The Highlander Series(34)
He evoked a restless, cagey feeling that made her want to squirm right out of her skin. And when he raised his hands to slide them up her arms, she shivered, trembling all the way down to her toes.
When he pulled away, she was dazed and she stared at him in absolute confusion.
“Ah, lass, what you do to me,” he whispered.
She blinked rapidly as she attempted to gather herself. This was a time when she needed to be solemn and sage. Offer something about how their marriage would be strong and based on mutual respect.
But none of those things would form in her mind. Quite simply, his kisses reduced her to a blithering idiot.
“You don’t kiss the correct way,” she blurted out.
Mortified that this was all she could manage to say, she closed her eyes and prepared herself for his censure.
When she reopened them, all she saw was deep amusement. The man looked fair to laughing. Her eyes narrowed. It was obvious he needed instruction on the matter.
“And what, pray tell, is the correct way?”
“You must keep your mouth closed.”
“I see.”
She nodded to reinforce her statement. “Aye, there are no tongues involved in kissing. ’Tis undignified.”
“Undignified?”
Again she nodded. This was going better than she imagined. He was taking her instructions quite well.
“Mother Serenity told me that kisses are for the cheek or the mouth, but only in very intimate situations. And they shouldn’t last overlong. Just enough to convey the proper emotion. She never mentioned anything about a tongue. It can’t be proper for you to kiss me and stick your tongue inside my mouth.”
His lips twitched in a suspicious manner. He even put a hand to his mouth and rubbed firmly for several moments before he lowered it and said, “And your Mother Serenity is an authority on kissing, is she?”
She nodded vigorously. “Oh aye. She told me everything I needed to know for the eventuality of my marriage. She took her duty very seriously.”
“Perhaps you should instruct me personally on this kissing matter,” he said. “You could show me the way of it.”
She frowned but then remembered this was the man she was taking as her husband. In that case, she supposed it was entirely proper, and even expected, that she should offer instruction in the matter of loving. It was very decent of him to be so understanding and to offer to correct the matter immediately. Why, they were going to get along quite well.
Feeling much better about her impending nuptials, she leaned forward and pursed her lips, prepared to show him the way of it.
As soon as her lips touched his, he grasped her shoulders and hauled her even closer.
She felt swallowed up. Consumed. Like he was absorbing her very essence.
And despite her stern lecture and patient instruction, he used his tongue.
CHAPTER 12
“Wake up, my lady! ’Tis your wedding day.”
Mairin pried open her eyes and groaned at the sight of the women crowding into her small chamber. She was exhausted. Her late-night escape attempts and the time spent pacing her chamber had caught up to her. After last night’s conversation with the laird, she’d fallen into a deep sleep.
One of the women threw aside the furs covering the window, and sunlight speared through Mairin’s eyeballs with razor-sharp clarity.
Her moan was louder this time and it set off a titter of laughter through the room.
“Our mistress doesn’t sound excited to be marrying our laird.”
“Christina, is that you?” Mairin grunted out.
“Aye, lady. ’Tis I. We’re having hot water brought up for a bath.”
“I bathed last evening,” Mairin said. Perhaps it would gain her an extra hour of sleep.
“Oh, but a bath on your wedding morning is a must. We’ll wash your hair and work sweet-smelling oils into your skin. Maddie makes them herself and they smell divine. The laird will be most appreciative.”
The laird wasn’t uppermost on her mind this morning. Sleep was.
Another giggle raced around the room, and Mairin realized that once again, she’d given voice to her thoughts.
“And we’ve brought you a gown to be married in,” another of the women said.
Mairin looked over, trying to remember the name of the young woman who was beaming excitedly at her. Mary? Margaret?
“Fiona, my lady.”
Mairin sighed. “Sorry. There are so many of you.”
“I took no offense,” Fiona said cheerfully. “Now would you like to see the gown we’ve fashioned for you?”
Mairin shoved herself up to her elbow and stared through bleary eyes at the assembled women. “Gown? You sewed a gown? But I agreed to marry the laird only last evening.”