Highland Trinity

by Catelyn Cash

  Still absorbing the implications of this, Mhairi looked around for Cam and Rob. As though feeling her gaze, they both glanced up. Cam’s smile made her heart beat a little faster, and when Rob raised his glass to her in a silent toast, she felt some of her anxiety settle.

  The two Americans should have looked out of place on her island. They were too rich, too confident, too successful for tiny little St. Colm. But they didn’t look out of place. They looked just fine, and Mhairi suspected she wasn’t the only one who thought so.

  Cam danced with a woman from the mainland, deftly fending off her wandering hands, while a pack of preteens attempted to teach Rob some Scottish country dancing. He played the clown to perfection, stumbling over the complicated steps, sending the girls into fits of giggles and raising smiles from everyone watching.

  The thought of never seeing them again brought a fluttery, panicky feeling to her chest.

  “I like your two men.” Her mum’s voice at her side made her jump, and Mhairi wondered how long she had been standing there. “Very handsome. Very polite. Keep calling me ma’am.”

  “They’re not my men,” Mhairi said quickly.

  “Not even one of them? Oh that’s right. You said they were spoken for.” Her mother gave an exaggerated look around. “Can’t see any women with them. Other than you, of course. What happened? Did they split up with their partners? Both of them?”

  Crap. She had said that, hadn’t she?

  “Good-looking men like that,” her mum continued. “And rich too. If you ask me, someone’s going to snap them up fast.”

  Humor and intelligence danced in her mother’s eyes but Mhairi detected an unspoken question too. For a horrible moment she wondered if her mother somehow knew what had been going on and was giving her a chance to talk about it, but she dismissed the idea as ridiculous. Impossible. Unthinkable.

  “There won’t be any snapping up,” she said firmly. “Besides, Mum, they couldn’t live here. You’ve no idea just how much money they have. Their business is huge, global.”

  “Having money just means they can live where they like,” said her mum, just as firmly. “There’s the Internet. And the airport is only an hour or so away on the mainland.”

  Mhairi had the feeling it didn’t matter what she said; her mother would have a counterargument. Except maybe to they’re gay. For a second she imagined actually saying the words aloud, but of course she didn’t. Instead she said fondly, “You’re never going to stop matchmaking, are you?”

  “It’s a mother’s job. Any fool can see you like them. I’m just not sure which one is the best match for you.”

  If only she knew.

  Her mother’s expression turned serious, and she put her hand lightly on Mhairi’s arm. “Who says they have to live here, any more than you do? Has it occurred to you, love, that if things shut down and families leave, the school will close too and you won’t have a job?”

  Of course it had occurred to her, and again she felt that panicky constriction in her chest. Her mother seemed about to say something more but changed her mind.

  “Och, here comes that old fool Carla Lennox. She’ll be trying to put some gloomy music on and kill the dancing. She’s been a right misery since Mary went back to the mainland. The sooner she goes after her, the better for all of us.”

  “Her lodger has left?”

  “Lodger?” Her mum huffed in exasperation. “Don’t be so naive, our Mhairi. Did you never ask yourself where she put a lodger in a one-bedroom cottage?”

  Seriously? Mhairi’s jaw dropped. The castle and the distillery were to be sold. And her old schoolteacher was a lesbian? “Miss Lennox is gay?” she squeaked. “Why did no one ever say anything?”

  Her mother rolled her eyes. “Mhairi, it can’t have escaped your notice that we live on an island. We might know everyone’s business, but it’s not for us to talk about it. Otherwise we’d have killed each other off centuries ago. Now I’d better away and distract her with a sweet sherry.”

  With that, her mum bustled off and successfully sidetracked the schoolteacher. When the dancing started in earnest, Mhairi moved to a quiet corner and looked around the hall. All the people she loved were gathered here. Family. Friends. Neighbors. Old and young alike.

  Drawn by a force she didn’t try to resist, her gaze sought the two Americans. Rob was deep in conversation with the minister’s wife, while an eighteen-year-old girl in what Mhairi considered an inappropriately short skirt appeared to be chatting up Cam. Once more she felt that tightening in her chest, but this time she acknowledged it for what it was.

  All the people she loved were here, Cam and Rob included. She loved these men. She loved them with all her heart.

  The island would change whether she liked it or not, whether she stayed or not. But change didn’t always have to be a bad thing, did it?

  “Everything all right, love?” asked her dad.

  “Yes,” Mhairi said, feeling a silly grin spread across her face. “Yes, Dad, I think it is.”

  Mhairi danced with both men, but in the crowded hall, she didn’t get a chance to talk to them. The partygoers had dispersed and lights were blinking out all over St. Colm when she sneaked out of her parents’ house and made her way to the cottage.

  Although no one locked their doors on the island, Cam and Rob were city men. Mhairi had brought a key just in case and let herself in quietly. So much for her mum worrying about them having to share a hotel room, she thought, creeping toward the sound of voices. Of course they were both in the same bed.

  Mhairi stood just outside the door, listening, remembering the first time she had watched them together.

  “I’m exhausted,” she heard Rob say. “These islanders sure know how to party.”

  She stepped forward silently till she could see them. Cam had his back against the headboard, Rob had his back against Cam’s chest, and she realized with a jolt of excitement that Cam was inside him. They weren’t fucking as such, just rocking together.

  “Do you think we’ll see her again?” Rob asked.

  “I’m sure she’ll see us off in the morning.”

  “But we won’t get to make love with her one last time.”

  Rob sounded so forlorn she couldn’t bear it. “Hey, boys,” she said softly, walking into the room.

  “Mhairi!” There was no recrimination, only pleasure in Rob’s voice. “Have you come to tuck us in?”

  Their eyes widened as she crossed the room and began to take her clothes off. “Actually I’ve come to accept your proposal. Assuming the offer is still open.”

  “What?”

  “I’m going to marry one of you,” she said. “What we’re going to do will still shock everyone, but not so much if we at least keep up pretenses.”

  Rob twisted his head to look at Cam, who shrugged his bemusement. They both looked at her. “You mean it?” asked Rob. “You’re going to marry us?”

  The room was cold, so she didn’t waste any time slipping under the covers, wriggling up to Rob’s warm chest. “I am. Although we’ll have to discuss where we’re going to live. The teaching job comes with a one-room cottage, which I think might cause some talk if we all move in. To be honest, I’m not so sure I want to be a teacher anymore.” As she spoke, she took Rob’s cock in her hand and stroked him lovingly.

  “But you’ve always wanted to be a teacher,” said Cam.

  “Shut up,” said Rob. “Don’t you dare talk her out of this.”

  She laughed. “I know. But maybe I want to travel first. Maybe my dreams have changed.”

  Rob’s cock was rock hard, and she climbed aboard, blissfully easing herself onto him, savoring the sweet, familiar stretch.

  “My God,” said Cam, watching the action over Rob’s shoulder. “I think I can feel that on my cock too. And it feels great.”

  Mhairi tried a little bounce, her weight driving Cam deeper inside Rob, who cried out sharply. Cam and Mhairi grinned at each other.

  “How far away is your pa
rent’s house?” Cam asked.

  “Top of the hill. Why?”

  Cam pulled her closer so he could kiss her. Crushed between them, Rob moaned. “I think this is going to get noisy,” Cam said.

  “Damn right it’s going to get noisy,” Rob sighed. “Cam in my ass and Mhairi on my cock. I think this orgasm might just kill me.”

  “I hope not.” Mhairi kissed him.

  “We’re really doing this?” Cam asked when she came up for air.

  She kissed him too and hugged them both. “We’re really doing it. Now, are we ready to give him the ride of his life?”

  “I thought I was the one who talked during sex.” Rob flexed his cock inside her and, joyfully, Cam and Mhairi began to move.

  * * * *

  Eight months later spring was making a belated appearance on St. Colm as Cam stood at the tall window and looked out over the island. “Who would have thought we’d have bought a castle.”

  “And a distillery,” said Rob, joining him. “Not to mention a salmon river and a grouse moor.” He frowned. “I don’t even know what a grouse is.”

  Cam put an arm around Rob’s waist. “How’s your suite?”

  “Very comfortable, but I think I’ll just keep sharing that king-size bed with you and your lovely wife.”

  “I think you will too,” Cam agreed. “Even though Mhairi’s so hot on keeping up appearances.”

  “She is, isn’t she?” Rob rested his head on Cam’s shoulder.

  Mhairi came in then, phone to her ear. “Conference call with New York and Boston in the banqueting hall in ten minutes,” she reminded them.

  “We have a banqueting hall. Don’t you just love it,” said Rob happily.

  Cam reached out to Mhairi, who walked into his embrace without hesitation.

  “What are we looking at?” she asked Rob.

  “Home,” said Cam, looking not at the spectacular view, but at the two people in his arms.

  Loose Id Titles by Catelyn Cash

  Highland Trinity

  Catelyn Cash

  I’m a writer of hot erotic romance and I love it. I don’t just mean I enjoy writing it, I love telling people what I do. Stop me in the street for a survey and ask my occupation, there’s always a silence before the interviewer pretends they didn’t hear and quickly moves on to the next question or even the next interviewee. It’s a great conversation starter (or stopper) at parties too. Not one my long suffering husband encourages if his work colleagues are within earshot!

  I’ve travelled a lot but I’m currently settled in the wild Yorkshire moors with my husband, a cat called Evil and a python called Jake. I love the cat, despite her name but I still feel I was conned into welcoming Jake into the house. He came from a shop called Mad Jack’s Snake and Tattoo Emporium. How I wish I’d bought a T-Shirt, too.

  I’m not done travelling—not by a long shot. Which is why writing is such a perfect occupation. Every new place, every new face can spark wicked inspiration, and time spent on the road is time to I can allow my imagination run wild. I rarely arrive at my destination without some sexy characters and a brand new story in my head.

  What I need now is the discipline to write them down…