“What happened to your mother?” Alexander asked.
Ailis sighed deeply. She had thought that it was a story all of Scotland would have heard since it caused such a scandal.
“She was found on the rocks beneath the east tower with her skull smashed open,” Ailis said, flinching at the graphic images her words conjured up. “There are those who believe my father threw her from the battlements. They say he hated her for failing to give him a son.”
Ailis was heartened by the look of horror that formed on Alexander’s face. He might be willing to threaten her with banishment to a nunnery and to be all too ready to spank her, but his clear shock at what he’d heard gave her hope that he would never truly harm her.
“So neither Ruaridh nor Gregor shares the same mother as you?”
“No, my father had three wives. His last, Morag, died when Ruaridh was born,” Ailis replied. “I am sure he would have wed a fourth had he not died in battle.”
Alexander nodded solemnly and Ailis wondered whether he felt guilty for having been among the king’s troops who had fought against her clansmen. She doubted it. Men like her new husband carried out their duty without remorse. It seemed that neither of them wanted to continue that line of conversation, as a thoughtful silence fell between them. They walked, without a word, through the gardens, and Ailis found Alexander’s presence surprisingly soothing.
Then, suddenly, he stopped beneath a tree. Taking his dagger from his belt, he reached up and cut a sturdy twig, about the thickness of his finger, from the tree. Ailis looked at him in bewilderment as he swished it through the air.
“Hazel,” Alexander explained. “Excellent for dealing with a misbehaving wife.”
“But I haven’t done anything,” Ailis protested.
“No,” Alexander conceded, “but with a lass as lively as you it can only be a matter of time. I shall have it soaked in a salt brine to ensure it remains supple and keep it in the corner of our bedchamber.”
Ailis snorted indignantly. “That will hardly lend itself to a spirit of marital bliss.”
“Well,” Alexander said, “we shall see.”
He grabbed her hand and began to hurry toward the castle.
“Where are you taking me, my lord?”
“To bed, my lady, and do not expect to leave it until morning.”
The promise of sensual delight his voice held made Ailis’ heart skip a beat and she gladly hurried with him toward their bedchamber.
Chapter Eleven
Ailis clambered up onto the bed and settled back on the thick fur cover, her body seeming to dissolve into its warm pile. The soft fur caressed her bare skin, making every inch of it tingle. As she watched Alexander stripping off his clothing, a salacious grin formed on her pale pink lips. He pulled the shirt off over his head and she sighed contentedly. She might never get used to seeing that perfect, muscular chest. The excited anticipation his naked form aroused in her was almost beyond description. When he was clothed, Alexander exuded a certain air of authority, but when he was naked, it was all channeled into pure sexual dominance. There was no denying his raw, masculine power when every inch of him was laid bare. As he came down onto the bed, she eagerly opened her legs to him.
“Such a pretty wee pussy,” Alexander praised as he knelt between her widely spread legs. “Plump and pink, just ripe for fucking.”
Ailis blushed but made no move to cover herself. The way he spoke sparked something primal in her and his crude words made her body come alive.
“But first,” Alexander said, his eyes gleaming with intent, “I want a taste.”
Ailis’ brow furrowed in confusion, but there was no time to ask him what it was he wanted to taste. Before she knew what was happening, his head was buried between her legs and his tongue—oh, dear lord, his tongue—was taking long, languorous strokes along her feminine slit. Throwing her head back, Ailis moaned as he slowly pushed his tongue into her soaking wet pussy. Never before had she experienced anything so intensely pleasurable. An unbearable pressure began to build inside her as he slipped his fingers between her legs and teased her aching clitoris until it pulsated with desire.
Her fingers clenched around the fur throw that covered the bed as a wave of sensation rippled through her lower body. As he withdrew his tongue from her, Ailis whimpered at the loss. She soon forgot about it as his lips wrapped around her swollen, feminine bud. She groaned as he sucked lightly. This was pure, sensual torture, heaven and hell all wrapped up in one. What on Earth was he doing to her? She needed more, was desperate to feel him inside her. She shifted restlessly, but he placed a hand on her stomach to hold her still as he continued to tease her to a frenzy.
Just as she thought she might go mad, he moved away, quickly drawing himself up, so the head of his cock was lined up with the entrance to her quivering pussy. He pushed slowly inside her, just a couple of inches, and held himself still.
“Such a tight little cunt,” he ground out.
Immediately, her silken sheath contracted around him. As her womb clenched tight, she couldn’t prevent a scream of ecstasy escaping her. Alexander drove his cock forward and the room seemed to spin as her entire body convulsed in rapture.
As she slowly came down from her climax, she realized that her new husband was studying her face carefully, his eyes glowing with appreciation. He began to move, his steely length sliding all the way out of her before he pushed back inside. His cock filled her completely, stretching her body, still unaccustomed to these pleasures, to its limits. Ailis moaned as he bent his head and took one of her rosy nipples into his mouth.
Her nails dug into his shoulders as he took a playful bite of her breast. The graze of his teeth on her sensitized skin sent a delicious shudder through her body. Her back arched as he released her nipple and propped himself up on his elbows, his hands cradling her face as he gazed reverently into her eyes. He began to pump his hips more quickly now, thrusting hard as he reached impossibly deep inside her. Ailis panted as he pounded relentlessly into her pussy. She lifted her hips and wrapped her legs around his waist, trying to pull him even closer. He pushed her back down again, reminding her that he was the one in control.
His hand slipped down between their bodies and he found her clitoris once more. He flicked his finger over the tiny bundle of nerves until Ailis thought she would burst from the need for release. When he pinched the swollen bud, Ailis cried out. Hot, wet fluids flooded her feminine channel until Alexander’s cock was bathed in her juices. A moment later, his movements became erratic as his own climax approached. He drove forward and, with an almost inhuman groan, spilled his seed inside her.
As he collapsed onto the bed next to her, he pulled Ailis close and placed a tender kiss on her forehead. Their limbs tangled as they turned to face one another, skin glistening with sweat after their exertions.
As Alexander gently stroked her cheek, Ailis smiled. In that moment, she felt a peace she’d never known before. Despite the way it had been forced upon her by the king, she was starting to wonder whether this marriage might have some chance of success.
Alexander returned her smile. He opened his mouth as though he was about to speak, but no words came out. His eyes narrowed as though something had suddenly angered him, and he got up from the bed.
“Where are you going?” Ailis asked as he threw on his shirt and pulled his braies on before heading for the door.
“To get us some food.” His tone suggested irritation and, as he turned to look at her, there was a hard expression on his face that Ailis couldn’t quite decipher. He shook his head and quickly left the room.
Ailis flopped back on the bed, utterly bewildered. One moment, she’d thought all was well between them and the next he was looking at her as though she’d displeased him somehow. She had no idea what she might have done to anger him. Getting up from the bed, she pulled her undershirt back on over her head and went to sit by the fire. Hopefully, once he had some food inside him, Alexander’s humor would improve. Otherw
ise, she suspected, she was in for an uncomfortable night.
* * *
Alexander stormed down the winding stone staircase and flung open the heavy wooden door at the bottom, before crossing the courtyard to the buildings that housed the caste’s kitchens. He encountered several of his men as he strode through the darkness, but none tried to engage him in discussion. They knew, after years in his service, that when he wore this air of determination, the best course of action was to stay out of his way.
As he walked toward the kitchen, Alexander cursed himself. Caught up in the moment as he lay next to his new bride, he came dangerously close to telling her he loved her. Where that had come from, he had no idea. It was too soon to be making declarations like that, especially since love was not an emotion he’d ever thought he would lay claim to. There was something about having the warmth of her luscious body pressed against his, the look of adoration in her eyes, that almost had him acting completely out of character. That was something he would have to guard against. He couldn’t afford to let the lass make him soft.
When he threw open the door to the kitchen, several pairs of anxious eyes fell on him. It was, he acknowledged, unusual for the master of the household to find his way into this most domestic of domains. Under normal circumstances, he would have sent a servant to fetch the food, but his mind had been so fogged with thoughts of Ailis that he hadn’t even known where he was heading until he got there.
As he walked into the room, he had to bend low to get through the door. The ceilings inside were not very high and, being unusually tall, Alexander felt uncomfortable. This room was not a pleasant place to be. The first thing that struck him was the intense heat of the fires, and then the stench of smoke. A half dozen people worked in the kitchens, trying to stay on top of the never-ending task of keeping the castle’s inhabitants fed. It was dark and smoky in there and Alexander knew improvements would have to be made. Now that his troops were garrisoned at the castle, they needed bigger kitchens. His men had large appetites. He decided to set someone to work on it as soon as possible.
“My laird.” A timid-looking woman approached. Her eyes raked over him, no doubt wondering at his state of undress. Clearly knowing her place, she made no comment. “May I be of service?”
“Some food and a little ale,” he said. “Lady Ailis and I missed the evening meal.”
“Aye, my laird. I’ll prepare some supper right away and send wee Donald up.”
“No,” Alexander said firmly. “I’ll wait.”
He had no idea why he’d said that and, from the way she was looking at him, he knew the maid found it incredibly strange. Nevertheless, she bobbed a curtsy and hurried off to fetch the food he’d requested. Alexander knew that his presence in the kitchens was unnerving for the servants who worked there. He’d never really given much thought to the people who kept the castle running, but he would bet his finest horse that his new bride knew the names of every one of them. Ailis had a certain gift with people, it seemed. He knew from the way the clans-folk talked about her that she understood how to make them feel cared for. He had to find a way to make that work for him without letting her think they were equal when it came to leading the clan.
“Here you go, my laird.” The young woman returned with a wooden trencher loaded up with a hearty venison stew and some thick chunks of bread. “It’s just leftovers from tonight’s supper.”
“It’ll do,” Alexander said, waving away her obvious concerns that the food wasn’t good enough. He took the food and the pitcher of ale and turned to leave. Then he paused and moved back to where the young woman still stood. “What’s your name, lass?”
“Mairi, my laird.”
“Thank you, Mairi.”
Alexander saw the look of surprise on the young woman’s face and then the flash of relief that she probably didn’t want him to see. She probably thought he’d been about to coerce her into performing sexual favors for him. As tempting as the serving lass’s plump, round bottom was, he had no intention of betraying the oaths he took before God when he pledged himself to Ailis. He was going to have to satisfy his lusts with his warm and willing bride. He just wasn’t sure she would be up to it.
* * *
Mopping up the last of the delicious sauce from the venison stew with a chunk of bread, Ailis sat with her legs curled up under her and watched as Alexander drank deeply from his cup of ale. She didn’t yet know him well, but she could tell there was something troubling him. He placed the cup down and stared into the fire. Since he returned to the bedchamber, he’d barely said a word, except to tell her that Mairi had prepared the food for them. That he had taken the time to learn the name of the kitchen maid surprised Ailis. Her new husband didn’t seem the type to concern himself with such trivialities. She found, though, that she liked the thought of him taking as much of an interest in their people as she did.
She glanced over at Alexander, who was sprawled in his chair. His relaxed posture was misleading. There was a silent fury emanating from him that she couldn’t account for. She couldn’t imagine what she might have done to anger him, but she knew she wanted to make amends. If she could find a way to lighten his spirits, he might share with her what was troubling him. As she tried to think of something to do to improve his humor, an image popped into her head. She suddenly recalled, quite vividly, the encounter she’d witnessed between Niall and Lady Margaret when she’d knelt before him and taken his manhood into her mouth. That had seemed to please Niall, so perhaps Alexander would respond well if she did the same to him.
Before she could lose her nerve, Ailis rose from her seat and removed the nightshirt she’d put on when Alexander returned with the food. She saw the spark of interest in his eyes as she moved to stand in front of him, completely naked. He looked as though he wanted to reach out and touch her—his fingers twitched—but he remained still. She sank to her knees, positioning herself between his legs. Leaning forward, she unfastened Alexander’s braies. His eyes widened in surprise, but he made no move to stop her.
Ailis licked her lips nervously as her hand wrapped around his rigid length and stroked gently. Then she leaned forward and took his cock into her mouth. His skin felt soft on her tongue but beneath it there was a steeliness. She wiggled her tongue experimentally. Mistaking the groan that came from Alexander for a sign he was displeased, she released him and sat back on her heels, tears filling her eyes.
“Did I do it wrong?”
Feeling a sense of defeat, her shoulders slumped and her gaze dropped to the floor. She was aware of Alexander shifting. He got up from his seat and stood before her. Putting his hand beneath her chin, he gently lifted it until she had no choice but to look up at him.
“You did nothing wrong, lass,” Alexander assured her in what she was quite certain was a lie to spare her feelings. “In fact, with some guidance, I believe you can please me greatly.”
“You will teach me, my lord?”
“I will,” Alexander replied. “Now, open your mouth.”
Obediently, Ailis parted her lips. She looked up at Alexander as he stepped forward and guided his cock into her mouth.
“Use your tongue,” Alexander instructed. “Get a feel for me.”
Ailis licked around the head of his cock, gathering up some salty droplets of liquid. Her brow furrowed as she tried to decide whether she liked the taste, but then she determined it didn’t matter. She was doing this to please her husband, not for her own personal gratification. Yet, as she let her tongue slide along the underside of his rigid manhood, eliciting a deep moan from him, she realized that she was enjoying this. There was a power in the act that she hadn’t expected. If she mastered this, she could bring him to his knees.
“Now, suck me,” Alexander said, “gently, mind.”
Ailis sucked lightly, pulling in her cheeks. Her mouth was incredibly full and, as she took more of his impressive rod, she panicked that she might not be able to breathe. Seeming to sense her anxiety, Alexander stroked her hair.
“You’re doing well, lass. Just do what comes naturally.”
That seemed impossible since nothing about being on her knees with her new husband’s cock in her mouth felt natural to Ailis. She closed her eyes for a second and chased the feelings of embarrassment from her mind, trying to think of nothing at all. Feeling more comfortable, she began to bob her head back and forward. She allowed his cock to slide almost all the way out before moving forward to take as much of him as she could manage into her mouth again. Placing her hands on the back of his thighs to anchor herself, she established a steady rhythm. As she sucked a little harder, Alexander gave an almost pained groan. She would have stopped, but his hand cradled the back of her head, encouraging her to continue.
“That’s perfect, lass,” he praised her.
His words emboldened her and Ailis picked up the pace. Suddenly, the hold Alexander had on her head tightened. He held her firmly in place as he began to thrust his hips, driving deeper into her mouth, hitting the back of her throat. Ailis whimpered as he took control. Her heart fluttered in panic that she would not be able to breathe.
“You can take it, Ailis. Let your jaw slacken.”
She hadn’t realized how tense she’d become until she did as he commanded and allowed herself to relax. Her eyes drifted upward and she could see the pleasure and pain of trying to hold back his release twisting Alexander’s handsome features as his thrusts became more erratic. Suddenly, she felt his cock growing even larger. A moment later, a jet of hot fluid hit the back of her throat. She swallowed reflexively as more of his seed spilled into her mouth.
When he was finished, Alexander stumbled back and dropped onto his chair.
“By God, lass, that was something else.”
Ailis smiled as he flung his arm across his face. His chest was rising and falling rapidly, and he looked thoroughly spent. It was then that she realized that she’d grown wet at that place between her legs. She’d enjoyed that as much as he had. Suddenly, she couldn’t wait to do it all over again.
His Conquered Bride Page 11
