Caden listened as though these were matters of state. At one point, he brushed her hair back from her face and said quietly, “Stay here with me. Just a little longer.”
Ava nodded. “I daenae intend to go anywhere.”
The light brightened, warming the bed, catching dust motes in its glow. Somewhere below, a door slammed, and a voice called out. Life resumed its course, indifferent to the miracle taking place behind stone walls.
They kissed again—not with urgency, but with ease. The kind of kiss that said,I’m still here.
Later, Ava lay on her side, watching Caden dress slowly, deliberately, as though he was no longer eager to armor himself against the world. He pulled on his shirt, then paused, glancing at her.
“What?” she asked.
“Nothing,” he said. “Just… happy that I get to look at ye like this.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Ye’ll have plenty of chances if ye behave.”
He laughed, the sound rich and unguarded.
When at last they rose from the bed together, the day waited for them—duties, expectations, a world that would not pause simply because two people had found their way back to each other.
But for that morning, for those quiet hours wrapped in firelight’s memory and shared breath, Ava and Caden moved through the chamber as though they had always belonged there. Not as laird and lady, but as husband and wife.
Suddenly, a small voice called through the door, “Da! Ma! Where are ye?”
Caden beamed at Ava. “At last, the boy will have a happy maither and faither who love him and each other.”
“He deserves nothing less,” she agreed.
The door burst open, and Nathan ran inside, with Cat cradled against his chest.
They spent a lazy morning cuddling with the boy and his cat. Mary and Teresa brought them breakfast in bed, knowing smiles on both their faces.
Ava pretended not to notice and scratched Cat under the chin.
“Uh-oh,” she said, eyeing the cat’s belly. It had grown considerably over the past few days not.
Caden bolted upright. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m afraid I have some bad news, me Laird.” She tried to suppress a smile.
Caden looked at her skeptically.
“Cat is going to be a ma. Soon, we’ll have kittens.” Ava smiled.
“Kittens!” Nathan squealed with delight.
He started blabbering about how many there would be, how he would take care of them, and how much fun they would have.
Caden’s face paled, but then he looked at Nathan, not wanting to burst his bubble. “Kittens would be…” He sighed. “Lovely.”
Ava burst out laughing.
Caden narrowed his eyes at her, as if promising retribution. She did not mind.
Later would come, and they would deal with it then.
Later would bring many more nights of passion.
Later, they would be worrying about raising Nathan to lead.
