“I’m surprised to see ye out of bed,” Alex said, slapping him on the back. “You’re still a newlywed.”
“I’m also a chieftain with a great deal to accomplish.” Rory was not telling his blissfully married younger brother that he had no reason to stay in bed, which was still a pallet on the damned floor.
“I see,” Alex said. “Things are not well with you and that lovely wife of yours?”
“They’re fine,” Rory snapped. Alex was always too perceptive.
“That bad?” Alex said. “What have ye done?”
It irritated him that his brother assumed he was at fault. “I’m not prepared to discuss my wife with ye.”
“I’m a priest. I could hear your confession…”
“Alex,” he ground out. “Shouldn’t ye be at home with your own wife when she’s about to give birth?
“My wife assures me all is well, but I’ve come to fetch Grizel to have a look at her just the same,” he said. “If ye can spare him, Malcolm will come with us.”
“Of course.”
“While I’m here, Catriona and Grizel asked me to knock some sense into that stubborn head of yours,” Alex said. “I’m sure ye can work this out with Sybil. Ye do know that with women ye have to talk?”
“I’ve nothing to say to her,” Rory said. “And there’s nothing she can say to me that will make a damned bit of difference.”
“Ach, Rory.” His brother’s tone turned serious. “That’s no way to resolve it. But if ye don’t want to talk, try taking her to bed.”
Sybil had made it clear that was unlikely to happen anytime soon.
“Go home,” Rory said, and stomped off.
That night he lay awake again with his feet hanging off the too-small pallet and stared at the ceiling, while every fiber of his being was keenly aware of Sybil on the bed.
He could hear her breathing. He could almost feel her heartbeat.
It had been a week since their wedding night. Seven long days and longer nights. They could not go on like this much longer. At least he couldn’t. Celibate and married. He’d gotten the worst of both.
His body did not care that Sybil had deceived him or that he could never trust her again. Every muscle was tense, and his cock was rock hard. He wanted her so badly his teeth ached.
She was his wife. His bride. He needed to beget an heir. They had a duty, for God’s sake. Given Sybil’s passionate nature, she had to give in sometime. Buthow longwould it take?
Sybil sighed, and he imagined her breath on his skin. Could his cock get any harder? He’d never sleep like this. He threw off the blanket and got up.
“Rory?”
Desire drenched him at the sound of the soft voice calling his name.
“Aye?” He was afraid to hope. Tension thrummed through him as he stood waiting.
He stopped breathing when he heard her get out of bed and walk lightly across the floor to him. Then she brushed her fingertip along the side of his hip, and he thought he would explode.
“Ach, Sybil,” he said. “Tell me this means you’ll let me have ye.”
***
Denying Rory her bed had not gained Sybil what she wanted and made them both miserable. She could only hope that by giving in to passion she could break through his barriers and force him to see her. In this battle to win back his heart, she feared he would break hers again. But she had to take the risk.
Because she simply could not bear another night without his touch.
“Sybil?” he said in a strained voice.