“Aye, that he was,” Arran confirmed. “But he arrived too late. The ceremony was already completed.”
“But have ye consummated yer marriage?” Helena could not calm herself, clearly worried that the horrors of her past would return again. “Grayson can contest the marriage, and if yehavenae shared yer marriage bed, his case will be stronger. Isnae that right, Magnus?”
Magnus thought for a moment, leaning closer to her to help calm her down. “I cannae speak for the council, but I do ken that the council would be hesitant to annul the marriage, whether it was consummated or nae. They approved the union, Helena,” he replied carefully.
“The ceremony was performed before God and witnesses,” Arran added. “It is legitimate and safe.”
Helena looked to Magnus once more, clearly trusting his experienced opinions above all others.
“But,” Magnus cautioned with an eye roll, “if Grayson managed to sway a couple of members, it could mean trouble.”
Arran shook his head vehemently, refusing to entertain the possibility. “Blackwell can try, but he willnae harm me wife or her family,” he declared stubbornly.
The topic hung heavy over the table, but Arran stood tall, silently declaring the subject moot. He looked down at Skye. “I willnae be gone long, Skye. I will see ye in me chamber shortly.”
The intensity in his eyes gave way to hunger, and Skye knew exactly what he meant.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Skye stood by the bed, holding a nightgown in her hands. She looked at Arran with wide eyes, unable to find her words.
Sensing her nervousness, Arran broke the silence.
“Good evening, wife,” he purred, a touch of arrogance in his voice. “I’m glad I made it back before ye changed into yer nightgown.”
“And why is that?” she squeaked.
“Because ye willnae be needing it,” he said with a devilish grin.
Skye gasped, and he immediately regretted his words.
He’d jested with her before, but mentioning she would be naked clearly wasn’t the best move. He sat down on the bed and pulled her to him.
“Do ye ken how bairns are made, Skye?” he asked in a serious tone.
“Aye, I understand the process. I’m nae completely innocent, Arran. I’ve helped deliver babies, and I ken how they come to be.”
Arran stared at her. She sounded confident, but she still looked nervous. However, instead of asking any more questions, he turned her around, stood behind her, and pulled back her hair. He planted light kisses on the side of her neck, and she shivered.
Slowly, he unfastened her dress and loosened the ties around the back. Then he pulled the dress over her head and let it drop to the floor. He gripped her shoulders and turned her around.
Skye started to lower her eyes, but he grabbed her chin and tilted her head up. He looked into the blue depths of her eyes, and then he lowered his lips to hers and kissed her gently. When he felt her relax, he reached for the hem of his shirt.
“Ye let me ken if ye want me to stop, all right?”
She nodded.
He took off his shirt and let it fall to the floor, where it joined the wedding dress at their feet. He continued kissing her gently, but when her hands started roaming over his chest, he deepened the kiss. He could feel her body growing hot with desire, and he sensed she was comfortable now.
“I need more of ye, Skye,” he panted.
He reached down and grabbed the bottom hem of her shift. In an instant, he peeled it off her, and now she stood naked before him.
Skye gasped, stepping back. She threw her arms up to cover her breasts, looking nervous, but her breathing quickened, and her blue eyes darkened. Arran grabbed her arms and pulled them down, looking her right in the eye.
“We are wed, Skye. We are one. From this moment, ye dinnae need to be ashamed or embarrassed.” He wrapped his arms around her and stroked her hair. “Ye are beautiful, and I adore every part of ye.”
When he felt her relax, he stood back and guided her to sit on the bed. His heart skipped a beat, and his breath caught in his chest as he took her in.
