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Iteuil, Aquitaine, December 1356

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“Why in the name of God did ye not kill the vile bastard?” asked Murtagh for possibly the hundredth time since they left Château Le Blanc on their way back to the Duroc farm.

The prince had returned to Bordeaux where they would head next after informing Louise’s parents that their daughter lived and was well. It would be their final port of call before returning to Scotland.

“Aye, he did not deserve to live,” concurred Mungo. He too looked equally as disappointed with Doogle’s decision to let the baron off the hook.

“He is the Black Prince’s prisoner. He will remain in a dungeon for the rest of his life. In my view that is a fate worse than death,” said Brice.

“Aye, especially since he only managed to stay a baron for a short while. It will be especially hard on him to give up all of the luxuries he had gotten used to,” said Doogle.

“I think that Doogle acted honorably,” said Louise.

At first, she had not been happy that the baron still survived. However, the more she had thought about it, the more she admired her man’s honorable handling of the situation.

“That man does not have an honorable bone in his body. If ye ask me, life is too good for him.” Murtagh snarled.

“Aye. And what about his minion? No one saw him after the fight,” asked Mungo.

Louise had forgotten all about Gaston. Mungo was right. He had disappeared the moment Jean Philippe lost the duel. She wanted him to share the same fate as his master. It was the very least he deserved.

“He will get his comeuppance one day. I do not want to waste any more time thinking about it. All I care about is that I have my woman and we are going back home,” said Doogle.

The expression on Louise’s face lit up when she saw the farm in the distance. Without waiting for the others, she heeled her horse’s flanks, coaxing the animal into a gallop, and raced the rest of the way to her home.

“Papa, Maman,” she cried out at the top of her voice.

Her father was working in the pigsty with Alick and Bruce. The remainder of the clansmen that had stayed behind to protect the Durocs were all busy pursuing their chores. It was obvious that Jean had kept them busy. The farm had never looked so organized before.

A new enclosure had been built for the animals. The hovel’s roof had been repaired, and the walls improved. Not only were the Highlanders formidable warriors but they were also good workmen and farmers.

“Louise!” shouted Alexandre when he saw his daughter riding toward him. He clambered over the fence and rushed in the direction of her fast-approaching horse.

Moments later, her mother appeared out of the house. She squinted into the distance until she saw her daughter.

“Louise!” Lisette followed her husband as quickly as she could.

Louise brought her mount to a standstill and jumped off of its back. She took a few more paces and fell into her father’s muscular arms. It was like returning to a safe haven. His familiar scent and the soothing words he whispered reminded her of when she was a little girl.

“Ma fille – you have come back to us,” said Louise’s mother when she added her affection and relief to the family embrace.

“I thought that I would never see you again,” said Louise, weeping with happiness.

“I always knew you would come back,” said Alexandre.

---

The small family was still hugging when the others arrived.

Doogle felt as if his heart would melt when he saw Louise’s and her parent’s happiness. He promised himself that nothing or nobody would ever harm her again. He dismounted, but he did not join them just yet. He wanted to let them enjoy their family reunion for a moment longer.

“Da, it is good to see ye,” said Alick, striding up to Mungo.

Bruce followed in his wake. He too looked happy to see his stepfather alive and well. “Welcome back, Da.”

After dismounting, Mungo took his two sons in a hearty embrace. “Look at the pair of ye. Well rested and covered in dirt. I never thought I’d see the day with ye two playing at farmers.”

“It is a good life, Da,” said Bruce.

“Aye. And Alexandre is a good man,” concurred Alick.

Mungo ruffled their hair. “Just make sure that ye get back to doing some soldiering.”

“Speaking of that – what happened?” asked Bruce.

“I never thought that I’d ever be praising a Sassenach, but that Black Prince certainly kept his word. The way he handled the situation was incredible. No one lost their lives, and Doogle gave the baron a right good walloping,” said Mungo.

“Aye, he fought well. But he spared that vile tallywasher.” Murtagh grunted, dismounting from his horse. He gave the two young men hearty slaps to their backs.

“Are ye saying that Doogle fought a duel?” asked Alick.

“Aye – he did,” replied Mungo.

“So, what happened?” asked Bruce.

“It was close at times, but our laddie won the day in the end,” answered Murtagh.

“Not without getting a few scratches though,” added Mungo.

“Aye, he did not fight the way we taught him – too slow and all over the place. There were times when I thought that he would lose. For a coward, the baron fought well,” said Murtagh.

“Now, now, my brother got the job done,” said Brice, hugging Alick and Bruce.

“Come, laddies. We will tell ye all aboot it over a nice cup of wine,” said Mungo, marching off in the direction of the hovel.

Murtagh did not need any more convincing. He followed in his comrade’s wake.

Brice and the two others chuckled. It was always the same with the two elder clansmen. They would be heavily in their cups before the day was out.

“Doogle, I do not know how to thank you,” said Alexandre, walking up to his future son-in-law.

“I could not have done it without my brother and the others,” answered Doogle.

The two men hugged.

“You are my son now.” Alexandre’s eyes were red with emotion.

“And I am proud to call ye my father,” said Doogle in his broken French.

“Do not forget that you have another mother as well,” said Lisette. She peppered the Highlander with kisses. “You saved my daughter just as you promised.”

“Oui, we must celebrate. I will slaughter some pigs, and we must send word to Father Mortimer for some more wine. Your men have drunk everything since you left,” said Alexandre, looking at Brice.

Brice chuckled. “That’s one thing about the Highlanders, Alexandre. They love their drink.”

For a moment, it looked like the Frenchman would break out into tears again. “Merci, Brice. You are also my son.” Alexandre enveloped the slim Scot in a barrel-like embrace.

His wife followed suit. She then stroked Brice’s cheek affectionately.

“I will prepare a feast in your honor. Louise, you will help me,” said Lisette.

By now, she had regained her full composure. Everything had reverted back to normal – her family was reunited again.

“Yer malingering galoots!”

Everybody turned their attention in the direction of the hovel. Murtagh and Mungo came storming out of the house’s door like a crash of rhinos. The closest clansman was the target of their ire. They homed in on him like a pair of lions ready for the kill.

Mungo lifted him up until he stood on his tiptoes. “Ye drank all of the wine while we were out there risking our lives.”

In the meantime, Murtagh was pushing another clansman’s head into the drinking trough belonging to the animals. “Ye are going into the village to fetch us some wine. I need some to wet my thrapple after that long ride. How dare ye swill it all.”

The remaining Highlanders slipped away from Mungo and Murtagh lest they direct their attentions in their direction.

“At times like this, I wish there had been a battle. Their blood is still up,” said Brice, smiling.

“God help them if they don’t get some wine soon,” said Doogle, laughing.

Bruce and Alick were happy that their father and Murtagh were not with them the moment they discovered that the wine was gone. The memory of being thrown into the River Seine was still too fresh for them to have forgotten.

“Are they always like that?” asked Louise.

“Aye – a true force of nature,” said Doogle.

“Come on – let’s help those poor blighters before they get hurt,” said Brice.

But Lisette had already beaten him to it. She slapped Mungo on the back of the head and started remonstrating to him in French. She then herded Mungo and Murtagh into the hovel.

Alexandre laughed. “Those two do not stand a chance with my wife. She is as sweet as a kitten, but when her claws are out, it is best to just agree with her.”

When the others entered the hovel, Mungo and Murtagh were seated at the table tucking into freshly baked bread, cold meat cuts, and fruit. To everybody’s surprise, Lisette had found some wine for the Highlanders to drink. Like a mother hen, she looked after the two men. Each time their cups were empty, she would refill them. Their appetite and repeated thanks and appreciation of the food pleased her. Apart from her seeing her daughter happy and safe, there was nothing Lisette liked more than a man enjoying her food.

“Ye best get to Father Mortimer for the wine. At the rate they are going, the pitcher will be empty in no time,” said Brice to the Highlander standing next to him.

The other man nodded curtly and ordered two other men to join him.

“This will not only be a homecoming celebration but a wedding,” said Doogle. He turned to look at Louise. “Do ye agree, lassie? Shall will let Father Mortimer marry us tonight?”

The tears welled up in her eyes. She nodded meekly. “Oui, Doogle. I would love nothing more.”

“What aboot Ma and Da, Brother? Ye can’t possibly marry without their blessing,” said Brice before the couple could kiss.

Doogle placed a meaty hand on his brother’s shoulder. “If Louise’s abduction taught me anything, it is that life is too short and precious to wait for what ye want for too long. I love Louise, and we want to get married. Ma and Da will understand.”

Brice nodded briefly. “All right, Brother. But don’t say I didn’t warn ye. Maîther will not be happy.”

“Mary will be fine when she lays her eyes on Louise,” said Mungo. He was happily gnawing on a bone while he spoke.

“Aye,” agreed Murtagh. He did not have any further opinion on the matter because the food and wine took up all of his attention.

“How about we have a betrothal celebration instead,” suggested Louise. “We can have the real wedding in Scotland. That is the way you do things in your country, eh?”

It was a good idea. If Doogle and Louise were ‘handfasted’ in the eyes of God, they were almost as good as married. It was a way for couples to get to know one another better and enjoy all of the benefits of wedlock. And after one year and one day, they could still break the whole thing off if things had not worked out well.

“That is a good idea,” said Brice. “What say ye, Brother?”

“As always, my Louise has the best ideas,” replied Doogle.

He kissed Louise on the lips.

Afterward, he explained everything to Alexandre and his wife. At first, they were skeptical because the French did not do things like that. However, they could not refuse their daughter and Doogle after everything they had been through.

That very same night, Doogle and Louise would be almost as good as married.

“To my brother and Louise. May they have a long and happy life together,” announced Brice, raising his goblet.

“Here, here,” replied the congregation in unison.

The feast took place in the barn because the hovel was too small to accommodate everybody. Apart from the over twenty clansmen, the Duroc family were joined by Father Mortimer and many people from the village. This night would not only celebrate the love shared between man and woman, but it was a farewell party of sorts.

Alexandre and Lisette had agreed to join Doogle and their daughter back in Scotland. They had been reluctant to leave everything behind, but the notion of not seeing their daughter again soon convinced them that their future was in the north of Europe. Also, the situation in France was still like a tinderbox. The rule of law had gone up in smoke with the capture of the French king. The situation would get a lot worse before it got any better.

Louise had never felt safer in her life. Not only did she have the man she loved by her side, but also her father and mother were with her. Hearing them say that they would join her was some of the best news in her life. The Duroc family would soon build up a new future with the Highlanders.

She and her mother had slaved away the entire day preparing the food that consisted of several roast pigs. They had to bake bread as well. In the meantime, the men under Alexandre’s direction had cleared out the barn and made it presentable for the quasi-wedding celebration.

Doogle carried himself as if he had never been happier carrying bales of hay and transporting the tables to and fro. Murtagh and Mungo had also joined in after their hearty meal and finishing off all of the wine. Fortunately, Father Mortimer had arrived in time with more barrels of wine.

The evening was drawing to a close. Soon, Louise would be alone with Doogle. As much as she craved it, she also feared what might happen. She had only briefly encountered his full power when he was aroused when they had kissed for the first time. She could clearly remember the presence of his manhood that had pressed against her.

She wanted nothing more than to give all of herself to him. The feeling of wanting stood in such contrast to the revulsion she had felt for Jean Philippe when he had touched her.

“Isn’t it aboot time ye made a woman out of her?” asked Murtagh, winking at Doogle from across the table.

“That is none of yer business, ye rogue,” retorted Doogle.

“This is a wedding of sorts. Ye should get yer bahookies oot of here. I saw ye preparing a cozy little nook for ye and the lass at the other end of the barn,” added Mungo.

Brice slapped him on the back. “I’d wager that ye are happy that this is not another one of yer daughters’ weddings.”

Mungo growled. He had almost skewered Brice with his claymore the moment he had found out that he was courting his beloved Skye. The entire clan had known, but as always the stubborn clansman had neglected to pay attention to the obvious signs.

“Now, that was a night to remember. Had yer da not interjected, I would have stuck ye like a pig,” said Mungo.

“It was so funny to see ye chasing after Brice,” said Murtagh, contently sipping his wine.

“So, get on with it, laddie. Claim yer woman,” said Mungo, changing the subject.

Although the men hadn’t realized it, Louise had overheard their conversation.

She walked up to the table. “What are you talking about? It looks like you are hatching some kind of plan.”

“They want us to seal our union with the union of the flesh,” said Doogle.

Louise thought for a moment. Then, she got to her feet and held out her hand to Doogle. “I agree with them.”

Despite her words, she did not feel as confident as they suggested. She was petrified. For one, she worried that she might not satisfy the man she loved. Secondly, she did not know what to do. She and Doogle had never spoken of whether he’d had other women in his life.

Doogle smiled at Louise. “Are ye sure, lassie? We could always wait.”

Murtagh and Mungo grunted something unintelligible.

“Haud yer wheeshts,” said Doogle, causing them to laugh. He took Louise’s hand and smiled at her.

It was all the encouragement she needed. She was certain that he would be gentle with her. Doogle was not a man who would force her to do anything she didn’t want. Apart from her mother and father, she trusted nobody more. She wanted to be with him, to be one with him in both the realms of the flesh and the spiritual.

To much ribald suggestion, the couple moved away from the table. The clansmen began singing traditional wedding songs with Mungo and Murtagh the loudest of the bunch. When Doogle explained what they were singing, Louise blushed.

“Traditionally, I would take ye to my home and carry ye over the threshold. But here we have a ladder to climb,” said Doogle, pointing to the ladder that led up to another level in the barn.

Louise swallowed deeply before she placed her foot on the first rung. The higher she climbed, the more her confidence left her. When she reached the top, she almost cried. Doogle had prepared the area as best he could.

A large plaid covered some hay in the back of the space. Otherwise, the floor was clear. Two small candles provided light. A pitcher of wine stood on a small table close to the sleeping area. It was perfect and the coziest place she had ever seen in her life.

When she heard Doogle climb off the ladder behind her, she turned. Her lower lip trembled. To her surprise, she could see that he was just as nervous as she was. Seeing his vulnerability gave her confidence. Louise took a tentative step in his direction. When only a finger’s width separated their lips, she took his hand and placed it on the ties fastening her finest dress.

“Undress me,” she said.

He swallowed deeply. “Are ye sure?”

Louise nodded. “You want to see all of me, non?

When Doogle nodded too hastily, she giggled. She luxuriated in the way the expression on his face alternated between sheer awe and wonderment when more and more of her naked flesh was revealed to him. He took a deep breath when the dress fell off of her person. Only an underdress or smock remained.

Louise did not wait for him to continue. Instead, she slipped her arms out of the sleeves and let the garment fall to her feet. She spent a second watching her nipples stiffen because of the cold draft finding its way through the slats of the barn as if she had never seen them do that before. She brushed her fingers against them. The light caresses sent a jolt of warmth all over her body.

She marveled at how her groin heated up with each caress. It just felt so good to be in touch with her body. To be watched by the man she loved. He had fallen silent as if in the presence of a deity. Seeing the expression of serene wonderment on his face melted her heart. It was the right decision to let him watch her.

It felt so incredible to be able to have such an effect on him. With each passing second, she grew bolder. His silence acted as fuel for her passion. Her patience was fast dissipating – she needed this man inside of her now. The buildup of warmth between her legs was getting too much for her to bear. The way his eyes felt as if they were boring into hers almost split her in two.

“Now you, chérie,” she ordered.

Louise wanted to see Doogle how he saw her – naked in the eyes of God.

Doogle started to unwrap the plaid that hung over his person all the way down from his shoulder. He unfastened the clasp on his shoulder. The fabric dropped to his feet.

She inhaled. He wore nothing underneath.

“Do all of the men in your clan wear no braies?” she asked, referring to the shorts that French men wore underneath their breeches.

“Aye, just the kilt.”

Louise was not listening. All she could do was stare at his nakedness. He was absolutely perfect. It amazed her how just one man could contain so much power. His muscles rippled over his entire body. His legs were like thick tree trunks and his arms like the strongest branches in the oldest trees surrounding Iteuil. The Highlander was sheer force.

She felt her body respond with desire when she ran her fingers through the thick bush of red hair on his chest – it was soft and silky to the touch. She could not help but press the flat of her hand against his chest muscles – they were hard as a rock.

When she looked down, her eyes snapped wider. He was fully erect. The tip almost touched her body. This protrusion of his body was like a separate being with a mind of its own. To Louise, it almost looked as if it hurt him. A small shiver spiraled through her. She was suddenly reminded of the cold winter air that constantly found its way into the warmth of the barn.

When she felt his arms wrap around her, the cold somehow vanished in an instant. His naked body felt like a harbor would to a ship and its crew returning home after a long voyage at sea. At that moment, all of her trepidation from the past weeks slipped from her, disappearing into nothingness. She rested her head against him, relishing in the way his hands coasted her body.

“Ye are the most beautiful woman, Louise.”

His husky voice was so inviting that she did not hear anything else but him – not even the revelry taking place down below them limited its potency.

With a snarl, Doogle’s lips crushed against hers. He devoured her mouth with his tongue. He groaned with delight when she responded with just as much passion and need. They remained like that for what seemed like an eternity, releasing all of their pent-up desire that had accumulated over the weeks they had been separated. It was as angry as the sea when the squall rode the waves into a frenzy.

“Take me now, Doogle.” The force in her voice surprised Louise. It had not been a begging tone. She had commanded him to have his way with her. Knowing this made her feel special and wanted and loved.

She took a step back. She needed to see his body again. There was this small sultry hunger constantly burning inside of her. Doogle just stood there, once more awestruck by her nakedness.

“Ye are like a goddess,” he said with a croak.

Louise smiled back at him. “And you are magnificent. Come…”

She took his hand and guided him to where they would sleep. She immediately began to arrange the plaid by flapping it open so that they could slip underneath it. She bent down to flatten a corner of the plaid with her dainty hands, and when she turned around, Louise’s eyes felt like they were the size of plates. His nakedness just wouldn’t cease to amaze her. Doogle was even more magnificent than what her furtive glances had already shown her. His hairy chest was the size of a barrel but flawlessly molded like on a statue of a Greek god. The fresh scars crisscrossing his physique added to his allure, giving him a savage air.

Letting her gaze drop a little, Louise licked her lips when she saw the rippling muscles of his abdomen. A moment of sadness overcame her when she saw the sutures – it was brief. Moving down, she inhaled deeply. Before her stood his erection that still towered toward her in an attempt to claim her.

“Oh my God.” For a heartbeat, Louise was afraid of the thing between his legs.

“I need ye,” he said, again with a croak.

On staggering feet, Doogle stumbled forward. With the visible determination of a man possessed by a beast, he pulled her toward him. He growled into her mouth when he kissed her. His hands already roamed over her body. Louise was surprised to find that she was no less violent and eager in her plundering. She rubbed against him and held his buttocks with strong hands.

“Oh, Doogle. You are with me again.”

Louise closed her eyes and shuddered with delight as he pressed his lips to her nipples and suckled on them. The circling motion of his tongue and the sucking of his mouth held her in a vice. She stood naked and exposed in front of him, delighting in his expert ministrations. She mewed when his hands moved up and down her flanks, caressing and grabbing along the way.

“You’re so beautiful, and ye taste like the nectar of life…” Doogle made his point with a loud slurp as he ran his tongue from her right breast to the left one.

Louise could never have expected what he did next. Her eyes snapped open when she felt him kiss his way lower.

Her mind screamed, Stop, stop; it is not for that.

However, her actions contradicted her thoughts as she added pressure to his head by pushing him even more onto the lush onyx-colored curls of her sex.

Louise felt self-conscious at having the most intimate part of her body so openly exposed to his gaze and caresses. Redness eddied over her skin when she saw him looking at her sex, stroking it with his eyes. She tried to cover herself with her hands, but he stopped her.

“It’s all right, lassie. I want to see ye, feel ye, be one with ye and…”

“Oh, my God!” gushed past her lips when he started to kiss her there.

Her head tipped lower. Not once did she take her eyes off his. The erotic intent was imprinted in the milk-colored watery pools with the blue islands with the diluted black dots.

“Yer honeypot has the sweetest nectar I have ever tasted.”

“Argh, Doogle.”

Louise moved about on the spot as a strange sensation caressed her sex and breasts with careful fingers. She frowned at the unaccustomed feeling. It felt good, better with every passing moment. Before she knew it, she was mewing without interruption. She was ready to explode.

Individual bursts of pleasure shot up from in-between her legs, twirling, racing and intermingling until she yelled out his name like a holy incantation. Louise’s fingers dug into his thick red hair and interlocked there as if they were the rungs of life itself. She hit the point of no return when deep groans complemented her flight in a cavernous cacophony.

When her body went limp, Doogle stood up to his full height. Then, he picked her up with his strong arms and lowered her onto the waiting plaids. He did not immediately come on top of her; instead, he surveyed her body once more, like he was enthralled by the beauty of the woman lying beneath him.

Louise let her mind wander to the earth-shattering symphony that had just taken hold of her body. On cue, she let her hands roam. She smiled up at him. Small pearls of sweat had appeared on her skin. It was as if sparkly, jeweled diamond drops illuminated her skin.

The heat of his gaze seemed to focus on her most secret place. It was like a slow, curling pulse that increased with every passing moment. Louise spread her legs a little more to give him a better view. She lay there for a while, basking in the warmth of his perusal and letting the pulse take further hold. She could not resist the licking heat.

She just lay there, not moving at all, feeling the increasing warmth on her skin and the glow of her flourishing femininity. Louise felt ripe like a juicy sun-sweet peach, brimming, and ready for the plucking. She heard him take a deep breath. It felt so good to have this effect on him. In some ways, she felt like a musical instrument. Every little move was a like a sweet note, creating pleasure for the one listening.

Feeling his approach, Louise moved up and rested her weight on her elbows. She breathed heavily. The afterglow on her skin still held her captive. Her deep brown eyes opened wide when she felt rigid flesh brush against her.

“Are ye ready, lassie?” asked Doogle. His lips brushed against hers when he spoke.

She nodded. “Oui, Doogle. I want you to have me.”

“I will be gentle.”

“Argh.”

She whimpered when she felt him gradually slide inside of her. He was slow and gentle. The initial pain was brief and almost forgotten the moment it had started. Louise had never felt womanlier before. Her body was like a dock and his like a missing piece in a puzzle. They belonged together – this man’s love had always been her destiny.

Steadily, Doogle started moving. His attentions forced little cries out of her mouth as the pleasurable sensations she had only just discovered came back with lascivious retaliation. Her mouth was agape, letting the moans run freely from deep inside of her.

He lowered himself and covered her mouth with his. Within moments, he parted her lips with his tongue and licked the insides of her mouth.

Louise gasped into the contact. A delightful strangeness descended over her. Instinctively, she placed her hands on his broad shoulders and pulled him closer. A little whimper rippled up her throat when she touched his tongue with hers. This, in concert with their lovemaking, forced her to become more urgent with her caresses. She pressed the front of her body against him. It felt like she was rubbing against a stone wall, so hard was his physique.

“You really have no idea just how beautiful ye are.” Doogle had stopped moving. He cupped her cheeks with both of his hands as he looked into her eyes.

His intimate touch made her shudder with pleasure. All she could think about was kissing and touching him again. Her dreams of the clansman assaulted her brain like a summer’s storm. She could feel, smell, and taste him. His entire being stuck to her skin and imprinted itself onto her soul. This was the man she had always wanted, and they were to be married.

“I want nothing more than for ye to be my wife, Louise. Not because of a promise, but because ye are the woman of my dreams.”

“I am already your woman.”

Possessed by another being, Louise lurched forward and pressed her lips against his. No longer caring about womanly grace, she threw away all of her restraint in an instant. All she cared about was possessing this man and making him her own. Reveling in the brief and sweet pain of her lips pressing against his teeth, she plundered his mouth as if she had done it a thousand times before.

Doogle growled into her mouth and began to lick her tongue as if another force claimed him. His hands became more urgent as he ran them over her taut body that shuddered with his very touch. Their breaths intermingled and became as one when the frenzy of dammed up love was finally released.

Louise whimpered when he lifted her slightly by the buttocks. Her flesh shook and quivered under the empathetic and demanding skill of his hands.

As if he was in a trance, he ran his hands over her body, cupping each breast tenderly. Doogle moved his hands up to the tips of each pointy nipple. They hardened some more the moment his fingers brushed over them. Again, he pressed his mouth on hers.

Louise gasped with pleasure as her skin felt like the waves on the sea. His caresses became more urgent with his every flick of his tongue. One hand tweaked her nipple while the other roamed over her backside, kneading and massaging.

“I love you, Doogle.” The words scudded out of her mouth, disintegrating into little puffs of air.

He leaned back. “I love ye too, Louise.” Not once did he remove his hands from her breast and backside.

She planted a kiss on his lips when he groaned. She loved the way his hips flexed with every stroke of her body. She moved back. She needed to see this demigod of a man as she pleasured him. She watched the color of his irises flare up when she became more demanding with her movements. They seemed to adopt the hue of the sky before a storm.

“Stop!”

She giggled, caught up by the heady pleasure. “Getting too much for you?” she asked.

Doogle bellowed his mirth. “Aye – ye are making me lose control.”

“Then lose it.” She pressed against him to make her point.

He began to move again, faster and faster until they were both lost in the physical contact once again.

“Argh, Doogle.” Louise was overcome by the sweet spasms rippling through her. They seemed to lift her up into the air. The feel of his flesh moving about inside of her induced an agreeable mixture of pleasure and pain.

“Argh… God,” she cried again.

“Am I hurting you?” he asked, pulling back.

“Don’t stop – keep moving.” She hissed.

As much as she loved the sound of it, his voice was, at this moment, a vile intruder on her bliss. She placed her hands on his hard buttocks and pulled him closer until his entire length and girth filled her.

“Oh, yes… like that.” She managed a smile when she heard him panting above her. That and the sensation of them being as one drove her wild with passion. She countered his every thrust with a downward motion of her pelvis. Every time he slapped against her, Louise let off a series of whimpers that made him more assertive.

She swam up to the surface of consciousness before diving down again. Her eyelids fluttered. Responsiveness entered her body, a flex of her abdomen in rhythm with his every movement, her head threw back to offer up her throat, making the clansman drive into her deeper still.

Doogle watched Louise writhe underneath him. He held her waist as he drove into her. She moved under him as a sleeping woman might when visited by a nightmare.

“Doogle.” His name was hurled at him in a deep reverberation that became a seemingly infinite moan, ending with a screamed ‘gle’. Every nook and cranny of her mind was filled with radiant flashes and intoxicating images of the love she felt for this man.

Her physique responded in kind as wave after wave of exhilarating pleasure sourced through her like a rampant river after heavy rainfall. Her insides seemed to collapse into folds of burning flesh. She dissolved into the plaid when the tidal wave of climax hit her with the full force of a herd of bulls running on a savannah.

She screamed, “Doogle, Doogle…”

Moving on top of her like a berserker, he pushed harder. He watched her whining with pleasure underneath him. The sight of her beautiful body and the consternated expression on her face that exuded both pleasure and amazement was visibly too much for him.

Doogle shouted out along with Louise. Their cries became as one until they collapsed into a sweating heap with his body rolling off her to the side.

Breathing heavily, Louise starred up at the wooden roof in the barn. She was amazed at the way her body felt. Even though fading, the heat still gushed inside of her, burnishing her skin into an attractive pink hue.

“That was incredible, Doogle. I never imagined it to be like that… I have no words to describe it.”

She shifted her head to look at him. She saw that Doogle was just as much in shock at what had happened as she was.

“You are magnificent.” He didn’t look at her or say anymore.

Neither of them had any clue for how long they remained like that, in silence, but they were close to one another, and that was all that mattered. Doogle shifted his weight, turning to face her. He flashed her smile when she looked back at him. They just stared at the one another for a while.

“It was magical – what we just did,” she said at last.

Doogle chuckled. “Aye, it was. So, ye liked it then?”

Louise chuckled throatily. “Oh, very much so… I did say as much before. Is someone looking for some more praise by any chance?”

Doogle smiled. “Yer body gave me enough of that, lassie. There is nothing more truthful than a lass in the throes of passion.”

“Really?” She frowned at him. “Is it the same with all women?” Louise was suddenly reminded of the fact that he had most probably lain with other women.

“Nah – that’s more like an itch that needs to be scratched. With ye, it is magical, like it has to be. Ye ken. When flowers spread their pollen in the spring, making love to ye is what was always meant to be. Like God made ye for me and me for ye and put us on this Earth to find and love one another.”

Louise moved forward and kissed him. The brief birthing of jealousy had vanished before it could settle. “I loved it, Doogle – you are quite the linguist when ye want to be.”

“Aye, that’s what Murtagh’s been telling me as of late. The big lout is a pestering me about it.”

“Well, don’t let him convince you otherwise. I love it when you say such things.” She fell back onto her back, letting her mind work a little more. “Doogle?”

“Aye.”

She forced her eyebrows closer. “I never heard of it…” She lowered her eyes. “Of it done down there with the mouth.”

He arched his eyebrows. “Did ye like it?”

“I think my little squeals told you as much. It was astonishing,” she said, stroking his cheek. “What happens now, my love?”

Doogle frowned. “What do ye mean? Ye want me to do that again?”

She laughed. “What do almost married people do now?”

A mischievous smile played on his lips. “They do this, love.” He pulled her on top of him.

Feeling his arousal, Louise tried to resist. “Doogle, we can’t, your wound is only a few days old. Once is more than enough. I already feel bad about putting you through that, but you—” She screamed when he started tickling her. “Oh, Doogle.”

Her cries of protest changed in moments. It was too late. The heat of old took over her body. At that moment, Louise knew that she was addicted to this man.