Elijah didn’t hesitate.He pulled Piper close and kissed her, deep and thorough and full of promise. Around them, people cheered, Connor’s voice loudest of all, but Piper barely heard.
All she knew was Elijah.His mouth on hers. His arms were around her. The solid reality of him, warm and alive and hers.
Me husband.Me love. Mine.
When they finally pulled apart,both breathing hard, Elijah rested his forehead against hers.
“Lady McMahon,”he murmured.
“That’s goin’to take some gettin’ used to,” Piper admitted.
“We havethe rest of our lives for ye to adjust.” Elijah’s smile was brilliant. “Come on. We have a celebration waitin’.”
The ceilidh was being heldin the great hall, and as they walked toward it, Piper could already hear music and laughter.
The entire householdhad been invited, servants and guards, stable hands and kitchen staff. Everyone who’d welcomed her into Castle McMahon.
But before theyreached the great hall, Elijah suddenly veered down a different corridor, pulling Piper with him.
“Elijah? Where are we goin’?”
“Just trust me.”
He led her up a staircase,down another corridor, until they reached a set of doors Piper had only seen from the outside. The Lady’s chambers. Her chambers now.
Elijah pushed openthe doors and pulled her inside.
The room was beautiful—largerthan her old chambers, with a massive bed draped in blue and silver, tall windows overlooking the loch, and a fireplace already burning warmly. Someone had scattered rose petals across the bed and lit candles throughout the space.
“Elijah,”Piper breathed. “This is… It’s beautiful. But the ceilidh? Everyone’s waitin’ for us.”
“They can wait,”Elijah said, closing and locking the door behind them. His eyes had gone dark, intense. “I’ve been patient for weeks, lass. I’ve kept me hands to meself, honored yer space, waited for our weddin’ night like a proper gentleman. But I’m done waitin’. I need to claim ye. Properly. Now.”
Heat floodedthrough Piper’s body at his words, at the hunger in his voice. “But?—”
“Our people will understand,”Elijah interrupted, stalking toward her with predatory grace. “They’ll drink and dance andcelebrate. And when we finally join them, they’ll see me mark on ye. See that ye’re mine in every way that matters.”
“Yer mark?”Piper’s voice came out breathless.
“Aye.”Elijah reached her, his hands going to her waist. “I’m goin’ to kiss ye until yer lips are swollen. Touch ye until ye forget yer own name. Make ye scream me name so loud half the castle hears. And then I’m goin’ to do it all over again, until there’s nay doubt in anyone’s mind that ye belong to me.”
“Elijah…”Piper’s protest died as his mouth found hers, hot and demanding.
This wasn’t liketheir previous kisses—gentle or desperate or sweet. This was possession. Pure, primal claiming.
Elijah’s tongueinvaded her mouth, tasting, exploring, dominating. His hands moved from her waist to her back, finding the laces of her gown and beginning to work them loose with surprising dexterity.
“I’ve been dreamin’about this,” he murmured against her lips. “About gettin’ ye out of this dress. About seein’ all of ye, touchin’ all of ye. Do ye have any idea how hard it’s been? Knowin’ ye were just down the corridor, knowin’ I could come to ye but couldnae claim ye?”
“I… I wanted ye too,”Piper gasped as cool air hit her back, the dress beginning to loosen.
His palm roseto cradle her jaw, thumb dragging across the seam of her lips as if testing their softness. The rough pad traced back and forth, spreading heat until her mouth parted on a shaky exhale.
She tastedthe faint salt of his skin and, without thinking, flicked her tongue against it. A groan tore from his throat; then she was against the wall, stone cool through her thin gown, while the man radiated furnace-heat at her front.
He dovefor her mouth again, no timid exploration, no asking.
Lips slanted,captured, claimed. His tongue drove inside, curling around hers, retreating so she followed, then thrusting again in a rhythm that left no doubt what he wanted.
