The Highlander Series(60)

His lips closed around one taut nipple and pulled as he sucked it farther into his mouth. His hands stroked her body and she arched like a contented cat seeking more of its master’s touch.

“Easy, lass,” he murmured. “I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

Hurt herself? She was going to hurt him if he didn’t continue kissing her.

He slipped his hands between her thighs and thumbed through the tight curls guarding her sensitive flesh. He brushed over the quivering point even as his fingers sought her moist opening. Despite his warning, she arched helplessly, unable to control her frantic response.

Fire stoked deep within her body and fanned rapidly through her groin, tightening each time his fingers stroked inside. This wasn’t how it was done, was it?

She didn’t care. Whatever he was doing felt so wondrous that she wanted to beg him never to stop. And she did. Over and over, the words spilling out between fractured sobs.

He sucked at each breast, alternating as he drove her mindless with his fingers. She was hot and slick around him and she was fast building to an explosive end.

She whimpered and gripped his shoulders as she raised her hips, wanting more. He added a second finger to her sheath at the precise moment his thumb exerted more pressure.

She would have screamed—she did scream—but he raised his mouth from her breast to capture her mouth just as she did and swallowed the savage cry as she came apart in his arms.

Forgotten was her wound, the bandage, any pain or discomfort. There was only wave after wave of intense pleasure until she sagged onto the bed, too limp and weak to do anything more than gasp for air.

He rolled to the side and carefully pulled her into his arms. His lips brushed over her hair and he stroked the tresses with one hand. He caressed and petted every inch of her skin until a wonderful haze surrounded her and enfolded her in its warm glow.

“Sleep, lass,” he murmured. “You need your rest.”

Too fuzzy and sated to argue, she closed her eyes before she even realized she’d done so. Her last coherent thought was that he was far superior to ale as a sleeping drought.





CHAPTER 21





Mairin let out a lusty yawn and stretched her arms over her head. She was so limber from her bout of loving with Ewan that her side didn’t even pain her.

Then she realized that despite her determination to be out and about, she’d spent half the day in her chamber. With a frown, she rose, grumbling under her breath about husbands and trickery.

He’d done it apurpose, she was convinced of it. He’d taken her to their chamber on the pretext of tending her wound and then distracted her with loving. And to think she’d ever thought he wasn’t skilled in such matters.

He was too skilled by far.

This time when she left her chamber, Gannon met her directly outside her door. She looked at him in astonishment as he picked himself up off the floor.

“Have you been outside my door all afternoon?”

“Aye, my lady. ’Tis my duty to see to your safety. You have a habit of disappearing, so Cormac and I drew straws to see who would safeguard the chamber door.”

She frowned, not liking the idea that she was such a distasteful duty that they were forced to draw straws over the unpleasant task.

She headed toward the stairs, determined to see Maddie without any interference from her husband or her watch guards.

Cormac was in the hall sharing a tankard of ale with a few of the older men of the clan.

“Have you seen Crispen about?” she called to Cormac.

“Nay, my lady. Last I knew of him, he was out playing with the other children. Would you like me to fetch him?”

“Oh nay, let him play. I have no need of him at the moment.”

Cormac rose and started in Mairin and Gannon’s direction, but she held up her hand. “I am only going to see Maddie. Gannon can escort me. Can’t you, Gannon?”

“Aye, my lady. If ’tis all you’re planning.”

“Of course. ’Tis getting on into the afternoon. ’Twill be dark soon enough.”

Gannon relaxed. He nodded in Cormac’s direction and then gestured for Mairin to precede him from the hall.

Mairin set out at a brisk pace, determined for anyone who saw her to think she was fully recovered from her accident. By the time she reached Maddie’s cottage, she was winded and she leaned against the door for support as she sucked in air.

After recovering her breath, she knocked politely on the door and waited. She frowned when no response was forthcoming.

“Maddie isn’t in her cottage, my lady,” one of the women sang out from one cottage down. “She’s helping Gertie in the kitchens.”

“Thank you,” Mairin called.