Ida whimpered as the pain dulled to nothing, replaced with the same intensity that she had felt moments before. “Ian,” she gasped, arching against him.
He let out a curse as he filled her completely, their bodies moving together in a rhythm that seemed to be only known to them. Ida’s fingers bit into her husband’s skin as the pressure grew and when he lifted her legs, she cried out, releasing more waves of passion.
“Mah love,” he whispered to her, pushing into her faster now. “I will go tae the ends of the earth for ye.”
She believed him. Ida opened her eyes and met his intense gaze, holding it until he cried out her name and stiffened inside her, pouring his seed into her body. Never had she felt like this before and never would she with anyone else but her husband.
After some time, Ian rolled off her and pulled her against his chest. “Are ye alright lass?” he asked softly, his hand tangled in her hair.
“Aye,” she said, blushing. She was sore between her thighs but nothing that she couldn’t handle. “Is that all?”
Ian pulled back, his eyes twinkling with laughter. “Nay lass that’s not all. I’m just getting started.”
By the time they collapsed into sleep, Ida realized that her husband wasn’t afraid to tell her the truth or show it to her.
EPILOGUE
FIVE YEARS LATER…
Ian crested the last hill to the keep, halting his horse so that he could take in the view of his home in the distance. The weather was warm and he could hear children’s shouts in the distance, enjoying what was left of another day on Wallace land.
“Donna tell mah ye are ogling it again,” Remy growled as he came to a stop next to his friend. “Aren’t ye tired of it yet?”
“Nay,” Ian replied, clutching the reins in his hand. “I never grow tired of the sight.” It was because he knew what awaited him when he rode further into the village, how his wife would greet him at the door with one of their three bairns on her hip. She would have some cheeky comment about him being out all day, but he would know not to take her words seriously.
She was proud of him and the work that he was doing as the Wallace laird. She told him often enough, yet she took very little credit for herself. Ida was proving to be a fine lady of the keep, one with ideas and thoughts that Ian and his council listened to.
She wasn’t, however, the only MacGregor he had on his lands. Her uncle had decided that his time in his home clan had passed and had asked to join them on their land shortly after their wedding. Ida had told Ian that it was his decision and shewould stand by it, but it hadn’t been a hard one for Ian. Uncle Baron, which was what his true name really was, had shown that he had much to offer a new laird. It was almost like having his father in his ear some days, helping him become the laird that Ian had always wished to be.
His brother was also one of his advisors and Remy had taken up the post of captain of the guard temporarily, though he had held the position for on five years. Ian knew that his friend secretly enjoyed it, but he wasn’t going to force him to make it official until he was ready.
After all, with the peace accord in place, they had little to fight over. There were still skirmishes from other clans of course, but the Wallace-MacGregor accord was strong as ever.
Which gave Ian more time to devote to his family. His son, Luca, was already showing signs of being a great warrior even at the tender age of four. Their daughter, Tinsley, was the apple of her ma’s eye at three years of age and baby Ridon had just celebrated his first year. Ian hadn’t realized until Luca had been born how much he appreciated his bairns and his wife.
“Come,” he finally said, nudging his horse forward. “Let’s see wot is for dinner.”
Remy followed him as they rode the remaining way to the keep, dismounting from their horses so that they could walk into the great hall. Already there was a commotion, the wailing of a bairn as Luca ran to his da, throwing himself at his legs.
“Donna coddle him,” Ida said sharply, handing Ridon off to the waiting-maid.
Ian picked up his son anyway, peering into his tear-filled eyes. “Wot did ye do?”
“He,” Ida answered for him. “Decided that it would be best to cut his best tunic into ribbons!”
“For mayday,” Luca piped up, looking at his ma warily. “We need ribbons.”
Ida rolled her eyes as Remy choked out a laugh, excusing himself before Ida turned her vengeance on him.
“Now Luca,” Ian tried, barely holding back his laughter as well. “Ye know there are plenty of scraps for ribbons.”
“But not like that,” Luca fought back. “I cut them with mah dagger da. Ye should have seen mah!”
It was Ian’s turn to redden as Ida’s brows shot up. “Wot dagger?”
Ian put Luca down hastily. “Go clean up yer mess. Tomorrow ye will be mucking out the stalls.”
Luca stomped off with the maid in tow and Ian barely had time to look up before Ida was poking at his chest with her finger. “He’s far too young for a dagger Ian! Wot if he injures himself?”
