“Then,how about ye practice for me?” he proposed as he stopped directly in front of Margaret. “What would ye tell me council when they ask why ye’re opposed to sharin’ a room?”
“That…”She stopped, unable to look away from him. Something was sparking between them, a pull that she was certain was connected to the warmth in her belly. “I’ll have to think about it.”
“Is that so?”he said, and she felt herself swaying into his space.
“Yes,”she said as she forced herself to take a step away. “But while I think about it, I suppose that I have no other choice.”
“Ach, so ye’re givin’up?” Ryan said with a chuckle.
“It’s more of a tactical retreat,”Margaret said.
He didn’t hidehis laugh, and she felt a sense of pride at being the source of that sound. It eased her anxieties a bit. Though, she was still nervous about sharing a bed with the man.
“Now,if you’ll turn around and give me some privacy,” she said, narrowing her eyes in his direction.
“Privacy?”he asked as he raised an eyebrow.
“Yes.You can’t expect me to sleep in these jewels and my wedding gown, can you?”
“I suppose I cannae,”he admitted, giving her body one last sweeping look before doing as she asked and turning his back to her. “But as yer husband, I do think I have every right to see ye naked.”
“MustI accuse you of being a beast again?” she asked his back, noting the way his shoulders shook a bit of laughter.
Margaret waiteda few seconds before she began the process of getting undressed. Her hands shook as she got rid of the jewelry,walking over to the table beside Ryan’s bed. As each piece came off, she laid it on the surface.
Her gown came off next.She glanced around the room before deciding to drape it over an armchair near the fire. Then, she reached around her back to remove her corset.
“Oh, come now,”she murmured under her breath as she struggled to get her fingers on the fastenings.
“Everythin’all right over there?” Ryan asked.
She whipped her head around,making sure the Laird was still facing away from her. After confirming she still had her privacy, she went back to her task without responding though it only took a few minutes before she realized that she wouldn’t be able to get it off by herself.
“I need your help,”she said with a sigh, letting her hands fall to her sides. “But you have to behave yourself.”
“Ach, who said I willnae behave?”Ryan asked, turning around with a smirk on his face. “What do ye need me help with?”
Margaret’s palmsitched as he strode across the floor to her. A strange part of her longed to reach out to him. She stamped it down, turning around and refusing to look at him.
“I can’t getthis corset off by myself,” she said.
“So ye needme to help ye undress,” he hummed, his fingertips ghosting over her waist.
Before Margaret could chastise him,his hands found the ribbon that laced the corset to her form. She held her breath, waiting for him to simply rip the garment from her body. The muscles in her legs were braced, prepared to slip away from him if he tried anything uncouth.
Much to her surprise,Ryan’s strong hands were deft and delicate as he untied the fastening. Then, slowly, with care she couldn’t quite believe he possessed, he began to loosen the garment. As he worked, his knuckles brushed against her back.
Each touch senttendrils of heat through her being. Some of them rested firmly between her legs. The sensation confused her, and she very nearly felt embarrassed by it. It wasn’t worrying, though. In fact, she found it pleasant. Perhaps she even wanted to explore it.
He mentionedsomething when we first met… about having me begging for him. I fear he may have been right.
“Are ye all right, lass?”Ryan asked, his voice dangerously close to her ear.
He was still steadily removingher corset. The movements he took were slow, feeling almost reverent. She didn’t think he was doing it out of respect for the garment, though. Rather, he was unwrapping her and savoring each moment.
A flush roseto her face. She attempted to reply, but when no sound came out, she was forced to nod. Ryan made a noise of amusement, making it clear to her that he knew exactly what he was doing.
“I daenae kenhow ye breathe in this thing,” he said as he finally got the corset loose enough for Margaret to slip out of it.