Page 53 of Kidnapped by a Rogue
“There’s no need for ye to keep Ella,” Margaret said. “She can sleep in our chamber.”
“Nay, we need our privacy, being newlyweds and all,moleannain,” Finn said as he pulled Margaret to her feet. “Fair warning, Una. Ye may need to hold the pillow over your head tonight to sleep through my wife’s screams of pleasure.”
The elderly nursemaid slapped Finn’s arm. “I’ve known this charming devil since he was a lad, and he’s not half as bad as he seems,” she told Margaret. “Don’t fret over Ella. I’ll take good care of this sweet bairn.”
Before Margaret could argue, Finn pulled her into their chamber, closed the door, and stood in front of it with his arms folded. The time for reckoning had come.
“What made ye say we’re handfasted?” he asked, raising one black eyebrow.
“What madeyouattempt to paint me as a woman who was willing to sell myself?”
“I said it because no one would believe I hadn’t bedded ye when we’d traveled together,” he said.
“Women find ye that irresistible, do they?”
“Anyone would think a lass who was willing to travel alone with a man would also be willing to share his bed,” he said. “By saying ye were a desperate widow, I put the best face on it I could.”
“Nay,Iput the best face on it,” she said. “I couldn’t have your mother, of all people, thinking ye brought a prostitute home to the family. Don’t ye care what she thinks of ye?”
“My mother wants to believe the worst in me.” He blew out his breath and spread his arms. “I don’t know why I feel compelled to find out if she actually will, as she always does.”
“So ye make sure she does,” Margaret said.
“Don’t be angry with me about that.” He gave her that smile that probably got him extra sweets when he was a bairn—and sexual favors later on. “I’m sorry I insulted ye, but it would never have occurred to me to say we were wed.”
Would never have occurred to him.As apologies went, that was not a very good one.
Finn lifted her to sit on the bed and took her hands between his. “Ye do know what handfasting is?”
“’Tis a Highland custom whereby a couple enters a trial marriage by making vows to each other,” she said. “They have a year and a day to change their minds and dissolve the marriage if they wish.”
“So ye did know what ye were doing.” He heaved a sigh. “I suppose it could be worse. Ye could have said our marriage was blessed by the church. Then we’d be boundforever.”
“Being blessed by the church did not ensure my marriage was forever,” she said, folding her arms.
“Well, I’m no rich Lowland nobleman, so there would be no getting out of it.”
Finn obviously thought being bound to her for life would be the worst possible fate that could befall him. That should not irritate her, as marriage would be the worst possible thing for her as well. All the same, it did.
“’Tis all a lie anyway, so what does it matter?” she said.
“What matters is that ye convinced everyone else of your lie. So here we are,m' eudail,”my treasure, he said with a slow smile and a devilish twinkle in his eye, “forced to share a bed.”
Margaret’s skin felt hot under his gaze. She never should have kissed him this morning. Never should have let him touch her like he did. Never should have run her hands over his chest or clutched his hair in her fingers. Because now, when he was looking at her like this, all she could think about was how wonderful it felt to have his mouth on hers and his hard, muscular body pressing her against the tree.
It had been a grave mistake to initiate that kiss. Yet, try as she might, she could not persuade herself to regret it. The memory drewher body toward his, as if pulled by a rope.
Rap, rap, rap.
The knock at the door saved her from herself. This time the servants arrived with a tub and buckets of steaming water, breaking the spell Finn cast over her and giving her a chance to come to her senses. She shook her head, determined not to let it happen again
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Finn never thought he’d like being married—but playing at it definitely had its advantages.
Now that he and Margaret were sharing a chamber—and a bed—he was certain they would make love tonight. After the way passion exploded between them with their first kiss outside of Huntly Castle, there was no denying the attraction between them.Ach, Margaret had been on fire in his arms. Sharing such close quarters, it was inevitable they would be lovers.
He was more than ready to get naked, but he understood now he must go slowly and give her time. Margaret was a cautious woman who liked to keep a tight rein on her emotions, and that explosion of passion between them had frightened her. It sure as hell had surprised him.
