by Madison Faye
Rhona, who’s just arrived the night before with her husband Tor—formerly the fearsome Viking Tor, and now just, well, still huge and intimidating, but now building a peaceful town on the shore near Castle McDougall—smiles as she glances between Cat and I.
“So, you two are really okay with this?”
Cat shrugs. “Why wouldn’t I be? She’s doing our family a huge favor settling this whole thing with—”
“With my insane, crazy family,” I mutter, rolling my eyes.
“Exactly,” Cat smiles at me and turns back to the other two. “It’s just a political move, that’s all.”
Una arches her brow. “Uh-huh,” she says dryly as she and Rhona glance at each other impishly.
“Oh, what,” Cat mutters.
“Nothing!” Rhona grins.
“Spit it out.”
Rhona blushes and shakes her head. “Nothing, Cat, really. It’s just…” she glances at Una again before turning her gaze to me.
“It’s just that…”
Una clears her throat. “It’s just that your father is a very, very handsome man, Cat.”
Cat makes a face. “Meaning?”
“I’m just saying, it’s not like Iona is marrying a hunchback, or a man with a temper, or someone missing his arms.”
I swallow the heat from my face as Una grins at me.
“I’m just saying, there are worse men out there to have to share a bed with.”
I blush furiously as she grins wickedly at me.
Cat makes a sickly face, blanching. “Okay, first of all, you do understand that this is all for show, right? She’s not actually going to be sharing a bed with him! My God, can we not even go there please?”
I’m standing there wishing I could just sink through the floor, because I’m quite sure the guilt on my face is as visible as the thumping of my heart is audible to everyone present.
“It’s strictly political, okay?” Cat sighs, rolling her eyes to me at the other two.
There’s a knock at the door, and the dressmaker smiles as she steps back in.
“Okay, I believe this should do it with the waist! Here, try this on.” She drapes the newly altered dress across my outstretched arms.
“I’ll be working on your sash, so just come by my sewing room when you’re done?”
“Thank you,” I smile warmly at her, taking the dress before she turns and heads back out.
“Okay, and I think we’re all quite done giving you a hard time, Iona,” Una grins at me. “Come on, let her try it on in peace. You know, for her strictly political marriage to your extremely handsome father.”
Cat groans, rolling her eyes again. “You’re the worst.”
Una laughs as she hooks her arm through Cat’s and tugs her out the door. Rhona turns as well, but then pauses, letting the other two leave before she turns back to me.
“You’re really okay with this?”
I swallow, smiling as I nod eagerly. Maybe a little too eagerly.
“Oh, yeah, of course!”
Rhona’s eyes dart over mine as she chews at her lip.
“Look,” I sigh. “Darcy is insane. You know that. And so it the rest of my family from her side—so much so that I don’t even really consider them family of mine at all.”
“Especially since you’ve had Cat and Lachlan as family all these years.”
I nod. “Exactly.”
“And yet, now you’re marrying Lachlan.”
“Rhona, it really is—”
“Politics, yeah I keep hearing that word.” She arches a brow at me. “And it’s great you’re doing this to help out, but…”
I frown. “But what?”
Rhona shakes her head. “Okay, you know my whole story with Tor.”
I nod.
“So, we can agree that I’m fairly well versed in feelings you shouldn’t be feeling? About men you shouldn’t be feeling them about?”
I frown. “Rhona, it’s nothing like—”
“Iona, it’s all over your face,” she says quietly.
Heat blooms through me, and I stutter, trying to form words, but failing horribly. I frown, dropping my eyes to the floor, and I’m still trying to collect my wits enough to say something, when Rhona steps forward and hugs me.
“Hey,” she says quietly. “Look, I’m not going to say anything to Cat. It’s not my place, and I’d never do that to you, or to her. But, I’m right, aren’t I?”
I look up, and I know even without words, my face says it all.
“How did you know?” I say meekly.
Rhona smiles. “Cat’s ignored it because it’s nothing she could ever see anyways, but I’ve noticed the way you look at him. Even when we were younger, you had that moony, silly look on your face whenever he was around.”
I groan, my shoulders slumping.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
She laughs quietly. “Well, you are marrying the man, so, I guess that’s what you’re going to do.” She smiles wryly. “Lachlan doesn’t know does—”
“He does,” I whisper.
Oh, does he know.
My friend’s brows shoot up. “Really?”
I nod.
“How, uh, how much does he know? I mean does he know just how much you—”
“Rhona,” I groan. “He knows.” I stress the last word with my brows arched high, and she suddenly grins as she blushes.
“Iona!”
“You cannot say anything!”
“Of course, I won’t, but, God, Iona! This is—”
“Scandalous,” I whisper.
She smiles again as she takes my hands in hers and gives me a reassuring squeeze.
“It’s not, Iona.”
“He’s Cat’s father!”
“And he asked you to marry him.”
“For political reasons.”
She arches a brow. “Oh, so pushing it past that was all you, then?”
I blush crimson, and she grins.
“I thought not.” She sighs. “Iona, we’re grown up. You’ve grown up. You’re nineteen, you’ve seen the world, and you’re gorgeous.”
I roll my eyes, but she laughs as she gives me a look.
“I’m just saying, Lachlan is man, and all things considered, why wouldn’t he be attracted to you?”
“Cat? Darcy? Shall I continue?”
Rhona shakes her head slowly. “Iona, you can’t always choose who you like, or who pulls on your heart. I mean, you of all people should know.”
I look down, biting at my lip.
“With Tor and I, a lot of people thought it was wrong, or a scandal, or sinful, or whatever they wanted to say to make themselves feel morally superior. And you know what? To hell with those people. Look, is whatever is going on between you just… you know?”
I blush bright red, but I manage to shake my head.
“No,” I whisper. “It’s… complicated. But I know it’s more than that.” I swallow. “I think it might be a lot more than that.”
Rhona grins. “So prove all the people who’ll say it’s bad wrong. Show them how you are together.”
I take a breath. “And Cat?”
“Cat’s your best friend in the world. She’ll understand.”
I snort. “Would you if I fell for your father?”
“If my father looked like Lachlan McDougall?”
I snort out a giggle as she sticks her tongue out at me.
“No matter, what, yes, I would. Well, and if he wasn’t already married to my mother.”
I smile.
“You do need to talk to her, though,” she says quietly.
I nod. “I know.”
“The people who love you will understand, Iona. Even my parents finally came around to Tor, you know.”
I smirk. “Came around to, or are still slightly terrified of him?”
She grins. “Both? Maybe my mother’s come around more than my father.”
I giggle. “Rhona, you know we’re all pretty sure your
mother has a bit of a crush on Tor, right?”
She winkles her nose. “Thank you so much for that mental image,” she says with a snorted laugh. “You’re probably right though.” She shrugs as she grins salaciously. “I mean, he’s is a handsome man.”
I laugh. “In that tattooed, scary savage kind of way?”
Rhona wags her brows. “Lucky me.”
I laugh and she pulls me in for another hug.
“Talk to Cat, Iona. Believe me, she’ll understand. And probably better than you’re giving her credit for. And stop worrying about anyone else. If being with Lachlan makes you both happy…”
She looks at me and I nod, blushing.
“It does.”
My friend smiles. “Then it is what it is. I mean he’s a lord, Iona. Who cares what people say?”
“Thank you,” I say quietly.
“My pleasure. Now, go try that wedding dress on. I’m going to go catch up with Una and Cat.”
Ten minutes later, behind the dressing screen in the corner of the room, I look into the big mirror as I smooth down the wedding gown. A small smile creeps over my face, both at the way I look in it, and at the words of encouragement Rhona’s just given me. Somehow, the guilt I’ve been holding inside seems to have let out a little. Because deep down, I know she’s right about Cat.
I mean we’re the best of friends—practically sisters. Will it be a little weird to tell her that I’ve been smitten with Lachlan for basically forever? Absolutely. But it’s a weirdness I know we’ll move past. Because as Rhona pointed out, we’re not children anymore. We’ve grown up and grown into our lives. And I know this is the path I’m supposed to follow.
I’m still starring into the mirror when I hear the door to the room open and then close.
“It fits wonderfully!” I say eagerly through the dressing screen to the dressmaker. I twirl in the mirror once more before I turn away and start to untie the gown.
“I’d have to agree.”
I scream at the deep baritone voice I wasn’t expecting, whirling and gasping as I look up into Lachlan’s eyes.
“My lord!” I gasp, swallowing the heat that blooms into my face like it always seems to do around him.
“You aren’t supposed to see me in this before the wedding!”
“No?”
“No,” I say quietly, biting my lip as I look up into his gorgeous dark eyes. “It’s bad luck.”
“Ahh, I see. Then perhaps…” he growls, coming closer to me, his voice deep and resonating. “Perhaps we should take it off, then.”
I whimper softly as he moves against me, his hands taking mine and gently pulling them away from the ties I was undoing at my breasts. Deftly, he tugs on the strings, loosening the gown as my pulse thunders. His big hands pull the gown open, baring most of my breasts to him as the heat in the room begins to grow. His eyes lock on mine as his hands slide to my shoulders, pushing the gown off of them and letting the entire top tumble to my waist.
Lachlan groans, his eyes dropping to my breasts. And without another word, my hands drop to the small of my back, plucking at the ties holding the rest of the gown in place. And with a single tug, the whole thing slips to the floor around my feet.
“Good little lass,” he growls, his eyes as hungry as the fire burning inside of me. And suddenly, we’re crashing together.
I moan as his lips find mine, his big hands sliding over my bare skin, teasing down to my ass. He grips it tightly, making me whimper as his tongue slides with mine. And when I he tugs me tight to his body, and I feel that thick, big cock of his pulsing against my belly through his kilt, I moan even more eagerly into his lips.
My hands slide over him, pushing his tunic up so that my fingers can trail over his abs. I move them lower, boldly sliding right down to cup the huge bulge in his tartan.
Lachlan groans, pulling way to chuckle deeply.
“Eager little lass, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” I purr, moaning as I kiss him deeply. Because he’s lit something in me. There’s always been something burning inside of me, but with recent events, that fire has turned into fierce passion—a wildness for him I can’t control. And nor do I want to.
Boldly, I slide my hands right under the waist of his tartan, whispering as I tease down until my fingers circle the thick, pulsing base of his cock. I moan at the size of him, and how strong and yet silky it feels in my hands.
“Gods, Iona,” he groans into my lips, kissing me savagely as my fingers tease him.
“You’re so hard, my lord,” I whisper heatedly. “Does… does it hurt?”
Lachlan growls, gripping my ass tightly with one hand as the other slides up to cup my jaw.
“Not with your hands on it, it doesn’t,” he groans.
I whimper as I kiss him slowly and deeply, stroking his big cock with both hands under his kilt.
“What…” heat explodes through me as the sinful desires blaze through me.
“What else do you want on it?” I whisper thickly.
Lachlan groans, his cock throbbing in my small hands.
“Such as?”
I shiver as I pull away, my eyes hooded with lust and desire as they lock onto his.
“I can think of something,” I purr, my tongue teasing out across my lips.
Lachlan’s cock jumps in my hands, his jaw tightening as his eyes spark with fire.
“Teasing little minx,” he growls lowly. “What happened to the little virgin from the other night?”
I blush fiercely. “I’ve—I’ve heard of things,” I whisper. “The rest of me might be a virgin, but not my ears.”
“And pray tell me, little lass,” he groans, his hand stroking my ass, pushing lower and letting one of his fingers push dangerously and teasingly down between my legs, making me whimper.
“What exactly have you heard.”
“Let me show you,” I whisper fiercely. And before he can say another word, I’ve dropped to my knees in front of him, my pulse racing and my entire body tingling with forbidden desire. I reach for his kilt, tugging it open, and when it drops to the floor, I whimper as his big cock springs free. Lachlan groans, reaching down, pulling his tunic off, and tossing it aside as his eyes blaze down into mine.
My hand slides up his thickly muscled thighs, my fingertips teasing his skin as they draw higher. They trace across his heavy balls, and I moan when he grunts in pleasure, my thighs squeezing together as I feel the slick heat pool between them. My hands slide to his shaft, circling his thickness as I lean closer and closer, my heart racing and my desire to give him everything burning fiercely.
“Let me show you what I’ve heard, my lord,” I moan. And without another word, I wet my lips, lean forward, and gently kiss his thick, swollen crown.
Lachlan groans, his jaw dropping in pleasure as I kiss my way down the side of his cock. My pulse is practically roaring in my ears as I kiss my way back up the other side, and when I let my tongue swirl across his fat head, he hisses in pleasure. I kiss the crown again, but this time, I keep going, letting his cock push my soft, wet lips apart and slide into my little mouth. He throws his head back, moaning deeply, and the sounds only spur me on.
I slide my mouth down further, feeling his thick cock glide wetly over my tongue until I can feel him in the back of my mouth. I whimper around him, relishing the taste of him as I close my lips and suck gently.
Like I said, I’ve heard things, even if I haven’t done them. And I heard many, many things from some of the more… shall we say, libertine members of the staff at my cousin’s house in Paris.
I slide my mouth back up, slurping wetly on him and feeling so sinfully wicked and yet so powerful at the same time. Lachlan growls in pleasure, his cock swelling thicker between my lips and his abs clenching and rippling as I start to bob my head up and down his cock.
“Gods, Iona,” he groans, his big hands sliding into my hair and tangling there, sending a thrill through me as I start to suck at him harder.
“You’re
driving me wild, little lass,” he grunts, groaning again as I swirl my tongue across his head.
I pull away, panting as I look up at him, my hand stroking his slick, glistening cock.
“Is… is it okay?” I whisper heatedly. “Do you like my mouth on your cock, my lord?”
I’m playing up the part of the minx, and I love it. There’s a power rushing through me, and feeling him throb in my hand, and watching him groan and growl at the way I tease him is like the strongest cup of wine I’ve ever had.
“Do I like it?” he growls, his jaw clenching and his eyes fierce as they lock with mine.
“Let me show you how much I like it,” he grunts. And suddenly, I’m gasping as he reaches down and scoops me up easily into his strong arms, whirling and storming across the room to a little day bed against the windows. He sits on the edge of it and lays down back across it with me on top of him, and suddenly, with a gasp from my lips, he’s spinning me around. I moan, bushing deeply as I feel him spread my legs to either side of him, pulling me back until my pussy is thrust back lewdly right by his head.
“Lachlan, what—”
“It’s my turn to show you something, my little love,” he groans, and before I know what he’s doing, he’s grabbing my ass, pulling me down, and dragging his tongue across my pussy.
I moan in pleasure, panting and shivering in ecstasy as his wicked tongue teases all over my cunt. He pushes it deep, like he’s taking me with his tongue, before he slides it to my clit and swirls it around the aching little bud. I turn back to him, his big cock thrust up right in front of me, and without wasting another second, I’ve taken him in both my hands, and brought my mouth down to his swollen head.
Lachlan groans into me, the vibrations making me whimper as I suck on his thick cock. His tongue swipes back and forth across my pussy—swirling around my clit before sliding between my lips and pushing in and out of me. His big hands grip my ass, squeezing me and making me moan as he spreads me wide. His mouth slides back, and back, and back, until with a choked cry of wicked pleasure, I feel his tongue slide across my tight little asshole.
“My lord…” I whimper.