His Highland Lass (The Clan Sinclair Book 1)

by Celeste Barclay

  “Whatever are ye going on aboot, mon?” Tavish smirked. Clearly, the four of them knew exactly what Tristan meant but had no intention of answering him.

  “It all started when they used to have to line up in front of Da when they were in trouble. He would go down the line and yell at them before tanning their hides. As they grew older, Da started taking them out to the lists fer their punishments but they still lined up fer their turns. It has just become a natural position fer them after the amount of time they spent in trouble as lads.” Mairghread laughed for the first time since the previous morning. It felt good to laugh and she could not help continuing to laugh as all five men turned towards her. Tristan crossed the room and climbed back onto the bed. He gathered her into his arms and held her.

  “Little one, it is so good to hear yer laugh. I would hear it every day fer the rest of ma life. Ye havenae given me an answer as to whether ye will marry me today.”

  Mairghread placed her hands on his cheeks and pulled his head towards her. She kissed him with a sizzling passion that quickly had her brothers clearly their throats and coughing. She was content to ignore them all. When they both finally separated to catch their breath, she laughed again.

  “I think I will marry ye today.”

  Twenty Four

  After some further argument, Mairghread put her tiny foot down and said that Tristan could remain while she bathed. She compromised and agreed to use the screen to block her from his view. However, as soon as her brothers left, she climbed out of bed and let the sheets drop. She walked over to the screen and moved it back to where it had been. Tristan could not believe that she was walking around in front of him bare as the day she was born. She looked at Tristan with mischief in her eyes. She saw the desire and lust in Tristan’s eyes as he watched her move towards him. His hands clenched at his sides as he tried to keep himself from touching her. She reached out and unhooked the broach that held his plaid in place. She put it down on the bed. Next, she unfastened the belt that held his sporran and plaid in place. She caught his plaid as it unraveled from his waist. She laid the belt, sporran, and plaid on the bed next to the broach. Tristan still did not move but his breathing was labored. He watched with awe as she ran her hands under his leine. The feel of her hands on his skin made him shudder. She smiled as she looked up at him. The mischief was quickly replaced with her own look of lust and desire. She lifted his leine as high as she could but he was far too tall for her to be able to take it off of him. She raised one eyebrow in question. Tristan whipped the shirt over his head and threw it on the bed. She raised her arms out to the side but did nothing else. She was daring and willing to make some of the first moves but she needed Tristan to participate too. He grasped her hips and pulled her flush to him. He bent over to kiss her and her arms wrapped around his neck. His arms circled her waist and he lifted her off of the floor. Mairghread wrapped her legs around his waist and felt his cock throbbing between them. She tilted her hips to feel it rub against her slit. She moaned just as he groaned. They looked at each other. They both remembered their time at the loch and how Mairghread had wrapped her legs around his waist just as she did now. Tristan carried her to the tub and stepped in. He slowly lowered them to the warm water. It felt marvelous on her battered body which was still sore from the day before. This time the moan she made was from the feel of the warm water against her aching body. Tristan looked down and noticed for the first time that there were faint bruises beginning to appear around her ribs and on her back.

  “Mo ghaol, ye were hurt yesterday. I can see the bruises on ye now.”

  “I can feel them too but nothing is that serious. I was lucky to not have hurt maself more when I fell from the horse or while I was in the river.”

  Tristan had not pressed Mairghread to tell him what had happened but he was still curious. He desperately wanted to know everything that had happened in the time that they were apart but he worried about upsetting her if he asked. Mairghread ran her hands over his chest and then gave his heart a kiss.

  “Tristan, I was so frightened when an arrow hit Firelight. I couldnae understand what was happening at first. Then all of a sudden, I was falling. I hit the ground and the wind was knocked out of me. I tried to get up and run back to the keep but I couldnae catch ma breath. Next thing I kenned some mon was pulling me onto his horse. We rode with two other men as the arrows flew towards us. I fought with the mon who took me and I stabbed him with ma sgian dubh. His horse was spooked and wouldnae stop nor turn. I couldnae get away from Alan as the horse ran straight towards him. He grabbed me and forced me onto his horse. Once we entered the forest, he pulled me from the horse and kept his hand over ma mouth. The other mon who was with Alan took the horses and went to the west while we went to the east. I tried to bite him but he pulled ma hair so hard that I saw stars. He dragged me towards the river. I could hear ye and the others as ye got to the woods. I went limp and dropped down from his arm. It gave me just enough time to whistle a warning of danger. Alan put a dirk to ma neck. He didna need to say aught for me to understand his meaning. I was able to whistle once more as we approached the river. I heard one of ma brothers respond and another whistle but that one didna sound like any of ma brothers.” She paused there in her story to run her hands over Tristan’s chest and abdomen. She was fascinated with how the muscles rippled under her fingers. His stomach was knotted with hard muscle. As her fingers trailed down to the water, his cock bobbed at the surface. She bit her lower lip as she contemplated wrapping her hands around his shaft instead of continuing the story. Tristan pulled her lip free of her teeth and leaned forward to nip it with his teeth. She decided that the story could wait. She wrapped her hands around his iron rod and began the motion that she had already learned that he loved. He widened his legs below her and his hand slipped below the water to find her heat. He brushed his knuckles along her seam and felt more than heard her low moan. He slid two fingers between her nether lips to test her. Even in the tub of warm water, he could feel her feminine wetness and knew she was as ready as he was. He thrust three fingers into her and her hips jerked forward searching for more. He stroked her with his fingers and used his thumb to rub her pleasure button. She pressed her lips to his and opened her mouth to him. When he slid his tongue into her mouth, she gently sucked on it with a rhythm that matched their stroking hands. She could not help the whimpers and moans that came from her. She rocked her hips faster as she ground her mound against his fingers. He pushed his hips up as he drove his cock into her hand. His free hand found one of her breasts and he began to massage it. He pinched her nipple as he felt her insides begin to clench around his fingers. She tore he mouth from his and with her free hand she pressed her other breast up to him. He gladly took her offering as he suckled hard on her breast. She felt herself falling over the edge into her release. She stroked him harder and faster, wanting him to join her in her pleasure. He groaned and she felt his cock pulse as his seed shot from him.

  She leaned against his chest as one arms dropped below the water to wrap around his waist and the other crept up to wrap around his neck. She brushed kisses against his chest as his hands gently massaged her shoulders and her back. They moved their way down to her backside and he massaged her buttocks too. While this normally aroused her, this time it was both arousing and relaxing as she had not realized that her bottom was sore from the previous day.

  In just more than a whisper, she continued her tale.

  “He hefted me over his shoulder and carried me through the woods. He had ma arms pinned underneath me and his dirk pressed to ma ribs. I couldnae believe that he could move through the woods so silently. He crept along until we got to the water. He put me down and grabbed ma arm. He pulled me in to the shallow part but ma skirts slowed me down. With only one hand to hold them up, I wasnae able to make much progress. He was becoming more and more impatient with me. He yanked too hard one time and I lost ma balance. I fell forward and the current caught me. I rolled to ma back and noticed moss
growing on the trees. I kenned that I was being pushed east by the river. I tried whistling that call but I dinna ken if anyone could hear me. I could barely hear maself. I saw that a large tree limb stuck out into the river. I managed to grab onto it before I bashed into it. I pulled maself into the v of two branches and cut the laces to ma kirtle but it was too tight once it was wet fer me to peel it off. Then I cut away the skirts. I managed to get free just as Alan waded in after me. I swam underwater as far as I could and then surfaced near where I got out. I couldnae see Alan anywhere and I couldnae hear anything at all other than the water. I got maself out of the water and laid down on the bank. I just had to rest fer a moment but then everything went black. The next thing I kenned, Sorcha had one of ma arms and a different guardsman had the other. They were dragging me up the embankment. I tried to break free as I couldnae imagine that either of them intended me well but I was simply too weak to do anything. Sorcha gagged me and bound me with rope. The mon threw me over his saddle and they rode out. The jostling of being held down on ma stomach along with the ground whizzing by made me feel so ill that I passed out again. After that, I canna remember anything but waking up in the chamber next door. I was still gagged but then I was tied to the bed. Sorcha and Lady Beatris informed me of their plan to sell me to the Viking. They said I would be made a bed slave.”

  Mairghread paused before continuing with her story. She wasnae sure just how Tristan would react when she told him about the men coming into her chamber. She peeked up at him and saw that he was patiently waiting for her to continue. He knew what part of her story she had come to and he was not going to press her to tell him. He was making it her choice. She was not about to keep secrets from him. Both men were dead for their choices so the least she could do was explain what led up to it.

  “After Alyson left, the two guardsmen, Donald and Duncan, came into the chamber. They said that Sorcha had told them they could enjoy themselves. Apparently, she’d told them that I was a tavern wench that had washed up after a former lover dumped me there. I kenned that they kenned that wasnae the truth but they were glad fer the excuse to molest me. One of them, the one with the lighter colored hair, Donald, that ma brother gutted, untied one of ma hands. Before he could grab ma wrist, I grabbed the vase on the bedside table and bashed him on the head. I couldnae hit him that hard because I couldnae feel ma arm after it had been tied so long. He slapped ma arm away and the vase flew out of ma hand. It crashed against the wall. I screamed as loud as I could and kept trying to hit him. The mon ye beat was pulling the covers off of me as the first one forced ma hand onto his shaft. He forced me to stroke him until he was hard. The other mon changed places with him and forced me to take hold of him. Once they were both ready enough, they started touching me and stroking themselves. I tried to buck them off and break free but I just couldnae. They had just gotten into the position that ye found them in only moments before ye stormed in. If ye hadnae gotten there when ye did—“She could not finish. They both knew exactly what would have happened.

  Tristan reached for the soap and washing cloth. He soaped it up and gently began to rub it along her skin. He washed her arms and back. He ran the cloth over both of her breasts. He rubbed more soap onto the cloth before washing between her legs and then lower. He sat forward and held her head in his hand as he leaned her back so that her hair became wet. He lathered the soap between his palms and gently massaged her scalp. He washed the long length of her hair. He then reached for the bucket of cool water that sat beside the tub. He gently dumped the water over Mairghread’s head to wash out the soap. He wiped the water from her face and the little soap bubbles from near her ears. He kissed her affectionately before placing the soap back on the table.

  Mairghread took the soap and the washing cloth and began to lather his chest. Once she had soap covering most of the expanse, she rubbed the cloth over his chest. She rubbed soap along each arm and followed it with the cloth. She waggled her finger to indicate she wanted him to lean forward. She pressed her breasts against his chest as she soaped and rubbed his back. He hardened instantly. As she reached up to wash his hair, her breasts brushed against his chin. He grabbed them and pressed them together. He ran his tongue over her nipples and alternated sucking each. Mairghread continued to wash his hair as he laved her breasts with his tongue and suckled like a starving babe. She kneeled to reach the top of his head and the tip of his shaft was like a loadstone to her sheath. The tip rubbed against her slit and she could not ignore how desperately she wanted to feel him inside of her. She lowered herself slightly onto him and allowed his tip to enter her. She moaned and was ready to sink down onto him completely. She had waited more than long enough.

  Tristan was lost in his haze of lust for this woman. He had never craved a woman before Mairghread. He had most definitely lusted after his fair share but he had always been able to control his desires and turn away from any woman without a second thought. He could not have turned away from Mairghread if his life depended upon it. He felt her hot seam pressing against his tip and started to raise his hips to meet her. It was only at the last minute that he realized exactly what they were about to do. He grabbed her hips and lifted her up.

  “Mo ghràidh, we canna do this. I promised ye and ye da that we would wait till we are wed to join together.”

  Mairghread had been lost to her own sensations and stared down at him in confusion. It took a moment for her mind to clear and then focus. She shook her head and moaned.

  “Havenae we waited long enough? Arenae we close enough to the wedding? We are to be wed in just a few hours. It is our wedding day so why wait any longer?” She was feeling frustrated beyond belief. It was easy enough for him to turn her away as this was not a new and exciting experience for him but her body veritably ached for the release that only coupling could bring. She was unaccustomed to these driving feelings of lust and desire. She did not yet know how to control her body or her emotions. She looked down at him and almost burst into tears. She turned around to face his feet to hide her face and her anger and disappointment. She leaned forward to wash his legs and feet.

  When she turned to face the other direction, Mairghread did not realize that she was providing Tristan with a perfect view of her backside and her most sacred of spaces. As she leaned forward, he grasped her backside and squeezed her cheeks apart. He kneaded and massaged them. She pressed her hips back towards him enjoying the feel of his large hands on her. He ran his thumb up and down the crease between her cheeks to test her reaction. When she did not pull away, he tapped the hole with the tip of his thumb. She stilled for only a moment and then looked back over her shoulder. She met his eyes as she pushed her hips back further. The tip of his thumb entered her and she stilled. She continued to look at Tristan. He could see the curiosity and desire in her eyes. He pressed his thumb into her a little more just to see her responsiveness. Mairghread pressed down on his hand and took his thumb into her. Tristan sat forward and wrapped his other hand around her breast. He nipped at her earlobe and then sucked on it. Mairghread’s hips began to rock of their own volition. Her breath escaped her on a sigh.

  Tristan pulled his hand free and she whimpered. He lifted Mairghread out of the tub and stood her up. He climbed out too. He snatched a drying cloth off of the table and began to dry Mairghread off. Once he was done with her, he quickly dried himself off. They stood in silence and Mairghread was not sure what to do. She did not know if things had just come to an abrupt end or if they were moving on to something else. She simply watched Tristan. When he was dry, he looked on the table next to the tub for the scented oil that had been added to the water. He spotted the vial and pulled out the stopper. He brought the vile to his nose and sniffed to be sure that there was not anything added that would irritate their intimate parts if rubbed in. Satisfied that it was just roses, he guided Mairghread over to the bed.

  “There is a way that we can join together without breaching yer maidenhead. I dinna want to deny either of us any longer the need
to join together but I willna dishonor ye or break ma word to leave ye a virgin until we are wed. If ye dinna like what I am about to do we will stop right away. Ye need only tell me to stop.”

  Mairghread knew instantly what Tristan was referring to. She remembered the first time he had tapped her bottom hole when they were at the loch and she had found his exploration in the tub only moments ago to be highly arousing. She looked up at him and nodded.

  Tristan poured out some oil on to his hand and began to coat his cock in it. Mairghread watched and found her mouthwatering. She had never thought she would desire to take any man into her mouth but she suddenly longed to suck Tristan’s shaft. She turned away from the temptation and stepped to the side of the bed. She leaned forward and braced her forearms onto the bed. Tristan stepped up behind her and she felt a cool, slick finger pressing against her entrance. She willed herself to relax as Tristan lifted her left leg onto the bed. She looked over her shoulder and saw the intent look on his face. He was just as eager as she was but she knew her eagerness stemmed from curiosity while his came from experience. She felt a twinge of jealousy for all the women who came before her. She could no longer watch so she turned her head forward. Her mind wandered and she began to wonder how many times he had taken Sorcha in such a way. She still did not know who the two other women were that he had had relationships with. She had not wanted to know before but now she found that she did. She was jealous of a wretched woman and two faceless and nameless ones. Her ardor was quickly cooling. She dropped her head and tried to shake away the images that were running through her mind. Tristan’s other hand wrapped around her hip and he pressed three fingers into her sheath. His thumb began to rub her pleasure point. Mairghread’s thoughts vanished as she felt Tristan’s hands upon her. She looked back over her shoulder and could see he had his shaft in his hand. He bent his knees to enter her and she almost giggled at how awkward he looked. She quickly realized that she was too short. She pushed his hand from her and his head jerked up. She smiled and licked her lips. The look of confusion on Tristan’s face would have been comical in any other situation. Mairghread climbed on to the bed and drew her legs up and apart. She leaned over completely and rested her chest against her thighs. She lifted her hips and used her hands to hold her bottom cheeks apart. The scene that she presented almost made Tristan spill his seed before even entering her.