In Bed with a Highlander by Maya Banks Page B

to you. But now, you’ve announced our marriage to the entire clan. Some might even consider it a proposal. In which case, I accept.”
    He finished with a grin and then stepped back, releasing his hold on her mouth.
    “Why … you …,” she sputtered. She worked her mouth up and down but nothing would come out.
    A cheer went up from the crowd assembled.
    “A wedding!”
    Congratulations were shouted. Swords were raised. Men beat on the backs of their shields with the hilts of their swords. Mairin winced from the noise level and stared helplessly up at the laird. He stared back, arms crossed over his chest, a satisfied smile carving his too-handsome face.
    “I did not ask you to marry me!”
    He was undaunted by her vehemence. “ ’Tis customary to seal a betrothal with a kiss.”
    Before she could tell him what she thought of that daft idea, he hauled her against him. She hit his chest and would have bounced off if he hadn’t held her firmly in place.
    “Open your mouth,” he demanded in a husky voice that sounded oddly tender given his degree of anger.
    Her lips parted and he slid his tongue sensuously over hers. Her senses scattered in the wind. For a moment she quite forgot everything but the fact that he was kissing her and he had his tongue inside her mouth. Again.
    And he’d just announced to his clan that they were marrying. Or maybe she had. Realizing that the longer he kissed her in front of God and everyone, the harder a time she’d have denying his claim, she gave him a mightyshove and nearly fell on her behind. To her mortification, Gannon caught her and held her up while she swiped at her mouth with the back of her arm.
    Oh, but the laird looked smug now. He had a satisfied grin on his face as he watched her and waited.
    “Kiss? I won’t kiss you. I want to hit you!”
    She spun around and fled. The laird’s laughter followed her the entire way.
    “Too late, lass! I already kissed you.”
    Back in her chamber, which she should have never left, Mairin resumed her pacing in front of the window. The man was impossible. He would drive her daft inside a day. He was controlling, overbearing. Arrogant. Handsome. And he kissed like a dream.
    She groaned and smacked a hand to her forehead. He didn’t kiss like a dream. He did it all wrong anyway. She was quite certain Mother Serenity had never said anything about tongues when kissing. Mother Serenity had been quite descriptive in her talks with Mairin. She hadn’t wanted her to go ignorant to her marriage bed, and above all things, Mairin would one day marry.
    But tongues? Nay, Mother Serenity had nothing to say on the matter of tongues. Mairin would have remembered such a thing, surely.
    Mairin had assumed that the first time the laird had kissed her it was an aberration. A mistake. After all, her mouth had been open. It stood to chance his tongue might slip inside if he, too, had his mouth open.
    She frowned at the thought. Could Mother Serenity have been mistaken? Surely not. She was knowledgeable about all things. Mairin trusted her implicitly.
    But the second time? It was no coincidence, because this time he’d commanded her to open her mouth, and like a simpleton, she’d gaped her mouth open and let him slide his tongue over hers.
    Just the memory had her shivering. It was …
    It was undignified. That’s what it was. And she’d tell him so if he ever tried to do it again.
    Feeling marginally better now that she had that matter squared away, she turned her thoughts to the pressing issue of marriage. Hers.
    It was true that the laird filled a lot of the criteria that she and Mother Serenity had come up with. He was undoubtedly strong. He seemed awfully possessive of those he considered under his protection. It was true he had a large army. One had only to look at the numbers in the courtyard and how hard they trained.
    The marriage would be equally, if not more, beneficial to him. Aye, she’d have his protection, and he had the might to