Ghis (closed)

[KieranSoares]

Brogan busied himself opening up the crates as they were mostly nailed shut, and he helped her to put away her clothes. Soon, a couple men returned, "M'keng, we got 'old of a bookshelf like ya asked."

"Good. Thank ya, lads, jus' set it down." The two obeyed and set down the great shelf before heading out. Brogan looked to Julia, "I know ya like readin', so..."

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia was just folding away her last gown when Brogan had the men bring in a bookshelf of hard wood. She was surprised that he had thought to give her a space to store her precious books. It actually made her tear up when he told her that he knew she liked reading. It was such an odd thing for her husband to remember about her and she thought that he hadn’t been paying attention.

“Thank you, Brogan.” She said softly, kissing him again in a show of thanks. “If you do much more, I’ll think you’re spoiling me.”

A smile for him and she turned back to unpacking. Her small collection of books were placed on the shelf along with her combs and jewelry. Once the final pieces were in place, she sat down on the edge of his bed with a sigh and smiled to herself. She never thought that it would feel so good to see something familiar in such a foreign place.

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan stood in the center of the room, looking over all the things around him now that gave him an odd feeling. How strange that Julia's bookshelf had ended up in the same corner as Cassandra's had been... But he didn't let it get to him. Cassie was gone, Julia was here now, and Brogan's hope for having a good marriage was being restored bit by bit after the massive setbacks that he blamed himself for.

He turned with a smile to Julia, "I 'ope y'feel more at 'ome now, darlin'."

 

[heartofcourage]

“I think I am more every day.” Julia answered, smiling back at Brogan as he turned towards her with such a hopeful look.

She sucked in a breath, wondering what was going through his mind at that moment. Was he thinking about Cassandra and the day that she moved into his room in the keep? Was he thinking about Annie and how much the little girl would have changed since the last time he saw her? It was wrong to feel upset over the fact that Brogan had once had a family. She had to show him that she didn’t think any differently of him.

“Will you be staying this evening, Brogan? I thought that maybe we could sit and talk tonight…unless you needed to be back at the lumber camp.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"If y'want me t'stay, I will. Ain' a thing says I've got t'go back." He took her hands in his own, warm as ever. How the man kept so warm in the bitter Scottish cold was entirely a mystery. "What is it y'want t'talk about, love?" He knelt before her, and hesitating at first, he laid his head on her lap. He was almost afraid she'd think he was weak if he showed this softer side.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia smiled slightly as Brogan rested his head in her lap, his hand gripping hers in their warmth. She let out a little sigh as her mind quickly struggled to come up with a question to ask him. It had been a ploy to get him to stay the evening and she wasn’t so sure that he would actually take the bait.

“Well, when your brother arrives, what shall we do to entertain him? What does he like to do?” She asked him, pulling a hand free from his to stroke through his thick hair gently.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well... Boar got 'is name from 'ow much 'e likes huntin' wild boars. Knowin' 'im, that's what 'e'll want t'do th'day after 'e arrives. But when 'e's 'ere... 'E loves jus' talkin'. An' if 'e gets in trouble, jus' call 'im by 'is real name, Lynn," Brogan chuckled at that.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia laughed softly with Brogan, loving the way his voice deepened with a warmer tone as he told her about his brother. This was the kind man that she had always dreamed about and known was there.

“And his wife? What about her? I suppose it’ll be my job to keep her entertained.” She said, her fingers still stroking through his thick, dark hair.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I ain' e'er met 'er," he answered softly, "Don' know a thing 'bout 'er. Boar ain' th' kind t'write letters." He chuckled again and lifted his head, picking himself up just enough to kiss her. Previous conversation forgotten, he asked quietly: "How can y'be so kind t'me when I'm nothin' but secretive and mean t'ya?"

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia stared at Brogan for a long moment after he’d asked his question. She blew out a breath as she thought about it before she answered him.

“I suppose I don’t know how to be mean to someone. Besides, you’re my husband and since we’re married until death parts us it’s probably best if we keep some sort of peace.” She said softly, giving him a small smile as she reached out to cup his cheeks, bringing him in for another kiss.

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan gladly returned her kiss, wrapping his arms around her as he did. There was that passion again, tempered further with gentility. When he broke their kiss, he set his forehead to hers as he lifted a hand to caress her cheek. He was finding it became easier and easier to care for her the more of these calm moments they had. "Yer a lovely lass, y'know... Not jus' beautiful."

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia sighed as his strong arms wrapped around her body, pulled her tightly and engulfing her in a passion that she’d only experienced with Ciaran. She gasped as he broke the kiss and pressed his forehead against hers, a smile parting her lips as he lifted his hand to caress her cheek.

“And you’re a good man.” She said softly as he commented her on being lovely, not just in face and body, but in mind and spirit as well. “You are easy to care for when you’re not so serious.”

She knew that the way he was holding her so tightly would soon lead to their bed and she wasn’t entirely against the thought of joining him between the sheets. He was a kind lover, a little silent, but she could find herself giving her entire heart to him as their relationship continued.

“I think I’d like you to take me to bed, Brogan.” She murmured softly, her eyes softening as she stared into his dark gaze.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Yer wish is my command, love," was his soft answer. This time, it really did feel like he was doing it for her, not just his own pleasure. With one more kiss, his lips soon trailed to her neck. It was becoming apparent that Brogan had a growing obsession with her skin. He wasted little time in unlacing her dress so that he could have access to more of it. But as he did and her sleeves fell away, he saw the remaining bruises from when he'd pinned her the night before their marriage. This caused him to pause a moment, looking quite disgusted with himself. But he shook it away, kissing along her collarbone as if in apology as his fingers ever so gently skimmed the clear marks of his hands. Finally, he rose to his feet, leaning her back against the bed. He pulled back only briefly to shed the belts around his waist and across his chest and his black kilt.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia gasped as Brogan’s lips trailed from her lips down her throat. Tiling her head backwards, she allowed him more access to her skin as she felt Brogan’s fingers pulling apart the laces of her gown. He had a way about him that made her weak at the knees and he was certainly showing her a side that she hadn’t been before.

She felt him pause briefly as the bruises on her arms were revealed and she wondered what he thought about them. He had placed them their during their first fight, but it seemed that he regretted that immensely. That was shown to her as he caressed his rough hands over her skin and continued to kiss a trail down her collarbone.

When he finally rose to his feet, she was pressed back onto the mattress, his body looming over her as he started to shed his belts and kilt. She nibbled on her lower lip as her fingers reached for her undergarments, pulling them away from her body in the most seductive way she would think of. She didn’t want him to see Cassandra as they made love. She wanted to be the only woman in his world.

Under his dark gaze, she ever so slowly trailed her hands down her body, her fingers grazing over extremely hard nipples until she gasped with the pleasure of it. She wanted his full attention and it seemed like she was well on the way to getting that.

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan was taken a bit by surprise by this new side of her, giving him such a show, and she had his full attention with it. An amused and aroused smirk came to his lips and she could feel him begin to harden against her thigh as he leaned closer. His own fingers joined her own, lightly massaging and pinching one hard nipple. It seemed that their time in bed had gone from duty to mutual pleasure quite suddenly.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia whimpered hotly as Brogan smirked and leaned back over her body. She could feel the proof of his arousal making itself known as he pressed against her thighs. Then he startled her by using his own fingers to massage and pinch her hard nipples until she moaned and her body started to arch off the bed.

She was so new to the play between men and women that her body made certain to tell Brogan exactly what she liked and wanted. Very gently, her hands covered his large, rough hands, encouraging him to touch and explore.

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan took her encouragement and ran with it, letting his huge, warm palm lay across her slender stomach, and his wide hand slid slowly down to her waist and over her hip. Then, a thought crossed his mind. Distracting her with a searing kiss, his fingers found their way to her inner thighs and the blossom between. Two fingers parted her folds, stroking across the wet, tender flesh within.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia found that she liked the feel of Brogan’s hands on her. His touch was different from Ciaran’s. He tentatively touched her where Ciaran was more sure and passionate. Julia never thought that she’d be comparing two lovers and the thought made her blush deeply.

Suddenly, Brogan’s lips were upon hers, kissing her with a searing passion that made her toes curl. She whimpered against him, moaning as she felt his fingers tracing down her body and parting her wet folds. Her hands found their way to his shoulders, her fingers digging into his skin as he stroked along the tender flesh, eliciting whimpers and sighs from deep within her.

 

[KieranSoares]

As much as he enjoyed this moment of pleasuring her, his own lust was growing quickly. Tempering primal need with a steady mind, he drew his hand away to wrap it beneath her thigh, parting her legs just a bit further as his opposite hand reached down to unbutton the front of his dark trousers. His rock-hard shaft revealed, he leaned in close to kiss her again as the blunt head pressed to her moist entrance. For the first time, he groaned aloud as he pushed deep inside her. It was almost a beautiful sound, telling Julia that he was beginning to truly open up to her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia was trembling as he parted her thighs, opening her body to him as he reached between them and unbuttoned his trousers. She felt the warmth of his hard cock radiating to her body as he leaned in close and kissed her in another passionate moment. She whimpered again, her hands still clenching his shoulders tightly as the blunt head of his cock pressed against her wet folds.

She shivered at the sound of his groan as he pushed deep inside of her with a single thrust. The very sound brought tears to her eyes, telling her that he was finally starting to open up to her with every aspect of his life. A hand left his shoulder, tangling in his thick hair as her body rocked under the force of his thrust. As their kiss broke, she pressed her forehead tightly against his, panting as the heat of their coupling made a fine sheen of sweat break out over her skin.

“More, Brogan. I want to feel like yours completely.” She whispered, telling him her deepest desires.

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan gladly and loyally obeyed, wrapping both arms around her now. He took his time with slow, deep thrusts. His lips locked against hers passionately, losing himself in loving her. But unfortunately, it did not last long. Hardly ten minutes lately, an urgent knock sounded on the door, and Cole's voice came through.

"M'keng, Brogan! We need ya outside!"

"Go away, Cole," Brogan growled dangerously, turning to glare at the closed door as he paused.

"Sir, it's Wick! I think they're about t'attack us!" That got Brogan's attention.

"I'll be out in ten minutes..." Brogan grunted, and Cole hurried away, his boots echoing down the hall. Brogan forced himself away from Julia as much as he wished he could stay, fixing his trousers and pulling on his kilt, a tunic, and his belts with his claymore. As he pulled his cloak on, he returned to to Julia's side, kneeling down at the bedside to kiss her. "I'm sorry, darlin'... But yer safety matters more t'me than pleasure..."

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia smiled broadly as Brogan’s strong arms wrapped around her body, pulling her close as he thrust into her body with careful, deep motions. She moaned and whimpered, her eyes fluttering close as he kissed her passionately. Her lips clung to his, her tongue moving against his with a soft motion. She could lose herself in moments like this and she most certainly was learning to love her husband is so many new ways.

All of that was shattered by frantic knocking at their door. She let out a frustrated sigh as she heard Cole calling for Brogan and it seemed that Brogan shared her frustration as he growled at him to go away. The first mention of Wick’s name and Brogan was pulling away, leaving her trembling, scared, and unsatisfied on the bed.

She reached for a bed sheet, pulling it over her body as she watched Brogan dress in a hurry. They were being attacked? Why? Julia was about to rise when Brogan returned to her side, a kiss pressed to her lips as he apologize for their time cut short.

“Return to me safely, Brogan. That’s all I ask for.” She said softly, kissing him once more and trying not to let him see her fear.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll do m'best... You keep safe too, go stay with m'mother, she'll be awake. I'll protect ya an' Inverness, I promise." He vowed, taking her hand in both his own. He met her eyes, and something new appeared in his gaze. Softly, almost fearfully to admit it and show his soft side, he whispered, "... I love you, Julia." He kissed her hand and rose to head to the door. As he opened it, he paused once more to look back at her, hesitating to leave her, but finally, he pulled himself away and took off running down the hall, the door swinging closed quietly behind him.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia was stunned as Brogan took her hand in his, whispering that he loved her before he kissed her hand and made to leave the room. The confession took the breath from her lungs and she felt tears prick her eyes. Brogan loved her? That was certainly unexpected, she thought to herself as she met his gaze and then finally pulled himself from the room.

She was sure that having to face down the same enemy that had killed his first wife had something to do with the confession that he’d made. Oh, she didn’t know what to think. She could find herself wanting to love him, hoping to love him, and feeling guilty for what she’d done with Ciaran. She loved Ciaran just as fiercely as she loved Brogan…it was all so confusing.

Rising from the bed, she pulled on her undergarments and then a fresh blue dress. Wrapping a brown woolen shawl over her shoulders, she slipped into a pair of slippers and grabbed her knitting. She would spend the evening with Kitty and hopefully work out the conflicting emotions in her head.

 

[KieranSoares]

As she went to join Kitty, Valentina came running down the hall past her, a hand gripped on her sword at her side. But soon also came Ciaran, having come to gather the men from the Keep. He slid to a halt beside Julia, "Hey," he stopped her, "y'okay? Y'look like somethin's wrong." He set a hand on her cheek, his eyes registering gentle worry.