Alec could see that the nurse’s hands trembled as she used a poker to stir the logs, while Donald looked ashen-faced in the doorway after following them from the tower roof.
“It’s all right, Father, I will tend tae my wife.”
“Aye, well, you’d best have the nurse take that poker with her or you’ll find yourself skewered with it in the middle of the night.”
His father said no more, clearly upset, but turned and walked away with Alec still holding Rowen against him, her breathing no longer as harsh.
She kept her eyes tightly closed under the wet strands of hair covering her face, which made Alec utter a low chuckle that she so stubbornly refused to look at him…though he sobered within an instant, surprised at himself.
How could this woman make him go from horror to see her ready to cast herself from a rampart to any amusement at all? Gaira looked surprised, too, but she hastily excused herself and left the room, closing the door behind her.
“Where is my nurse tae sleep?” came Rowen’s terse voice, her eyes still closed shut. “Curled up somewhere with the dogs?”
“Ah, so you noticed the two wolfhounds in the great hall…not mine, but my father’s. They’ll be gone back tae his fortress tomorrow—but the female is expecting puppies. Would you like one?”
That query made Rowen’s eyes fly open and she looked up at him as if he were mad. “I asked you about Gaira’s welfare a-and you speak tae me about puppies?”
“Oh, forgive me,” Alec said as he set her down to stand in front of him, still shivering as she braced her arms across her chest and lifted her chin. “You dinna like puppies?—”
“Of course I like puppies—and what are we speaking of, Mackay? Do you have a place for Gaira or no?”
“She’ll be made comfortable, dinna worry,” he murmured, wondering if Rowen had crossed her arms to keep his gaze from straying to her breasts. A near impossible task with her wet nightgown plastered to her body like a second skin, but he kept his eyes focused upon her flushed face. “I gave orders tae my steward that he prepare a place for her on the floor above—and just so you know, wife, there will be no ravishment this night…or any night.”
Her sharp intake of breath giving him some satisfaction after the tumult she’d cost him and everyone else who had witnessed her folly, Alec stepped around her to stand by the fire.
Aye, with his back to her, but he had to start somewhere with trying to instill some small measure of trust between them.
“Why dinna you shed that wet garment and jump into bed? I’m no ravisher of women, Rowen, and I swear I willna touch you until the day you welcome me as your husband with open arms.”
“Ha! Open arms? That day will never come, Mackay—my family and yours and King Robert be damned, too, for awaiting any bairns from me!”
Rowen had spoken so vehemently that Alec knew she meant every word, though still he kept his back to her even as he heard her teeth chattering.
“You’re cold, lass, and so am I. Climb into bed and warm yourself…or stand there shivering and watch me strip out of these wet clothes. It’s up tae you.”
He heard her gasp and sensed her wavering for a moment with uncertainty, and then he heard her struggle to free herself of her soaked nightgown and fling it to the floor.
Only then did he glance over his shoulder to see the most beautiful rump as she dove for the bed and buried herself under the covers, Alec chuckling again in spite of himself.
His bride loathed him! Where was the humor in that situation?
Still, he couldn’t restrain a smile as he unfastened his sword belt and dumped it onto the floor, soon followed by his soaked plaid breacan, tunic, and boots—Alec lingering for a moment to warm himself further by the fire.
Aye, standing naked as the day he was born and grateful for the logs blazing so brightly, the wind begun to howl outside.
A mid-November storm, which didn’t portend well for the coming winter in the far north Highlands. Snow would soon fall and mayhap remain until spring, which would make training his men outside challenging—och, they could always retreat to the great hall, Alec’s thoughts jumping back to Rowen’s heart-shaped rump, his lower body stirring.
How could he not feel himself growing hard to have such a beautiful lass in his bed?
A lass he had sworn he would not touch until she welcomed him with open arms, God help him, what could be more challenging than that?
“You stay well tae your side, Mackay, do you hear me? You swore not tae touch me and I will hold you tae it or make you wish you’d never known me!”
Och, he had no doubt of that vow, Alec thought dryly as he turned and strode to the other side of the bed, Rowen peeking at him from beneath the covers.
He heard her shocked gasp, but there was nothing to be done about his erection than to try and settle himself and sleep it away.
The moment he sat down upon the bed, she turned her back to him and burrowed further under the covers, while he gave a low groan.
