Page 91 of A Highland Bride Forgotten

“Aye,” said Archer. “Now.”

“When ye deserve it,” River pointed out.

That ended their mock argument quite fast, and Archer leaned in to capture her lips in a sweet kiss.

“Then I better make sure I keep deservin’ it,” he said. “I wouldnae want to see ye angry.”

River laughed, leaning against him and settling here, in his arms. She watched as Aidan looked up at her with those wide, blue eyes, his little face scrunching up when she tapped his nose gently.

Archer’s arm was strong and warm around her, his chest a solid wall. River always felt safe in his arms, no matter what, and now she began to drift into a light sleep, too content to keep her eyes open. She basked in the warmth of him, in the joy she felt every time she looked at him and at their son, the feeling so intense it was unlike anything she had experienced before.

She couldn’t believe they had gotten this far. She couldn’t believe they had gotten this far. She couldn’t believe they had fought against all odds and had won. For a moment, her mind began to drift back to her mother, back to Finlay, but she was quick to stop herself. She didn’t want to think about them, not now, not when she was meant to be surrounded by happiness and light.

There would be time to think about them again, just as she had thought about them in the past. But for now, all she wanted to do was lay there, in Archer’s arms, with their son in hers, without a care in the world.

The last thing she heard before sleep truly claimed her was, “I love ye, me heart.”