Heroes of Honor: Historical Romance Collection

by Laurel O'Donnell

  “Lass, do ye trust me? I promised ye I willna take yer maidenhead, and I still mean to keep that promise. But there are a few more things I’d like to show ye since we are stuck waiting for our wedding.”

  “Tristan, ye ken I trust ye with ma life and in all things. I want to learn whatever ye can teach me.”

  With that, Tristan inched down her body until he was kneeling between her legs. He pushed her skirts up for a view of her moist folds. This was the first time he was able to clearly see her lady bits rather than just touch them. At the loch, the rock was cast in the shadows, making it difficult to catch a glimpse of all that he wanted. Now it was a veritable feast for his senses. He caught his breath at the sight of her nether lips glistening. Her scent was unlike any other’s. It smelled sweet with only a hint of musk, and he was certain this was a honey pot he would want to lick clean. He was amazed and grateful for how ready she already was.

  As if she intuited his thoughts, she remarked, “I seem to always be wet whenever ye are near or I think aboot ye. I dinna ken if this is normal, but it happens every time.”

  “Mo ghaol, it’s normal. It means yer body is ready to take mine into ye. It means yer body kens we’re meant to join. Until then, it makes it easier for me to pleasure ye in other ways. I have been aching to taste all of ye, and so far, I have had to settle for only some of yer best parts.”

  Mairghread kept repeating his endearment of “my love” in her head, but all thoughts scattered when he blew cool air over her curls and heated skin. Next, his hot breath brushed across her folds as his tongue darted out to tap her pleasure button. She gasped for air and half sat up to watch what Tristan was doing. When they were at the loch, she could not see any better than Tristan. Magnus had told her men enjoyed doing such things to women, and she understood what he was doing from their first time at the loch, but that still did not prepare her for the sensations that rocketed through her body. Her elbows shook and gave out, so she laid back on the blanket and closed her eyes.

  Tristan used his thumbs to spread her folds wide and took a deep breath in. He was almost dizzy with the amount of air he was sucking in through his nose. Even her most intimate parts smelled of lavender and heather. He ran his tongue from top to bottom and up again. This time he tested the waters a bit when his tongue slid down. He let it inch down towards her most sacred and taboo place. He noticed her breathing hitch, but she did not stop him. Instead she let her knees fall even wider apart and lifted her hips off the ground. He drew a finger down the center of her core, coating it with her moisture, and then tapped her tight hole. He would not take it any further than that today. That would have to happen slowly and gradually so as not to frighten her. But he sensed that with her passions as strong as they were and her inquisitive nature, she would try more once they wed. Tristan refocused his attention on her core as he slid three fingers into her to his second knuckle, gliding them in and out. He intended to tease her until she could take no more, continuing the light flicks of his tongue. After a couple of minutes, he sensed she was becoming restless and impatient. He added a fourth finger and thrust them into her. She moaned louder than she ever had before. For a moment he feared he had been too rough with her, but her gasping words told him otherwise.

  “More! I need more. Tristan, please.” She struggled to produce the words she needed. “ Oh god, please, Tristan. Ye ken what I want. Please dinna make me wait.”

  “Shhh mo ghaol, I will get ye there, but enjoy this time. Enjoy ma fingers deep inside ye. Ken that I want nothing more than for that to be ma cock. I want to slide ma cock into yer sheath and fill ye. I want ye to tighten around ma shaft just as ye do ma fingers.”

  He returned to his ministrations and continued to move his fingers deep within her. His tongue swirled around her over heated flesh as he reached his other hand up to alternate between breasts. He was sure she was getting close, having already learned the telltale signs of her breathing and how she rocked her hips. It had only taken him two previous lessons to become a star student in pleasuring Mairghread. He slowed down and pulled his fingers out almost all the way. She wailed at the loss of contact. He used his thumb to rub her as she became more responsive than ever before.

  “I shall make love to ye every day of our lives together. I will bring ye pleasure anyway I can. Ma cock is twitching to slide into ye.”

  “Oh, mo chreach! Tristan, help me. I canna last any longer. I ache so much. It almost hurts that I want ye so badly.”

  He would not deny her any longer. Sliding all four fingers back in to the hilt, he used his thumb to rub her pearl. His thrusts and rubs were not gentle. Tristan was careful not to tear through her maidenhead, but he offered her all that he could. He slid up her body and pressed her breast together, sucking one nipple and then the other while rocking his hips against her. It was all the friction she needed to send her sailing over the top.

  When Mairghread was certain she was breathing again, she kissed Tristan and slid her tongue in. She was not sure how she felt about being able to taste herself on him, but she longed for the connection.

  “M 'àite an duine. Tha gaol agam ort.” Ma braw man. I love you.

  Tristan was sure his heart doubled in size at her words. He was pleased with himself after watching her come apart in his arms.

  Tristan was sure it was impossible to imagine this time together getting any better, but he was soon and pleasantly surprised. Tristan watched as Mairghread floated back to reality, and her chest rose and fell with an even rhythm. She opened her eyes, and her smile was filled with mischief. Before he knew what to expect, she pushed on his shoulders and rolled over on top. Saying nothing or even making a sound, she scooted herself down between his legs. Their roles were reversed.

  Tristan assumed she would take him in her hand again, but she had far more in mind. She flipped his plaid back and leaned forward. When her tongue circle the head of his rod, he almost shot off the plaid, unprepared for what she was doing. He may have been willing to introduce her to the pleasures of her flesh, but he had never expected her to do as much for him. She looked up at him and grinned.

  “How do ye-- Ahhhh”

  He never got to finish the question because the only thing he managed was a groan as she slipped her lips over his cock and took him into her mouth. This was by far not the first time a woman had pleasured him with her mouth, but it was the singularly most erotic experience of his life. Her eyes had become that luminescent gray again, and her lips were a deep red from their kisses. He was riveted as her lips moved back up his shaft. She flicked her tongue across the top and played with the little hole as he leaked. It took every bit of concentration his brain mustered not to climax at that moment. He watched her as she licked him up and down and then moved her tongue around him. She flicked along the vein on the underside of his rod, and he moaned that time. He had never before moaned during love play, but there was no helping it. He desperately wanted her to take him in her mouth again. Tristan resigned himself to her teasing him just as he had her. On their own accord, his hips began lifting off the blanket, unable to make them stay still. Mairghread slid her hands over his muscled stomach up to his chest, running her hands over the smooth skin and then sliding them back down to his hips. She grasped his hips and found that her hands fit perfectly in the grooves along the outside of his buttocks. She lifted onto her knees so her mouth was above him, making it possible to slide her mouth down as far as she managed. He was a large man everywhere, and all parts of him were proportionate. She struggled to take all of him in, so she wrapped her hand around the base of his cock. She sucked hard and flicked her tongue across the head of his shaft. Then she began to move her mouth up and down as her hand followed the rhythm. Tristan recognized there was no holding on any longer. She began a twisting motion with her hand as it glided up and down. He was done for when her other hand cupped his bollocks. He tried to push her shoulders up to get her to release him, but she would not budge. He sat up and tried to pull her off. Without
looking up, she used both forearms to knock his hands off.

  “Uh-uh” she mumbled.

  “I canna come in yer mouth.” But the sentence died on his lips as she wrapped her hand around him again and rubbed just behind his bollocks. He gave in to the pressure and the pleasure and erupted into her mouth. “Mairghread!”

  She lifted her mouth off him and licked her lips, smacking them together. Tristan was astonished that his virgin bride-to-be had just taken him into her mouth, brought him to climax in a matter of minutes, and let him finish in her mouth. He was pleased. He was shocked. He was confused. And he was becoming angry. How the bluidy hell does she ken how to do that? I ken from her reaction the first time I touched her that nay mon had done this before, but how the bluidy hell did she learn to suck a mon off?

  “Before ye go imaging the worst of me, I havenae done that before. Ever. I told ye Magnus explained a great deal to me aboot what happens between a mon and a woman. Just as he told me what a mon can do for a woman, he also explained what a woman can do for a mon. I’ve been wanting to try this since the first time ye used yer mouth to pleasure me. I just havenae had the opportunity.”

  “I believe ye. Ye and Magnus have obviously talked aboot a great many things most brothers and sister dinna. If this was yer first time, and I believe ye that it was, ye are a natural. Did Magnus explain what to do?” He asked the last part but was not sure he wanted the answer. It made him ill to imagine her brother may have given her pointers.

  “Good God, nay! Magnus never said aught beyond just the mechanics of each act. He never gave me any examples and certainly never gave me any instructions. I just thought aboot how ye used yer tongue on me, and I tried to imagine what would feel good to me if I were a mon.”

  “Tha sibh gu dearbh ulaidh.” You are a treasure indeed.

  Chapter Thirteen

  A

  s the fifth week of the Sinclairs’ stay ended, Laird Sinclair still had not announced his decision. He had made up his mind, but he could not bring himself to tell Tristan or Mairghread. He kept wanting to observe and reflect just a little more before giving his answer. Finally, he accepted that his mind never changed. Instead what he observed reinforced his decision. He feared what the consequences would be if he made a mistake.

  Mairghread’s patience was on its very last thread. She was tired of hinting to her father and trying to show him she belonged with the Mackays, that she belonged with Tristan. She was fairly certain what her father’s answer was, and it was taking a toll on her temper that he would not just announce it. Tristan took his frustration out in the lists, training harder than he had since his father was alive and he competed against Alan for the old laird’s attention. He fought now like a berserker. He took on two and three men at a time. He was in the lists before any of his men, and he often dragged Alasdair along with him.

  “Tristan, ye canna keep going on like this. The men canna keep going with ye like this. Most are too sore or too tired to lift their arms above their waists, and some are nodding off while standing watch. And dinna ye blame them for that. Ye canna keep taking yer frustration over yer betrothal, or lack of one, out on everyone else. Ye may seem calm enough, but ye’re a pot that is aboot to boil over.”

  Alasdair was Tristan’s oldest friend. They learned to toddle together and received their first wooden swords together. They were distant cousins, but Alasdair had always been more like a brother than Alan ever was. It was because of their close bond that he dared speak to Tristan so bluntly. It was early morning with the sun just rising. They were alone outside the armory preparing for the day’s training.

  “I ken ye speak the truth, but the auld mon willna give an answer. I dinna want to press the issue too much for fear he’ll prove as stubborn as Mair warned. I dinna want to give him any reason to say nay. Mair’s been trying to get an answer out of him, but she says it is worse than trying to get milk from a bull.”

  Alasdair snorted. “Aye, a bull. She’s right on that one.”

  “Ma lass is a wise one. I will ask Mairghread to find out if he will meet with us in ma solar after we break our fast. If he is agreeable, then this training session should go easy on everyone. If it doesnae, well, then I will challenge each of his sons. I will make sure they canna raise their arms over their waists either.”

  Tristan and Alasdair spent over an hour going through drills until it was time for Mass. He met Mairghread on the steps of the keep.

  “Mo calman, I’d like to speak with ye and yer da after we break our fast. I canna wait much longer to ken his answer. If I dinna ken aye or nay by noon today, I will kidnap ye and find the closest priest to conduct the ceremony.”

  “Ye think me to be yer dove? I dinna ken aboot that. I’d imagine most people would say I’m more like a hawk.”

  “Arenae ye listening to the important part of what I said?”

  “I ken what ye said. I also ken that there is a perfectly good priest here within the walls. We are walking to Mass now.”

  “Aye, and Father Peter is a wonderful mon and priest, but I dinna think he will break with tradition and marry us without posting the banns.”

  “Canna ye make him? Ye are the laird.”

  “That I am, but I wouldnae want to put him in that position. I have never wanted to push ma authority onto him, so I couldnae ask him to choose between me and his faith. Besides, I ken I would come out the loser each time.”

  “Fair enough. I couldnae see maself pressing ye to do that anyway. I wouldnae respect a priest who’d be so easily swayed. I will speak to ma da during the meal.”

  ~~~

  The morning meal came and went. Tristan waited in his solar for what seemed like half his lifetime. He had seen Mairghread whispering to her father at the table. He was not able to catch what she said, but he watched them both nod. She smiled at him, and he took that to be a good sign. Now he was not so sure anymore. He looked at the bottle of whisky and considered having a hefty tot or two to fortify him, but he did not want to smell of the drink when his future father-by-marriage walked in. He kept telling himself they would soon be related. Contemplating anything different would put him in a foul mood.

  Just as he was about to give up and go looking for Mairghread, a knock came from the door. Tristan took a deep breath, looked one last time at the whisky, and answered.

  “Come.”

  Laird Sinclair opened the door and ushered Mairghread through. Then came her four brawny brothers. Tristan swallowed. He did not want to have this conversation with an extra four angry Highlanders staring him down. They seemed perpetually angry even when they were laughing and dancing. He wondered if that was how he came across to others outside of his clan. Probably. I amnae usually looking to make friends.

  “I have come as ye asked. I canna imagine what ye would want to talk to me aboot that ye had to send ma daughter to do the asking.” Tristan sensed the Sinclair was testing him.

  “I asked yer daughter to speak to ye because it’s ma belief she should be as involved in this matter as ye and me.” There, ye cantankerous auld coot.

  “So ye would say.”

  “I value ye daughter and her opinions. Tis her life, too. I dinna want our life together to start out with her feeling overlooked or slighted. I willna do that to her because I dinna consider that to be how ye show love and respect to yer partner.” What do ye think aboot that? How do ye talk that down without sounding like an arse to yer daughter?

  “Backing me into a corner willna serve ye well.”

  Shite!

  “That isnae ma intention, Laird Sinclair. I just want to be sure that ye ken how I feel aboot Mairghread and how I want our life together to begin.”

  “Ye dinna feel the need to include her when we were negotiating the contract with Alan.”

  “Tis the right of it, I admit. I dinna ken Mairghread then, and I confess it was more of a business agreement than anything else. But I ken Mairghread now, and I care for her. I dinna want to leave her out of this. She deserve
s to be here.”

  “Aye, well I tend to agree with ye on this. I canna say I agree with ye on everything else.”

  “Da! Enough of the blathering” Mairghread could not take it any longer. “There isnae any reason to go all around the houses. Please just give us yer answer.” She looked at each of her brothers and added, “And the lot of ye can keep yer nebs out of it. Ye in particular, Tavish. I ken ye make the loudest wheest aboot everything.”

  “I ken I’ve kept ye two waiting for ma answer. Ye ken I dinna take this decision lightly. When I agreed to betroth Mairghread to Sir Alan, I did so worrying just aboot the clan. I regret that now. Back then, I hoped peace between our clans would be enough to keep her safe. We’ve all learned that isnae the case. I willna risk ma daughter. If something happens to her because of the Mackay clan, the truce willna last. I willna stand for it, and neither will our clan. Tis why I havenae given ma answer yet. I ken ye’re impatient, but there was much to consider. I needed to see with ma own two eyes that this would be a good fit for Mairghread and both clans. I dinna want any more raids. Neither clan can afford it, and a feud willna serve any of us well. Kenning all of this, I feel I can sign a betrothal agreement.”

  Mairghread squealed and rushed to her father. The Sinclair held up a hand.

  “But I still want to wait three moons before ye wed.”

  Tristan wanted to argue that. He had no intention of waiting that long, but he would pick his battles. Mairghread, however, decided this was the time to take a stand.

  “Nay, Da. I willna wait that long. I have already stepped into most of the duties of the lady of the keep. Now I am just waiting for the title and the official authority. I will wait one moon. Tis enough time to post the banns for three sennights.”

  “I willna agree to that. If ye love Tristan as I ken ye do and ye already fit here, waiting two moons will do ye nay harm. That’s what I will agree to.”