My Tempting Highlander (Highland Hearts #3) (11 page)

“He reminds me of a buzz saw.” Lilia held out the little dog. “Wanna hold him?”

“No, thank you.” Mairi shook her head as she placed a steaming mug on the table in front of Ronan. “Try to sip it slowly. It’ll settle your stomach.”

Ronan eyed the clear golden liquid. Tendrils of steam rose from the white ceramic cup. Foam swirled around what looked to be knots of tiny yellow flowers floating on the surface.
God’s beard
. He’d have to strain that swill through clenched teeth. He’d seen this tea before. Mother had instructed him in its making the year Graham had suffered the decimating head cold. Ronan politely slid the cup to the center of the table. He’d no’ be drinkin’ a bit of that mess. “I’m much better. I thank ye for yer concern.”

With a snort, Lilia plopped the little dog in his pillowed basket in the corner. “You’ve got a lot to learn about men, sis.” She reached deep into the cabinet lining the far wall and came out with a promising-looking bottle of amber liquid. Lilia winked at Ronan then held up the bottle to Mairi. “Your fine chieftain would probably prefer a healthy swig of Highlander’s tea to soothe his nerves after a wild ride through Edinburgh.”

“It was not a wild ride.” Mairi snatched the bottle out of Lilia’s hand and turned to Ronan. “I supposed you prefer whisky over tea?”

Ronan daren’t laugh.
Lore a’mighty.
If he did, he’d never get a taste of that blessed water of life. With the solemnest tone he could muster, he pushed the mug of tea even farther away. “A wee dram wouldna be unwelcome.”

Mairi rolled her eyes, snatched up the mug of tea, and dumped it in the sink. “Fine. My driving wasn’t that bad.” She uncorked the bottle, filled the cup half full, and returned it to Ronan.

Before she could take her hand away from the mug, Ronan cupped his hands around hers. “Yer a fine brave lass to be able to control such a beast.” He stroked his thumb up and down the silk of her wrist. “Yer a wonder, Mairi.”

Ronan didn’t miss Mairi’s sharp intake of breath nor the way her lovely skin pinked to a warm delightful shade from the collar of her shirt to her hairline. What he wouldn’t give to trail his fingertips along that rosy path to where it disappeared into the vee of her shirt and then kiss his way down her torso. “A lovely wonder,” he added in a husky whisper.

Mairi eased her hands away, tucking them behind her back as she straightened. “Drink your tonic,” she ordered with a nod down at the cup.

Ronan brought the welcome libation to his lips, savoring the nerve-steadying burn as he relished the subtle pleased expression brightening Mairi’s face.
Aye
. Strange unholy things or no’, his trip to this time was no’ wasted. Mairi was the one.

“Can you two take Buzz back to the house? I don’t think he’ll fit in very well with the bridal shower I’ve got booked this afternoon.” Lilia plopped a basket of tiny odd-size bottles decorated with black and white ribbons on the table. “The bride-to-be picked out these as favors for her guests. What do you think? I’m not sure it’s such a great idea.”

Mairi plucked one of the bottles out of the basket, uncorked it, and took a hesitant sniff. Nose wrinkling and eyes squinting shut, she immediately recorked the bottle and dropped it back in the basket. “Ugh. What is that? I can’t even begin to identify that smell.”

Lilia held one of the bottles out to Ronan. “I’m not gonna say until Ronan’s had a whiff.” She smiled and dropped the beribboned bottle in his hand. “Tell me what you think it is.”

Ronan rolled the tiny bottle between his thumb and forefingers, eyeing the dark mysterious liquid sliding up and down inside the vial. He carefully pulled the cork free and wafted the bottle under his nose. The rancid contents of the bottle set the lining of his nose on fire. Ronan hastily shoved the cork back in the bottle, squinting against the stinging tears burning in his eyes. “That should be burned. ’Tis turned and gone bad.”

Lilia plopped the bottle back in the basket. “I agree, but the bride-to-be says it’s her mother’s very own fertility blend guaranteed to make a baby in the first year of her marriage.”

Ronan wiped the tears from his eyes as he rose and moved away from the table. “No man will go near a woman smelling of that.”

“Why is she giving fertility oils away as bridal favors? Are all her friends wanting to get pregnant?” Mairi rubbed the back of her hand across the end of her nose, still eyeing the basket of noxious oils as though it were an evil entity.

Lilia frowned as she tapped a finger atop the handle of the basket. “I’m not sure what’s going on in this chick’s head. From all the plans I’ve seen regarding her bridal shower, it’s more like a party to rub her friends’ noses in it and tell them all to go straight to hell.”

“And you’re going to have it here at the shop? Aren’t you concerned about negative publicity?” Mairi edged closer to Ronan and poured a bit more whisky into his cup. “Here. You probably need another swig after smelling that mess.”

“Aye.” Ronan nodded and thankfully breathed in the pleasant fumes wafting up from the alcohol. He waved his mug toward the basket on the table. “Poor woman doesna sound as though she has any true friends.”

“True friends are rare in this day and age.” Mairi’s face darkened as her gaze lowered. “It’s hard to know who you can really trust. Not everyone is truthful.”

Ronan stole a quick glance at Mairi then at Lilia. The two seemed caught up in their own silent conversation. Uneasiness pricked icy tingles across his flesh. Had they somehow discovered the truth about him? Had Mistress Eliza no’ kept his confidence?

Mairi blinked hard and shook her head as though shaking herself free of some sort of hold. “We better be going if you want us to get Buzz out of here before the party.” She pointed to the tiny dog currently curled up in a tight fuzzy ball, asleep in his basket. “Do you have a carrier here or a leash?” Mairi leaned back toward Ronan, a wicked grin curving her lips. “Just think, you get to hold your new best friend in your lap all the way home.”

“Nay.” Ronan shook his head. No way in hell was he getting back in that monstrosity of a horseless carriage. “I dinna care if I have to walk for a week and a day, I’m not riding anymore.”

Mairi glared up at him as she bent to pick up the puppy. “I can’t believe you want to walk home. It’s supposed to rain again today. Maybe even snow.”

“It’s raining right now,” Lilia interjected with a nod toward the window. The sky had turned a murky gray and water droplets had already splattered the glass. A gust of wind rattled sleet against the pane.

“A bit of rain ne’er hurt a man.” Ronan shrugged his plaid about his shoulders and hooded it over his head. “Take the wee dog in yer riding machine. I shall walk.”

“Riding machine? Seriously?” Mairi glared at him then pointed an accusing finger toward his chest. “You don’t know the way home. You had your eyes shut most of the ride here.” Mairi turned and fixed Lilia with an imploring look.

“Don’t look at me.” Lilia held out her hands as though staving off an attack. “In about one hour, I’m going to have a shop full of frenemies. I’ll have my hands full keeping them from killing one another. You two are on your own.”

“You can’t walk,” Mairi repeated. She fisted a hand in his plaid then looked to the rain-slicked window. “You’ll catch your death and I’ll never hear the end of it from Eliza.”

Lore a’mighty. If ye only knew.
“I willna catch m’death.” Ronan shoved aside the beaded curtain of crystals and headed toward the door.

Mairi pushed past him, yanked open the door, and stomped down the steps. She kept Buzz cuddled inside her jacket as she pulled open the passenger-side door of the car and glared back at Ronan. “Get. In.”

How could it be possible that the rain slicking the woman’s dark curls down around her face made her look even more tempting? Ronan reveled in the fire sparking in Mairi’s green-eyed gaze. This battle could prove to be verra promising indeed. He lifted his chin and gave Mairi a smile that was sure to stoke her ire even hotter. “Ye ken m’answer well enough.”

Mairi’s eyes narrowed. “The only thing I
ken
right now is that you’re being a stubborn, unreasonable ass. Now. Get. In.” She lifted her chin a notch higher, blinking against the rain pattering in her eyes. Buzz burrowed deeper inside her jacket.

A smile tickled at the corners of his mouth as the perfect solution came to him. Ronan nodded toward the car. “A kiss.” If the thought of Mairi had calmed his wolf back into the shadows, surely to God the sweet taste of her fresh on his lips would keep the beast at bay for the hellatious ride back.

“What?” Mairi blinked at him as though she’d not quite heard what he said.

Ronan took a step closer. “A kiss will keep my illness at bay. A kiss will keep Mistress Eliza off yer arse.”

“A kiss,” Mairi repeated with a dubious glance at his mouth.

Ronan eased even closer, extricated the small dog out of Mairi’s coat, and plopped the pup onto the front seat. He slid his hands about her waist and pulled her closer. “Aye. A kiss.” He slid his right hand up the center of her back and snugged her tight against him.

Mairi glared up at him. Mischief sparked in her eyes as she pecked a quick kiss to the tip of his nose. “There you go. Now get in the car.” She wiggled free, ducked under his arm, and scampered around to her side of the car.

So ’tis war ye seek.
Ronan pushed the car door shut, hooded his plaid back over his head, and started down the driveway. He stopped when he reached the gate, studying the brick posts and iron bars keeping him from walking down the road. He swallowed a victorious chuckle at the sound of a car door slamming behind him.

“You’ve got to be the most hardheaded man I have ever met in my life.”

He didn’t bother turning. Time to let the lass stew in her own juices.

“Get your ass over here so I can kiss you and we can get home to some dry clothes.”

Ronan turned, folded his hands at his waist, and waited.
Lore, I love the look of ye when yer angry.
He knew better than to say the words aloud…at least he wouldna say them until after the proper kiss.

Mairi huffed out an irritated noise, something akin to a growl. She stomped down the driveway, ripped his clasped hands apart, and planted them firmly atop her hips. Shoving him hard back against the gate, she locked her hands around his neck, hooked her boots in the bars on either side of him, and climbed higher until she straddled his waist. Tilting his head back, she covered his mouth with hers and proceeded to set his soul on fire.

Son of a bitch.
Ronan clutched her harder against him, melting into her heat as he knotted his fingers in her wet hair and reveled in the taste of her. She opened his mouth wider, forcing her tongue deep, claiming him with an angry growl. Her thighs tightened around him. Her nails dug into his shoulders. This was no ordinary kiss. Damned if the woman was no’ staking her ownership of his soul.

Mairi finally lifted her head. Her heart hammered against his chest and throat as she dug her fingers into his short hair and yanked his head back even farther. Breathing hard, her eyes partially closed, Mairi brushed her mouth across his lips one last time then caught his earlobe between her teeth and gently suckled it. After a cock-hardening swipe of her tongue along his throat, she brought her mouth back to his ear and blew hot against his flesh with a scorching whisper: “Now get in the goddamn car.”

Ronan prayed the stairs went on forever. Mairi’s mouthwatering arse swayed just a few inches in front of his face as she walked up the staircase before him. Ronan reached down and adjusted the crotch of his jeans. By the fires of hell, the tight cut of the trews of this time were about to slice his bollocks in two. He slid his hand down the front of his pants and shifted his hardened cock to one side. Eliza MacTavish had no’ been wrong about the beastly bit of metal called a “zipper.” The greater his cock grew, the more the wicked metal teeth chewed against the length of him.

Mairi paused at the third landing of the staircase and pointed to a short blue door to the left. “That closet is filled with the extra clothes I was telling you about. I’m not sure what’s in there but it’s a good-size space.” Mairi caught the corner of her lower lip between her teeth as she worried a look up and down the length of him. “I guess I could put your things in the dryer while you’re in the shower. At least that way you’ll have something to wear in case Eliza doesn’t have any more clothes that will fit you.”

Ronan had no idea what a dryer was and at this particular moment in time, nay did he really care. The heightened color to Mairi’s cheeks paired with the quiver in her voice told him everything he needed to know. The woman was as physically aware of him as he was of her thanks to her fiery kiss. “I’m sure whatever ye do will be fine.” And it would be—as long as she did it to him. He flinched as the metal zipper grated against his stubborn rising.

Mairi glanced down and her cheeks flamed even brighter. She whirled about and fumbled with the latch to the door on the right. Hurrying through it, Mairi waved a hand across the space. “I can’t believe Eliza locked you out of her floor. She must be…entertaining this afternoon.” Mairi urged him forward with a smile. “Welcome to my floor. I’ve got the refurbed bathroom with the sweetest shower. Lilia’s room has a tub, but I don’t think you’d fit in it.” She wet her lips as her gaze kept flitting to the ever-increasing bulge below his belt.

Ronan smiled and shifted to a wider stance.
Aye
. Let the lass see what he ached to share with her. He slowly tilted his pelvis forward just enough to flare Mairi’s cheeks to an even lovelier shade of red.

Mairi cleared her throat and hurried across the room. “Through that door is sort of my hobby room. If you’d like something to drink to warm you up before your shower, there’s a bar in there. I always keep plenty of bottled water, but I think there might be a bottle of port too.” Mairi grabbed an oversize pillow from the padded bench at the foot of the bed, dropped it on the floor, and eased the sleeping puppy down onto the cushion. As she straightened, she pointed toward the opposite side of the room. “The bathroom is through that door. If you’ll toss your clothes out here before you step into the shower, I’ll run back down and put them in the dryer.” Mairi was talking so fast she nearly gasped for breath.

Ronan took great comfort in Mairi’s nervousness. Apparently, the lass ne’er brought men up to her rooms. Verra good indeed. Ronan headed through the opened door to what Mairi had called her hobby room. A bit of port would help a great deal with what he had in mind. Ronan came up short as soon as he stepped through the doorway.

“Is something wrong?” Mairi’s voice sounded strained and small directly behind him.

Ronan turned and faced her. Mairi’s face had gone pale. Ronan cupped her chin and lifted her downcast gaze up to his. “Mairi?” He kept his tone soft. “What ails ye?”

Mairi jerked away and pushed around him. She hurried to the center of the room with her hands fisted at her sides. With a nervous fluttering of one hand, she motioned toward the countless sculptures all around the room. “These are my dragons. I know they may seem a bit strange and all…” She lifted her chin and squared her shoulders. “But in a sense, these dragons are kind of like family.”

Sight for the unseen.
A chill raced across his flesh as Ronan slowly turned and took in the intricate detailing of the many wood carvings and clay sculptures of dragons in various positions, shapes, and sizes. So this is what the old witch meant. ’Twas nay the ability of prophecy or second sight but the gift of seeing hidden beauty within an object and then releasing it to the world.

Ronan moved to the largest sculpted dragon of them all. Perched on a pedestal with leathery wings outstretched was an exact replica of Graham in his dragon form. Lips curled back, fangs revealed, the great dragon’s graceful neck arched above its scaly chest while it reared back, ready to unleash a volley of flames. Ronan traced his fingertips down the detailed ridges running the length of the dragon’s back and extending to the tip of the long, curved tail. “Why would anyone ever do anything less than admire this beauty from yer hands?”

Mairi eased forward, a glint of excitement in her green gold eyes. “Do you really like them? You’re not just saying that?”

Ronan stepped around the grand beast, taking it in from every angle. Mairi had perfectly captured the vision of Graham in the middle of one of his rants. For the first time in a long time, the suffocating weight on Ronan’s shoulders lightened just a bit. Mairi wouldna be frightened of his friend and mentor. Without even realizing it, Mairi had already seen him.

Ronan turned and took her hands in his. He slowly rotated them until Mairi held both palms up. “Yer a gifted woman, Mairi Sinclair. These hands…yer hands…are but another grand layer to an already amazing woman.”

“Thank you so much.” Mairi’s voice echoed with relief. Her face beamed and her eyes glistened as she smiled up at him. “That’s very kind of you to say.”

“I’m no’ bein’ kind.” Ronan gently pulled her to him and enfolded her in his arms. “I speak the truth,” he whispered. He sought out her mouth and tightened his embrace. Forget the port. All he needed was Mairi.

Aching need pounded through him as Mairi’s soft curves melted against the hardened length of him. He slid his hands down her back, cupped her ass in both hands, and pulled her harder against his body.
Now,
his cock roared, straining rock hard toward Mairi’s promising warmth. There’d be no interruptions this time. He’d see to that.

“I need ye.” Ronan’s voice was ragged and coarse, but he nay cared. He’d searched centuries for this woman. God’s beard. He had to have her under him.

Mairi encircled his face with her soft hands, leaning her body tighter against him. “We could kill two birds with one stone. Eliza recently had the shower renovated. There’s definitely room for two.”

Ronan didna ken what a shower was, nor did he really care. If Mairi was willing to welcome him into her body, he’d follow wherever she led. “Lead me, woman. Show me this shower of which ye speak.”

Mairi took him by the hand and led him to the doorway at the opposite end of the rooms. She cast a teasing glance back at him as she slowly pushed open the door. “If I’m in the shower with you, your clothes won’t get put in the dryer.”

Ronan pulled her to him, picked her up, and silenced her with a kiss. He shuddered for control as Mairi wrapped her legs around his waist and squeezed. With one hand full of her curvy ass, Ronan laced the fingers of his other hand through her curls and dove his tongue deeper into the warm wetness of her mouth. Before the night was over, Ronan silently swore, he’d taste every delicious bit of her. Finally, he raised his head, nibbling a trail along her jaw, panting out his words. “I’ll no’ have need of clothing for a verra long while.”

“Verra long, huh?” Mairi squirmed against him with a wicked giggle. “Sounds promising.”

Mairi tickled the tip of her tongue along the ridge of his throat, effectively fueling the blazing urgency building within him. He eased her down to the floor, grabbed the neck of her shirt, and tore it in two.

Mairi’s mouth dropped open. “That was my favorite shirt.”

Ronan hooked both hands into the waist of her jeans and gave a warning tug. “The trews are next.”

“No. Wait!” Mairi pushed his hands away, unzipped the jeans, and shucked them off. “There.” She took a seductive step away from the puddle of clothes at her feet, smoothing her hands along the teasing bits of lace and silk hugging her curves. The dark blue triangle of cloth shimmering between Mairi’s legs and the three silver-shot ribbons of lace slinking around her hips promised to be the gateway to heaven—nay, the gateway to true bliss.

And gateways were made t’be entered.

Ronan ripped away his own shirt and shed the damnable trews that had nearly strangled his balls. His cock strained forward, throbbing with the unnecessary reminder that this was no’ the time to tarry. Ronan licked his lips and stepped forward. He needed to taste those dusky rose nipples straining toward him through more of Mairi’s tiny bits of lace.

“Wait!” Mairi laid one hand to the center of his chest and lightly stroked the fingertips of her other hand across the tip of his cock. “I’ll get the water started while you get the condoms.” She looked over at a mirrored cabinet hanging on the wall. She shrugged with a sheepish grin as she nodded toward it. “I hope they’re not dry rotted. I’ve had them for a while. You know—just in case.” She slid a frosted glass door to one side and stepped into what appeared to be a room carved of marble. Mairi pointed to the cabinet again. “Go ahead. You can’t miss’m. Purple box. Top shelf.” Then she reached behind her, made a strange twisting movement, and slid the tiny camisole of lace and cloth frippery away from the loveliest pair of ivory breasts Ronan had ever seen.

He groaned as she turned away from him and bent over. Her hips swayed from side to side as she twisted the strange metal knobs jutting out from one wall of the marble-encased room. Ronan’s bollocks tightened and his cock throbbed even harder at the sight of the dark narrow strip of satin separating the twin mounds of Mairi’s fine ass. ’Twas the first time in his long life that Ronan knew for certain he was jealous of a bit o’ ribbon.

Mairi turned and winked at him as she slid her thumbs under the ribbons across her hips and peeled off the last bit of satin. She nodded toward the cabinet again as she slowly backed beneath the multiple disks of metal releasing cascades of water.

Purple box. Condoms.
Lore a’mighty, condoms—might that be sheaths?
Ronan fully intended this evening t’last quite a while. If condoms were in fact sheaths—he hoped she had stock aplenty. Mesmerized by the trickling rivulets of water racing down Mairi’s body, Ronan stumbled back and fumbled with the latch of the cabinet door.

He couldn’t force his gaze away from Mairi, barely suppressing a groan as she teased him by slowly drizzling a stream of golden oil across her shoulders and breasts then stroking her skin until it glistened with frothy suds.

“Damn, woman. Yer killin’ me.”

“Then hurry up and get in here. I need you to do my back.”

Aye. I’ll do yer back, all right
…
and every other side of ye
. Ronan slammed open the cabinet door, spied the purple box, and snatched it down. He turned the box in his hands, pulled away the flimsy lid and frowned at the strange tiny packets.
So these were condoms.
He scowled at the tiny pictures printed inside the lid.
Bless m’soul—even sheaths have changed.

Mairi peeped around the doors, her wet breasts flattened against the frosted glass. Her nipples pressed dark and teasing against the fogged glass. “You’re very slow.”

“Aye, lass. I’ll show ye slow.” Ronan dug his fingers into the box, curled the packets into one hand, then strode into the shower. The warm water struck full on his back as he jammed the loose packets of condoms into a cubbyhole carved in the wall. Wrapping his fingers around Mairi’s slender wrist, he slowly pulled her toward him. “I must have ye,” he groaned as Mairi slid her hot wet body against his, her fragrant silkiness careening him ever closer to spontaneous combustion.

Mairi scooped up one of the packets from the marble shelf then tickled her hands up the curves of his ass. She pressed against him with a teasing wiggle then pulled him to the back of the marble room. “Come. There’s a bench over here. It’s perfect.”

Well-positioned disks shot inviting waterfalls from every angle of the room. Ronan spied the bench and nodded his approval. “Aye, m’love. Tha’ll do for starters.”

Before he could lower himself to the bench, Mairi pressed one hand against his stomach, stilling him for a moment. “Not just yet.” Her smile promised things to come as she lowered herself to the bench and pulled him in front of her.

Ronan braced his hands above her, on the wall, praying for control as Mairi slid her hands up the inside of his thighs. He hissed a sharp intake of breath when she cupped his scrotum in one hand, encircled his cock with the other, and pulled several slow, smooth strokes. She puddled more of the golden oil she’d slathered across her body into her hands then massaged it up and down his cock while at same time coating his balls. Ronan settled his feet farther apart and leaned forward, clenching his teeth to keep from shouting. His cock and bollocks tingled with a deep burning bliss he’d never enjoyed before. “Lore, woman.” He shuddered and flexed, stretching to the balls of his feet as she stroked faster. “God o’mighty,” he groaned again.

A low chuckle bubbled free from Mairi as she ripped open one of the tiny packets, took what looked like a ring of pale skin, and smoothed it down over his cock. Then she leaned forward and cupped her mouth over the swollen head, suckling the tip as she stroked him and palmed his balls. Ronan closed his eyes and prayed even harder for control as the hotness of Mairi’s mouth around him threatened to be his undoing. He tensed and strained forward as she suckled him with excruciating, blissful pulls. Her hard nipples teased against the tops of his thighs as she leaned forward and back, time after time, until Ronan thought he’d surely collapse.

Unable to risk any more, Ronan pushed away from the wall and took a step back from Mairi, panting for want of breath.

Mairi rose from the bench, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him down to her kiss. Ronan raised her up to his chest and walked them both underneath the spray of water, clutching Mairi tight as she wrapped her legs around his waist. The warm water slaked down between them, frothing the warming oil into an erotic foam.