"Well, that was excellent," Paisley said, resting her cheek against Dominic's chest.
They lay in exhausted silence for a few moments, and Paisley closed her eyes, savoring the sensation. A few aftershocks ofpleasure pulsed lazily through her, but the heat was still there, lingering. Waiting for them to get their second wind, apparently.
She smiled pressing her face into his shoulder. Their sweaty skin was cooling in the air, and she was beginning to think of crawling under the bedclothes.
"Shall we go to bed proper, then?" Dominic asked drowsily, as if he'd read her mind.
"Yes, I think so. Oh, look. The sun is coming up."
Paisley pulled herself into a sitting position, pushing aside the bed curtains to take in the view. The first rays of gold and pink were streaking across the sky, which still held the gloom of night. Mist clung to the fields below, looking for all the world like a vast, cloudy sea.
She felt the bed shift beside her as Dominic sat up, and he pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder.
"I love ye, Paisley," he murmured, as he had a hundred times that night.
And would a hundred times more, she just knew it. A hundred thousand, perhaps.
"I love you too," she murmured. "More than I ever thought I'd love a person."
She felt him smile against her skin. "Remind me of that after ye have dealt with me maither over the wedding."
She snorted. "Oh, good Lord. But for now, I'm sure, the preparations can wait, can't they?"
EPILOGUE
One Week Later
Dominic leaned against the side of the wall and watched the carriage approach. It was a neat one, a bit small and ill-fitted for a trip through the Highlands, and in the latest English style. It was driven by a nervy-looking coachman in ugly green livery, and he could see faces pressed up against the window as it rolled past.
"This is them, then?" Catriona said, appearing at Dominic's elbow.
"Aye, Paisley's family," Dominic replied absently. "She wrote them a week ago, the day after all that happened with Lord Ainsley, but there was no reply until yesterday. It seems that they dashed off a letter back and set right off to make it here in time for the wedding as soon as they received it. They've beaten their own letter here, almost."
Catriona pursed her lips thoughtfully. "And dae we like them, then?"
He shrugged. "Paisley loves her family, so for all intents and purposes, I love them too. Time will tell whether I mean it or not. Dae ye want an introduction?"
She shook her head. "Too much to dae. I'll introduce meself tomorrow, at the wedding. I came out here to talk to ye, lad."
Dominic dragged his eyes from the approaching carriage and glanced down at his mother.
She was clearly tired from the hurry and bustle of wedding preparations, but her eyes glowed in a way he hadn't seen for quite a while. Veronica had thrown herself into the preparations, as had Thomas. Their respective spouses, Colby and Emma, were less keen on the whole wedding business, but were gamely helping out with whatever they had been asked to do.
"Ye dinnae ask for me blessing," Catriona said, amused, "but I'm givin' it anyway."
Dominic smirked at her comment. "I'm sorry, Maither. I thought ye liked Paisley."
"I dae. She's the loveliest lass I could have imagined marrying me son to, and I'll be pleased to give up the title of Lady MacLennan to her. She's English, which isnae ideal, but naebody's perfect, eh?"
Dominic chuckled. "Aye, Ma, naebody's perfect."
Catriona reached up, placing her palms on either side of his face, and drew his head down so that their foreheads touched.
"I'm so proud of ye, lad," she said softly. "So, so proud of ye. I hope that ye know that."
A lump formed in Dominic's throat. "I know. I love ye, Ma."
"And I love ye too, lad. Now, I'll go away and let ye deal with ye in-laws," she pulled away with a mischievous smile and a wink. "Good luck."
