At the sight of her writhing, crying out in demand for more, the full force of his own hunger broke over him. Her hips were pressing so eagerly against his own, he could no longer restrain the intensity of this thrusts. And with a groan, he crushed her lips beneath his. He drove into her again and again, with a fevered urgency that left him reeling, breathless, unlike anything he had ever experienced.
Waves of ecstasy throbbed through Meriel as her body, of its own accord, followed the tempo of his. Her desire for him was startling. Every nerve had been awakened by wild erotic sensations. Their mating had become primal, completely unrestrained. She opened her mouth to cry out, and again he devoured her lips in a desperate claiming to which she submitted willingly, eagerly. Suddenly, every nerve in her body sprung to life. All she could do was cling to him helplessly, letting the pure and explosive sensations consume her mind and soul as she shattered into a million glowing stars.
A second later, Craig groaned, “Mo shonuachar!” and then thrust deep inside her shaking body. Holding himself there, he found his own release.
Craig lay half on, half off of Meriel, breathless, exhausted, and utterly shaken.
He could feel his chest rise and fall with each labored breath and wondered how she could stand the pounding sound his beating heart was making against his ribs. After several minutes, he wrapped his arms around her and smiled as only a satiated man could.
Meriel, replete, with the throb of his last thrusts still echoing within her, twined one of her hands through his. She had seen his grin unfold and knew that he was congratulating himself. Any other time, she might have been tempted to give him a poke in the side and remind him that she too had played a major role in his achievement. But as they lay locked together, his free hand stroking her hair, his mouth brushing her temple . . . Meriel could only sigh.
They remained that way for some time; neither wanted to move or speak. The love they shared before had been deep and profound, as two persons bonded together in absolute friendship and acceptance. But now it was something even more. A spiritual connection created from physical pleasure. Their souls had met and combined.
Meriel curled to one side and snuggled her backside close, giving Craig a view of her vulnerable nape and her glorious hair. He picked up a tawny lock and caressed it gently, marveling at the rich, warm shade of brown. She was the most beautiful, most desirable woman he had ever seen in his life. And she always would be.
Pulling her into his arms, loving how easily their bodies merged from two into one, he whispered, “Imagine a lifetime of this. . . .” He leaned forward and pressed soft kisses down the left side of her neck. “And this . . . ,” he murmured as he moved to the other side. “And this . . .” Then he kissed her slowly, lingeringly, and with a deep, tender possessiveness.
Meriel returned his embrace and then, smiling mischievously, she let her fingers trail down his side. When he jumped, she laughed aloud. “Sure you want a lifetime of me, Craig McTiernay?”
Craig shot what he hoped was a punitive glare at her but knew instantly that he had failed. He hated to be tickled, and unfortunately the Lord had made his whole body extremely sensitive to the activity. Something Meriel took delight in.
He reached out and grabbed her before she could escape, securing her on top of him with his arms. Immediately, she started to kiss him, playing with his bottom lip in an obvious ploy to distract him. He had planned to roll over and return the favor, but instead gave in to the sudden strong impulse to simply lie back and enjoy the unfamiliar excitement of surrender.
When their mouths eventually parted he gently brought his hand to her face, moving a wayward strand of hair from her forehead. Then, with just the tips of his fingers, he tenderly traced her face, savoring every hollow, every curve only he had the privilege to touch. “Meriel, will you marry me tomorrow?”
Caught up in the sensations Craig was creating, Meriel breathed a “Yes” before realizing the whole of what he had asked. “I mean, no. What do you mean, tomorrow?” She pushed on his chest in an effort to sit up, but Craig kept his arms locked in place. “What about my father? Your brothers?”
Craig, never more content than he felt at that moment, shrugged his shoulders and replied with all sincerity, “At this very moment, they hold little importance to me.”
Meriel crossed her fingers on his chest, giving her a place to rest her chin. “I don’t know,” she purred mischievously. “I probably should take some time and think. It’s not often a girl gets two marriage proposals in the same day. I need to make sure that I say yes to the right man.”
Craig growled and rolled over so that she was pinned beneath him. He knew she was teasing him, but the reminder that he might have lost her today sent a frisson of fear through him. He feared he might have just become insufferably possessive. “You are mine, and the sooner we marry, the better it will be for everyone.”
Raising a fine, arched brow, Meriel gave him another shove, this time successfully freeing herself as he shifted to his side. “You mean the better it will be for Hamish.” Reaching over, she caught the edge of her chemise and shook it out before sliding it over her head.
Craig propped himself up on his elbow and crossed his legs at the ankles. “Not just him,” he replied, enjoying seeing her blush each time her eyes snuck a peak at him. “Too many of my brother’s soldiers salivate when you are near.”
“You are being ridiculous. None of them ever said anything to indicate they had even a little bit of interest in me,” she said, shaking off the grass from her bliaut before putting it on.
They better not have, Craig swore to himself. But it did not change the fact that every time she was about, lustful eyes followed her across the courtyard. More than once had he had to remind someone in one way or another just who she was. “Well, they do take an interest,” Craig said emphatically, “and will until we are married.”
Meriel snatched his tartan from the ground and tossed it at him, hinting for him to get dressed. “Stop pretending to be jealous. I know very well that it is one of the emotions you most refuse to indulge in.”
He watched her for a moment as she laced the sides of her gown, then he rose and folded the tartan around his waist, securing it with a belt. Meriel was right. He did hate the idea of jealousy. It was irrational and therefore uncontrollable, but now that he was being honest with himself, he knew that he had been consumed with it since his arrival. But that was something Meriel never needed to know.
Craig yanked on his leine and scooped up the blanket. After fetching the horses, he replaced the plaid cushion under the saddle and turned back around. He watched as she rebraided her hair, doing a surprisingly good job without a brush or any help. He was half tempted to tell her about all the grass tangled in the weave but decided against the idea. She might force him to pick out each and every blade, and he had no intention of doing any such thing.
When she was done, he asked tenuously, “Don’t you want to marry me?”
“Of course!” came her quick reply. It also held an unmistakable note of enthusiasm, calming any anxieties that might have been growing in him. “Just not tomorrow.”
Craig stretched his arm out to hand her Merry’s reins and watched with secret joy as she hesitated before taking them. Damn Hamish for actually succeeding in teaching her how to ride, but she still had much to learn. And this time, he would be the one to tutor her.
Taking her hand in his, they stroked Merry’s mane and neck. “Just rub her like you are doing and talk to her. And we don’t have to ride. We can just walk for a while until you are ready to try again.”
Meriel dropped the reins and put her arms around his neck, pulling him close so that she could bury her face in his throat. Stunned, Craig just held her, not understanding the cause of her reaction or what to do. When she finally stepped back, he saw evidence of tears, but the warmth of her smile put him back at ease. “I think I just fell in love with you all over again.”
Craig crinkled his brow in confusio
n, and it just endeared him even more to Meriel. She knew he had no idea of the gift he had just given her. In the past, he would have made her “face her fear” of horses. The man was stubborn, but once he recognized there was a better way, he did not let his pride interfere.
Once beyond the loch and the forest that hugged the shoreline, Meriel no longer felt quite as constrained. The open fields and wide expanse gave her the courage to try to ride again. Only when she threw her leg over and felt Merry jerk, did she remember the animal had actually thrown her quite painfully to the ground. But as soon as Meriel settled into the saddle, the gentle animal tossed her mane in welcome. Meriel urged the horse forward, careful to give the signal to walk and nothing more.
Craig watched patiently as Meriel mounted the mare, helping only when and how she instructed. If anything were to go wrong, he was not going to be blamed. But nothing did. Meriel was riding. He was tempted to pull her into a deep kiss, but restrained himself and instead brought their conversation back to a topic even two days ago he never would have dreamed of discussing. “Why the delay? Wasn’t your eagerness to marry your whole purpose in torturing me these past few weeks?”
Meriel shot him a penetrating look. What she really wanted to do was punch him in the arm, but her lack of riding skill prevented her. Something, she promised herself, I must soon rectify. She loved Craig, but she also had no doubt that several times during their marriage she would be inclined to let him know just how irritating he could be. And evil glares—like the one she was sending him now—just did not quite achieve that objective. It mattered little that her strength would barely make an impact against his bulk. Her intention was not to damage or cause pain, but to get his attention. From what she had learned so far by observing her sister and her husband, nothing short of a log colliding with a man’s head could make him see how idiotic he was being.
“As I have told you numerous times, my efforts—if there were any—had nothing to do with marriage. I just wanted you to admit your feelings for me and not lie to yourself or force me to go along with your absurd idea about love.”
Craig gave her an exaggerated wink. “Now you are the one who is not telling the truth. You wanted me to be jealous. Admit it.”
Meriel sat up straighter and looked straight ahead. “You may be somewhat correct, but only because I—”
“You wanted marriage,” he finished for her with a smug smile.
“Not to you!” she blurted out.
The shock of her exclamation caught Craig by surprise. He reached out to stop her horse, suddenly very serious. “What do you mean, not to me?” he challenged.
Their eyes met. Craig’s mouth was tight and grim as he stared. Meriel met his glare with one of her own. “What woman would ever want to marry a man who refused to admit that he even desired her?”
Craig drew his lips in thoughtfully and let go of Merry’s reins, but he did not break his gaze. “But you knew I desired you. Mo creach, you knew I loved you even before I did!”
“Aye, but it didn’t count until you admitted it.” Meriel gave her mount a nudge with her legs and the animal began to walk away.
Craig rolled his eyes. For a brief while, he had thought that with love came a better understanding of women. If anything, he murmured to himself, you become even more impossible to understand. Suddenly he felt more sympathy toward his eldest brother. No wonder Conor fought all the time with Laurel. “So you do want to marry me.”
“I already said that I did.”
“Just not tomorrow.”
“Aye. Sometime in the next few weeks. It takes time to organize a big wedding, and I expect many will want to see you in front of the altar.”
Craig raked a hand through his hair. Staying away from her bed tonight was going to be hard enough, but a few weeks? Now that he had experienced heaven, there was no possible way he was going to last that long. And as far as a big wedding? He wanted none of it. “Give me one good reason—one that will convince me—why we cannot marry tomorrow.”
Meriel issued him a sideways grin. “Otherwise you will hoist me over your shoulder and marry me anyway?”
Craig snorted. “Aye. I just might.”
“And just who will you plop me down in front of to preside over the ceremony?” Her eyes glowed with pure enjoyment as comprehension dawned on his face. Father Lanaghly had left with Conan before his arrival and neither had returned, nor was it known when they would return. Only sometime before winter.
He was just digesting this unavoidable fact when she continued. “I’ll give you three more reasons. My father, my sister, and her husband, known to you as your brother Crevan. All three of them would be highly incensed if they were not involved, let alone present at the wedding. And as we would see them every day at Caireoch Castle, they could make life pretty miserable for you.”
On this she also had a point, but it reminded him that he had other options as well. “I will agree to delay our union for a week,” he growled. “As soon as we get back, I will send a herald to Lindores Abbey. I have no doubt that Father Lanaghly will return immediately.”
Meriel could not help but laugh out loud at his frustration at not being able to dictate things to his liking. Truth was, she was not sure she could wait much longer either. She had only said several weeks for amusement, knowing how it would rile him. “Let’s get married at Caireoch. I want to be home, in front of my family and yours, when I say my vows.”
“As long as it is at sunset.”
Meriel nodded. It was one McTiernay tradition she had no intention of breaking.
“And small,” he added. He was already irritated at the heckles he knew he was going to get. Even if they were deserved.
“I too want it to be small, as long as one certain person is there to witness it.”
“Father Lanaghly? He’ll be there. I can guarantee you that when my message reaches him, he will waste no time in returning,” Craig said, misunderstanding.
With a mischievous twinkle in her eye, Meriel shook her head. “Not Father Lanaghly. Conan. I want your brother to be there.”
Craig’s brows pulled together in a bewildered frown. “Why him, of all people?”
“I have my reasons,” said Meriel simply. Revenge may not be a mature feeling, but every once in awhile it can be satisfying, she thought to herself.
Craig stopped his horse and indicated for her to stop as well. He rubbed the back of his neck, watching two riders approach them. He grinned triumphantly, pointing at the two figures. “Guess who just arrived?”
Meriel swiveled in the saddle and shaded her eyes to see who was coming. A second later she understood just why Craig was grinning like a little boy who got the biggest present. Conor McTiernay and Father Lanaghly had returned.
They stopped their horses and both men grinned at the couple. “Ciamar a tha sibh?”
“I am fine,” answered Craig to the typical question of introduction, perturbed by their overly happy dispositions. Their horses were still burdened with saddlebags, indicating they had not yet made it to the castle, but their expressions were of men who knew a secret.
“And how are you, Lady Meriel?” Father Lanaghly asked.
“I am also well,” Meriel replied. She too was suspicious. The father had always been a nice and gracious man, but she could never recall him being so cheerful before.
Craig pointed at the saddlebags with his chin. “I assume you have not been to see your wife yet.”
Conor stroked the dense stubble on his chin. “Ah, no. She does not even know I am here yet. The father and I were just about to part so that I could come down here to the loch and wash off when we saw, um, you two.”
Craig narrowed his gaze once again. It was as if his brother knew what he and Meriel had just been discussing. And yet the two of them were just riding. Not even closely. There was nothing about Meriel or himself that would indicate that their relationship had grown beyond friendship. “How is it that Father Lanaghly is with you?”
“I
left the Lowlands soon after I arrived. There is no word about Clyde, but neither was one expected. You’ll be glad to know you have another nephew. A very loud nephew, by the way. Colin’s son is only a few months of age but can drown out all present if he is not happy. I quickly wished Colin and Makenna well and made my way back up north. I decided that I might want to make sure that Conan . . . um . . . was behaving.”
It was now Meriel’s turn to be confused. “Did Laurel send you there as well?” she asked, not realizing until it was too late that she was voicing her thoughts aloud.
Conor chuckled. “Uh, no. She had no idea, but I’ll remind her of the dangers I faced if I returned too early, if she decides to lecture me.”
“I think this particular lecture is one you are going to enjoy,” Father Lanaghly added, wiping his nose, unable to hide his mirth.
Craig knew his sister-in-law had been involved in the scheme to bring him to McTiernay Castle. Conor had practically said so when he asked him to come and take over in his absence. But now it was evident that his brother knew exactly why Craig had been summoned. And by staying away, Conor had tacitly supported the whole plot. Though the outcome had benefited Craig, he just hated being manipulated, and his eldest brother needed to be reminded of that fact.
“Father Lanaghly, would you be so kind as to escort Meriel back to the castle? She is learning to ride, but does not feel more comfortable going faster than a walk. Meanwhile, I think I might join my brother. I have something to discuss with him.”
Father Lanaghly nodded and Conor beamed. “I expect you do.”
Meriel rode silently for several minutes, trying to decide how or even if she should ask the father why he was so happy. But before she could, he saved her the trouble. “You and Craig will want to marry soon, I expect.”
Michele Sinclair - [McTiernays 05] Page 26