfully to stay the memory of his wife’s luscious flesh. How could he forget the rosy peaks of her breasts as they grew to pebble hardness? He had given every part of her body the attention it deserved—from her taut stomach to her creamy thighs to every fold in between.
    When he realized his body’s normal reaction to his impure thoughts, Alex took his hand to himself, taking care of his own desires lest the lass bolt like a scared rabbit the next time from all of his pent-up frustration. The last thing Alex wanted to do was frighten Sybella from his bed. For now, he would sate his own needs; tomorrow was another day.
    Alex awoke in the morning to blankets that were knotted and pillows that were thrown from the bed. He sat on the edge of the bed and shook his head, realizing that at times like these, he usually would seek out the skillful Doireann. His leman’s expert touch had cured his urges and satisfied all of his desires. Granted, this was the same lass who had tried to shackle him into marriage, but there had never been any expectations between them. He could merely take his leave