"Breathe,lass. Just breathe. It'll pass."
Maia focused on his voice,on the feel of his body against hers, and gradually the pain faded. She shifted experimentally, and pleasure sparked through her.
"Move,"she whispered. "Please move."
Ewan groanedand began to rock his hips, slowly at first, then faster as Maia's body adjusted and welcomed him. His mouth found hers, swallowing her moans as he drove into her again and again.
It was overwhelming.
The sensation of being filled,of being joined with him so completely. The pleasure building with every thrust, coiling tighter and tighter in her belly. The sound of his voice in her ear, telling her how beautiful she was, how perfect, how much he loved her.
"I love ye,"Ewan gasped against her neck. "God, Maia, I love ye so much. Mine. Ye're mine now. Forever."
"Forever,"Maia echoed, and then the coil inside her snapped. Pleasure crashed over her in waves, making her cry out, making her clutch at Ewan's shoulders as her body trembled beneath him.
She heard him groan,felt him thrust once, twice more, and then he was following her over the edge, burying his face in her neck as he found his own release.
They lay tangled together afterward,breathing hard, Ewan's weight pressing her into the mattress in a way that felt perfect.
"Marry me,"Ewan said suddenly, lifting his head to look down at her. "I ken it's fast, but I daenae care. I want ye as me wife, Maia. Want to make this real. Want everyone to ken that ye're mine and I'm yers. Will ye marry me?"
Maia's heart stuttered."But, what about Laura? What did ye really say to her when she came? Willnae she come claimin' ye?"
"I told ye.I threw her off and banned her from me lands." Ewan's eyes were serious, intense. "But if ye need to hear it again, if ye need me to explain exactly what happened, then I'll tell ye. She came to me study uninvited. She propositioned me. And when I told her nae, when I made it clear I had nae interest, she straddled me lap and tried to kiss me. That's when I shoved her off and told her if she ever tried somethin' like that again, I'd exile her family. The whole encounter lasted maybe two minutes, and every second of it was unwanted."
Relief flooded through Maia."And ye really want me? Nae her?"
"I want ye."Ewan's voice was fierce. "Only ye. Always ye. So please, lass—please say ye'll marry me. Say ye'll be me wife, me lady, me everything."
Maia felt tears spill over,but they were happy tears this time. Joyful tears.
"Aye,"she whispered. "Aye, I'll marry ye, Ewan Byrne. I'll be yer wife and yer lady and yer everything."
"Thank God."Ewan kissed her again, deep and thorough. "I love ye, Maia. So bloody much."
"I love ye too,"Maia said, smiling through her tears. "Forever and always."
"Forever and always,"Ewan echoed, and kissed her again.
When he finally pulled back,Ewan shifted to his side, pulling her with him so they lay face to face. His fingers traced idle patterns on her hip, and Maia watched his expression soften into something almost boyish.
"What are ye thinkin'?"she asked.
"That I should tendto yer injuries properly." His hand moved up to ghost over the bruise at her temple, his jaw tightening. "I was so desperate to have ye that I dinnae even clean yer wounds first. What kind of brute does that make me?"
"The kind I wanted."Maia caught his hand, pressing a kiss to his knuckles. "I needed ye, Ewan. Needed to feel alive and safe and wanted. The bruises can wait."
"They cannae wait much longer."But he didn't move, his thumb stroking along her bottom lip, carefully avoiding the split. "Does it hurt terribly?"
"Nae anymore."And it was true—the aches from her uncle's violence had faded to nothing compared to the pleasant soreness between her thighs, the delicious proof of what they'd just shared. "Though I suspect I'll be sore in other places come morning."
A slow,wicked smile spread across his face. "Aye, ye will. And every time ye feel it, ye'll remember ye're mine."
And in his chambers,safe in his arms, Maia finally, finally, believed she was home.
EPILOGUE
"Are ye sure this is properly tied? It feels a bit loose."
