Page 32 of Highlander’s Torn Bride

Alexander broke his mouth away from hers, his breathing ragged. “Can I, lass?”

“Why bother asking?” she asked, wanting nothing more than to escape the strength of his grip on her and to lower herself over him.

“Because, the way I see it,” he said, trailing kisses across her chest, “tis the first time I am bedding you right, while I ken who you are and ken that you’re really mine.”

Margaret nodded, not knowing what she could say to that. In the way that he meant, this was their first time. As he pushed himself into her, which was far easier now than it had been the night before, he let out a long breath against her neck.

He went slowly for only a minute before their rhythm began to move faster. Then, without warning or word, he flipped her, and she was on top of him, their rhythm not breaking, only just barely changing as she quickly adapted to the new position, relishing in the feeling of power it gave her. Margaret looked down at him and saw that he wasn’t minding it either while his hand wrapped around her, grabbing her and helping her as she lifted nearly all the way off of him before coming crashing down each time.

She cried out now whenever he filled her, unable to feel anything else but that building peak. But the pinnacle no longer frightened her, she wanted to reach it. She wanted to throw herself off of it again and again. Alexander must have felt it, too, for his own lifts began to move faster, carrying her over him until, with mutual cries, the release came for them both.

Margaret collapsed onto his chest, breathing heavily, enjoying the feeling of him still inside her. Alexander wrapped her arms around her, keeping her in place.

“Tell it to me again,” she whispered when both of their breaths had slowed.

“I love you,” he replied, not needing to ask what she meant.

11

“Jonah is going to think I murdered you,” Alexander said as he pulled a fresh kilt from the trunk along the wall.

“You damn near did,” she grumbled into the pillow, making Alexander laugh.

He and Margaret had spent the rest of the day and the entire night in their chamber, alternating between brief sleep and far more enjoyable activities. Ann had stocked the room with apples and bannocks the day before, so they had been given no reason to leave.

Alexander would have been tempted into another such morning if the castle steward hadn’t knocked on the door, full of hesitation and embarrassment, to inform him that he had a pile of work that needed tending to.

“Do you think I’m capable of that? Murder?”

“You did scare me something awful at our wedding, you ken. That stare of yours is more powerful than you could imagine. I nearly faltered and ran from the church when I saw it.”

He smiled, knowing exactly which stare she was meaning. After making a fool of himself before her the day prior, Alexander had been committed to being the picture of a proud Highland lover on the day of their wedding, so that Margaret could see his strength before she said her vows. He had channeled all of his care, his growing affection, and his desire to know more of her into his eyes when she had appeared before him to walk down the aisle. Apparently, it had paid off.

“Of course my gaze made you falter. You were seeing the look of a man who had already come to ken that he was going to love you forevermore,” Alexander said, bending down to kiss her bright red cheek. “I’ll be back. I’d say donna move, but I’ll bet Ann is going to come charging in soon after I leave this room, so tis up to you on what state you’d like her to find you.”

She was scrambling from the blankets before he could even shut the door behind him. And, sure enough, he saw Ann poking her head from around the corner. When she saw him, she furrowed her brow and poked her head out further.

“Relax,” he told her. “I think I may ken as much as you now.”

“She told ye everything, then?” Ann asked.

“Aye,” Alexander said, adding for proof, “I hear the Thurso leather trade offers work opportunities to many.”

Ann sighed, touching her fingers to her temple, “Bless that lass. Well, based on yer expression, all is well with the subject?”

“Aye, though I’d imagine you’ll wish to confirm that with the other party. She may need another minute, though.”

Now Ann was the one blushing, something that caught him off guard and gave him, for a moment, a bit of hope for Jonah. Alexander started to walk away from her when she called after him, “Wait! I have another matter to discuss. I received a letter from Braemore this morning. Twould seem that my brother took ill shortly after we departed. They have asked for me to go and tend to him. May I?”

Alexander shrugged. “So long as Margaret gives you leave. The castle steward is a Sutherland by blood. I’ll have him escort you so as not to cause any trouble.”

“Thank you!” Ann called, just as she opened the door to their chambers. Her thanks were quickly replaced by exclamations about the mess.

Three weeks had come and gone since Ann had left, and Alexander found Margaret in poor spirits without her.

“You work all day,” she said, tugging at the hem of his kilt as he dressed one morning, “and there is no one else to talk to in the castle.”

“Jonah?” Alexander had suggested.