HIGHLANDER: The Highlander’s Surrender Bride (Scottish Alpha Male Pregnancy Romance) (16 page)

Chapter 3

The smell was what woke her.  A smile curved her full lips into a drowsy grin as she dragged herself up, dreams of walking downstairs and seeing her grands standing at the oven, something delicious baking inside just like she had throughout her childhood.

    Her eyes popped open and it all came crashing back. The heart attack. The funeral. She closed her eyes again against the sadness that threatened but she fought not to give in. Alisa knew the one thing her grandmother would hate the most was her to keep grieving, but sometimes, she just missed her so much. Her wisdom and her kindness. Just like the woman Alisa wanted to be.

    Her stomach growled loudly, and noisy reminder of the absolutely scrumptious smell that was wafting in from under the door. Still exhausted from a night of hot dreams of satin sheets and soft whispers of Italian in her ear, she rose, hastily throwing on her rose colored silk robe and was drawn out and into the kitchen by whatever decadence awaited.

    “Oh my god, what is that?” She nearly groaned as her stomach rumbled hungrily again. All she’d had was a cup of coffee at the airport yesterday. She was starving.

    “Ahh, Cara mia, you’re awake. I thought you would sleep the day away.” He sent her a mock frown and Alisa couldn’t help the soft chuckle at the picture he made. He was standing in front of the stove wrapped in a knee length apron covered in a pink and blue floral print. Somehow, it didn’t look out of place on him, nor did it take away from his masculinity. Actually, it made him seem somehow more confident, a trait that she had always found irresistible in men. Unfortunately for her, it too often seemed that she mistook arrogance for confidence which was why she had been single for the past year and a half.

    “I hope you’re hungry, Bella.” He gestured her over to the small table already set with plates, silverware, and two steaming cups of coffee. “Go, sit.”

    Gratefully, she sank into the chair, wrapping her hands around the cup and holding it to her nose. “Mmmm.” The groan escaped despite herself as she inhaled the heavenly aroma of fresh brewed coffee. She opened her eyes as she realized the kitchen had gone silent, and turned to look over at Luca. He was staring at her, skillet still in one hand, his dark brown eyes hot on hers. A blush stole over her cheeks at his look, tinging them a bright scarlet and she turned back to her coffee.

    “I can’t wait to hear what noises you make when you taste my brioche.” His roughly spoken words were just loud enough for her to hear and didn’t do anything to help her flushed cheeks. Flustered, and trying to hide it, she strove for humor to put her back on an even keel.

    “Is that supposed to be a euphemism or something?”

    A surprised laugh burst out of him, and with a shake of his head he pulled something out of the oven, laid it in a basket lined with a terrycloth towel and brought it to the table. He smiled at her, still chuckling softly to himself as he took the other seat at the small table.

    “You are a very funny woman, Alisa Williams.”

    “Please, it’s just Alisa.”

    “Alright then, just Alisa,” He grinned, the familiar flash of humor turning his eyes to melting chocolate brown. He always seemed to be smiling, or laughing as if he knew some secret joke that nobody else did. But it didn’t make her feel left out, if anything it made her feel like he was somehow letting her in on it, whatever it was. She had a feeling that he just enjoyed life.

    “...what are you planning to do for the day.”

    His words drew her mind back to the conversation. She sighed. “Well, I guess I’ll have to find another place to stay.”

“Nonsense!” His vehemence was sweet, if a little startling.

“No, I can’t stay here. I just wanted a holiday alone. Peace and quiet.”

“What? What kind of Christmas is that? Besides,” He paused as he broke off a piece of

the flaky confection that had just been in the oven, steam still rising from its buttery interior. “It’s Christmas eve. You’re never going to find a place to stay now. It’s too late.”

He shook his head grimly, but that spark of laughter was still shining in his eyes.

    “You don’t...you don’t understand.”

    “What is it, cara mia?”

    Alisa looked up at him, noticing the sudden seriousness in his brown eyes as he must have seen in hers because he reached forward placing a hand over hers. Not to flirt, for once, but just to comfort. That was all. And she realized suddenly that she could tell him. There was something about him that made her want to, made her feel like she had known him her entire life than just two days.

    “It’s my grandmother. She raised me, was all the family I had. She...she passed away.” Alisa blinked rapidly, clearing her gaze before continuing. “It was a heart attack. There wasn’t anything they could do.”  Luca squeezed her hand, still trapped under his, and a wave of warmth spread through her. It had been so long since she had just sat and talked to anyone. “I had this trip booked already, and was able to change the dates at the last minute. I couldn’t stand the thought of being home all alone for Christmas. It was a time we always spent together, Grands loved it…” Her voice broke and she stopped again, and he didn’t ask her to go on. They just sat there, holding hands in an intimate silence as they both finished their breakfast.

Chapter 4

    “Cara mia, your eyes...they shine like the melon.”

    Alisa let off a peal of laughter before taking another sip of the most incredible wine she’d ever tasted.  

    “A melon?” She asked, one dark brow delicately arched. The effect was somewhat ruined by the flush from the third glass of wine heating her cheeks and the soft, husky chuckles that she couldn’t seem to stem. She had laughed more that day with Luca than she had in...Well, she couldn’t even remember it had been that long.

    After breakfast she had repacked her suitcase, given the taxi driver a call, and got all ready to go on her way only to open the front door and find them completely snowed in.  Matteo had called back to tell her that he couldn’t drive on account of the holiday, and that she should just enjoy the beautiful Christmas snow.

    And so they had.  Somehow, Luca had convinced her to go out into the sunny, snow filled landscape, and she’d had more fun than she even thought possible. They had made a giant snowman complete with a carrot nose, even though Luca grumbled about wasting perfectly good produce, and had even had a snowball fight. There had been a moment when Luca had lobbed a small, powdery ball of the frozen stuff at Alisa and as she ducked to try and evade it, had slipped on a patch of ice and fallen into the soft snow with a thud.

    He had rushed over to her, concern bright in his dark eyes which slowly faded when he neared to find her laying on her back laughing so hard she could barely breathe. He had reached a hand out to help her up and in a flurry of snow had somehow landed in a heap half on top of her. Another fit of giggles exploded out of her and Luca was soon caught up in the infectious sound.

    Not soon after, the chuckles had died down, and she had been left staring up into the most handsome face she’d ever seen, and something in his gaze changed, shifting as he stared down into her own. It had drawn across his face with a heat that had sent tingles spiraling through her body, coalescing at the most center of her.

    Like embers just waiting for the barest breeze to set them alight, her skin felt hot and too tight as he continued to stare. She had burned under that gaze, and Alisa had been so sure that he was going to lean down and kiss her, but instead he had jumped up, brushed off the dusting of snow that coated his jacket and helped her up to her feet.

    As if it had never happened he continued on, leading her back to the house talking about how beautiful she was and how they needed to warm up in front of the fireplace. Although Alisa still felt overheated from their close encounter, she went along with him. She couldn't seem to resist.

    “No, I’m sorry, my English isn’t that good,” His words dragged her thoughts away from that afternoon and back to the present. After another exquisite meal of homemade pasta marinara Luca really had started up the fire in the massive granite fireplace and they had sat, drinking and talking and laughing. Alisa felt more at ease than she ever could have imagined, and for the first time in over a year she felt she was truly where she was meant to be.

    “I meant, oh, what is it?” He took another sip of wine straight from the bottle before looking at her and snapping his fingers. “The moon! That’s it.” Suddenly, his hand was at her jaw, tilting her face up to him, trapping her gaze. “Your eyes shine like the moon.”

              Alisa at there, just staring up at him and words completely escaped. Thoughts themselves escaped her, fleeing at the heat of his touch leaving nothing but the now familiar ache that had been growing steadily within her since the first time she had walked in on him naked in the kitchen. She smiled at the memory.

              “What makes you so happy, cara mia? Tell me so I can make you smile that secret smile again.” His words were still hushed and rough, breathed against her flushed cheek.

              “Nothing. It’s nothing…”

              “It’s not nothing.” He leaned even closer until his lips just brushed her ear. “It’s definitely something, bella. Just tell me.”

              Alisa blushed even hotter but the wine had the words tumbling out before she could stop them. “It’s you.” She paused and swallowed hard. “I was remembering you. When I walked in here and saw you very, very naked.”

              He sent her a mock frown. “How could I forget? You made me ruin my famous pasta dough.”

              She chuckled with him, but it was cut off abruptly at the feel of his finger stroking down the side of her neck.

              “So, you like the way I look without clothes on?” His question brought another heat to life, an answering, pulsing heat at her already damp core. She couldn’t answer, could only nod, reminding her again of his touch as he drew his finger down her jaw line until he reached her lips. So softly she could barely feel it, he pressed the pad of his thumb across her pouty lower lip once, twice.

              His dark gaze flicked down and quickly back up again, desire, lust, and something more shining in their depths.

              “Alisa, cara mia, can I kiss you?” The words were so low she almost missed them, but there was no mistaking the look in his eyes. Hot. Urgent.

              “Ye–.” Before the word was even out of her mouth, his lips where on hers. It was so sweet, so much sweeter than she expected after seeing the raging lust storming through his brown eyes. She thought there must be an answering storm in her own because he took one quick, assessing look at her before lowering his mouth again. This time, there was no asking. He took. And it was everything she ever need, that kiss. Like breath, or water. Something critical and important and she felt like she never wanted it to end.

              She sighed in disappointment when he pulled away, her eyes slowly opening until she could look up at him in the dim light, his striking features made even more so by the flickering firelight.

              “What…”

              “Shh…” He placed a fingertip over her sensitive lips. “Close your eyes, bella.” After a moment, she acquiesced. She was used to being in control, always being in charge. She could feel the spell Luca was weaving around her, dark and seductive, as he took charge instead. It sent thunder bolts shooting through her like lightning as she savored it. It made her feel safe, and cherished, and wet. Very wet, she realized as she shifted just slightly where she was still sitting on the rug in front of the heat of the fireplace. 

              Alisa heard the sound of Luca moving around behind her and the crackling of the fire. She even thought she might hear the wind beginning to howl outside, and the beat of her heart in her ears. It was like with her eyes closed, all her other senses were magnified.

She felt the warmth of his mouth first, right at the base of her neck, at the curve of her shoulder that sent a wave of chills sweeping down her spine. An incredible heat followed and she let her breath rush out on a sigh, letting herself sink back into Luca’s hard, hot body.

    The lack of sight in the complete darkness of the power outage had all of her other sense somehow heightened. The smell of him, the sound of his low groan at her ear, but mostly, the incredible feel of him as he slid his hands all the way down her front and then slowly back up again.

    “Bella, you are so sweet,” Luca tasted her again, just resting his lips against her skin, “Sweeter than any wine, sweeter than any
cioccolato , o un fiore , il vostro calore mi attira come.
”

    Alisa didn’t even notice when he started speaking in Italian, the sounds just washing over her like silken honey, making her body feel weighted, restless. She moved against him, pressing back until she could feel all of his hard against all of her own softness. His hands caught at the curve of her hip and she couldn’t help the arch of her back that had them pushing back until she could feel him, hard and hot and twitching against the seam of his jeans.

    “
Voglio che tu, bella, è necessario, ora.
”

    “I don’t,” Alisa stopped to swallow, her throat dry as she sat panting, and the heat of the fireplace at her front and Luca scorching at her back, “I don’t know what you’re saying.”

    “Yes, you do.” His talented hand began to move again, slowly sliding up her side, sweeping the side of her breast, “You feel it, here.” His hot hand pressed over her chest like a brand, sealing right over where her heart was and she felt the headiness of the moment threaten to choke her.

              Suddenly, it was too much. She needed to see him, to touch him back. Alisa turned in his arms, and in one swift move he was laying on his back and had pulled her across him, a reverse of their position earlier in the snow. With one major difference. She wasn’t cold at all, in fact, she was burning up. From the fire, or the wine, or just Luca she wasn’t sure. All she knew was that they both had way too many clothes on.

              She reached for his t-shirt, hastily pulling the material off and running her hands down his chest, his chiseled abs. Luca grabbed the hem of her own blouse and swept it off in one smooth move. Her bra soon followed.

              “
Oh, mio dolce, dolce angelo
.” He groaned the words as her fingers went to work on the button of his jeans, and then the zipper. “
Sei cosi caldo. Cosi bella
.” 

              His words spurred her on even thought she had no idea what they meant. But by the sound of his voice, husky and urgent, she thought it must be good.

              Suddenly, he was out of patience. Flipping her onto her back, Luca had the rest of her clothes off in just a moment, his own following until they were both, blessedly naked. Alisa didn’t think she could stand another moment more without him hot and hard and pounding inside her. Her whole body ached, pulsing, and she shifted restlessly on the soft rug as he climbed between her thighs. He paused for a moment, just looking down at her, his eyes filled with so much awe that she felt her chest tightening as a wave of tenderness washed over her.

              “Cara mia, your skin,” His hands swept up the inside of her thighs making tingles explode from the contact, “your skin is like black velvet in the light of the fire. It is so beautiful. You are so beautiful.”

              His words pulled at her and she shifted again, arching her back and pushing her hips at him in the hopes that it would spur him on. It worked. With a moan that came from the center of his chest he lowered himself on top of her. His fingers moved over the most secret part of her, testing, and he groaned again at the wetness he found.

              “You are so ready for me, bella.”

              “I am. I am ready.” She panted eliciting a soft chuckle at her eagerness but it was soon wiped out as he moved his hips, resting the tip of his hard cock against her opening, teasing her, dragging it out. Torturing them both a little longer.

              “Please, Luca.” She begged. And he answered with a swift thrust of his hips that had him sinking all the way to the hilt. A loud moan echoed out of her mouth as he pulled almost all the way out only to thrust in again. Soon, he found a rhythm that had them both sweaty and panting harshly in time to the movement.

              The tension in her body continued to grow, drawing her tighter and tighter until finally on a crest of lightning sensation that flooded all the way to her fingertips and back, coalescing at her center. She bit her lip to keep from screaming, riding the wave as her muscles tightened. Luca thrust one more time before losing himself inside her on a massive groan that she felt echo through her. He collapsed on top of her and she wrapper her arms around him, holding him in place as they both tried to catch their breath.

              “Oh, wow.”

              He chuckled softly into her ear as he pulled himself up to his elbows until he was looking down at her. “Wow? That’s all you can say, cara mia.” He leaned down to give her the softest kiss before repeating, “Wow.”

              Still chuckling to himself he rolled over onto his back beside her, drawing her into the cradle of his arms until she was cocooned around him. It felt so right, laying there with him, like for the first time she was really were she belonged. Luca shifted slightly, looking at the massive grandfather clock against the far wall before tipping her head up for another kiss to her already swollen lips.

              “Merry Christmas, bella. My sweet one.”

              Alisa smiled sleepily up at him. “Merry Christmas.”

             
Best Christmas gift ever
, she thought to herself as she slowly slid into unconsciousness.