In Bed with a Highlander (McCabe Trilogy 1)

“Well, he used his mouth.” Mairen leaned forward and whispered, “Down there. And on my …”

“Your br**sts?” Bertha asked.

Mairin closed her eyes in mortification and nodded.

Both women chuckled and leaned back in their chairs.

“Sounds like the laddie has the right of it then,” Maddie said, approval firm in her voice. “You’re a lucky lass to have a skilled man in your bed. Not every woman does.”

Mairin frowned. “They don’t?”

Bertha shook her head. “Now don’t be telling anyone I told you so, but my Michael, well, it took him a few years before he developed any skill. If it weren’t for a few discussions with some ladies older than I, I’m not sure we would have ever gotten it right.”

“Oh, aye, ’twas the same with my Ranold,” Maddie said. “He was always in such a hurry. It wasn’t until I threatened to withhold my charms that he made an effort to work on his skills.”

Mairin’s head was spinning at the women’s chatter. Such intimate matters didn’t seem to bother the other two women whatsoever. Mairin on the other hand was ready for the earth to swallow her up.

Maddie reached across the table and put her hand over Mairin’s. She squeezed and offered Mairin a smile. “Let me give you some advice, lass. If you don’t mind an old woman offering it.”

Mairin slowly nodded.

“ ’Tis not enough for your man to be skilled in matters of loving. You need to have some skills yourself.”

Bertha nodded vehemently. “Aye, ?tis the truth. If you keep your man satisfied in the bed chamber, he won’t have any cause to stray.”

Stray? Mairin looked at them in horror. “Are you suggesting that the laird wouldn’t be faithful?”

“Nay, of course we wouldn’t disparage the laird. But ’tis a fact, ’tis better to be safe than sorry. You want your laird to be well satisfied. Men are far more amenable when they’re sated from loving.”

Maddie slapped Bertha on the shoulder and laughed. “Aye, now that’s the truth. The best time to ask a boon is just after a rousing bout of loving.”

Amenable was good. Mairin liked the idea of that. And now that the disturbing thought of Ewan’s fidelity had entered her head, she couldn’t shake it. Surely he wouldn’t?

“What things should I know?” Mairin asked.

“Well, you said he used his mouth. You know, down there,” Bertha said with a twinkle in her eyes. “You can do the same to him, lass. ’Tis guaranteed to drive him wild.”

Mairin was sure her absolute ignorance was reflected in her expression. And her horror. She started to say something, but the image of what Bertha was describing hit her square between the eyes and she couldn’t shake it.

“How …?” She couldn’t even finish the question. What was she supposed to ask?

“You’ve shocked the lass,” Maddie said reproachfully.

Bertha shrugged. “No point in dillydallying around the point. The lass has to learn from someone. Her Mother Serenity certainly didn’t do her any favors.”

Maddie put her hand back over Mairin’s. “What Bertha means is that a man likes being kissed … down there. On his cock.”

Bertha snorted. “Tell her right, Maddie. A man likes to be suckled.”

Mairin was sure the blood leeched right out of her cheeks. Kissed? Suckled?

“You liked it well enough, didn’t you, lass?” Bertha asked. “A man is no different. He likes to be touched and caressed with a lass’s hands, mouth, and tongue.”

It was true enough that Mairin did enjoy Ewan’s touches. And his kisses. He was skilled with his tongue. Aye, she liked his tongue, even if he did indecent things with it.

“Putting my … my … mouth on his …” She couldn’t bring herself to say the word. “ ’Tisn’t decent, surely!”

Bertha rolled her eyes and Maddie laughed.

“There’s little decency to good loving,” Maddie said sagely. “If ’tis decent, it isn’t much fn.”

Bertha nodded, her lips compressed as her head bobbed up and down. “Nothing wrong with a nice, dirty romp.”

Mairin could scarcely believe what she was hearing. She was going to have to think on this matter. Before she could thank Maddie and Bertha and be on her way, a pounding on the door startled the women.

Maddie rose and went to the door, Mairin and Bertha right behind her. Mairin had a very good idea who was at the door, but when Maddie opened it, it was worse than Mairin had feared.

It wasn’t Cormac waiting to lecture her. Ewan stood with Caelen, arms crossed over his chest, a scowl darkening his features. Christina stood to the side, her eyes apologetic.

“Care to explain yourself?” Ewan demanded.

Chapter 17

Instead of answering her husband, Mairin turned to Maddie and Bertha and offered a polite curtsy. “Thank you both for your counsel.”

When she turned around again, Ewan was still glaring holes in her while Caelen looked annoyed that he’d been summoned on the errand to locate Mairin. She tried to walk past Ewan as she exited Maddie’s cottage, but he didn’t budge. She shoved but he was an immovable object.

Finally she stepped back. “You wished to speak with me, Laird?”

Ewan emitted a loud sigh and then took her arm in his not-so-gentle grasp. Mairin offered a wave to the women as Ewan hauled her along beside him. She stumbled and had to run to keep up, else she’d find herself dragged across the ground by her fuming husband.