“I love ye too, Skye,” he replied, his voice equally soft. “For now and always.”
They fell asleep wrapped in each other’s arms.
Skye awoke to Arran’s tender kisses.
“I must get up, me love,” he whispered in her ear. “There’s much business to attend to. But ye stay here as long as ye like.”
He rose from the chaise, and Skye enjoyed the view of his backside as he dressed.
“Take yer time, Arran. I like what I’m seein’ here.”
Arran turned to her, grinning. “Saucy wench. Keep lookin’ at me that way, and I’ll be joinin’ ye back on the chaise.”
Skye’s eyes went wide. “Ye think that’s a threat?” she teased.
Arran laughed. “Aye, wife. Again and again. Let me do me business, and I’ll show ye!”
Skye, still not believing him, picked up a small pillow and hurled it at his head. Arran ducked around the corner as he pulled his tunic over his head.
Skye lay back on the chaise, wondering if this was real. She pinched herself hard and yelped.
I’m awake.
She never thought finding true love was possible. In fact, just a few short weeks ago, she never thought she’d be married and safe. But here she was, married to a laird, feeling safe, and she loved him. She smiled contentedly.
But there was no reason to lie around all day. She did have duties. She was the clan’s healer now. She threw on her dress and walked down to her chamber.
Our chamber.
She pulled out a clean dress but then stopped. It’d been days since she’d last bathed. She grabbed a bar of soap and a drying cloth, and she rushed downstairs, resolving to bathe quickly.
The scent of baked bread invaded her nostrils, and as she exited the keep through the door that led into the gardens she waved to Astrid.
Within minutes, she was wading into the loch, and sighing as the cold water enveloped her body. She sat with her eyes closed and listened to the birds chirping, but then she heard a branchsnap.
She turned quickly, hoping she wasn’t going to be discovered by whoever was coming her way, but she saw no one. She listened again and looked around, but no one came down the path. So, she returned to her soak.
She screamed when she felt a hand grab her ankle under the water. She thrashed and kicked with all her might, trying to make it to the shore.
Whatever held her finally broke the surface of the water.
“Arran!” she yelled and splashed him right in the face. “Ye nearly scared me to death!”
The man had the nerve to laugh, and then he pulled her into his arms and planted a soft kiss on her lips.
“Why are ye nae tending to yer business, me Laird?” she asked coyly.
“I decided I needed to instruct ye on a few things, me Lady,” he replied in the same tone.
“And what might that be?”
“I’m here to show ye just how ready I am for another around.”
And he did.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
After a few days of organizing Arran’s life as Laird of two clans, and Skye getting used to her new role as healer, the couple awoke to the early morning light filtering through the curtains. Skye turned to look at her husband but found him already awake.
