Chapter Twenty
All five of them stared at her now. They were talking amongst themselves and never even noticed her walking towards them. Andrew eyed her now from top to bottom. How did he not see the subtle changes in her? The gown was much too tight, her face was slightly fuller, she was glowing, she was even more beautiful.
"Jesu," Andrew muttered to himself, looking away from Emma. Ian was right, he needed to have more gowns made for her. If she walked around with her breasts practically spilling out of her gown, the entire castle will be lusting after her. There was no way that any man in the castle was going to catch a glimpse of what was his.
"Emma...we were discussing having some new gowns made for ye," Andrew smiled at her and took her hand. Kissing her knuckles, he stared deeply in her violet eyes, he didn't think it was possible to love her any more then he already did, but knowing that she was carrying his child, made him love her that much more.
Andrew could hear some snickering coming from one of his brothers, most likely Grant, but he just ignored him. He would deal with him later.
Looking down at herself..."I dinna need any new gowns Andrew," Emma told him. "Tis still a trunk full of your Mother's gowns that I dinna even try on yet."
"Ah....." Andrew shifted nervously on his feet and looked over at Ian for help. "Ah.....I would like ye to have some new gowns made Emma, ye dinna need to use my Mother's old ones." From behind him, Andrew knew for sure it was Grant........he heard him mumble...."coward"..... then he heard Robert snickering. Again, he just ignored them. This was difficult enough telling his wife that she was getting bigger. All women were delicate about their weight.
"I dinna mind Andrew," Emma told him sweetly. "Your Mama's gowns are so beautiful."
Looking over at Ian pleading with him for his assistance........Ian would help him.........the other two were just in it for the amusement in watching Andrew squirm. "Ah.....Emma...." Ian started. "I was thinking of going to the village and see if ........ah.......perhaps Gillian could come up to the castle and help ye make some new gowns for yourself."
"Tthat would be lovely Ian," Emma beamed. "Ye will tell her to bring Duncan.....aye!"
"I forgot about wee Duncan. Aye, I will ask her to bring him along," Ian told her back. "Well......I best be off." Ian said standing and getting ready to leave.
"Ye will take Grant with ye Ian," Andrew glared at his youngest brother with a smirk on his face.
"Och....nae Andrew............I dinna want to miss anything," Grant grinned back. He was enjoying watching Andrew squirm, not really knowing how to deal with his wife's delicate condition.
"Grant," Angus called to him as he stood and adjusted his plaid, "Ye will attend with Ian." He gave him a look that dared him to defy him and see what the consequences would be.
"Aye," Grant grumbled and stood up. Lowering himself closer to Robert so that only Robert could hear........"Ye will tell me what I missed." Grinning.....Robert just nodded.
"Emma," Angus called to her, his eyes twinkling whenever he looked at his daughter-in-law...."Ye know the storage room is full of bolts of cloth....ye make yourself some new gowns."
"Thank ye Angus, ye are so very kind," Emma told him and gave him one of her brilliant smiles.
Emma was yawning now, Andrew realized that he completely missed all the signs that Ian apparently picked up on. He really needed to start paying more attention to his wife.
"Come Emma," Andrew took her hand. "Ye are tired."
"Aye," Emma said as she muffled another yawn. "I dinna know why Andrew........tis every day after midday meal, I'm so very tired."
Clearing his throat..........."Ah....Andrew..........tis something that ye want to tell to Emma?" Robert said ever so sweetly with amusement in his eyes.
"Robert!" Angus said with a warning. "Ye and I have some business to attend to in the solar."
"We do?" Robert question back.
"Aye!" Angus replied and started walking out of the hall. Robert knew that he better not linger behind for his Da would surely bellow his name across the hall and embarrass him.
After helping Emma out of her gown, she climbed into their bed with only her chemise on. "Ye will join me Andrew," Emma asked him sweetly. Andrew didn't have anything pressing to do, the snow started to fall once again, not allowing the men to train. Grant and Ian were gone, his Da and Robert were up to something........ and seeing his warm inviting bed with his lush wife in it was all the encouragement that Andrew needed.
Shedding all of his clothes, he climbed into bed with Emma. Spooning her from behind, one arm around her waist, the other tucked underneath her head. His poor wife, she had sleep on her mind and his body was already wanting hers. It didn't take long for his manhood to stir, just the smell of Emma's soft floral scent intoxicated him.
Placing soft kisses on her bare shoulders, working his way up to her ear and nibbling on her lobe, Andrew could already hear her soft even breathing. She was already drifting off to sleep, he should probably leave her alone. His body was screaming for hers, but in his mind, he knew she needed to sleep.
Pulling his lips away from her warm skin, Andrew shifted a bit so that his erection wasn't poking her. Just holding her in his arms would be enough. When she squirm backwards and rubbed her bottom onto him, Andrew's eyes opened wide. She tugged his hand and cupped her breast with it........."Dinna stop Andrew," Emma whispered dreamily.
Groaning now.........there was no way that Andrew was going to stop, not when she asked him not to. Tugging down her chemise until both her breasts spilled free, Andrew still couldn't believe he didn't see the signs. Her breasts were so much more lush and full, so much more sensitive too he noticed as he started tugging on her nipple and Emma started moaning.
Turning her face so that he could plunder the sweet nectar of her mouth, apples and cinnamon was what he tasted. Exploring her mouth with his tongue, he could never get enough of her. The little mewling sounds she made at the back of her throat drove him crazy with desire.
She reached over now with her free hand and grasped his erection. She started stroking him, the sensations of her soft hand on his hard shaft was going to take him over the edge far too soon. When he lost control, he wanted to be buried deep inside her warmth.
Removing her hand ever so gently, taking it, he placed it onto her mound and held it there. Lifting her leg and hitching it up over his, he opened her up for pleasure. "Mmmmm....so beautiful ye are," Andrew whispered against her lips. Her soft curls were already moist with her desire, taking her fingers with his, he spread her petal soft lips and together they started pleasuring her.
Her eyes flew open then, she pulled out of the kiss, staring at Andrew. "I canna touch myself Andrew," Emma whisper to him, her voice husky from the sensations she was receiving.
"Aye....ye can Emma.........tis no sin my love," Andrew whispered back, claiming her mouth once again. Slowly Andrew guided her fingers across her nub, circling it, showing her how to pleasure herself.
She was going to come undone soon, he could feel her tremors starting, she was sucking harder onto his tongue, pulling him deeper into her mouth. Her hips started to buck against him, Andrew groaned from the sensations of her soft buttocks thrusting back against his throbbing erection. She called out his name....... that always made him smile, while she exploded in sheer ecstasy.
Her eyes were fluttering while she was riding out her last tremors, she was so very beautiful. Her eyes slowly opened and looked at him, filled with love, with lust, with desire, Andrew almost spilled his seed just right then and there.
Taking her fingers now that had just been pleasuring her, they were damp with her nectar, he traced her lips with them. He didn't shock her then, but she did when she licked her own lips and tasted herself.
"Jesu," Andrew groaned out........"Ye are going to kill me lass."
He couldn't wait anymore and he thrust into her warm inviting heat. Emma cried out in pleasure at his first thrust and Andrew stilled. He wasn't sure if they could make love while she was with child. They had made love the night before, early this morning as well.......even before he knew she was expecting. She was fine, he would just have to remember to be gentle.
Moving slowly in and out of her was killing him, but he would do anything to keep their child safe. Emma wasn't having it though, she thrusted her hips back into his and demanded he go harder.
They both didn't last much longer. The fire between them was burning so fiercly, they both exploded crying each other's name. Andrew fell asleep just as quickly as Emma did, he was still buried deep inside her, exactly where he wanted to be.
His elbows on his knees, chin cradled in his hands, Andrew stared deeply into the flames of the fire in front of him. He slept for a couple of hours, from what he could tell by the light streaming into their chamber, Emma still slept on. He'd been awake for a while now, first he sat up in bed just watching Emma sleep.
Her porcelain skin, so soft and warm, he traced patterns with his fingertips on her bare shoulders. Her were lips parted, still rosy from their lovemaking tempted Andrew to place a feather-light kiss on them. He now traced the contours of her body with his big strong hand. She was so delicate, so very precious to him. His hand finally rested on her belly, where their child was snuggled deep in Emma's womb.
Now he sat contemplating his life. How his life had changed in the few months since he first found Emma. He was in love, married and if Ian was correct, going to become a Da come the summer. He wasn't just responsible for himself and his clan anymore..........Emma and his unborn child meant more to him than anything, and they would always come first and foremost in his life.
His emotions were running high, he wiped a bit of moisture coming from his eyes, he was so lost in thought that he didn't hear Emma softly call his name. He felt her now, her warm palm resting on his shoulder, comforting him, all he needed in life was what was with him now.
She came around and knelt in front of him, she gave him one of her warm smiles but frowned when he knew she saw his face. "Andrew," she whispered and cupped his jaw. "Are ye not well?" The look of love and concern in her eyes wrapped around his heart and held him tightly.
He didn't know how to say it, didn't know how to bring up if she was expecting or not. Hell....he definitely didn't want to mention her woman's time to her. He needed to though, he wanted to know and she needed to know as well.
"Emma," Andrew softly called her name as he brushed his knuckles across her cheek. The glow of the fire behind her silhouetted the lush curves of her body through her thin chemise. Her hair cascaded down her back, curling softly at the ends and her eyes were filled with wonder. Choking up, he cleared his throat and looked at her........."Do ye think that ye may be carrying our bairn?"
Her eyes went wide and her hands flew to her belly and in a protective loving gesture. "Ah.......ye dinna get your.........ah........your..." clearing his throat once more..."ah your courses this month." He could see that she was mentally calculating in her mind when the last time was. He was keeping his fingers crossed that Ian was right, that she was expecting.
Finally after what seemed like it was forever........"Tis been six weeks Andrew, twas about a sennight after we married that I got my courses," Emma said as she looked up at him from staring at her hand on her belly. "Do ye think I'm carrying our bairn?" Emotional now too, her eyes pooled with tears and as the first one spilled over, Andrew was there to catch it with a kiss.
"Aye....I do," Andrew told her as he kissed away more tears that fell. "Ye are more tired my love, ye eat more," he watched as she blushed and bowed her head, so beautiful she was...."your breasts....are larger." He grinned when he told her that, she grinned too.
"Aye....I notice they were," Emma shyly said. "Twas difficult to lace up my gown this morn." Turning serious now, tears pooling again............"Ye are happy Andrew?" she whispered out.
"Aye Emma," Andrew kissed her forehead and pulled her into the warmth of his embrace..........."I'm so very happy. Ye make me so very happy."
They lay there for a long while, talking, kissing, caressing in front of the fire. Andrew summoned a servant and had their evening meal brought to their chamber so that they could eat in private. This time was for themselves, the family could wait until the morrow for their announcement. Andrew told Emma that his Da and brother's already knew about the bairn, he explained to Emma about Ian's assumption. She giggled about that saying that Ian knew her better then she knew herself.
They argued about love making. Andrew decided that every time would be gentle and slow whereas Emma refused. "I willna break Andrew," Emma told him sternly.
"I know ye willna break Emma, but tis the bairn that I'm concerned about," Andrew pleaded with her.
"I will ask Gillian then when she comes up to the castle," Emma teased him then.
He had to chuckled, after that first time that he took Emma up against the wall, it had been fierce love making, Emma had loved every minute of it, but she was too shy and embarrassed to ask for that again. Finally after mustering up enough courage, she whispered in Andrew's ear that that was her favourite position. Now his little vixen demanded that.
They slept that night peacefully in each other arms. Their hands entwined, laying across her belly in a protective way, ensuring the safety and love for their child.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~