One Night in Kilmeaden

*Author's Note:* Romance is the only category that seemed appropriate for this story, but it is actually a Historical EROTIC Romance containing some very HOT sex! So, if you're looking for a purely romantic story, this isn't one... just a warning for anyone who might be offended by plain language and very descriptive sex! Please let me know if you enjoy it... thanks!

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The passage from Islay to Dungarvan on the south coast of Ireland had been pleasant for the most part... they'd only encountered one stormy night at sea. Which was lucky for the summer months... storms could pop up at almost any time over the unpredictable North Atlantic channel and the Irish Sea.

Jordan Reece had enjoyed the fresh ocean air during the voyage and had almost acquired a good set of "sea legs" by the time the boat had sailed into Dungarvan Bay. But he was happy to set foot on dry land once again, and even happier when his horse was led from the supply boat that had accompanied the passenger vessel on which he'd traveled.

The big black stallion snorted softly in greeting when the groom handed him over. "Well now, Ares... ya don't look any the worse fer wear..." he soothed in his deep Scottish burr. "Yer hindquarters must be queverin' fer a good gallop through the countryside! An' ah'll jus' bet you'll be sniffin' fer fillies the whole way, won' t'ye lad?"

He chuckled when his giant companion nuzzled his hand as he fed him a carrot and then uttered a low horselaugh, as if in agreement that his master knew him too well. He leaned next to Ares' ear and muttered quietly, "Ah wesh you'd put tha' nose ta good use an' sniff out a few lasses fer mi as well, my friend!"

Jordan was surprised when Ares threw back his head and issued a stream of what sounded like loud horse "guffaws!" He yanked the reins down and stared into one of the stallion's large brown eyes. "Tha' was na funny, you... you..." he ran his eyes down the big, gleaming sleek body that he kept perfectly groomed as he tried to think of an appropriate insult.

"Aahhhrrrggg!!!" he growled in frustration as he dropped his head in defeat. Then he stared into the large brown eye again. "Yer a bloody black stud an' ya know et! You have every damn little filly on Eila prancin' around ya! Well... yer supposed ta help mi make an impression on the lasses, too, damn yer hide!!! So... how 'bout managin' no' ta throw me while we're here en Ireland, ehh?!! Es't a deal?" Jordan asked the animal earnestly.

He laughed again at how foolish he felt... trying to make deals with a horse... like the stallion could understand him! But he frowned suspiciously when Ares stamped his right front hoof on the ground and acted like he was nodding his head in agreement. Nahhh... the animal was just reacting to his tone of voice... that's all it was...

Jordan gathered up all of his gear, saddled Ares and loaded his things onto the animal. They headed east out of Dungarvan toward Waterford. He had traveled to Ireland to issue a warning. He felt he owed no loyalty to the Scottish royalty. He sympathized with Ireland in their plight to fight off being added against their will to the British Empire!

It was the year of our Lord 1595, and Britain was desperate to annex as many of the surrounding kingdoms as possible in order to compete with Spain. The Spanish Empire was expanding by leaps and bounds ever since that Italian explorer Christoffa Corombo had discovered the Americas for Queen Isabella some hundred years before. And ever since, England had been trying to "keep up with the Juarezes..."

It had started out as a beautiful day for a ride... a clear blue sky with puffy white clouds floating over the rolling emerald hills that stretched to the low mountains. The temperature had been mild for the middle of summer, but during the afternoon, the humidity started to rise and the clouds began to build. Jordan could tell that storms wouldn't be far behind...

He kept riding across the countryside hoping he would spot a village soon. When it started to darken, he spotted a few lighted windows in the distance just as the first lightning bolt flashed and a crack of thunder filled the air. Rain began to spatter him as he reined Ares in the direction of the lights and urged him to full speed.

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"Da!!! Ah tol' ya ta put the animals en the stable 'afore ye came enside... that storms were a'comin'! Why do ya never listen ta mi?!!" Caitlin O'Brick exclaimed at her stepfather. He stared at her for a moment and then turned to go out again.

"Never mind! Ah'll do et miself! Ah probably need ta make sure that ya properly mucked the stalls an' fed the horses any way! Nuttin' aroun' here would ever get done properly ef ah did no' see to et..." she muttered in her thick Irish brogue as she stomped past him out of the house.

The rain was just beginning to pour as she ran across the path and along the paddock fence to the stable entrance. And in that short space of time, she managed to get completely soaked! Oh well... it was bound to have happened any way when she had to go out the side and lead in their two cows and their family of goats. The animals didn't fight her... they were happy to get in somewhere they couldn't see the flashes of lightning! She pushed the heavy doors closed and it was somewhat quieter.

She checked on the few horses that some travelers were boarding with them until they resumed their journey. At least Da had made sure to clean out the stalls, spread some fresh hay and put oats in the feed bins.

From the sound of the rain pounding on the roof and the loud booms of thunder, Caitlin didn't want to risk venturing out into the storm again. She decided to wait out the worst of it in the stable, but she was feeling chilled from the wet clothing plastered to her body...

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Jordan reined Ares to a stop in front of a two-story building that appeared to be an inn of some sort across from a stable. He dismounted and held onto the reins as he pounded on the door. After a moment, an older man opened it and eyed him up and down, raising his eyebrows as he stared at Jordan's legs.

"Have ya never seen a kilt before, old man?" he asked in amusement as he pulled at the wet plaid cloth plastered to his thighs. When the man frowned and looked back up at him he asked, "Ah beg yer pardon, but this es an enn... es et no'... an' do ya have any available rooms?" The man nodded. "Very well... Ah shall require a room fer the night an' where can ah shelter mi horse?"

"That's ar stable across the way, sir... you kin put yer horse inside. Wi still have some empty stalls."

Jordan grimaced through the pouring rain. "Thank ya, sir. Ah'll take care of mi horse an' then ah'll bi en later... ef you would be good enough ta save mi some food, ah would bi mos' grateful. Thank ya!" he called again as he hurriedly led Ares toward the stable.

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Caitlin lit a lantern and went to a wooden trunk in the back of the stable, opened it and pulled out a woolen blanket. She removed her wet shoes and began the arduous task of removing her dripping garments... then she would be able to wrap the dry blanket around her and warm up. And if she stoked the fire in the pit where the smith worked in the outer part of the stable, she might just be able to dry some of her clothes...

She had just finished stripping when she heard the noise of the storm grow louder when one of the stable doors was opened momentarily and then shut again. She started to call out, thinking it was her stepfather but she knew most of the guests at the inn would be expecting supper soon and he, hopefully, was busy setting out the food she had prepared earlier.

Caitlin hesitated a moment as she wrapped the blanket around her and then snuck out toward the front of the stable to see who had entered. She stopped suddenly and hid inside one of the stalls, peeking between the boards to watch a strangely dressed man unloading his belongings from a magnificent, but bedraggled, black steed. The first thing he did after that was to remove his soaked boots and strange calf stockings and dry his feet with a cloth from one of his bags.

The man and beast seemed completely at ease with each other as he spoke soothingly while he unsaddled the horse and wiped down the animal's wet hide with another semi-dry cloth he'd pulled from one of his sacks. Caitlin smiled softly... she'd always had an affinity for horses and she appreciated that same quality when she recognized it in a man...

She couldn't help but notice how the wet material of the strange "skirt" he was wearing was clinging to his thighs. His calves and lower thighs looked very muscular and she almost giggled as the thought popped into her head when he turned toward her that he had nice knees! Not that she'd ever noticed a man's knees before...

His light brown hair was long, but was pulled back into a neat ponytail and tied with a strip of leather. When she finally got a good look at his face, she noticed he looked a little scruffy... like he hadn't shaved in a day or two, but she smiled when she realized he obviously preferred to be clean-shaven. She wasn't that crazy about men with beards and mustaches... they usually didn't keep them clean or bathed often enough for her liking!

Caitlin found herself staring at the man's face, wondering how old he was... from his features, he didn't look to be much older than her... she guessed him to be in his early 20's. She had just turned 18 and her stepfather had been trying to foist her off on every available man in the village and every male traveler who'd passed through since she was fifteen!!!

She snorted quietly as she thought it probably wouldn't take her stepfather long to start working on this man, too! Then he started to remove his wet clothing. She stared transfixed as he unraveled the wet cape of material from his back and chest and then unwound it from around his waist and hips until it was free...

Caitlin hadn't realized she was holding her breath... hoping to see his bare ass revealed... until she almost groaned in frustration when she realized his long tunic was still hiding his... secrets. She growled softly as her impatience grew while she watched him hanging the long piece of material that had been wrapped around him over some barrels near the smithy pit and then stoked the fire.

At that moment, Ares raised his head, pricking his ears and flaring his nostrils as he sniffed the air in the stable. Then he lowered his head and followed his nose to the stall in which Caitlin was hiding. She backed up against the far wall and was gesturing at the stallion to go away, but he whinnied softly and nuzzled his snout on her shoulder.

Jordan turned around to see his steed already moving toward a stall. He followed as he stated, "Ah, my friend... ah see ya must've already sniffed out some feed! Hold on... let's make sure ets good before ya start munchin'!" He stopped short when Ares lifted his head and he caught a glimpse of a figure in the shadows. "Who's there?" he asked curiously.

Caitlin cleared her throat nervously and spoke just loud enough to be heard over the storm. "I... ah... got caught out here when ah came ou' ta bring the animals en!" When she saw him start to move toward her, she exclaimed, "Do no' come any closer! Ah'm no' decent! Mi clothes were soaked so ah removed them an' all ah have es a blanket aroun' mi."

Jordan snorted derisively. "So, lass... yer naked an' you were hidin' an' watchin' mi?!! Ah guess yer a little disappointed that ya did na ge' ta see me naked... es tha' so?!!" he asked with a chuckle, liking the idea that some girl had been spying on him. Even though he couldn't see what she looked like, he liked the sound of her voice... it was soft and had a sexy Irish accent.

But that was gone when she came storming out of the shadows to shove at his chest as she pushed him backward out of the stall.

"YOU ARROGANT SCOTTISH BASTARD!!! How dare ya make assumptions like tha' t'abou' mi!!! Ah know yer kind! All ya want es ta move en an' take our lands... take we women an' fuck us all Scottish!!! Well ah'll have no parts a that!!! Ah'm IRISH and ah'll be Irish until ah die... an' ah'll take you with mi ef ah hafto!!!" she ranted at him as she backed him toward the smithy fire pit.

Jordan was stunned. He couldn't help backing away from the intense storm of emotions shooting out of her and blasting away at him. But at the same time, he was also drawn to her passionate intensity... and her beauty. She was the epitome of a fiery Irish lass... long, dark auburn hair, large deep brown eyes with thick lashes, creamy skin and lips that beckoned his even as she hurled loud curses at him.

She finally stopped when he flinched as he felt the heat of the fire behind him and scooted away so his backside wouldn't get singed like the front of him already was from her passion. She stood a few feet away, panting heavily from her rant and clutching the blanket about her as if it was a shield. Jordan couldn't help but admire her courage to stand up to a man, even though he could easily overpower her...

Caitlin suddenly realized how vulnerable she was. Yes... she'd stunned the man momentarily by pouncing at him the way she had, but he was easily a foot taller than she and much larger and stronger. If he wanted to take her, there was no way she could stop him... unless she had a weapon of some sort. She glanced around but there was nothing within her reach.

She looked back at him warily and then noticed the look in his eyes... the firelight dancing near him prevented her from telling what color they were, but the fire burning in them was roaring even hotter than the flames just a few feet away. Caitlin felt warmth spreading through her as his eyes roamed over her face for a moment and then slid downward as if imagining what was underneath the blanket.

Now SHE was hot... the woolen blanket that had felt like a protective shield just a moment before was suddenly making her feel as if she was scorching from the nearby flames! She turned and moved quickly away from the fire but that did little to relieve the heat that was suffusing her body. Damn it to hell... she couldn't blame the heat on the fire... it was HIM... she wanted him despite the threat he posed and she just hoped he hadn't figured that out!

Jordan was concerned that she thought he would force himself on her, and while he did enjoy it when a woman liked to "play act" that he was taking her against her will, he would never do it for real. Although this lass was tempting him to forget he was a gentleman more than any woman he'd ever seen! But he gradually began to realize her nervousness was no longer because she was afraid of what he might do to her, but because she couldn't control what she was feeling...

He moved up behind her quietly and smiled when she jumped, not realizing he was so near. He made his voice low and sexy.

"You have nothin' ta fear from mi, lass. Ah am Scottish by birth but ah have no' come to yer fair country ta take yer lands or fuck any woman against her will. Ah'm a gentleman, but ah do whatever ah can ta please any woman who would willin'ly take me ento her bed."

Jordan grinned slyly when Caitlin gasped and moved a couple of steps away from him, panting heavily again. He continued seductively, "As a matter of fact, ah have come as a favor ta yer country." He paused when she swung around to face him warily. "Ah have come ta warn yer Irish nobles that England an' Scotland are plannin' within the next few years ta send another wave of settlers en ta take over more of yer lands and try ta turn all o' the Irish population ento Anglo and Scotch-Irish half-breeds. Ah guess they figure that's the only way... ta fuck the stubbornness outa ya!" He chuckled again when she gasped heatedly.

"How dare ye make sooch a statement! Yer nut tellin' me anythin' ah haven't already suspected! What ah don't understand es WHY yer so willin' ta warn us of what's comin'? What's en it fer you? How do ah know this esn't some scheme you've cooked up just ta trick someone luk me into trustin' ya?!!" she asked suspiciously.

Jordan moved right in front of her and stared down into her defiant face. "Ya haven't even asked mi name, lass. How could ya trust me until ya know mi name? Ah am Jordan Reece an' ah hail from Eila."

Caitlin frowned in confusion. "Reece doos no' sound like a proper Scottish name ta mi. How did ya come by sooch a name?"

"My grandfather was Welsh... he was drawn across the sea by an Irish siren an' they ended up settlin' on Eila when her family objected ta her marriage. Then mi father married into the MacDonald clan." He paused when her eyes widened in surprise. "Ah see you've heard of my mother's family. Aye... ah might once have been Scottish nobility, but no' any longer. Ya see... ah am already a mutt... Welsh, Irish and Scottish. An' since we canno' longer protect the Scottish kingdom from British rule, ah'd just like to try ta help protect Ireland from the same fate. You kin trust mi, lass... ah speak the truth," he finished quietly as she stared up at him with her huge, beautiful eyes.

Caitlin believed him. She saw sadness in his eyes as he told her of his varied heritage... it was like he felt he didn't belong anywhere. He was just searching for somewhere to belong... and she suddenly wished he could belong to her...

Jordan was stunned again when Caitlin dropped the blanket from around her. His instinct made him step back so he could see her in all her glory... and what a glorious creature she was! Her creamy skin glowed golden in the firelight from her head to her toes. High, firm breasts tipped with luscious pink nipples that were already hard had his palms itching to caress her and his mouth watering to taste her.

He could scarcely breathe as his eyes continued to travel downward. She had a sexy, womanly shape... her hips were rounded nicely and then his eyes were drawn like magnets to the dark curls at the juncture of her thighs. He groaned and felt his cock stiffening as he pictured her spreading those thighs for him...

Jordan closed his eyes for a moment and sucked in a deep breath to control the raging lust and desire that were building inside him. Then he muttered, "What the...?!!" as he felt himself propelled forward by something nudging at his ass. He twisted around to see Ares with his snout at his backside. "Yer getin' just a little too personal there, lad!!" he exclaimed with a growl.

The stallion backed up a couple of steps, uttering a low, quiet whinny and then what sounded like a snort of disgust... as if saying he was acting like wimpy bastard. Ares lifted his head higher, peering at Caitlin over his shoulder and whinnied again, sounding as if he was ready to give her a good "ride!"

Jordan stomped over to the big animal, grabbed a handful of mane and eyed him jealously. "Now look here, you lusty stud!!! Ya leave the lasses ta mi! Ah've made sure you've had as many fillies as you could handle... so you'll damn well leave the lasses ta mi!!! Now go an' min' d'yer own damn business!" he exclaimed as he shoved the big black horse back toward the empty stall.

He turned around in surprise when he heard Caitlin laughing. He had thought her beautiful before, but now she was the most stunning sight he'd ever seen! Her face radiated happiness and mirth... her whole body was shaking from the joyful peals of her laughter. He almost wanted to laugh with her, but at the moment, his cock wasn't letting him think about anything but getting inside her...

Caitlin's startled gasp was stifled when Jordan grabbed her face and dove down to take her mouth with his. She moaned hotly as his tongue took advantage of the fact that her mouth was already wide open. The next moment, they were both groaning as the kiss deepened.

Caitlin moaned even louder when Jordan's hands left her face to wrap his arms around her naked body when she slid her arms over his shoulders. She squirmed against his crotch when she felt the hard tip of his cock poking against her lower abdomen. Her head flopped back as she breathed, "Ahhh, Jordan... do na make me beg for it..."