At The Laird's Command (Sword and Thistle Book 3) (18 page)
Read At The Laird's Command (Sword and Thistle Book 3) Online
Authors: Laurel Adams
“That only solves one problem. Your marriage to John solves another,” she said, fluttering her fan so that the laird and his men wouldn’t overhear. “Whilst John Macrae remains unmarried, he will have brides thrust upon him by these other clans. Brides not as biddable as you. Brides with better pedigrees. Brides who might not be carrying my grandchild.”
No
, she couldn’t be right about that. I would never admit it if she was.
But she continued, “Even if you aren’t, when my legitimate grandchildren come of age to lead this clan, I prefer that their rivals were merely the children of a simple crofter’s girl with no great bloodline.”
I blinked, having underestimated her entirely. I no longer doubted that it was Aunt Fiona who had taught the laird to play chess upon his board, for she thought more moves ahead than any of us. “So, we’re enemies, you and I?”
“Nonsense,” Lady Fiona said. “Why borrow trouble from tomorrow? We’re allies until it’s inconvenient to be allies, and since that’s a generation away and I may die before it comes to pass, there’s no reason we can’t learn to like each other.”
Having regained his composure, the laird called to us, “What are you two womenfolk gossiping about behind your fans?”
I smiled wanly, wondering if I should tell him. Perhaps I would. But not now. Because Lady Fiona was right. I didn’t want to borrow trouble from tomorrow. Tonight, I wanted only to be happy. “We are talking about alliances…”
The laird smiled. “I would like to negotiate an alliance with you, my future bride, in a place less noisy than this…”
Later, in the laird’s chambers, we sighed together with more happiness than I thought possible. Happiness marred only by the laird’s fading smile as he said, “I wish Ian wouldn’t go.”
“He must,” I replied.
“I s’pose he must. If he loves you even a wee fraction of how much I love you, it must destroy him to stay.”
“It isn’t me he loves most,” I said, tilting his face down to look at me. “I thought you found it too shameful to admit, but I think now you simply do not realize…can you really be so blind to it?”
“Blind to what?”
“That Ian loves you,” I said.
“I love him, too,” the laird said, gruffly. But then, upon examining my face, his eyes widened a touch. “Oh.
No
. You don’t mean…”
“My laird, Ian loving me, touching me was as close as he could come to—”
“No, lass. That’s…” He searched for some word to describe it, as if it was entirely unimaginable that a man who had shared his bed might desire him. I feared he might utter the words:
profane
,
indecent
, or
sinful
. But instead, he settled upon, “That’s not Ian.”
“Why not Ian?”
The laird sputtered. “Because he’s as strong and manly a warrior as ever served Clan Macrae!”
What that had to do with anything, I didn’t know. But neither would I push the matter. Not yet. It vexed my laird, too much. And on this night, I did not wish to vex him.
At least, not in this way.
“Oh, my,” I said, fluttering my eyelashes in a way that I knew enticed him. “I seem to have made a dreadful error.”
“What error could you make,
mo chride
?” he asked, nipping at my ear.
“I’ve worn a nightshift to bed…and I ought to know better.”
The laird growled, loving our game, but wary of its direction. “
Och
, you’re right. But I cannot paddle you with a wee bairn inside you. And I can scarcely do such things to you when you’re my wife!”
“Then I shall not consent to be your wife.”
He blinked. “Oh. It’s to be…it’s to be as it was between us that way?”
“Better than it was,” I said, reaching down between his legs to grasp hold of his stiffening cock.
He liked it. He liked it very much as I stroked him. And so did I.
Clearing his throat, he said, “…then I shall have to make you write in a book all the paddlings you’re owed after the babe is born.”
I kissed him then. Kissed him with all my heart. “Good. Because I intend to rack up quite a tally!”
Thank you for reading
At the Laird’s Command
!
I just love untamed and raw Highlanders who abide by their own rules, sexual and otherwise, don’t you? If you’d like to be alerted with the next book in the series comes out, please join my newsletter:
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LAUREL ADAMS
writes hot, dark, sexually transgressive tales. With her bite-sized serial stories, she likes to push boundaries and leave her readers tingling and titillated.
Historical Erotic Romance
THE HIGHLANDER’S HARLOT
(A Sword and Thistle Novella)
When her father is to be hanged by the laird, young Heather pleads for mercy. As a poor crofter’s daughter, Heather doesn’t have anything to offer the but her maidenhead—a payment Laird John Macrae is willing to take in exchange for her father’s life.
The laird intends to ruin her, to shame her father as punishment for his crimes. But when Heather returns to the castle to be debauched by the laird and his men, she finds that the laird is unexpectedly kind and protective.
Strangely reluctant to take what she’s offered, he warns that she won’t like the man he becomes in the bedchambers. But he’s awakened desires inside her that she never knew existed. Between lust and loyalty, Heather finds the courage to prove to the laird that whatever his darkest desires, she is the only woman who can fill them. And that his needs, no matter how depraved, can’t scare her away.
TORN BETWEEN TWO HIGHLANDERS
(A Sword and Thistle Novella)
When a crofter’s daughter is kidnapped from her home by a rival clan, two highland warriors come to her rescue, but which one will win her favors?
As far as Arabella is concerned, she didn’t need to be rescued. She had matters perfectly under control until two of her brawny clansmen thundered and blundered onto the scene with their swords unsheathed. Now, for her sake, Malcolm, the best swordsman of the Macrae clan is wounded. And Davy, his cagey russet-haired comrade-at-arms, refuses to leave him behind—insisting that Arabella tend the fallen warrior until Malcolm can ride his horse again.
Arabella agrees, even though it means hiding from the enemy and spending days and nights alone with two men who plainly desire her. Since Arabella’s reputation is already ruined, she now feels free to bestow her soiled virtue upon the man of her choice. But Davy and Malcolm—close as brothers—are willing to share her for a single night. Awakened to her own carnal desires, Arabella indulges the men. But when the arrangement lasts for more than just one night, and lust becomes love, Arabella is torn between the quiet depths of taciturn Malcolm and Davy’s sensual charm.
AT THE LAIRD’S COMMAND
Laird John Macrae is in love with a woman whose reputation he ruined. A woman he cannot keep safe unless he allows the unthinkable…
With his castle under siege and a traitor within its walls, the laird counts his days as numbered. What he wants most is to ensure the safety of his clan and the spirited Scottish lass that he loves—a simple crofter’s daughter he took for his harlot and cannot now give the protection of his name. But he believes his kinsman, Ian Macrae, can give her protection that he cannot. And to save her from enemies who would use her against him, he must find the strength within himself to give her up.
The crofter's daughter has grown accustomed to the unusual demands of her laird—a hardened highland warrior whose rough touch and domestic discipline ignites her deepest passions and fills her heart with love. But when he commands her to seduce his kinsman, she is heartbroken. Will she obey her laird—and if she does, will they ever find their way back together again?
Romance Novellas
ON SALE FOR CHRISTMAS
Home from college for the holidays, bad-girl Becca Vincent has a
secret call-girl fantasy
on her wish list. But she never expected her dark and delicious desires to be unwrapped by the boy next door…
Becca has been avoiding Ben her whole life—in part because their moms keep trying to get them together. But Ben jumps at the chance to thaw her out, adding a little extra spice to their romance by
making her dirtiest fantasy come true
.
Becca might think her home town—and everything in it—is two sizes too small, but Ben’s about to give her the holiday surprise of her life. Because some guys are naughty and nice…
Short Erotica Stories
FIRST TIME WITH THE FRATERNITY
Under pressure from her very conservative dad, Lexi promised to save her virginity until marriage...at least until she caught her father having sex with the neighbor. Now all bets are off, and Lexi is inspired to lose her cherry in the most memorable way possible--with a gang bang at the college frat house. After all, shouldn't a girl's first time be special?
First Time with the Fraternity
THEIR STRAIGHT-A STUDENT
Melanie is on target to graduate from college with honors, which means she doesn't have time for boyfriends. At least not boyfriends who never give her the rough play she really wants. She dumped the last guy after finally confessing her dark fantasy in a letter, only to have her wishes utterly ignored. But all that changes one night in the library when two of her ex boyfriends team up to give Melanie a late night surprise that's everything she wants and more.
LEARNING TO LIKE IT
When it comes to sexual experiences, Kim hasn’t had many, which makes her college boyfriend a little nervous. Chad and his friends tease Kim, daring her to be more adventurous, and because she wants to fit in, Kim soon finds herself in way over her head. A dare in a strip club turns into a lap dance and much more, leaving this former innocent shaking with lust and tempted to try anything new. Kim is straight and has never had any interest in other women, but when the sexy stripper wants to meet after hours, and let her boyfriend watch, Kim finds herself addicted to kinky sex acts she’d never before imagined…
CLAIMED BY THE CROWN PRINCE
Prince Bashir is rich, good-looking, and has a penchant for luring young American women into his harem...
As a newly-hired photographer for an international gossip rag, Nicole bets she can make a fortune off any pictures she takes of Prince Bashir, who is he fascination of the western media. But when Nicole's friend falls under the spell of the party boy prince, Nicole warns against becoming his plaything. Her friend goes off to the tiny island nation anyway and stops sending letters home. Worried that something terrible has happened, Nicole sets out on a mission to save her friend only to be claimed by the prince himself!
BLACKMAILED BY THE BOSS
When her billionaire boss gets ahold of embarrassing pictures of Maggie, she worries that her career is over. But when he convinces her that playing the office slut is a game she can win, Maggie revels in her humiliation and all the punishment he wants to dish out. But when her jealous boyfriend comes up with a plan for revenge, Maggie is caught between a very sexy rock and hard place.
Blackmailed by the Boss (Part 1)
Blackmailed by the Boss (Part 2)
Blackmailed by the Boss (Part 3)
Blackmailed by the Boss (Part 4)
Blackmailed by the Boss (Part 5)
Blackmailed by the Boss (Part 6)
Blackmailed by the Boss (Part 7)
Blackmailed by the Boss (Part 8)
Blackmailed by the Boss (Bundle 1-3)
Blackmailed by the Boss: The Complete Series
BORROWED BY THE BILLIONAIRE
Jessie has always fantasized about her husband's billionaire boss...
This wife of a high-powered executive thinks her husband is joking when he says that he intends to make her fantasies come true. But it's no joke. When he takes her to a penthouse apartment, and shares her with his billionaire boss, Jessie becomes insatiable. Then the pleasure of her first menage turns to something else entirely when the billionaire insists on borrowing her for the entire weekend...
Borrowed by the Billionaire (Part 1)
Borrowed by the Billionaire (Part 2)
Borrowed by the Billionaire (Part 3)
Borrowed by the Billionaire Bundle (Parts 1-3)
STRANGER DANGER
I always wanted to be at the mercy of a man who wouldn't take no for an answer...
I just didn't know it until a stranger caught me red-handed in a moment of private pleasure, and insisted on doing more than watch. I didn't think I was the kind of girl who would have sex with strangers in public, but once I fell under this man's sway, I wished more than anything to be whatever kind of girl he wanted me to be.
Stranger Danger: Caught Red-Handed
