“Be honest then,” she pleaded. “How could you even think I wouldn’t want to go home with you?”
“I dinnae ken.” He exhaled slowly and rolled to his back, carrying her into the crook of his arm. “’Tis no’ that I truly believe it…Ah, I dinnae ken, lass. ‘Tis such a strange time to me. I feel oot of my skin, yet I can tell ye like some of the luxuries here despite yer protests.”
“Ha, name one.”
“The hotel. The stores.” He rolled theRhard. “The hospital.
A moue turned her lips downward. “I said one.”
Yes, she was enjoying it. There was no denying that. But he failed to see the bigger picture.
“Do you remember all the times we talked about the things I liked to do before Donell sent me back to you?”
“Aye, and they’re all here for ye again in this time. I ken ye missed it.”
“Maybe I have to some extent.” The admission wasn’t a difficult one to make, but Connor needed to know why more than anything.
Emmy draped her arms across his chest and propped her chin on her hands to look up at him. “What I’ve enjoyed most of all about being here, though, is sharing all those things with you. Can’t you see? It’s been so enjoyable for me to see your expression when you try the things you could only ever expect to talk about.”
Connor stared at the ceiling, idly stroking her hair. He was heeding her words though.
She pressed on, stroking his bristled jaw. “I love being with you here, Connor. I loved watching you drive for the first time. Watching you take your first bite of Ben & Jerry’s. I wish we could do more. Take you to an Orioles game or to the opera or to Las Vegas. But only because I want to share the things I love with you.”
“Would ye nae want to stay here?”
“How can you think I’d want to stay?” Astonishment left her gaping at him. “Sure, there may be a few toys here I miss, and I’m willing to admit I’d rather give birth in a nice modern hospital someday rather than in our bed, but I told Donell and you, too, a long time ago, life here is nothing compared to what I gained being with you. My home is at Duart.”
He wasn’t mollified by her heartfelt declaration, but then he’d always been a stubborn man. “But if something were to happen to me, ye’d prefer life here to Duart.”
“Nothing’s going to happen to you,” she declared fiercely. “And I’m going home with or without you. I’d simply prefer with you.”
“’Tis glad I am to hear ye say so.”
Still, he did not relent. Emmy heaved a deep breath, pushed up and gazed down at him with a stern frown. “Did you hear what Scarlett said in there? That once she was just in love with Laird? As if it were nothing in comparison to what she feels now? I’ve never heard anything sum up my feelings so well. I don’t just love you anymore, you idiotic man, I adore you. My life is with you, my world with you. I wouldn’t give it up for front row tickets to the Met or box seats at Camden Yards and a lifetime supply of Half-Baked.” She swatted his chest irritably when he stared fixedly at the ceiling. “I swear to God, when the time comes, I’ll race you home.”
A chuckle built steadily in Connor and when he flipped her beneath him once more, his brown eyes were dancing with amusement. “Now that’s just the profound declaration I was waiting for, my love. ‘Tis happy I am to ken I’m worth more to ye than yer favorite ice cream.”
“You let me pour my heart out on purpose?” she gawked up at him.
“Aye. I was curious to see how far ye’d go to convince me.”
He bent his head to kiss her but Emmy evaded his lips until he was laughing with hearty glee.
“I take it all back,” she told him.
“Nay, ye cannae, lass. I ken now how much ye adore me.”
“You insufferable—” He caught her mouth fully this time, putting a halt to her tirade. Emmy tried to fight the power of his kiss, but within seconds she melted beneath him.
“Anything else ye want to say to convince me further, lass?” he murmured against her pliant lips.
“No, it’s your turn to convince me.”
“Wi’ pleasure, my love.”
They had some babies to make, after all.
Claire
