"You gave me a start."

Alec pulled her into his arms, ignoring her plea not to ruin her skirt's folds.

He lifted her up, until she was at eye level. His mouth was a convenient breath away from hers. "I'll fix your pleats," he promised in a husky growl.

Jamie threaded her fingers through his hair and slowly leaned forward.

He met her halfway. His mouth settled on hers with blatant ownership. His tongue drove inside. He wanted to ravish her, to force any resistance away, but when she rubbed her tongue against his, he realized she didn't need to be convinced.

She wanted to be appeased.

A shudder coursed through him; Jamie moaned in response. Alec lifted his mouth away from hers. He wanted to see the passion in her eyes.

"You're hot for me, aren't you, love?" he whispered.

She pulled on his hair to bring him back to her. He heard her sexy little whimper and gave her a growl in reply. He silenced her noise with another deep, tongue-thrusting kiss, then planted wet kisses along the column of her neck.

He took great delight in telling her what he wanted her to do to him with her soft, wet mouth, how he wanted her to take him inside her again, how he wanted to feel her squeezing him tight. He spoke in Gaelic, of course, just to confuse her.

His game trapped him, though, for he wanted her too much now to stop. He carried her over to the bed. His mouth slanted over hers again and again, allowing her no protest of his obvious intentions. He braced their fall into the center of the covers with his arm. With one forceful motion, he'd spread her legs and positioned himself be tween her thighs. He trapped the sides of her face with his big hands as he thrust his arousal against her.

He was nearly out of control now. Jamie's nails dug into his back. She drew her knees up so she could feel more of him against her. Alec drove his tongue all the way to the back of her throat and started pulling her clothes off.

Jamie suddenly tensed against him. She began to struggle, too, pushing against his shoulders with surprising strength as she tore her mouth away from his.

He heard the noise then, yet it still took him painful minutes before he could remember the time of day, his duties, their guests.

With an angry expletive, Alec lifted his head away. He braced himself on his elbows and looked down at the enticing woman sprawled under him.

She looked thoroughly ravished. He nodded with satisfaction. Her lips were a bit swollen, rosy, and too appealing for his peace of mind. He kissed her again, a hard, quick kiss.

"Do you know why I just kissed you, Jamie?"

She shook her head.

"To remind you whom you belong to."

Her eyes widened over that announcement. Alec pulled her to her feet, then refashioned her plaid with incredible speed.

He was walking away from her when she called out, "Do you know why I kissed you back, husband?"

She was prepared to remind him that he also belonged to her, but the arrogant man wouldn't let her. "Because you liked it."

His pleats were perfect, she'd give him that. She patted her hair, straightened her shoulders, and went back into the hall.

"Jamie?"

"Yes, husband?"

"Father Murdock will escort you outside. I'll join you soon."

Alec waited until his wife had left the hall, then motioned to the two soldiers still standing guard above the stairs.

"Don't let her out of your sight," he ordered. "Stay within ten paces of your mistress."

The two soldiers hurried to do his bidding. "Send Colin to me," Alec called out.

"Harold's second-in-command is here, too?" Gavin asked.

Alec nodded. "He has news he wants to share with us," he explained.

"Your wife wasn't very impressed with Justin's handsome looks, was she?" Gavin asked.

"I never thought she'd find him handsome," Alec lied.

Colin must have been waiting right outside the doors, Alec decided, for he was already rushing down the steps to the great hall. The gray-haired man was obviously in quite a hurry to relay his messages to the Kincaid.

The time got away from Alec. He became embroiled in a heated debate about the possible union of the Highland clans. He insisted it wasn't possible. Colin was just as vehement in his opinion that it was very possible.

Alec was damned if he would let Colin leave the hall before agreeing with him.

Colin, if the set of his jaw was a true indication, was just as determined to sway Alec's judgment.

Jamie came rushing into the hall. Alec gave his wife only a quick glance before turning back to his guest.

He looked up again when she stood at his side. Alec thought she looked angry enough to spit fire. After giving her a frown to let her know he didn't want to be interrupted, he turned back to Colin.

She wasn't about to be ignored. Jamie prodded his upper arm. She managed a weak smile for the soldier speaking to Alec, then said, "Pray forgive me, sir, for interrupting this discussion."

Alec, believing her anger was due to her impatient nature, was quick with his reply. "You'll have to wait, wife."

"Alec, this can't wait."

"Aren't you capable of handling this problem?"

"I didn't say I wasn't capable," she argued.

"Then handle it."

His tone of voice infuriated her, though not nearly as much as his rude dismissal. He turned his back on her and calmly asked the soldier to continue.

Both Gavin and Marcus gave her sympathetic looks. She nodded to them as she walked back to the entrance.

Alec glanced up when Jamie stopped near the archway. She was staring up at the display of weapons hanging from their hooks. Alec tried to give Colin his undivided attention, but that determination was forgotten when Jamie reached up and tried to lift a long club into her arms.

The weight of the weapon must have been too much for her. Her grip lessened and the club bounced to the floor with a resounding thud.

She was determined, however. She'd gained everyone's full attention, too. No one said a word as they watched Jamie drag the club up the stairs and out the doorway.

Alec could hear her muttering over the clatter the club was making on the stone floor.

He continued to stare at the entrance a long while after she'd gone, wondering what in God's name his gentle little wife needed a club for.

The answer came to him in a blinding flash. Justin!

Alec bounded out of his chair with a roar of fury. The sound nearly drowned out the screams coming from the courtyard.

Alec ran outside, trailed by the three soldiers. The scene he witnessed so astonished him, he stopped in his tracks.

The priest was standing next to Jamie. The look on Father Murdock's face was one of stunned disbelief. Jamie wasn't looking at the priest, though. No, she was staring at the ground, frowning intently at Harold's son. The future laird was sprawled on his stomach and trying without much success to regain his feet.

"If you ever try to touch me again, I'll hit you twice as hard," Jamie shouted.

"I'll have your word, Justin, before I let you up."

"Milady," Father Murdock interrupted, all but strangling on his words. "He doesn't understand-"

Jamie didn't let the priest finish his sentence. She assumed he meant to tell her Justin didn't understand her language. "Oh, he knows why I hit him, all right," she stated, speaking in Gaelic now. "He understands."

"But, Jamie, lass," Father Murdock said, trying to explain once again.

The man on the ground dared to look furious instead of contrite. He was slow to learn his lesson, Jamie decided. "How dare you touch me?" she asked in a furious voice. "I'm Alec Kincaid's wife, you fool. And I happen to love the man with a passion you'll probably never even imagine."

"Milady?" Gavin interrupted.

"Stay out of this, Gavin," Jamie commanded. She didn't dare take her gaze away from the soldier on the ground, or let up her hold on her weapon. "Alec has instructed me to take care of this problem and I won't have your interference. I told Justin I'd come back with something to make his knees weak and I did."