Stretching, she turned to Ian and studied his face. In just a week, they would be married. Husband and wife. Every morning for the rest of their lives, she would wake next to the man she loved lying beside her.
His eyes opened, the clear blue-green gaze just a bit hazy from not being fully awake. Then his lips curved and her heart melted.
“Go back to sleep,” she said, kissing him. “Tis quite early yet. The sun has not fully risen.”
She snuggled against him, inhaling the smell of him. He was so large and muscled and yet felt comforting and sure. He lay on his left side, the one with the missing arm. Part of it anyway. It had been severed just above the elbow. He had begun using it with a specially made shield that Elspeth’s father, who was a blacksmith, had fashioned for him. Ian was proud of how he was able to pull it from the side of the horse and hoist it up and across to shield from attack.
For days, he’d been using it at sword practice, which explained his exhaustion.
“What are ye thinking about?” His voice had the husky tone from just waking.
“That ye come to bed exhausted every night since ye got the shield. Elspeth’s father has come up with the perfect way to keep us from making love.”
Ian chuckled. “Has he?” He rolled to his back, bringing her across his body. “Have ye considered how to make love to me?”
At first, she wasn’t sure what he meant, then it became clear. If he could take her while she lay on her back, then she could take him as well.
First, she pushed back the bedding then lifted up and straddled him. She ran her hands down his chest, enjoying how his skin felt and the slight tightening of each place she touched.
His reactions emboldened her to do more, so she trailed kisses down the center of his body while reaching for his sex. He was hard and ready.
Ceilidh looked to see that he was watching intently.
It took a bit of maneuvering, but she managed to lift and guide him in. He seemed perfectly comfortable allowing her freedom over his body and did not assist her in the least.
It was an enjoyable game, Ceilidh decided, and she lowered, taking him fully.
At joining, both of them let out loud moans.
Moments later, she panted, and her body sprawled over his. Ian kissed her temple. “I love ye with my entire being.”
The words seeped into her, renewing her. Love, she decided, was the balm to sooth and the energy that willed a person to grow.
Chapter Twenty-Five
After greeting Kieran fondly, his mother and sister quickly became engrossed with Ewan. He’d always held a spell over them, with his elaborate gifts, quick wit and spilling of compliments.
They sat in the large sitting room, accompanied by Verity’s companion and Lady Munro. Of course, Ewan had also brought Lady Munro a beautifully embroidered handkerchief and the woman pronounced it to be a new prized possession.
Kieran sat near a window overlooking a side garden that flourished with many vegetables and herbs. He wondered if Gisela worked there.
“When do ye plan to marry the poor girl?” His mother stood next to the window, pinning him with a stern look.
Of course, she meant Gisela, or at least that’s what he assumed.
Before he could reply, she continued. “She is yer betrothed after all and no other young man will approach her. The poor thing will be left a spinster, spending her days mending castaways.”
It was hard to picture Gisela sitting in a corner mending.
“Why do ye think she and I are betrothed?”
“It was deemed so by the laird and she went to Dun Airgid with Tristan and his party. Presumably that means ye and she have…”
“We have not and she is not.” Kieran got to his feet, not quite sure why the thought of betrothal bothered him so much.
The room became quiet, every eye on him now.
“The girl is ruined nonetheless,” his mother said with a sad shake of her head.
“If ye do not wish to marry my niece, I will ensure her uncle sees her married off and gone from here as soon as possible,” Lady Munro said and stood. “She is quite lovely and I am sure many will vie for her hand.”
“I’ll marry her,” Ewan said with a wide grin. “She is indeed lovely.”
Kieran couldn’t believe his ears. His cousin was no closer to marriage than any man he’d ever met. Ewan had always professed to remain single and without ties.
“Ye will not,” Kieran said. He then looked to Lady Munro who gave him a questioning look.
Lady Munro let out a sigh. “If not yer cousin, then a Mackenzie. There are plenty here visiting.” She smiled fondly at Ewan. “I will ensure a chamber is prepared for ye and Kieran. Now, I must be off to find Gisela and then my husband.”
Upon the woman’s departure, his family didn’t speak. Instead, they all watched him with varying looks of disapproval.
“Why would ye say that?” Kieran snapped at Ewan. “Ye are not ready for marriage.”
“Says who?” Ewan retorted. “As a matter of fact, I am of half a mind to go after the dear lady and insist that it be me.”
Kieran fought the urge to punch his cousin’s face in. “Do what ye wish. But ye will not marry Gisela.”
He hurried from the room, not exactly sure where he was heading. The entire plan for the day was to remain away from people. It was a matter of protocol to visit for several days before leaving. It would give Ewan time with his mother and sister and him time for solitary archery practice.
At the idea, he decided to retrieve his bow and quiver.
He passed what looked to be a small chamber and noticed the door open. Just inside, he saw her. Gisela stood next to a window, a small sack in one hand as she craned to search out the courtyard below.
“Good, he is nowhere to be seen,” she murmured. Then she stretched and searched again.
“Who are ye avoiding?”
Gisela yelped and dropped the small sack. Her eyes rounded and she held both hands to her chest.
Gisela being dressed in a plain frock with frayed hems meant she planned to go traipsing in the forest.
“I am not avoiding anyone.” The coloring of her cheeks contradicted her words.
He pushed the door closed with his foot, as it would not do for someone to see him inside a single woman’s chambers. She was unescorted after all.
“What are ye doing?” She took a step backward.
“Answer my question.”
“If ye must know, I did not wish to be seen by a certain man in this plain frock.”
His chest constricted. Was she in love with someone else? Had she forgotten about him? He was assuming she had cared for him, perhaps she hadn’t.
She’d closed the distance between them and they stood but mere inches apart. “All for naught since ye have seen me now.”
There was the hesitance of a woman unsure of how to proceed with a man when her arms encircled his neck and she pulled him down for a kiss.
It was not their first one. But by the way his entire body tightened, it felt as if he were to be kissed for the first time in his life.
She hesitated again, her eyes meeting his, asking, seeking permission. Or perhaps she needed encouragement.
Closing the distance, he took her mouth and, immediately, heat surged to every part of him. Only Gisela could affect him with but a touch of her lips.
The kiss was sweet while at the same time wanton and full of promise. The plushness of her full breasts against his chest and the curves of her womanly body beneath his palms were like a whirlwind of pure light into his dark world.
He loved Gisela with his entire being. The certainty made him both happy and terrified. What would he do now?
Gisela was the perfect woman for him. But at the same time, could he be what she needed? He had no idea of how to be a husband, a partner or a woman’s champion. He’d never been in a relationship since he’d yet to find a woman who’d get past his appearance and truly know him.
Gisela�
�s breathing hitched when Kieran trailed his hands up and down her back. Enjoying the warmth of her supple body against him, he kissed from the corner of her mouth to the place just beneath her jawline.
“I love ye,” Gisela said, her words stilted. “Ye don’t have to reply with the same, but I thought ye should know,” she quickly added.
The tightness in his chest made Kieran push away. Was he about to falter, to drop to his knees?
Eyes wide, Gisela reached out to him. “What is the matter? Ye look like ye are about to pass out.”
“I am not going to pass out.” His words sounded strangled, like a man gasping his last breath.
“Ye certainly look like it.” She tugged his hand and led him to a chair. “Goodness, Kieran, I do not think ye are quite healed yet.” She pushed him backward and he fell into a chair.
When a glass of water was pushed into his hand and she urged him to drink, he did. Then he coughed at not quite swallowing properly.
“I will fetch the healer.” Gisela studied his face. “Do ye think ye are able to make it out to the corridor? It will not do to admit ye were in here.”
Kieran got to his feet, annoyed at looking weak before her. “I am not unwell, just overcome.” God, that sounded worse.
“What I mean is that I have to admit something to ye.”
Her expression became stricken as if he were about to tell her he loved another and would marry that very same afternoon.
“What is it?” Gisela asked, hitching her chin. “Tell me.”
“I love ye. I believe I have for a long time.”
Silence stretched as they each tried to decide how to proceed. They loved each other. It was said out loud and now he wondered why it had taken him so long to admit it.
Not only was she a beautiful woman, but she was also the first to get through the well-fortified wall he’d erected around his heart.
Walking closer to him, she leaned against him and he pulled her close. “What do we do now?” she asked, her tone low.
“I have to speak to Lady Munro,” he replied, gently pushing her back.
“Lady Munro?” Gisela followed him to the doorway. “Why?”
“I may have led her to believe ye need to be married off.”
With strength he didn’t know she possessed, Gisela shoved him aside, rushed to the door and hurried out.
He followed after, not quite sure if she was going to stop Lady Munro or just see who she was to be paired to. “Gisela,” he called after her, but she waved him away. “Ye have done enough for today, Kieran. Why don’t ye go play with arrows or something?”
Play with arrows? He scowled at a guard who chuckled as they walked by.
“We should speak to Lady Munro together,” he said as she disappeared around a corner. When he got to the end of the corridor, she was gone.
The woman moved rather quickly when she was angry, he considered. A short distance later, he entered the great room. Gisela, Lady Munro, Gisela’s mother and the laird were in a small circle.
Not sure whether to go near, he stood next to the entrance until he spotted Ewan. His cousin gave him a smug look.
“It is a lovely day,” a woman said, running her hand down his arm. “Perfect for a walk in the garden.”
“I do not wish to walk amongst turnips,” he replied, not looking away from Gisela who listened to something her mother said while frowning.
“I meant the flower garden,” the woman purred, her hand grasping his. “Come, I will show ye.”
He didn’t move when she tugged and pulled his hand from hers. He looked to the woman for the first time, noting she was a bit older than him. She was still attractive, but had the air of desperation. She didn’t need him, any man would probably do.
“I do not believe I have met ye,” he said, glancing toward Ewan who lifted a brow in understanding.
“Eleanor Mackenzie, cousin to the laird,” she proclaimed.
As Ewan neared, Kieran motioned to him. “I am Kieran Ross and this is my cousin, Ewan. He has yet to visit the gardens.”
The woman assessed Ewan, who gave a curt bow. Her lips curved appreciatively.
As the woman and Ewan walked away, Kieran wondered how many times she’d visited the gardens since arriving.
“Ah, Kieran, we have not had an opportunity to speak. Now it seems we have something to discuss.” Laird Munro, Gisela’s uncle, had come and stood before him.
The man rocked back on his heels and studied him. “What is this I hear that ye do not want to marry my niece, Gisela,” he said, sounding annoyed. “Then I must marry her off promptly. I cannot stand any more harassment from my brother’s wife. She is a most annoying creature.”
“I will marry her,” Kieran replied, scowling in the direction of Gisela’s mother. She looked at him with narrowed eyes.
What, exactly, had Gisela told them? “What were they speaking about?” he asked, although normally he wouldn’t give a fig.
“Oh, Lillian is encouraging my wife and me to find her daughter a husband. She demanded I convince ye to do it as, according to her, ye have sullied the lass’ reputation.”
“What of the lass? What is her opinion?”
The laird shrugged as if it were of no consequence. “She said she will marry who she wishes and that we should not involve ourselves in it.”
Kieran laughed. “Ah. I will speak to her and we shall marry without delay.” At the laird’s silence, he rounded the man and walked to Gisela. “I must speak to ye.”
She didn’t protest as he led her to the laird’s study. This time, he left the door open to ensure that there was not any misunderstanding by someone happening by.
Whirling, she glared at him. “Ye do not have to be forced into marrying me. Do not marry me because my family insists on it.”
“I want to marry ye,” Kieran replied. “I had hoped to propose properly. It seems everyone, including my mother, wish to do it for me.”
Letting out a long breath, she smiled. “Ye are going to have to hurry and do something or else I will marry yer cousin. Lady Munro said he is willing.”
“Marry me, Gisela.” Kieran moved closer.
She took a step backward. “Why?”
“Because I love ye and ye love me,” he said, his lips curving. “Is that not reason enough?”
Her head tilted to the right. “Hmm. I suppose it is.” A crinkle appeared between her brows. “I like seeing ye smile.”
This made him scowl. With a simple smile, the beautiful lass could pierce his armor no matter how fortified.
*
Gisela could not describe her wedding as small or intimate. Her mother and Lady Munro had insisted the Mackenzies remain. Then word was sent out to all the Munro clanspeople. Thankfully, there wasn’t time to both send a message to Clan Ross and wait their arrival, so they’d not attend. It didn’t seem to matter because Lady Ross had made it clear she was not eager for her sons’ wives to come there.
The entire day was a fog, from dressing to the ceremony in the overly crowded family chapel.
Kieran wore a beautiful tartan in the Ross colors of green and black over his shoulder and had newly shorn hair for the ceremony. Their vows had been recited, hers in a soft voice, his in a clear, deep one.
Tears had glided down her cheeks while Kieran remained composed, his features calm.
Afterward, they’d sat in front of the great room and eaten and then exited out to the courtyard to the feast prepared to feed the masses.
The familiar faces of the village vendors made her happy. Gisela spent the day moving from one group to another, chatting and laughing. It was the most enjoyable of experiences.
Preferring not to be around crowds, Kieran and several men celebrated by drinking ale at a table that was set away from the others.
It didn’t bother Gisela in the least. He was acting as he always did.
When the day ended and the moon rose, Kieran came to her. Instantly, her heart quickened, and she couldn’t help but let out
a long sigh when he wrapped his arms around her. He was so very striking in the moonlight.
“The day I traveled here, ye promised to show me something.” There was a playful light in his gaze. She would have to get used to this side of Kieran.
“Come.” She took his hand and led him away from the bonfires and lanterns and around the side of the keep facing the woods.
For a long minute, she searched the skies until finding the formation like that of an hourglass.
“Look up there at the stars. See the one there and then there…” she pointed at different stars outlining the formation. “That formation is my favorite.”
Kieran looked for a moment, but then searched her face instead.
“Are ye happy, Gisela?”
Her gaze snapped to him. “Of course. This is the most perfect day. Are ye?”
“I am,” he said as his brows lowered. “Is it wrong of me?”
She wrapped her arms around his waist. “If yer father were here today, would he be glad for ye?”
Pondering her words, his chest rose and lowered, the steady heartbeat reassuring in her ear. “Aye, he would,” he finally said.
“Ye are allowed to be happy, Kieran. Part of life is that ye and I will one day also die. Our loved ones will continue without us and that makes me glad. I would not wish for them to mourn and miss living their own lives.”
“Ye are right.” He lifted her face and covered her mouth with his. Gisela clung to him as the kiss deepened. Her breath caught when his hand cupped her bottom and he pushed his hips forward, demonstrating how much he needed her.
“I think we should probably find our bed,” he murmured in her ear.
Her insides turned soft, like porridge. Gisela couldn’t keep from blushing when they made their way through the crowd and into the keep.
“Goodness,” she exclaimed when they finally entered her chambers. They’d decided to spend their time there together until returning to Dun Airgid.
They’d been together before. He’d shown her how things were between a man and a woman and how touches and kisses brought one to a climactic point, but she knew they’d not joined in the way they would that night.
A Hellish Highlander (Clan Ross Book 3) Page 18