“Ye said that ye will help me.”
Thom’s body went rigid, every muscle in his large frame ready to push off of her, or dive headlong into the rapture that awaited them.
She let out a shuddering breath as she awaited his response. Normally she was level-headed, but at this instant she couldn’t shake the innate craving to have him buried inside of her. She smoothed her hands along his muscular back. “Please, will ye continue?”
“Have ye placed a fae spell on me?” he demanded, and rested his forehead on hers. “Because I dinnae want tae stop either.”
Not waiting for her answer, he dipped his head and seized her mouth. Once again, she was lost. A torrent of passion unleashed within her, triggering something primitive and wild. The inner sensations enthralled her, and she barely noticed when he probed her sex with his shaft. But when he thrust his hips forward, she felt an instant and sharp pain, causing her to dig her fingernails into his back. A few seconds later the discomfort subsided and became more pleasurable. The feeling soon transformed into something more powerful, and propelled her to the brink of euphoria. As the storm inside her peaked, Thom’s thrusts became more frenzied, more demanding. Until finally his body went still and he released his seed inside of her. Letting out a satisfied grunt, he rolled off of her and immediately fell asleep.
Mairead released a contented sigh and smiled into the darkness. Her heart felt like it encompassed the entire universe. She had expected to learn about enticement, but this education went beyond anything she ever imagined. For the first time she felt truly alive, and her future seemed bright. And there was only one man who was responsible for making her feel this way.
Chapter 15
Mairead turned her head to the side as Thom let out a soft snore. Her pounding heart slowed, and she dragged the plaid to cover herself. Long minutes passed as she lay on the ground, one arm resting on her stomach. The feeling of joy lingered over her as she centered her attention on the shadowy tree branches overhead. The wind swept across the sparse limbs, making them sway to music that was inaudible to human ears. While she was conscious of her surroundings, her mind was far away, still lost in a stream of bliss and contentment. What had occurred seemed so unreal. Even now she wasn’t certain whether she had dreamed it up. But she knew that her happiness wasn’t feigned. Lifting her finger, she ran them along her swollen lips. She had evidence that she had been thoroughly kissed. And the slight soreness between her legs was further proof that she hadn’t imagined their coupling.
Mairead wondered if Thom was affected by their time together. Moving over to her side, she started to ask him, but the question died in her throat. A sliver of moonlight filtered through the branches and fell across his handsome face. It was clear that the exertion of their passionate union had knocked him to oblivion. She took the opportunity to regard his masculine beauty, to encapsulate his likeness forever in her memory. His broad chest rose and fell as his breathing came out in a deep and steady flow.
Now that their lovemaking was over, she didn’t know what to make of the feelings of satisfaction and tenderness growing inside of her. When she set out on this journey, Thom was a stranger. But as time progressed, she found herself more and more comfortable with him. Giving into the urge, she reached over and caressed the side of his countenance. The top of his cheek was smooth, but as her fingers skimmed lower, she felt the prickly whiskers that grew there. She started to glide her fingertips across his strong jawline when a soft rumble emerged from his chest. Holding still, she expected him to wake, but his breathing continued at an even pace. With a renewed sense of boldness, she slid her palm lightly down his corded neck and then to his massive chest. His warm masculine skin was taut, and she felt the thick rope of muscle underneath. The memory of his rigid frame on top of hers was still fresh, triggering her to continue her exploration of the smooth planes and hard ridges. Her mind mapped every detail of his sculpted body. She had never explored a man like this, and she found it fascinating. Correction. It was Thom that she found captivating. Even naked and asleep, he appeared virile and powerful, a true specimen of his sex. And he had made love to her, she reflected in wonder. She doubted that she would feel this way with Laird MacTyrnell, or with any other man for that matter. But what did this mean? Was this love? And did Thom share the same feelings? As her thoughts rained down fast and furious, she knew that it would be impossible to fall asleep.
A slight movement from Thom drew her attention again, and she centered her focus on him. He looked the picture of contentedness. The grim expression he often wore was gone, and he no longer appeared lethal and intimidating. In fact he appeared almost boyish, and she wondered what he was like when he was a bairn. Likely he was as mischievous as her younger brothers. She grinned at that idea, and traced his broad chest with her eyes. Obviously he was no longer a boy. When she first met him, she found him unemotional and menacing, but she suspected, and now confirmed that he had a sweet, passionate side to him. Until now she had never needed or desired a physical closeness with anyone. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, taking in Thom’s manly scent. She could envision how it would feel to be loved by him. It was so easy to imagine him as a part of her life, to have him sleep by her side for the rest of her life.
Mairead blinked when a sudden realization struck her. For a long while she hadn’t even contemplated Blane. Oddly enough this observation didn’t disturb her. The other thing she noticed was that her anxieties of the future no longer bothered her. Being with Thom made her feel safe and protected, and she had faith that everything would turn out well. That last conclusion brought a contented sigh to her lips. She wanted to continue floating in the afterglow of their lovemaking. In the morning she would think about Blane.
Mairead vaguely felt a soft gust of wind sweep across her skin. She inched closer to Thom, resting her palm on his chest. After a few seconds her breathing matched the rise and fall of his chest, and her eyelids became heavy. All the while the feeling of contentment swirled around her, driving her deeper into slumber.
But Thom moved abruptly, dislodging her hand as he turned away from her.
“Cristiona,” he murmured.
As the name reached her ears, Mairead’s tiredness disintegrated in a flash. Her eyes popped open, and she stared at his handsome profile. Did he just call out another woman’s name? The happiness she experienced just moments before shrunk into hard beads of doubt and self-disgust. He loved another woman. He had always loved another woman. Her heart felt as if it was stabbed a million times over. She was such a fool. He had given her every opportunity to end their bold activities, yet she begged him to continue. And without considering the consequences, she moved headlong into disaster. Mairead let out a shuddering breath and willed the tears from forming. But even as she tried to stop them, the hot tears escaped from the corner of her eyes. It didn’t make sense as to why it would hurt so much. After all, she had asked Thom to help her with practicing the skill of seduction, didn’t she? He had given her ample assistance in that regard. And with what she learned tonight, she knew what was expected of her in the future. So what else did she want? She already was aware about how deeply he loved Cristiona, and how much her death had affected him. With that kind of devotion, could he ever love someone else? It was unlikely. And even if there was a remote chance that Mairead could be with Thom, she still wouldn’t be happy. She wanted to be a man’s first choice in love, not his second.
Mairead reached to wipe away her tears. The desire to get away from Thom fueled her, and she quickly got dressed. It was still dark, but she knew that dawn would arrive soon. It was best that she forgot all that happened between them, and adhere to her original goal. Feeling a renewed sense of determination, she pinned the excess material of the great kilt on her shoulder and secured her hair underneath the hat. At present, it was safer to be dressed as a lad.
Creeping along the campsite, Mairead tried to make as little noise as possible. But as she reached the horses, she almost let out an un
ladylike expletive when she nearly stumbled upon Makolm. She had forgotten that the scholar had bedded down near the mounts. Untethering her ride, she began to maneuver around the slumbering man. But he suddenly opened his eyes, and groped for the sword that lay next to him.
“Aiya, ‘tis ye.” He observed her hand, which was holding tightly on to her horse’s reins. “I thought someone was stealing our mounts.”
“’Tis only me,” Mairead said as her heart slowly returned to normal. She opened her saddlebag and grabbed some coins to pay Thom for his escort. “Ye should go back tae sleep.”
He ignored her suggestion. “Where are ye going?”
Moving to Thom’s stallion, she dropped the coins into his saddlebag. Mairead was about to close up the bag when she caught sight of the map. She fished it out. Thom probably wouldn’t need the directions but she did. She started to turn away when she hesitated again. Unfastening the brooch from her kilt, she pinned it to the pouch. She didn’t want to carry around too many memories of the messenger.
Finally ready to face Makolm, she pivoted. The scholar sat with his arms crossed over his chest, still waiting for her answer. He had become well acquainted with her during their many days and nights together. And he was clever enough that if she told him a fib, he would see through the lie.
“I’m leaving for Bracken Ridge,” she confessed.
“But what about Thom?”
“He’ll make his own way there,” she said, refusing to meet his gaze.
“I cannae allow ye tae go on your own.”
“Ye need nae concern yourself, Makolm. I’ll be fine,” she said, trying to contain her annoyance. She wanted to be alone, and wasn’t prepared to have company.
“Whether or nae ye think ye will be fine. I’m coming with ye.” He stood up and retrieved his own horse.
“All right,” Mairead said, seeing that he wasn’t offering her a choice. Letting out a sigh, she beckoned for him to follow her. The last thing she needed was to have him make a fuss and wake Thom. That was trouble that she didn’t need.
They made it out of the forest without any issue two hours later. While it was almost dawn, dark storm clouds hung heavily in the horizon. She grabbed the excess fabric from her kilt and flipped it onto her head in attempt to stave off the chill in the air. On any other day, she wouldn’t have been happy to see the threat of rain, but today, the dark clouds suited her miserable mood.
A gale swept across the empty field as the sound of thunder rumbled across the sky. Every so often lightning flashed, momentarily brightening the heavens into a pink hue, and showcasing vast tracts of dying bracken.
“We’ll have tae seek shelter soon,” Makolm said, looking worriedly at the sky.
“The rainfall hasnae begun yet,” she said. “We can ride a little further.”
But even as she stated her intentions, the wind started to pick up. She frowned when a fat droplet of rain fell on her hand, and she clutched the plaid tighter around her body. In the next instant the sky opened up. The wind suddenly turned wild just as a sheet of rain began to pour over them.
“I see an overhang,” Makolm shouted so he could be heard over the tempest. “Come on!”
She could barely see him through the curtain of rain, but she somehow managed to race after the scholar and get to the outcrop.
When they arrived at the rock, Mairead climbed off her horse and ducked under the natural protection. She drew the plaid from her head. Fortunately the precipitation beaded off the wool material, and allowed her to keep dry despite the downpour. They had found the refuge just in time. When it rained, it wasn’t ideal to be out in the open for too long. While the plaid would keep her dry, persistent rainfall would eventually soak through the material, and make it difficult to dry. Then she would have to spend several days in damp misery.
Walking over to the rocky wall, she leaned her back on it, and allowed herself to slide down to the ground. She blew out a rush of air as she frowned at the heavy rainfall. All they could do was to wait until the storm passed, since it was impossible to tell how long it would last. Thankfully she wasn’t in that great a hurry to get to the military camps. After all, no one expected her arrival.
Letting out another sigh, she mulled over the events of the past few hours. Now that they were getting closer to the encampment, she was getting nervous. What was she going to do when she got to Bracken Ridge? She was so concentrated on getting to her destination that she hadn’t had time to contemplate her next steps. From what she could gather, there would be hundreds of Highland warriors converged at the military camps, and tracking down Blane would be an arduous task.
Makolm came to sit beside her.
“How will ye locate your Blane?” he asked.
Her brows creased. “How did ye —?”
“Ye look despondent, sae I assumed ‘twas him that occupied your mind.”
“I have nay idea how tae find him.” She folded her arms over her stomach and shook her head. “What about ye? How will ye reach your clan?”
“It would just be a matter of asking around,” Makolm said, shrugging. “There should be at least someone who can point me in the right direction.”
“Can ye ask about Blane too?” she asked hopefully. “My brothers are at the war camps, but I dinnae want tae run into them.”
He paused as uncertainty entered his face.
“Please,” she said, not caring that a note of desperation seeped into her voice. “My brothers willnae ken of your involvement. After I meet with Blane, I’ll go home, and ye will never see me again. I promise.”
“All right,” he said. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thank ye,” she lifted the corners of her lips, although she didn’t really want to smile. What she wanted was to block Thom from her mind, and focus on the reason she journeyed to the Ridge in the first place. She needed to remember that the handsome messenger was a part of her past, and eventually the memories of him would fade to nothing.
Chapter 16
Thom’s eyes were still closed while he allowed the feelings of satisfaction and contentment to whirl around him. These were emotions that had eluded him for years, and he drank in the sensations. A ray of light broke through the branches and fell onto his closed eyelids, making it impossible for him to stay asleep. Still, it was unusual that he allowed himself to sleep in. If his mentor saw him now, Thom would have received a great lecture. But he knew that there was no risk in his slight indulgence. Yesterday he had scoped out the area, and was certain that they were safe from harm. Who knew that he would enjoy the journey or the company as much as he did? He almost wished that they could delay their arrival at Bracken Ridge for a little longer. Only then he could keep Mairead all to himself. Suddenly it struck him that today was the first time he had awoken without vengeance foremost on his mind.
Still he would much rather focus on the bonny lass. His lips stretched into a broad smile as the image of Mairead entered his thoughts. It was easy to recall how her sweet face had tilted up to him while her dark auburn hair spread beneath her. And when he made love to her, she met each of his thrusts with a power of her own. He could still feel her fingernails digging into his back, still hear her rapid breathing as she became caught up in their rapturous union. Despite himself, his cock began to stir at the memories. He had to admit to himself that making love to Mairead was a joy that he wished to never end. If things were different he would have considered marrying her and raising a handful of bairns. Before Mairead entered his life, the idea of marriage had never crossed his mind. Yet there was something about her that made him want to consider the future and all the possibilities it contained.
With the grin still on his face, he flipped over to his side, expecting to take in Mairead’s glorious form. But his happiness faded when he saw that the spot next to him was empty. His brows snapped in confusion as he glared at the empty space. Where did she go?
Thom sat up and slowly scanned the campsite. A growing sense of disappointment churn
ed in his belly, but he tried to shake away the feeling. He reasoned that she likely went to relieve herself in the woods. But with two horses missing, and with no sign of Makolm either, Thom knew that he was only deluding himself.
He walked over to where his stallion was tethered. The leaves on the ground were overturned and still damp, indicating that the pair had departed not too long ago. Spotting an item attached to his saddlebag, he moved closer to inspect it. It was the brooch that he had given her. Unpinning it from his bag, he stared at it. The happiness he felt a moment ago was gone, and he felt empty and cold.
“Mairead was in a hurry tae leave ye,” a voice inside him mocked. “Last night meant nothing tae her. Ye mean nothing tae her.”
Likely she had come to her senses, and regretted the night they spent together. And she obviously didn’t want any reminders of him. He should have known better than to let the temptation get out of hand. He should have just stopped the game when he still had the chance. But he knew that he only fooled himself. If the opportunity came again, he would have readily taken it. He had no power to resist her allure.
But what a damn idiot he was. She was in love with another man. He had known this right from the beginning, yet he allowed himself a false sense of hope, a hope that by being with him, she might change her mind about Blane Cunningtoun.
Thom clenched his jaw, knowing that the voice had told the truth. He had witnessed so many deaths in the battlefield, and as the years passed, their haunting faces blurred together, causing him to slowly die inside. When he learned of Cristiona’s execution, any soft feeling he had left in him had withered away, leaving only blinding rage. She had been the only pure thing left in his life, and her loss was a blow to him. But then Mairead had somehow slipped through his defenses, and even though Cristiona was gone, the world no longer felt bleak. Amazingly he began to experience happiness, and his heart felt whole again.
Highland Messenger (Scottish Strife Series Book 4) Page 12
