Hugh sighed, his head still fuzzy from the alcohol. Drinking hadn't been the best way to process the council meeting. If he had been thinking properly, he wouldn't have put himself in a vulnerable position.
He couldn't do that, not when his goal was to keep Anna safe. The more he got to know this woman, the surer he was that he'd lay his life down for her. There was no reason for him to make locking her away easy. He'd have to start playing by the council's rules.
If they could prove him unfit to lead, perhaps he could find a way to prove they were unfit to advise. He would still have to follow their guidance, even if it meant acting against the village's best interests. The only way he could show how bad their choices were was to let those choices stand.
Anna made a sleepy noise, and Hugh forced himself to relax. He hadn't realized how stiff these thoughts had made him. When his body softened, she hummed, nuzzling back against his chest. One of her hands found his, holding on for a moment before sleep took her once again.
Ye willnae have to worry soon. I willnae let them outsmart me.
With that powerful thought in mind, he closed his eyes again, letting the heat from his wife's body work its way into his bones.It was a powerful sedative, having her against him like this. He wondered if she'd be amenable to them sharing a room.
She shifted again, her buttocks rubbing against his lap. His cock stirred slightly, waking up at the feeling of that perfect rump teasing him. With gritted teeth, he forced himself to ignore the desire that coursed through his limbs. Now wasn't the time to let himself get carried away, not when she was sleeping so soundly against him.
Although if she continued to behave this way when the two of them were awake… Hugh didn't think he'd be able to control himself.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Anna awoke in a sweat. She grumbled softly as she moved to toss the blanket aside. Only then did she realize she was being restrained.
At her stirring, the restraints tightened, and a low growl hit her ear. "Would ye stop shiftin' around? It's far too early."
The sound of Hugh's voice made her body tense for a beat. Then, when she realized just how safe she felt nestled in his arms, she melted back against him. His breath was warm against her neck, his strong forearms wrapped around her middle, keeping her from going anywhere else.
"The sun is up," she said, as if that meant anything.
"Aye, but that doesnae mean we have to be."
Anna was inclined to agree. As the fog of sleep dissipated from her mind, she realized just how comfortable she was. It would besinfully easy for her to slip back to sleep, to ignore the tasks that came with the day.
"Won't the staff begin to wonder where we are?" she asked finally, her logical mind winning out.
They couldn't lie around all day. The information that Hugh had revealed after being delivered to her room was too pressing to ignore. She needed to begin working on her plan, and she was sure that Hugh needed to figure out his next course of action.
"Ach," he growled, tightening his arms around her once again. After a few seconds, he released her and rolled onto his back. "I'm more worried about me council comin' to sniff around."
She nodded, carefully pushing her sleep-soft body into a sitting position. As she stretched her arms toward the sky, she asked, "Do you remember much of last night?"
Hugh grunted in affirmation, staring at the ceiling for a few beats before he said, "Aye, I remember everythin'. Callum made me out to be pished, and perhaps I was a bit. But I had me wits about me. I let the dobber bring me up here to keep from stirrin' trouble and startin' rumors with the staff."
"That's… an intelligent play," Anna said gently.
"If I'm goin' to protect ye," he muttered, pushing himself up. "I'm goin' to have to try me best to follow the rules they set."
She watched as he rose to his feet and shook the stiffness of slumber out of his limbs. Each one of his muscles rippled as they were forced into wakefulness. It was impossible to tear her gaze away, impossible to ignore the way something warm twisted itself into knots in her stomach.
Images of him kneeling before her flashed through her mind. She remembered the way his mouth felt against her most sensitive parts. The way he'd essentially taken control of her body and made her feel the most intense pleasure she'd ever experienced. Her thighs pressed together in an attempt to quell the growing heat between her legs.
He turned back to her then, the frustration on his face palpable. It cooled the fire growing inside her, but didn't extinguish it completely. Sounding as though it pained him, he said, "I apologize for me behavior last night. I shouldnae have settled in yer bed like a drunkard. I should have asked ye before holdin' ye like that."
"I don't mind," she said, the words flowing out before she could stop them. Her face grew warm, and she looked down at the blanket as she spoke. "If you're worried that I regret anything, I don't." She swallowed, lifting her face to meet his eyes. "I do not regret marrying you, Laird McDonald."
The declaration made something in Hugh's gaze darken. He stared at her, the way she was sitting comfortably among the sheets. It made her acutely aware of the fact that she wore only a nightshift, but she didn't move to hide herself away.
When he looked at her, her insecurities didn't matter. It had taken time, but she had finally accepted that he wasn't lying to her about his attraction. Now, she was learning to sit with it, to enjoy the attention he gave her.
"And I daenae regret marryin' ye, Lady McDonald," he said, holding himself still like a predator ready to pounce on prey. "Me only regret is nae makin' time to have ye alone."
A thrill ran through her at the low timbre of his voice. It disarmed her, and she had no desire to put her defenses back up. She shifted closer to him, her body leaning in as if to beg for his attention.
