“Duncan! What are you doing?” she asked in dismay as he kicked the door closed and carried her toward the tub.

“Following my father’s example and assisting me wife in her bath.”

“But my mother, and your father—”

“Are full-grown adults. They neither need, nor would appreciate, our interference.”

Iliana frowned at that, but let it lie. “Well, what of Seonaid, then?”

“Seonaid can take care o’ herself.”

“But she is locked in her room. Obviously Lord Sherwell wishes you to get her out.”

“That is Sherwell’s problem. Every man must prove his worth.” He gave a slight laugh then.

“What?”

“I do not envy him. Seonaid is a handful, and I ken how difficult it can be to train a wife.”

“Train a wife?” she echoed slowly, beginning to glower at him as he set her on her feet before the tub.

“Aye. There are many lessons a man must teach his wife when they marry,” he assured her solemnly as he tugged her undertunic off and let it slip to the floor.

“Oh? And what, pray tell, would they be, my lord?” she asked grimly.

“Many things,” Duncan murmured, lifting her up and over the lip of the tub to set her down in the knee-high water before stepping in himself. “For instance, the value of silence.”

Iliana blinked, then closed her eyes as he bent to kiss her, his mouth caressing her own. When his lips finally lifted from hers, a small smile was tugging at the corners of her mouth. She opened her eyes slowly, understanding in their depths taking the place of her earlier indignation. “That would not be anything like teaching me to scream, would it, my lord?”

“Aye.” Nodding with satisfaction, he bent to pick up the soap, dipping it and his hands in the water they stood in, and beginning to work up a lather. “Ye’re a fast study, lass. Ye should have a full grasp o’ this subject quickly enough.”

“Not too quickly, I hope.” Iliana sighed as he began to rub the lather he had made across her chest, concentrating most of his efforts on her breasts.

“Nay,” he assured her huskily and kissed the tip of her nose, then her lips, before murmuring, “But I give ye me oath ’tis a lesson ye’ll never forget.”

“I think I begin to like yer lessons, my lord,” Iliana murmured as his soapy hands slid around to her buttocks and he pulled her tight against him. “Aye,” she gasped as she felt his manhood press against her belly. “’Tis certain I am that I do.”

Books by Lynsay Sands

THE IMMORTAL WHO LOVED ME

VAMPIRE MOST WANTED

ONE LUCKY VAMPIRE

IMMORTAL EVER AFTER

THE LADY IS A VAMP

UNDER A VAMPIRE MOON

THE BITE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

THE RELUCTANT VAMPIRE

HUNGRY FOR YOU

BORN TO BITE

BITTEN BY CUPID (WITH PAMELA PALMER AND JAMIE RUSH)

THE RENEGADE HUNTER

THE IMMORTAL HUNTER

THE ROGUE HUNTER

VAMPIRE, INTERRUPTED

VAMPIRES ARE FOREVER