“If this is a proposal, you might want to stop telling me all the reasons I shouldn’t marry you.”
He scowled—a little petulantly for a man named after a deadly snake, but she’d remind him of that later. “I just wanted to make sure you knew what you were getting into.”
She laughed. “I know exactly what I’d be getting into. But I think you left out the most important part.” He seemed confused, so she gave him a little help. “The point where you declare your undying love for me.”
“I thought that was obvious.”
“It is. But as this is a marriage proposal, I think I should like to hear it again.”
He tilted her chin and looked deep into her eyes. “I love you, Bella. I will love you not until my dying day, but from the heights of heaven or the depths of hell until my soul ceases to be.”
He was getting quite good at this. She put her hand on the familiar stubbled cheek. God, she loved him. “I’d be honored to be your wife.”
He grinned, the sweetest, happiest grin she’d ever seen on his face. He drew her into his arms and kissed her. Telling her with the soft strokes of his tongue and mouth exactly how deeply he loved her.
When he finally broke the kiss, she was breathing hard and wishing they weren’t riding on a horse in the middle of the night through the forest surrounded by ten very interested, smirking Highlanders.
Her thoughts must have been plain to see. He chuckled, whispering, “Later.”
The sensual promise in that one word sent shivers of anticipation shooting through her veins. She nodded and sagged back against him.
“She’ll be safe, Bella. As safe as anyone can be in this damned war.”
How well he knew her. He’d guessed the direction of her thoughts. “She seemed quite certain about her uncle and Sir Hugh’s fondness for her.”
Lachlan was quiet. A little too quiet.
“What did you do?”
He shrugged. “I simply made sure Sir Hugh didn’t forget it.”
Her eyes flew to his. “You snuck into his chamber?”
“I had a few extra minutes.”
She shook her head. “And how did you convince—” She stopped herself. “Forget it, I don’t want to know.”
Lachlan grinned. “Let’s just say, I put the fear of God in him.”
“Or the fear of the phantom Guard, you mean.”
He laughed.
“What the hell is that sound?” MacSorley said from behind them.
“Sod off, Hawk,” Lachlan said fiercely.
Bella grinned. “Your cousin really is amusing.”
Lachlan groaned, along with the other men close enough to hear. “God, don’t let him hear you say that.”
But it was too late. Hawk took the opportunity to regale her with just how amusing he could be—much to Lachlan’s annoyance. But after a while, he gave up trying to shut him up and even managed to get in a few digs of his own.
Much later, when Tor MacLeod had called an end to the “chatter,” Bella sank back against him and closed her eyes.
“I know you were hoping for a different ending,” Lachlan said quietly.
This war had already exacted so much from her. But Bella refused to let it cost her her daughter. “It’s not the end, it’s only the beginning.”
