A Lass to Love (Brides of Scotland #1) - Tammy Andresen Page 0,12
the horizon. “Gavin and I were childhood friends. My father was a laird of the bordering property and our families decided to match us. I knew I would marry Gavin from the age of fifteen. I never even tried to learn the art of…” A blush rose in her cheeks.
He stopped, then led her to the rail. At least with their backs to the crew, they were in plain sight but they could talk. “Perhaps you’re lucky. You’ve kept all the soft parts of a woman who was never tossed aside.”
She frowned as she watched some gulls dance in the breeze. “I’ve never really had a chance to fly either. I’ve always just been perched on the edge.”
That was true. “I, for one, appreciate your kind heart.”
She shifted toward him. “So, what will ye teach me when we’re alone tonight?”
Alone. Tonight. Those words echoed in his head as he thought again that teaching her how to seduce her fiancé had likely been a terrible error in judgment.
Chapter Seven
Fiona stood perched in the center of their cabin, her ear trained toward the bed. Of course, tonight was the night that Aunt Edna had decided to quit snoring.
She dare not open the door without confirming her aunt slept soundly. Taking a halting step, the floor creaked under her feet and she froze again, holding her breath.
A rattling snore finally erupted from her aunt’s lips, and breathing out a heavy sigh, Fiona began creeping toward the door.
She knew this was a terrible idea. Clandestine meetings with a rake were risky at best. But then again, she’d never done… anything. She’d been so young when she’d agreed to marry Gavin and with Callum… Fiona had never even been kissed.
If she were honest with herself, she didn’t give a wit about the lessons. She’d likely never use them on Callum. The man had all but abandoned her and she’d be damned if she spent her time trying to coerce him into caring. But if she was about to settle down with a husband that would be distant at best, she might as well have a bit of fun before she did. Perhaps then she could go into the match with less resentment.
The door swung in with barely a noise and she tiptoed out, closing the heavy wooden panel once again. She didn’t dare bring a candle to light her way, but the moon shone brightly enough and the sound of the ocean covered any noise she made.
She crept along the walls of the cabin, making her way to the backside. The moment she turned the corner, she saw Tom. Though he was hidden in shadow, the tip of his cigar gave him away. “Ye came.”
He turned toward her. “So did you.”
The sound of his voice pulled her forward and she kept moving along the wall until she reached his side. “How is this going to work?”
“However we’d like it to.” He wrapped an arm about her waist. “We had some excellent lessons this morning on how you touch a man publicly without being too obvious. But we can certainly do more.”
She shook her head, the feel of his hand at her waist, sending shivers of excitement racing down her spine. “We’ll save those for another time.” She lifted her hand toward his chest but then dropped it again, unsure of how to touch him. “They’re better when we have an audience to practice with.”
“True.” Tom shifted closer, his heat filling her with a nameless excitement. “What is it you wish to know?”
She drew in a deep breath, filling her lungs and then holding the air in, organizing her thoughts. “I don’t think a brush on the back is enough to get a man to the altar,” she finally said, bringing her hands to his chest. “I need to know what to do after, when we’re alone, to ensure success.”
He looked down at her. “You do what you’ve always done when you’re alone with a man. You let him hold you close, exactly like this and then you allow him to—”
“But ye don’t understand,” she whispered close to his ear. “I’ve never done any of this before. Ye’re the first.”
He stilled under her hands and she clenched her fingers in his shirt. “The first? Man you’ve been alone with? Surely your first fiancé?”
She shook her head. She was inviting disaster here, but she wasn’t certain she cared. Tired of playing by everyone else’s rules, she wanted a little fun for herself. “I’ve never even been kissed.”