Alex led Callie out of the dining hall to the hearty cheers and bantering of his men after he answered questions and issued orders to Malcolm regarding the night watch. Knowing the MacGregors might try to wage a clan war once they realised that some of their men have been killed, Liam instructed him to tell the men on watch to be extra vigilant. Being laird of their clan meant they gave him the degree of respect he and his new bride deserved as they left the dining hall, but they were still hot blooded men who knew what transpired on a wedding night. Their cheers only served to increase Callie's anxiety and Alex felt her small hand trembling in his own, larger one when leading her out of the dining room. He gave her what he hoped would be a reassuring squeeze to calm her. It must have worked, since she managed to smile up at him afterwards. He was momentarily struck by her natural beauty from the brightness of her green eyes to the rosy blushes on the apples of her cheeks. He shook himself and started to walk them away from the dining hall. Callie followed him dutifully down a long, dark, and empty hallway quietly lit up by candle sconces along the stone walls.
"My father's grandfather was the one who first invited monks to live on our land. He instructed his warriors to help them to build these walls. He knew the Jesuit monks were fine scholars, as well as men of peace. He wanted both of these things for our clan after the resident priest died some years before. It was an unusual notion for a clan laird to be sure back in those days. Since that time, many monks have come and gone over the years, and some were clansmen like Donal. He is my father's cousin, you see. He never wanted to train as a warrior, because he could not abide by any act of violence even as a wee bairn according to my da. It's the reason why there was no meat at the evening meal. He just refuses to kill a living creature. In truth, I've admired that about Donal. Killing is something no man should relish doing." His large, warm hand never stopped holding hers, as he explained the history of the monastery.
"Do you regret people you've killed, Alex?" Callie asked softly.
"Aye, but it couldn't be helped. I would do it all over again if it meant I was defending people in my clan." He tucked an errant hair behind her ear. "Especially you."
"You saved my life last night, then married me tonight to save my reputation." She shook her head in amazement at his chivalrous actions. "I don't know what I did in a past life to deserve you in this one, but I'm grateful."
"It's me that is grateful, Callie. I never expected to find a lass I'd want to marry."
"And you wanted to marry me?" She couldn't stop herself from asking.
"Oh, aye! More than I wanted to admit." His confession made her giggle, so she was still smiling when he kissed her. "Malcolm saw right through me by suggesting you marry one of my men."
"What was wrong with that?" Callie looked confused. "If you didn't want to marry, I mean..."
He paused, dropping his head to kiss her briefly. "Because, I couldn't bear the thought of someone else getting to kiss you."
"Oh."
Alex kissed her thoroughly again to underscore his point before they resumed walking. He led her down an empty passage way, stopping when they reached a closed, wooden door at the end of the long hallway. He angled his head towards Callie, his voice low against her ear. "This is our first night as a married couple, lass. I wanted to make sure you would have some comforts like a warm bed after sleeping on the ground last night."
When Callie realised he didn't specify them going to sleep, she hurriedly blurted out. "Um, I need the privy! I'm so sorry. All the wine at dinner is catching up with me."
Alex bit the inside of his cheek to hold back a laugh, because he worried how she would react to them being alone. He couldn't help, but think of their earlier chat today when she used the identical excuse to avoid speaking with him about the reason why she was on the run from her uncle. That conversation somehow seemed much longer ago than this morning. Now, she was going to become his wife in more than name only. He shook his head in relative amazement on how the day's events unfolded for them. They went from being strangers to being wed. He reassured her in a soothing tone. "Not to worry, Callie. It's just back this way."
He retraced their steps only a few paces and stopped outside a stout, wooden door along the same corridor. When he opened it and stepped back to let her see into the room, Callie saw it held a privy. She looked at it in surprise having never seen one set up indoors before now. She had been thinking a nice, long walk outside to an outhouse would have given her more time to get used to the idea of being alone with him. The fact that it was starting to storm outside didn't deter her from wanting to postpone whatever would transpire between them on their wedding night was simply an added bonus in her mind. Callie exclaimed in surprise. "I can't believe it's here. How on earth?"
"Aye." Alex bit down hard on his lower lip to avoid laughing at her visibly shocked expression when they stopped walking so soon. He decided to offer an explanation. "My father hated going to a privy out of doors, particularly in winter. He had this one built here after doing the same for our keep. He was an odd, but loving man."
"Was?" She asked.
"Aye." Alex nodded, his eyes filling momentarily with a renewed sense of loss. "He died nearly ten years ago in a skirmish with a rival clan."
She tenderly put her hand on his arm. "I'm so sorry, Alex. I know how painful it is to lose your parents."
"Aye, lass. So am I. He was a good man and he would've liked you very much."
Callie didn't know what else to say, so she ducked inside and quickly relieved herself. She had never seen anything like it at her uncle's keep and it was the only point of reference that she could recall, since Hamish refused to let her visit anyone. If she wasn't so nervous about the man on the other side of the door who was now her husband, she would have pondered longer on how much thought his father put into such an unusual idea. Her hands were still shaking, as they smoothed down her shift and the Campbell tartan over it. Her new husband could be heard pacing outside the door in the hallway, as though he was impatiently waiting for her return. She could hear the quiet sound of his boots shuffling on the stone floor. Her husband! How the devil had that happened today? She woke up an unwed maiden like every other day in her life, but she would go to bed tonight as a newly married woman. Taking a few, deep cleansing breaths which did precious little to calm her anxiety, Callie quietly opened the door to find Alex had stopped pacing at one point and he was casually leaning back against the stone wall opposite her.
"Was everything all right in there, lass?" His blue eyes reflected concern, as he looked her up and down. She thought that she couldn't have been long enough in the privy to worry him. He took her arm, gently looking down at her. "What is going on? Do ye have your monthlies?"
"Nay, I don't!" Callie gasped, her cheeks immediately went pink in mortification. Dear God, why on earth did he bring up that most private of feminine concerns now? She would happily let the stone floor open up and swallow her body whole to avoid any more discussion of this most delicate subject further with Alex. No man in her previous acquaintance would have ever dared to mention such a private topic to any woman. If this type of direct speech was indicative of his entire clan, then Callie felt like she was in for a rude awakening at her new home.
"You do have them though?" Alex pressed on, heedlessly ignorant to her apparent discomfort about this topic. "You're of age, I mean."
"Aye, I do have them. I'm nine and ten." Callie bit the words out in a huff, turning a deeper shade of scarlet. Why wouldn't he shut up about this subject? She was getting so mortified that she might have to kiss him in hopes it would cease his bloody talking. Alex let out a relieved breath, visibly relaxed after she confirmed that she had experienced it. She could see the tension go out of his stance.
"Thank God. I guessed you were younger than me, Callie, but I was worried ye were too young for a minute there." He shot her a sweet, flirty smile and offered his hand. "Come on then, let's get back to the chamber. There's a bottle of very fine whisky waiting and I think we could both use a dram or two."
"That sounds like a good idea, thanks." Callie never drank a single dram of whisky in her life, because her uncle refused to allow women to drink spirits. The ale on the journey to the monastery was one of the few she ever had. Not that she was going to admit that minor detail to her husband. At this point, she would have agreed to drinking anything if it meant that offered her a distraction from their current topic of conversation.
She felt certain it would take more whisky than produced by all the Highland distilleries to calm her nerves around this handsome, imposing laird who was now her husband. She had never even been alone with a man apart from the few minutes they spent earlier tonight in Father Donal's study before the ceremony. Her overbearing uncle kept the young men away from her at his keep, because he wanted to dictate who inherited the lands she was due to inherit from her father. She smiled to herself when realising that dream of her uncle's was finally put to rest by her marrying Alex. She hoped there was nothing her uncle could do to bring harm to her new husband. That thought caused Callie's hands shake, as she accepted the first drink from him once they were again inside the chamber, because it turned her attention to the empty, large bed in the room. A bed that she understood that her new husband would expect to share with her on this night and she nothing of what must transpire beyond that point of reference. She was grateful the tumbler of whisky was small, since she already felt a little lightheaded from the wine she drank at dinner and not eating much food to go with it.
Smiling warmly at her, Alex looked intently into her eyes, quietly clinking his glass with her own. "Slainte."
"Slainte." She repeated, watching Alex tip it back the entire contents of his glass in one smooth go, so she attempted the same move. It burned like hell fire down her throat, leaving her gasping for breath while her eyes watered profusely and Alex gently patted her back. "Good lord!"
"Easy there, lass. It's a powerful one that, distilled to a recipe from my da. It's older than you by a few years."
"How old are you then?" She asked him when she found her voice, wondering how much she needed to drink to take the edge off her nervous.
"I'm five and twenty. My birthday is late next month. When is yours, lass?"
"Oh, late August." She shrugged the topic away, as if it was of no consequence. "May I sip the next one instead?"
He nodded with a smile, as he poured another, albeit smaller dram into the glass for her. "I'd encourage it. Here, I've added a bit of water in it for you."
"Thank you." Callie took a tentative, small sip of the next measure of whisky after he gave it to her. "Aye, that's much easier to manage, thank you."
"Good then." Alex sat gingerly on the bed next to her, moving slowly in an attempt not to startle her any further. He could tell she was a bundle of nervous energy, as it radiated off her in waves and he was silently wondering what else he could do to make her feel somewhat more relaxed around him. Spying the platter of cheese, fruit, and nuts sitting on the table, Alex decided to offer her something to eat. Callie watched him fill the plate full of food and let out a relieved sigh. Having seen him eating so heartily at dinner filled her with a sense of relief that it would postpone whatever was due to happen between them in the marriage bed.
After the plate was loaded and he added a few slices of bread, Callie was surprised when he handed it to her. "For me?"
"Aye, I noticed you did not eat much at dinner."
"Oh, well...thank you." She took the small plate he fixed for her with a shy, grateful smile and realised that she was ravenously hungry after she took the first, creamy bite of cheese. She moaned as the sharpness hit her taste buds. "Oh, that's so good! I can't remember the last time I had cheese."
He frowned at this proclamation. "Did you not get enough to eat at your uncle's keep, lass?"
She swallowed her most recent bite before answering him. "It was rationed. The men were given first choice."
"I see." Her new husband shook his head in disgust at the idea of a laird letting the women and children of his clan go hungry. You never have to worry about going hungry again."
"You are different to every laird I've met before."
"I'll take that as a compliment." He smiled, attempting to lighten the mood.
Callie nodded. "You should."
"Take your time. We're in no rush." Alex enjoyed watching her nibble on the food, hoping it would help her to relax. He had noticed she didn't eat much at dinner, so he discreetly asked Father Donal to have someone fix this platter and deliver it to the room before they arrived.
"Thank you." As she enjoyed the food, Callie looked around the large chamber, taking in the fine furnishings which were in stark contrast to other rooms she previously saw at the abbey like the small one where she got dressed. "Whose room is this? I hope no one lost it on our account."
"Dinna fash, we haven't put anyone out of their bed. This chamber is set aside for honoured guests, such as a visiting church official or the laird." His hand slowly moved down the long length of her plait once she finished the food. He moved to put the empty plate back on the side table, his knuckles grazing the length of her back, making her tense immediately and sit up more straight. He leaned towards her, all of his weight resting on his right hand atop the bed close behind her bum.
"It's lovely." She squeaked out.
"I'm glad you think so." The solid weight of his right leg pressed along hers, as it had done during the wedding feast. He had purposefully touched her off and on during dinner in hopes that it would help her to grow accustomed to his touch. He had no intention of taking an unwilling lass to bed, but he also knew they needed to consummate their marriage as soon as possible in order to fully protect her from her uncle. The marriage could always be annulled later by her uncle if her maidenhood was still intact. But, Alex selfishly wanted Callie to desire him as much as he felt for her. He cocked his head towards her, grinning. "I apologise that it isn't more grand, but it was the best that I could manage for us on such short notice."
She felt waves of heat radiating off him, drawing her towards his warmth like a hot bath on a cold, winter night. There was something about his nature which made her feel protected and comforted, even cherished. Callie intrinsically trusted him. She couldn't explain why. She just knew it about him. Somehow, she felt he was an honourable man from the first night when he and his warriors decided to rescue her. It made her wonder if he felt the same way about her. Callie hurriedly took a bigger sip of whisky, grimacing at the slight burn of it going down her throat before asking him. "Short notice?"
Alex nodded thoughtfully. "Aye, I kent our wedding couldn't wait after Malcolm said you needed marrying this morn. This abbey was the closest place with both a priest and a decent bed."
"I see." Callie quickly downed the rest of her whisky at him mentioning the bed on which they currently sat.
Alex got up to refill her glass along with his own, adding more water to hers as he did before and sat back down next to her. He ran a hand slowly down her cheek, his wide thumb going over the new bruises with the gentlest of touches. "As laird, it's not like I could let one of my men to do the marrying."
"You said that earlier tonight. But, why? What did it matter who the groom was?" Callie inwardly cursed at herself for saying the thought aloud. She shook her head, wishing she could have prevented tears that slowly started to fall in tracks down her cheeks. Embarrassed, Callie turned her head away from him to stare at a painting of a saint hanging on the wall.
Seeing her silently falling tears was nearly Alex's undoing. He took the glass from her hands and put it aside next to his on the small side table before gathering her in his embrace, holding her head in both of his hands and forcing Callie to hold his understanding gaze. "Aw, hell! Of course, it mattered, Callie lass. Do you think I could have stood witness to you pledging yourself to another man when I first kent I'd be the one to marry you some ten years ago?"
His deep voice fell to a hushed whisper at this last omission. Her eyes and mouth flew open in total surprise, as his unexpected words had tumbled out. Alex covered the latter with his own, seeking mouth. He smiled to himself when her arms curled around his neck. Callie was proving to be a quick, eager study at kissing. Her passionate yet untutored responses told him how much she enjoyed it as well. One of his hands moved off her face to hold her torso more tightly to his chest.
"Wait. What?" She gasped when their mouths finally parted. Her bright, green eyes were wide with disbelief. Callie leaned back to gaze up at him. "What are you talking about, Alex?"
"I like hearing you say my name." He took a gentle hold of her long braid after giving her another deep, heated kiss, murmuring huskily in her ear. "You stole my heart with your cheeky mouth, as fast as you took that damned apple out of my hand after I offered it to you. I knew it then and it never changed for me, Caledonia."
"I'm not that same carefree lass any more." Callie said not thinking, only for it to register what he said. Her eyes went wide in shock, as his words registered in her mind. "Oh my God, Alex! That was you, wasn't it? You were the boy at the clan gathering!"
"Aye, it was." He said with a grin, tenderly moving a lock of hair behind her ear. "I knew I wanted to marry you that same day even before my older brother, Ian, teased me that it would happen."
In the handsome, strong man holding her so tenderly, Callie could see the older boy who she admired when he was playing shinty at the Campbell clan gathering ten, long years ago. The same one who kindly offered her an apple after they reached for the same one from a woven basket. After hearing that awful blonde girl boasting she would marry him, Callie saucily wished him well with his future wife before running off after hearing Moira calling her name. Here they were, ten years later and she was the one who got to marry Alex.
"I heard your name that afternoon while ye were playing shinty." Callie said in a whispered hush, shyly glancing up at him. "But, I never thought I'd be the one to marry you!"
"But, did you think on it when I said it in Father Donal's study?" He was compelled to ask her, had to know if he still crossed her mind all these years as thoughts of her had done for him.
"Aye, but of course, I did." She nodded in reply, a wistful smile on her face. "How could I not? It was the last joyful moment of my childhood that I remember. But, Alex Campbell is a common enough name here in the Highlands. I didn't dare to hope it could be you."
"It's been me all along." Alex hugged her closely to his broad chest, offering her comfort and absorbing some of her pain. He knew it still lingered after the shocking deaths of her parents and the more recent ones of her servants who cared for her as much as any substitute parents could. His warm, fit body provided her with a much needed place of solace, something her life had lacked since her parents died and left her an orphan. His next words confirmed that feeling of reassurance for Callie. "I'm so very sorry you lost your parents in such a way, lass. My grandfather broke contact with your uncle after they were killed and that decision has divided the clan ever since. To his dying day, he never believed their deaths were accidental."
"What? Is that true, Alex?" Her head bumped against his chin, as she lifted it to search his hooded gaze.
Alex was pleased she didn't lessen her grip about his waist. "I swear it. You can ask Malcolm if you want."
"I believe it when you give me your word." Callie whispered, then she added. "My uncle said a band of misfits left the clan after the gathering due to a quarrel over a small plot of land. Mind, he refused to discuss it or anything about my parents further, not even to give a reason why."
"Nay, lass, what he told you was a bold lie. Most of the clan sided with my grandfather and they all broke ties with him." Alex admitted before he touched her nose lightly with the pad of his forefinger before moving to dry off her remaining tears. "Your uncle does not strike me as a man who's very willing to announce any errors in his judgement."
"True." Callie nodded in agreement, continuing to gaze at him and feeling safer than she had in years, as his embrace tighten around her and the mood shifted again between them. She finally admitted. "I just wanted to leave his keep so badly that I didn't honestly care what happened to me. I was only fearful of what he would do to Moira and Davis if we got caught."
"You were worried for them, but not for your own life?" Alex was amazed by her selfless admission.
"Of course." Callie nodded quickly. Her eyes were full of regret and unshed tears when she looked up at him again. She explained. "They risked their lives to save mine not the other way around. They could have left my uncle's keep and gone home without me, but they refused to abandon me. They were supposed to get married and he refused to allow it. Now, they're gone and..."
"That wasn't your fault. It's a credit to them for not letting you go alone."
"I know. Davis said as much before we left my uncle's place." She shivered when thinking of the MacGregor attack and how it would have gone differently if the raiders had found her alone.
"He was a loyal friend to give his life to protect you. He and Moira both were." His blue eyes darkened in intensity, as his hold tightened around her. "No one can harm you, Callie. You are part of my family now. My clan will fight to the death if need be to protect your life. There is no reason for you to be alone again. Not ever, lass."
"I trust you, Alex. I really do." The sincerity of her words echoed in her eyes.
Taking his thumb to free her lower lip from being worked over by her teeth, Alex lowered his head to deliver a deliciously long, exquisitely slow kiss that heated her blood throughout her innocent body. Putting her arms back around his neck, Callie sighed into him, eagerly opening her mouth to allow his agile tongue full access for its seductive dance with hers. He was grateful for her responsiveness and he kept slowly kissing her until he felt her shifting in restlessness. She leaned more heavily into him, her small hands were now gripping his shirt for support. Her inexperienced body was aching for something, yet her anxious mind didn't know what it meant or how to comprehend. In time, his hands traced from her face down to her waist where a leather belt kept his tartan securely in place. Alex felt her starting to grow tense, in spite of her continued responses. Reluctant to break the kiss, but hoping it would go easier for her if given a bit of notice, Alex spoke low against her panting mouth. "Time for bed, lass."
She broke away from him and moved across the room. She worried her lower lip before saying to him. "Alex, I don't know..."
"Callie, I'd give you more time to get used to us being married to me if I could." God forgive me for telling such a bold lie to my bride on their wedding night, he thought to himself after he spoke the words aloud. Alex stood to walk over and added more logs to the fire before turning to face her. "Lass, our marriage isn't going to be fully legal in the eyes of the law until it's consummated. Do you understand what that means? Your uncle can find you and demand you be returned to his keep. Hamish will retain those rights to you if we didin't...join with each other tonight. I can't risk it, you see?"
Couldn't risk losing her, but Alex just wouldn't allow himself to say it aloud yet. She slowly walked over to him, taking one of his large hands in both her own, amazed at their difference in size. It was easier for her to stare at their joined hands rather than look into his eyes. "I ken it's true and I want to stay with you, Alex."
"Good." He smiled warmly, blowing out a breath on a relieved sigh. "I'm very pleased to hear it."
Her voice was hushed, as she keep her head down. Embarrassment made her cheeks go pink when she admitted. "It's just that I don't have any idea what to do."
"Dinna fash over it." His left hand gently lifted her chin to punctuate each of his next words with kisses along the column of her slender neck. "It'll be my pleasure to show you, lass."
He led her over to the bed, continuing to kiss her face, making his way down the slender column of throat, and nipped firmly at her earlobes. He smiled to himself when hearing her little sighs and moans. The little noises let him know how much she liked his touches on her innocent body. Soon, his large hands started to gently explore other areas of her upper body while his mouth lazily nibbled and Ale kissed its way down her neck. Shocked by the new, strange emotions coursing through her body, Callie gasped aloud as his hand cupped one of her breasts and squeezed it, the contact making its nipple tighten with desire. She managed. "Um, Alex!"
"It's braw, lass. You're allowed to like the way it feels."
"It's all so new." Callie murmured in amazement. "And strange."
"If you don't like the way something feels, then tell me and I'll stop. I promise you that. I'd never want to do anything that didn't feel good to you." Alex whispered, watching her nod before he did the same thing to the other one. Callie put her arms around his neck to hold him closer.
"I like everything. Does it always feel so good, Alex?" She wondered aloud, her voice sounding out of breath to her ears.
"Nay, not always. You must aim to make it so." Her husband spoke truthfully. His open mouth found hers over and over again, smiling as she began to squirm and move restlessly against him.
"When does it not feel good?" She wondered aloud in confusion.
"There are men who don't worry over the woman's pleasure. They're selfish bastards who are only concerned with seeing to their own."
"You don't do that. I can already tell." Callie observed with a smile before he leaned his head back down to claim possession of her mouth again. Alex broke their kiss to begin removing their clothes starting with her boots and stockings. Her eyes widened, as he reached up to untie the garters at her thighs. Next, he unbuckled the narrow, leather belt holding the plaid he gave her in place around her small waist. After he unwrapped it, he smiled in appreciation at the outline of her lithe, feminine curves now clothed only in her thin, cotton shift. Her hands hurriedly reached to cover herself, feeling shy at knowing how much of her body was on display to him and worried her new husband won't like how she looked. His hands gently put hers back down to her sides.
"Nay, lass, don't hide from me. I want to see you. All of you." His warm, sincere smile made Callie feel more at ease. Then, Alex slowly removed his shirt over his head and kicked off his boots, leaving him clad in nothing but his kilt. Callie looked at his chin in lieu of being caught staring at his expansive, naked chest. Her wide, green eyes full of nervousness flew back to his midnight blue ones at his command. "Caledonia, look at me. I'm yours, as much as you are mine. It's your right, too."
"Really?" Callie's eyes widened in admiration of his toned, muscled chest with its smattering of dark hair around his nipples that trailed down into a thin line over his solid wall of abdominal muscles which disappeared down below the woolen fabric of his kilt, noticeably standing up on its own.
"Really." Alex smiled on a nod, then took her small hands in his larger ones, placing them on his chest. "You can touch me if you want."
"Oh, all right." Her small hands felt cool on his warm skin. She tentatively traced one of them along his neck and down to the curve of a collarbone.
"That feels nice, lass." Alex encouraged her to keep going, so her shaky hand made a tortuously slow path that began at his nipples and ran down to the hair around his navel. He bit out her name in unspent desire, as her fingers circled it. After a minute or two more of this sweet torture, Alex gritted out the next words. His voice was strained and thick with desire, but thankfully not harsh to his ears. "Callie, undo the belt for me. Now, please."
"All right." She felt like the phrase was all she was capable of saying in reply. Seeing his naked, expansive chest had pushed the rest of her vocabulary far from her mind. There weren't enough words didn't do his magnificent body justice. Callie's eyes went wide and he could feel her hands were starting to shake again, as she slowly worked to undo the thick, leather belt at his waist. She couldn't have guessed what awaited her when it dropped to the floor with a clunking sound. She stared at Alex's fully naked body in wonder and admiration, looking at him from head to toe and back up again.
"Your turn now, lass." His large hands were firm and surprisingly gentle, as he untied the shift ribbon at her neck that kept her shift in place. He leaned down, kissing her deeply again to relax her, before lifting it over her head and bringing his naked body flush against hers for the first time, his hands grasping her bare hips to him. He pulled Callie into another thorough, long kiss while reaching to draw back the furs to reveal a soft, white muslin sheet underneath. "I can't wait any longer. Callie, I need you."
She found herself nodding, not having any idea what he meant, but knowing she didn't want him to ever stop kissing her. She pulled his head back down to kiss her again. He groaned, taking heady pleasure in her growing boldness. Alex's kisses clearly addled her brain, she thought, if she could kiss him without waiting for an invitation. Something had started to burn deep inside her and it felt like only more of his kisses would quench this unknown thirst. Callie soon found herself beneath Alex on the bed. His full weight covered hers and she welcomed the heaviness of his solid, male body pressing her into the mattress, as his hands roamed her breasts, sides, hips, and back up to her face. She gasped when his thumb and forefinger played with a bare nipple until it pebbled like a stone. His sensual mouth broke off from their kiss, but Callie didn't have time to mourn the loss since it went to replace his hand's attention on her breast and made her gasp his name aloud. Alex continued to drop several, light kisses around it before licking its entire length while his hand traveled south to reach the delicate, wet folds between the tops of her thighs. At the moment the first finger of her husband gained entrance into her sacred place, Callie attempted to sit up on the mattress. She thought by moving away from him, she'd combat these strange feelings taking over her body, but Alex's solid weight held her pinned in place.
"What are you doing?" She gasped. "Surely, we can't..."
"Aye, we can." Alex nodded, taking a pert nipple in his mouth to lightly bite down on it with his teeth. He returned his mouth to hers, moving his tongue in time with his finger below. He paused, leaning back to gaze into her eyes. "Do you want me to stop?"
"No." Callie shook her head, begging him. "God, no! Please don't stop."
Alex immediately resumed his movements, making her gasp out his name with pleasure. The unfamiliar sensations started to build, rolling through her innocent body, as he touched her intimately with increased intensity in tandem with his tongue in her mouth. Her hips were now pushing up on their own accord to meet his movements while her hands tangled restlessly in his thick hair, trying desperately to get closer to him and appease this new, building ache in her body. His fingers were moving with the purpose of stretching her slim opening in preparation for his cock. Alex used a steady rhythm in time with his thumb pressing circles on her clit. She tried to open her mouth, wanting to ask him what was happening inside her virgin body, but found she couldn't find any words to describe how she felt. It was some time later when Callie realised that she cried out his name, unconsciously raking her fingernails into his broad back, as he lovingly held her head to his shoulder in hopes of muffling her shouts. Before she had time to come down completely from this unknown, amazing peak, Alex first wedged a knee and then his entire body between her legs, moving them apart with his hands on her thighs. He spoke in a fevered whisper in her ear while his deft fingers continued to work their magic inside her wetness again. "Christ, you're so tight. I'm very sorry, sweetheart. It's going to hurt you, Callie. I'm so sorry."
She honestly couldn't imagine why he thought anything he was doing could ever cause her any pain. She knew and felt nothing but overwhelming bliss at that moment, as she went over the edge into her first release. He showered her with more sensual, wet kisses, trying to distract her from pain he knew she would imminently feel when he joined their bodies for the first time. Alex removed his fingers and then rapidly replaced them with his cock. With one urgent, swift thrust to breach her maidenhood, Alex found himself buried deeply inside her. Callie flushed pink and she bit her lower lip, but she didn't cry as he expected. Malcolm warned Alex when they privately spoke before the wedding ceremony about the fact of brides who often cried at the moment of bedding, some of them even dissolving into total hysterics and screaming like banshees. But not his Callie and it meant the world to him to witness her sweet, untutored response. She gripped both of his forearms, looking down at their intimately joined bodies. Her large, questioning green eyes showed every emotion from pure disbelief to unabashed wonder.
She gave Alex a bashful smile, moving hair out of his eyes to quietly ask. "Was that it? Am I truly yours now?"
"Oh, aye, love! Completely mine, as I am yours." He promised with a sweet kiss to each of her flushed cheeks. "But, it's not over. This is only the beginning, sweetheart."
Alex kissed her deeply again, his hand moving to pleasure her back into another frenzied state of passion, as he taught her how to move with him. Her little gasps and panted breaths returned in full force, making her ground out his name between kisses, immensely pleasing him, and causing the build up to a very powerful release for Alex. He let himself get lost in her loving embrace which overtook his body, mind, and soul, shouting as he emptied his seed into her welcoming body.