Chapter 9: The Raid

After breakfast, the rent party prepared to head out. Dougal had arrived back only an hour before after breaking the bad news to Randall of Claire's marriage. He was anxious to get out of the area as quickly as possible to avoid whatever wrath might be coming from that direction. He had decided to turn back towards Leoch, given the circumstances.

Once on the road, they set a deliberate pace, stopping at the remaining villages along the way, pausing at taverns each night to sleep. Jamie and Claire enjoyed their new-found intimacy and the freedom to express it. They hung on each other's every word, gave each other secret touches and sweet kisses during the day, and at night they made passionate love. Sometimes, they would sneak away from the group on the road to find some private spot in a grassy meadow or forest floor where they could love each other again.

After one such occasion, when they had rejoined the group, Murtaugh rode up next to Jamie and said, softly, "It looks like marriage suits ye, lad, 'tho you look like a wild deer at the end of rutting season."

Jamie grinned broadly. "Aye, weel, she certainly has that effect on me, Murtaugh." He looked over at Claire. "And I wouldna have it any other way."

Murtaugh gave him a slight smile and a wink, then reined on ahead.

A few nights later, they set up camp near a rocky outcropping. There were no inns or taverns within a day's ride, so they had to rough it for the night. The men all sat around the fire telling stories and eating the supper that Murtaugh had fixed. Claire learned, to her surprise, that he was actually quite a good cook.

Jamie and Claire sat just outside of the circle with Claire leaning back against Jamie's chest, his arms wrapped around her and his legs on either side of her. His chin rested on her right shoulder as he whispered in her ear.

"Mmm, I love that fine fat arse wedged between my thighs, Sassenach. I want to ride that sweet arse till morning."

She turned her head just slightly, smiling mischievously. "Oh do you now? And how to you plan to manage that with 20 men sitting right next to us?" she replied.

"Oh, I have a plan. First, I'll..." he began, but was interrupted by a loud noise. He jumped up to his feet, pulling Claire up with him. He put his face close to hers and said, "It's a raid, Sassenach. Go hide behind that fallen tree and don't come out until I come get you."

He moved off towards the wagons where he heard the commotion. Claire ran behind the log as instructed, breath heaving in fear. She heard sounds of apparent struggle near the wagons and after a few minutes, she heard Jamie walk back with the other men into the camp.

She looked tentatively out from behind the log and called out, "Jamie?"

He looked over to her and said, "Sassenach! It's ok, lass. You can come out now. Yer safe." She ran to him and he hugged her with great vigor.

She studied his animated expression. "Jamie, you look like you actually enjoyed that."

"Aye, Sassenach. 'Twas naught but a raid. It's all in fun. They didna mean to kill us."

"Fun?" she said, incredulous, "I will never understand you highlanders."

"Och, Claire. Dinna fash. You're safe here with me. I promised you the protection of my body, remember?" he said, a sly look forming on his face.

"Yes...but," she started.

His face took on a look of calculated mischief. "And speaking of my body, Sassenach, I think it is time to retire so I can protect you properly with it." He smiled and grabbed her, pulling her roughly to his body. Then he kissed her deeply.

After she caught her breath she said, "Jamie! What has got into you?"

"The question is, what is going to get into *you*?" he grinned, excitedly.

"Jamie!" she looked at him, shocked at his behavior.

"Oh Sassenach, when a man fights it gives him a terrible cockstand after." He demonstrated this by pushing his hips into her skirt.

"I can feel that. But why?"

"Excitement of the chase, I suppose. All I know is it almost always happens. And now," he said grinning, "I actually have someone to help me take care of it. Come on, Sassenach. Let's go to bed." He led her by the hand through the woods to a flat rock, just outside the clearing. He had laid down soft moss and leaves to make a sort of pallet for them to sleep on. He reached for her and pulled her down to lay on their makeshift bed beside him.

He wasted no time. His hands immediately started pushing up the front of her skirts, caressing her soft thighs as he made his way up to the slippery cleft between her legs.

"Lord, it's as slippery as waterweed," he said, stroking the part in question.

"Jamie!" she exclaimed in a whisper. "The others will hear!"

He stopped her protests with his mouth as he continued his efforts beneath her skirts.

After a moment he whispered, "Dinna fash, Sassenach, it's my husbandly duty to satisfy you,

after all," he grinned slyly. "The men won't begrudge me that. At least...not a lot."

"But..." she started, but the only sound that came after was a moan in response to his hard cock, placed in her hand. "Christ, Jamie!"

"See, lass? I told ye. Now, how about ye help me relieve my suffering?"

She did. Her legs parted and he swiftly took her, rocking back and forth with a force that made her back rub roughly on the flat rock. She didn't care, though. All that she knew was the exquisite feeling of him inside her, riding her to oblivion. She was so excited by this time that she couldn't contain her cries of pleasure. He swallowed some with his kisses, and when he couldn't hold off any longer, he had his release, shattering him until he fell heavily onto her chest. She cried out into his shirt, hoping to muffle the sound, as her own climax pulsed through her and through him. She wrapped her legs around his hips, squeezing him deeper into her in order to keep the connection.

His breath was hot on her ear as he whimpered, "Claire."

After the final tremors abated, she loosened her grip on him and let her legs fall to the rock. He rolled to the side and began discreetly pulling her skirt down, for modesty's sake, drawing her close.

"God, Claire," he said, stroking her cheek with his callused hand, "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. The way your pale skin gets all flushed when I love you. The sounds you make when I take ye fierce. The feel of yer heartbeat quickening when I touch ye. Oh, Claire. You do kill me wi' loving ye."

Claire looked up at him with love, eyes full of unshed tears. "Jamie, my love. Oh, how I do love you."

She relaxed into his embrace and they held each other close as they drifted off to sleep.