Page 40 of Her Forbidden Highlander Husband

“That is true. I did have a few complaints for it being over too fast, but at the time I thought it was a kind thing to spare their back against the stones.”

It was obvious Mari wanted to laugh and struggled not to let it out. She was a graceful lady. She cleared her throat and smoothed her skirt.

“Even still, you’ll not want to be fast about it. Not that there isn’t a time and place to be quick, but for your first time, and with Evelyn’s past experiences, you’ll not want it to be hurried. It will need to be slow and she’ll need to be in control of it.”

Liam gave that some thought and couldn’t manage it in his mind. “I’m afraid I’m not sure how I’d do that.”

“You may recall I was mistreated by my first husband.”

Liam was aware she had killed him with a fireplace poker, and he hoped to avoid such a thing with Evelyn.

“Yes, the duke.”

“It wasn’t the same kind of mistreatment as your wife experienced, but with anything of the sort, it’s about control. When it’s been taken from you without permission it’s a difficult thing to allow anyone to ever take it again.”

Liam thought that through and nodded. “I understand.”

“You can’t truly. You’re a big warrior. You have an opportunity to fight where we do not. If a man forces us to do something, we can do little to stop him.”

Liam nodded once more. “You weren’t here when I was a lad, but even a few years ago I was nothing more than a wiry boy. I remember well enough what it was like being small.”

“But the men you sparred with were friends. You trusted them. You knew they’d never truly harm you. Evelyn has been at the mercy of men without compassion. And while she knows you’ll not harm her, the fear rises up when she’s put in that position of being powerless.”

“How do I give her the power?”

It was Mari’s cheeks that flushed this time. She swallowed and looked away. “You should allow her to be on top, to guide the joining and the movements between you.”

Liam envisioned it and then winced. “I’m not sure our parts would match up that way.”

She looked up toward the ceiling and then to him. “You should lie on your back on the bed. Then she will straddle you. Like a horse but facing you.”

“Oh. Oh! I see. That… That could work.”

“It does.” She looked toward the door. “Quite well.”

“And she would like it? It would be…pleasurable for her?”

“Yes.”

He needed to go. He was truly grateful for her help, but he wanted to flee as quickly as possible now that he’d gotten the information he needed.

“Liam, you’ll want to see that she…” She took a deep breath. “My, this is more difficult than I thought it would be when I offered assistance.” She fanned her face and took a sip of her drink before continuing. “You’ll want to see that she has… finished before you finish.”

“Yes, of course.” He now knew what it was like to see a woman finish, and it would be his goal moving forward. “I should go now. Thank ye.” He practically fell over the bench as he stood and turned for the door.

“I’m glad I could help.”

Liam all but ran for his horse, but of course Cam chose that time to call his name. Liam turned to see the large man coming closer with Lizzy on his shoulders and had a memory of his father carrying him that way. He’d been frightened to be so high, but happy. His fingers clenched in the man’s hair.

He started from the memory and closed his eyes trying to hold onto it, but that was all there was. Just that small thread. He couldn’t even be sure the man had been his father. It was just a feeling.

A feeling that no longer mattered.

Chapter Sixteen

“Are you well?” Cam asked and Liam nodded and smiled back, letting the brief warmth of the memory drift away.

Aiden was in Cam’s arms, asleep. Liam imagined how it must feel to be cared for like that. He pressed at the dim memories, trying again to remember who he might have belonged to, but it was no use. That fragment had been all, there wasn’t enough to grasp onto.