Partially sitting, with her legs bent and her heels buried in the mounds of the feathered bed, she gyrated her hips as she dipped a single finger in and out of her glistening wetness. She cupped a breast with her other hand, twisting and turning the taut nipple between her fingers. She slid another finger inside herself, arching her back as she rocked against the plunging rhythm of her hand.
He sucked in a sharp breath and stroked faster, staggering slightly to one side. Saint’s teeth.If he didn’t sit, he’d surely fall flat on his arse when he came.
A breathless moan escaped her. Head thrown back, she arched and shuddered as her fingers plunged ever faster in and out. She bucked and rolled from side to side, her hand feverishly working between her legs.
“I can take no more.” He strode to the bed, rolled her to her stomach then lifted her to her knees. “I must have ye and I must pound into ye now.”
“Do it,” she gasped as she rocked back against him. “Take me now.” She moaned and gathered the pillows up beneath her chest.
That was the only invitation he needed. He grabbed hold of her hips and buried his aching cock into her burning wetness. Excruciating pleasure shuddered through him as the deep hot well pulled him in and sucked him even deeper. On his knees, her hammered into her until the sound of their flesh slapping together echoed through the room.
A roar escaped him and he jerked forward, scrotum pulsing and body pumping, he spilled himself into the clutching hot wetness. He straightened with the slamming orgasm, yanked Mairi back hard against him, and finished spilling into her. With a shuddering groan, he collapsed to the side, taking care to keep himself well buried in the pleasure of her warm wet nest.
She pulled his arms around her and nestled her bottom tighter back against him. “I hope I didn’t shock you,” she murmured as she cupped his hand around her breast.
“Ye nay shocked me, love,” he panted against her. “And I canna wait to see what ye might do next.”
Her seductive giggle bubbled through the darkness. “Only time will tell,” she whispered as she wiggled deeper into his embrace.
CHAPTER21
Mairi cinched the wide leather belt tight around her waist then smoothed her hands down the rough weave of the heavy wool of her kirtle. Thank goodness for the soft linen chemise against her skin. Wool made her itch. She straightened the full, cream-colored sleeves of her tunic and wiggled her toes in the soft doeskin slippers.
“Ye brought nary a stitch of clothes with ye?” Coira yanked on the back of Mairi’s belt and adjusted the gathers falling down the back of her skirt.
“I didn’t think I was going to be here longer than a day or two.” She sidestepped Coira’s fussing hands and plucked a still steaming bannock from the cloth-covered basket on the table. After pulling away a chunk of the hot bread, she popped it into her mouth. Chewy and crunchy at the same time. Sweet and kind of oatie. She washed it down with a sip of warm, honey-flavored tea. Now, this was a fine continental breakfast.
“Ye are not staying?” Coira fixed Mairi with a look as though she had just confessed to murdering the chieftain. “But yer kin are here. How could ye not wish to be here with yer clan?”
“It’s complicated.” Mairi couldn’t really go into details about why she wished to return to the future. Not with Coira. One never knew when a seemingly innocent comment of a future event or convenience would chunk a rock into the ripples of time and accidentally create a tidal wave—and the Sinclairs were already in enough hot water with the Fates for that very thing.
Mairi brushed her hands free of crumbs then patted the ridges of her intricately braided hair. Coira was a true artist with a comb. “Do you have any idea where Granny and my sisters are this morning?”
Coira bobbed her head as she flitted around the room, tending the fire and setting everything in order. “Aye, mistress. They bade me bring ye to the solar after ye dressed and had a bit to eat.” The maid hovered by the table, frowning down at the basket still holding an untouched bannock. “Ye nay touched the clotted cream or the honey and ye have another wee bit a bread to eat.” She pointed at the chair beside the table. “Sit and eat. I’ll not have Cook telling the mistress I let ye go without proper nourishment.”
“I don’t have time to sit and eat.” Mairi rested her hand on the door latch and urged Coira to follow. “Now come on—show me the way to the solar.”
Coira’s freckled face darkened with a stubborn scowl as she lifted her chin. “I’ll not be showin’ ye the way to the solar until ye eat.” Her dark skirts lightly bounced as the toe of her boot impatiently tapped against the floor.
Swallowing an impatient growl, Mairi went to the table, snatched up the remaining bannock, and shoved it into the side pocket sewn into the folds of her skirt. “I’ll take it with me. I’ve eaten one and I’ll eat this one later. Now, you can either show me to the solar or I will find it myself.” The last thing she needed was another bossy person in her life. She returned to the door, yanked down on the latch, and pulled it open. With a glance back at the now red-cheeked Coira, she innocently asked, “Well? Are you coming with me or not?”
“Lore, if ye are not just like yer sisters.” Coira pushed past her and stormed into the hall. “Follow me to the solar, mistress.”
Mairi swept into the hall and pulled the door firmly shut behind her. She hurried to catch up with Coira, patting the fuming maid’s arm as they walked down the narrow hall. “Thank you.”
Coira shot her a sideways glance, then rolled her eyes and smiled. “And just like yer sisters, I’ll not be able to stay angry wi’ ye overly long.” She giggled. “I shall truly be sad to see ye leave with Chieftain Sutherland. MacKenna Keep could do with a bit more laughter these days.”
Mairi swished her heavy skirts from side to side as they made their way down the winding corridor. What a strange new sensation. Layers of linen and wool and not a stitch of underwear. She found it mildly disconcerting. Going commando in a thick pair of leggings or skinny jeans was one thing. Panty-free in a knee-length tunic and a floor-length overdress in the thirteenth century was a different deal entirely. Thigh-high stockings kept her legs warm but that was where the undergarments stopped. Of course, no underwear meant easier access for Ronan.Her cheeks heated with the risqué thought along with other parts of her.
“Ahh . . . yer thoughts are with yer chieftain.” Coira’s singsong voice bubbled with a teasing tone.
Mairi couldn’t resist a satisfied grin, her cheeks warming even more. “Maybe.”
“Maybe, my sweet arse.” Coira giggled again as she led the way down a short flight of winding steps and into another hallway.
Soft laughter and the high-pitched voice of a small child came from the open doorway up ahead.
Mairi’s mood lightened even more when she stepped into the room situated on the east side of the keep. Morning sunlight streamed in from a series of tall narrow windows covered with some sort of thin film. She walked over to them and lightly trailed a finger along the glowing membranes stretched across the openings.
