Page 49 of Highlander's Caged Rose
They went into the Great Hall to a chorus of cheers and took their seats at the head of the table, with Moira seated at Niall’s right hand. The meal was served, then the dancing began, and the bridal couple were the first to take to the floor, joined shortly thereafter by the other guests.
They all took part in the lively strathspeys, reels and quadrilles that made Scottish dancing so enjoyable, but halfway through an Eightsome Reel Niall saw Ritchie and Glennie dancing together, looking lovingly into each other’s eyes.
He frowned deeply, and asked, his voice loaded with anger, “Who invited him?”
“I did.” Moira laughed. “You know, you look terrifying when you do that with your face.”
Niall turned to her and shook his head, smiling. “Wait till I get you alone, woman,” he said in a mock-threatening tone.
“I can’t wait!” Moira answered, laughing.
She thought she had managed to divert Niall’s attention away from Glennie and Ritchie, but when the dance ended, Moira could see that he was about to go and pick a fight with them.
She caught his arm and turned him to face her, then stood on tiptoe to plant a soft kiss on Niall’s lips.
“Let them be, My Laird,” she said gently. “Ritchie is a common man, and I am a common woman, yet you made me your wife. They love each other very much, so give them a chance to be happy.”
A slow smile spread across Niall’s face. “You have been covering for them all along, haven’t you?” he asked.
“Yes,” Moira replied simply. “And I would do it again.”
“I am so glad you’re mine,” he said, sighing in satisfaction. “But we can discuss all that later.” Then he looked around the hall. “Can we slip away?” he asked. “Because I can’t wait for us to be alone.”
Moira saw the gleam in his eyes and her senses began to sing. “Do you know a sneaky way out?” she asked wickedly.
Niall chuckled. “This place is riddled with secret passages,” he replied, “but I don’t think we need one today.”
He looked around to see if anyone was watching them, but now that the excitement of the wedding was over, most of the guests were busy chatting and drinking, and no one paid them any attention as they left.
Outside, Niall swept Moira off her feet so suddenly that she squealed in fright, then marched across to the big staircase inthe centre of the atrium and began to sprint upstairs as though Moira were weightless in his arms.
She loved the feeling of being jogged up and down in his confident grip, and had no fear at all that he would drop her. When they reached his chamber, they found the door ajar, and it was only when they stepped inside that they realised why.
Niall carried her across the threshold into the room where their married life would truly begin. He set her down on the floor, and she looked around in delight.
This was not the plain and functional room it had been before, since it had been festooned with flowers in crystal and silver vases, and the air was filled with their fresh perfume.
“Glennie has been here,” Moira said, laughing softly.
However, now nothing was important but Niall, who was gazing at her with a fierce passion in his eyes.
“At last,” he said huskily, closing the distance between them and wrapping his arms around Moira. “I’ve been longing for this, Lady McPhee.” Then his lips descended on hers, and he kissed her as if his life depended on it.
Moira clung to him, and all the love she had stored inside her poured out of her as her body melted into his. Suddenly, it seemed to her that all the trials and tribulations she had undergone in the last few months were worth it, for she would endure them all again if she had known they would lead to this moment.
When they drew apart, he smiled at her, a smile of such tenderness that it brought tears to her eyes. “Now, My Lady McPhee,” he said with a businesslike air. “We have not yet consummated our marriage. Should we take care of that now?” His eyes were twinkling, both with mischief and love.
Moira giggled. “You make it sound like such a hardship. Oh, well, let’s get it over with.” She looped her arms around Niall’s neck and pulled him down for another kiss.
He turned her around to undo the back of her dress, cursing at the complicated fastenings. When he had finished, the dress fell to the floor, but Moira was still clad in her chemise. After unlacing all the ties on the dress, Niall was not inclined to fuss with any more of them. He simply took the neck of the flimsy garment in both hands and tugged, rending it down the middle. He pulled it from her shoulders, then disposed of her drawers and stockings and looked at his handiwork with satisfaction.
“Beautiful,” he breathed, almost devouring her with his eyes.
The words were hardly out of his mouth when he felt his kilt dropping to the floor, and in less than a minute, he was standing naked before Moira. She dropped her hand to his erection and began to pump him gently, and Niall closed his eyes and let out a long breath of pleasure.
He gently backed Moira towards the bed, and she fell backwards onto the soft mattress, then he knelt in front of her, positioning himself between her thighs. He took her legs and draped them over his shoulders, then bent down to sweep his tongue once, twice, three times through her folds, before he turned his attention to the little nub at her core. He teased it with his tongue tip, then scraped it gently with his teeth, sending bolts of sheer pleasure from Moira’s core all the way through her body. It was torture of the sweetest kind, and she loved it.
She arched her hips up and Niall eased backwards to look into her eyes, smiling wickedly. He stood up and Moira took the opportunity to suck him into her mouth and tease him with her teeth and tongue.
