Page 22 of The Mad Highlander

22

C ayden poured himself some more ale and a little more wine for Iris. He raised his cup in silence and clinked his against hers. They both drank from their cups. Cayden took deep breaths as he looked at the water.

Iris had lost her mother and father at a young age, but she didn’t need to talk about that. She’d lived a happy childhood, and her uncle had been generous enough to take them in when they were still young. Her uncle was not a good man, but they had kept out his way enough until their cousin Tristan had become laird. Tristan had been good to them.

As they clinked their cups together, Iris mourned not only the loss of the Laird’s brother but of her mother and father, too. She would talk about them another time, but the mood needed to be lightened. There should be no more talk of death.

Yet, the threat of the Laird leaving in two days still hung over their heads.

“Look,” Cayden said, pointing toward the loch.

Two ducks emerged from the reeds on the other side of the water and paddled to the middle of the lake, disturbing the mirrored reflection. Iris watched them as she nibbled on cheese, meat, and fruit.

She could not be sure, but the fruit seemed to taste sweeter than before. She took one of the raspberries and handed it to the Laird to consume. He popped it into his mouth and chewed on it. Iris took up another one and ate it—the sweetness exploding.

She reached out her hand and placed it on the Laird’s leg as he sat beside her. She squeezed his thigh.

“Thank ye for tellin’ me that. I ken ye more since comin’ here, but I ken ye even more now. I can see the man ye are, and I can see how ye became that man.”

Their picnic by the loch felt more intimate. Iris knew that he had not told many people that story, but she was now one of them, and it made her long for his lips again. The story was the saddest she had heard, but it buoyed her. She was closer to Cayden, and she wanted more closeness.

“I’m glad yer cousin came to me,” Cayden admitted, taking a final deep, shaky breath. “When I agreed to save yer cousin from Murdoch, I took it as a simple transaction, but this is no longer what it is. He gifted me the best lass in the world, and I would storm a dozen castles to have ye. Hunter told me somethin’ before he left. He said that ye had changed me. He is right. Ye have changed me for the better. I have become a better man because of ye.”

“That might be the best thing anyone has ever said to me. It has nae been me intention to change ye, but I am glad ye are a better man. I think we are good for each other.”

“Aye,” the Laird agreed.

They sat in silence again. The ducks had disappeared, but the intimacy between Cayden and Iris had not. Iris sat with her hand still on his thigh, and she felt warm under the sun. Her dress had not yet dried, but it did not feel cold against her skin anymore. She could not feel the cold anymore with the wonderful warm feeling in the pit of her stomach.

“I’m so glad yer sister kenned about this place,” Iris said with a smirk.

The Laird only replied with a shallow grunt as she tried to rile him up.

“And it was a wonderful idea of hers to include the meat, cheese, and wine in the picnic basket.”

“Och, she wasnae the—” The Laird turned to face her and stopped sharply. “I ken what ye are tryin’ to do, and it willnae work.”

“What willnae work?” she asked innocently. “I was only saying that she did well.”

“Ye should quit yer jestin’ with me, or I will have to throw ye in the loch again. Would ye like that?”

“Only if ye come in after me,” Iris replied.

It was Cayden’s turn to smirk. “Aye, would ye like that?”

“I dinnae ken,” she admitted. “I’d have to try it first to find out.”

“Aye, is that right?” Cayden moved as if to get up, and Iris gasped at the thought of being thrown into the loch again. “Ye dinnae seem so brave now!” Cayden laughed again, and it boomed across the loch.

“I ne’er said I was brave. I only told ye what I might want,” Iris claimed.

“And what is it ye want?” Cayden demanded, the familiar growl tainting his words.

Iris clammed up at the question. She knew exactly what she wanted but felt embarrassed to say it out loud. She wanted to beg for his hands to explore her body or for his tongue to work its magic in her folds again. She wanted to feel his lips on hers and rake at his back with her fingernails. She wanted to scream out in pleasure under his body.

“How about I tell ye what I want,” Cayden suggested.

“Aye, ye could,” Iris said nervously.

“Or, I could show ye.” Cayden took the hand that was on his thigh and held it there. He leaned forward, bringing his lips close enough that Iris could feel his warm breath.

Iris’ lips had already parted when he brushed against them.

“This is what ye want, isnae it?” he whispered.

“Aye,” she replied.

He pressed his lips to hers, pushing his tongue out to part her lips more, and he licked her tongue gently. Iris felt her chest rise and fall quicker, even though the movements were languid. The kiss was slow and deep, but it caused her heart to beat much faster than it ever had previously.

A soft moan erupted from Iris’ throat as their tongues danced together in her mouth, and she brought her free hand to his bare chest. It felt like fire, but it did not burn her. It was a warm light that engulfed and protected her. She rubbed her hand through the tufts of hair on his chest and felt his muscles—they were far more than a warm light; they sent a tremble through her arm, down her chest, and deep into her cave. They unlocked something primal within her.

The Laird pulled back, and Iris leaned forward to prolong the kiss. When they came apart, Iris felt like the wild animal of the two of them.

“Did ye like that?” Cayden asked.

Iris nodded. “Aye.”

“Do ye want me to bring ye more pleasure again like before?”

“Aye, I do.”

“Tell me,” Cayden demanded.

“I want ye to bring me pleasure.”

“Nay, really tell me,” he commanded, placing his hand on her cheek and cupping her head.

“Please!” Iris begged. “Please bring me pleasure. I need ye, Cayden. I need yer touch.”

“That’s better.” Cayden grinned and moved his hand down from her cheek to her breast, caressing her pert nipples through the damp dress. They were already hard, and they relished his touch. Heat rushed to her core, and from there, it coursed through her body.

“Aye,” she muttered as he touched her. “Aye, that feels so guid.”

“I’m just gettin’ started,” he replied.

Cayden let out a growl of satisfaction as he moved his hand over her breasts. He brought his face close to Iris’ face again, but he did not kiss her, and when he pulled back, she let out a groan of frustrated pleasure. She licked her lips, staring at him. He moved his hands to her chest, gently flicking both nipples beneath the wet dress.

Iris let out another moan, her insides churning as he brought ecstasy with only a small touch. He had not yet started with her other parts, but she felt the rise and swell of the wave within her.

“Lie down,” Cayden ordered.

Iris did as she was told and lay back on the soft grass. She looked at the bright blue sky above before Cayden knelt over her. He leaned down and kissed her neck, sending a tingle of excitement shooting through her. She bit her bottom lip to stop the deep moan escaping her lips and then breath came from her nose in short bursts.

Iris reached out and felt for something to hold onto. He had only kissed her neck, but she felt herself losing control of her body. She wanted to buck and writhe under his touch but needed to ground herself. All she could find were tufts of grass. She lay her palms flat and grabbed at the earth instead.

The Laird kissed the other side of her neck then nibbled lightly on her ear. He moved up a little to survey what belonged to him. Iris felt her nipples harden more under his gaze. He must have noticed it, too, for his mouth traveled there next, and he took her nipple in his mouth through the dress and closed his teeth lightly on it.

“Oh, aye, Cayden,” she gasped.

“If ye ask me nicely,” he said through his teeth, “I’ll bite the other one, too.”

“Please, please,” she begged. “I need ye to.”

Cayden moved to the other side of her chest and bit her other nipple through the fabric.

Iris gasped and then moaned through her nose. She clawed at the ground, digging her fingers in. Her body tossed and turned from side to side as he bit her—not too much as he still had her in his teeth. She lifted her back from the ground to push herself into him. When he let her nipple go, she dropped to the ground with a welcome exhalation.

“Where next?” Cayden asked.

“Ye ken where to go,” Iris replied, looking up at him. With his blue eyes and bare chest, he looked like a statue carved from marble. Except warm, not cold, and much more adept at pleasuring her.

“Here?” Cayden asked, his hand running down to her stomach.

“Mmm,” Iris moaned.

“Here?” he asked, his hand moving down a little farther.

“Aye,” Iris hissed.

“Here?” he asked, laying his hand on the dress and letting it sink a little between her legs.

“Please!” Iris begged.

Cayden growled again, and the deep growl reverberated through her stomach and up into her chest. It felt like the ground was rumbling beneath her. He lifted her dress from her knees and pushed it up her body. Her thighs became cold where they had been wet, but Iris barely noticed it.

“I need it, Cayden. I need ye. Please! One more time before ye leave.”

Cayden stopped with the hem of her dress still in his hand. He locked eyes with Iris. They had two more days, but it could be the last time. Iris certainly felt it would be the last time, but she didn’t want to think about it now.

Cayden had a wild look in his eyes. He had promised he would return, but it was a promise he might have trouble keeping. He continued pushing the dress up until her stomach was uncovered, keeping her gaze. Then, he pressed his lips to her navel, kissing her and growling at the same time. The growl really invaded her body this time and shook the very ground beneath her.

The Laird moved like a man possessed. He placed a hand on her thigh, eliciting a whimper of pleasure from Iris. He pushed her leg to the side gently before burying his face in her core. Iris did not have time to gasp or moan. He licked at her like a ravenous man, the pleasure only growing.

Each time Iris thought she might cry out or moan, the pleasure only increased and increased, and she held herself, only concentrating on breathing. Her breaths were short and loud, and she huffed through her mouth, deeper and deeper as the Laird licked at the folds of her opening.

His fingers pushed through the tuft of hair above her cave. His lips moved to her pleasure core, and he growled against it as he took it gently in his mouth.

“Oh, me goodness!” Iris called out to the sky.

His tongue ran around her bud, and he flicked back and forth. His fingers on the attack, dipping into her cave and then stroking her labia. The Laird lapped quicker, unable to satisfy himself with the taste of her.

Iris’ pelvis jerked once, and she stopped breathing to concentrate on keeping her core still. She moved one hand from the soft earth to the back of his head, pushing him down into her.

“Oh, Cayden,” she moaned.

Her breathing returned, and she knew she could not stop the crashing wave now.

Another growl came from the Laird, rippling through her body. He licked at her bud, kissing it and sucking. Iris could not keep her body still. She rocked from side to side but held Cayden’s head to keep him pressed to her. She did not want to miss one moment of pleasure.

She lost control of her limbs as they trembled, and she had to let go of his head. Her arm flopped out to the side again, pawing at the grass. Her legs opened further, inviting him in. Her back arched, and she pushed her core up into his face, begging him for more with her body.

“I need ye!” Iris shouted. “Oh, I need ye!”

Cayden flashed his tongue against her, causing her entire body to tremble. A candle flickered to life inside her before it exploded, and the unbearable light and warmth engulfed her. For a moment, the blue sky above disappeared, and colors danced in her vision. She closed her eyes tight, tightening her core as the orgasm ripped through her, and then she crashed back to the ground.

Her lips hungrily grabbed the Laird’s bottom lip when he came up to kiss her. She bit him, unable to stop herself, and he replied with a growl.

“I’m assuming ye enjoyed that,” he managed as she kept hold of his lip.

Iris let go and then opened her eyes. She found his sapphire blue eyes before her, and she sunk onto his chest, closing her eyes again and weeping with pleasure.

“Aye, I enjoyed that.” Iris laughed. “I enjoyed that so much, Cayden. I dinnae ken what ye do to me! I didnae ken I could ever feel like this. Please, keep a hold of me because I fear I might float away up to the treetops.”

“I’m nae lettin’ ye go,” he assured. “I’m glad we got to do this. Somethin’ to remember me by.”

Iris’ eyes shot open, and she craned her neck to look up at the Laird as they both lay on the soft grass.

“Please dinnae say that. I dinnae want somethin’ to remember ye by. It makes it all sound so final as if ye are marchin’ to yer death. Ye must be careful out there so ye can return and lead yer Clan.”

Cayden kissed her forehead. “I am always careful, especially when me men are involved. I have every reason to expect we will be back here before ye ken it. And once I have yer brother back, ye ken what the expectations are.”

“Aye, I ken. I will live up to me end of the bargain.” Iris closed her eyes again for fear of crying. She could cry all she wanted when he left, but she would only enjoy the time before then. She only hoped her emotions would cooperate and she would soon have her brother back. She wanted the Laird to return safely, too.

“We still have the rest of today and all of tomorrow,” Cayden told her. “I have naywhere else to be and naythin’ else to do, so we can spend all that time together. We can do whatever ye want.”

“I am enjoyin’ this. Doing not a lot of anythin’.”

“Then that’s what we will do. I’ll be back home before ye ken it, and we can plan what comes next.”

Iris wrapped her arm around the Laird and held on tight. It was the first time since coming to the castle that she had thought about him a little differently. She wanted him to return safely but not only to deliver her brother. She enjoyed his company. Now, there was a chance he would not return. She had to keep hope that he would, but she had to be realistic about it, too.

“A picnic by the river is hard to beat.” Iris kissed the Laird’s chest. “Especially with the way ye just made me feel. Still, when I see ye return to the castle with me brother, that will be the happiest moment of me life. To think he was attacked and imprisoned, and there is a chance to see him again—when I first heard of him bein’ taken, I didnae hold much hope. I will watch for ye every single day until I see ye again.”

“I will return him to ye.”

Iris kissed his chest again. She believed him, but she didn’t want to think about it anymore. All she wanted to do was enjoy his company until he left.