The words hung between them, raw and unguarded.
“In truth,” he continued, throat tight, “ye deserve to one day be Lady of Dounarwyse. The best silks. A warm solar all of yer own, and servants running after ye. The most I can offer is this cold tower and a steward’s life. But if ye choose it—if ye choose me—I’ll break my back to make ye happy here. I swear it.”
Silence fell.
His heart thundered so loudly, he was sure she could hear it. What if she pitied him? What if this was guilt speaking, not love? He needed truth, even if it destroyed him.
“Do ye love me, Fiona?” he asked, his voice hoarse now.
She swallowed. “I do,” she whispered.
He swore his heart stuttered. Heat flooded his chest so fast it stole his breath. His eyes burned. For a moment, he thought his knees might give out entirely.
“Then will ye grant this knave a favor he surely doesn’t deserve … and be mine?”
Tears spilled down her cheeks, but her gaze never wavered. “I will.” Reaching out, she threaded her fingers through his, squeezing hard. “Now get off yer knees, ye daft man. Those stones look hard and cold.”
He huffed a breathless laugh. “They are … but I’d have stayed on them all night waiting for yer answer.”
She smiled through her tears. “And have I given ye the one ye wanted?”
In answer, he rose swiftly to his feet—so fast she gasped in surprise. A heartbeat later, his mouth was on hers, claiming, devouring. She recovered just as swiftly, her arms rising to link around his neck, hauling him against her.
She kissed him back with a passion that bordered on ferocity, and things quickly spiraled. The feel of her soft, lush body pressed from chest to thigh against him burned any restraint away. His hands slid down her back and over the swell of herhips, grasping her tight. She groaned into his mouth, grinding her hips against him, and Ailean lost control.
His teeth grazed her lower lip as his hands deftly undid the ties of her cloak. It fluttered to the ground. Fiona heeled her boots off. Moments later, he was hauling her kirtle and lèine over her head. She clawed at him too, and since he was clad only in loosely tied braies, it took little to undress him.
When they were both naked, clinging to each other, lips and tongues exploring, heat pulsing between them, Ailean tried to rein himself in. This was the most important moment of his life. He didn’t want to rush it. As much as he wanted her, he wanted to be tender too—to ensure she felt loved and revered.
They’d had passionate encounters before. Lust ignited like dry kindling between them. But tonight, there was something different. Tonight, they’d both admitted their love. The feelings between them ran far deeper than mere lust.
And yet, he couldn’t help but feel his words had been inadequate.
Instead, he’dshowher.
Fiona squealed as he scooped her into his arms and carried her away from the hearth, shouldering through the curtain that enclosed his makeshift bower. There he laid her down upon the rumpled sheepskins he’d tossed aside when the knock came at his door.
Crawling over her, he slid his hands across her curves. The curtain hung slightly open behind them, letting a little firelight intrude, giving him just enough light to see by. He was glad of it. He didn’t want to take her in the dark. He wanted to remember what she looked like tonight.
She was lovely enough to steal his breath.
Her unbound hair was a golden halo on the pillow. Her lush breasts rose and fell swiftly. Her lips parted. Her cheeks flushed. Her eyes were dark with desire.
And something else.
Love.
He took his time then. Capturing her lips once more and kissing her slowly and deeply. Allowing her to explore his mouth with her tongue. Never had a kiss felt so intimate. So right.
Then he trailed his lips down the column of her throat. He tasted her skin, exploring its softness.
Fiona sighed, her eyelids fluttering shut as she gave herself up to him.
Smiling, he moved down to the twin mounds of her breasts.
Magnificent.
He brushed his lips over a hard, swollen nipple. He then lathed it with his tongue, enjoying her sharp intake of breath before he drew the nipple into his mouth.
