“Excuse me,Lady…”
Before Rowen thought to grab her by the hair and pull her back to demand an explanation, Sheena was running down the hall while Alec set down his sword and hastily donned his tunic, cursing all the while.
“I dinna know how she got here, Rowen—truly! I came into the room and you were already sleeping?—”
“Not me, clearly!” she cut him off, turning to leave as well, only for Alec to reach her in two strides and grab her arm.
“No, no, hear me! You were covered up tae your head—och, I mean Sheena, though I didna know it was her—and I didna want tae disturb you so I went tae sleep. Och, wife, I will get tae the truth of the matter, I swear it! You must believe me?—”
“Believeyouwhen you’ve doubted everything I’ve told you…m-my countless apologies and that I dinna wish you dead! And here I was going tae tell you that I loved you—och, I canna bear tae look at you!”
Rowen yanked her arm away from Alec and spun out into the hall, desperate to escape him and hating the sudden tears that burned her eyes.
Bastard! Fiend! He was worse now than anything she could have imagined, to take another woman to his bed while she was struggling for hours to help his kinsmen—damn him!Damn him!
Near blinded as a sob wrenched from her throat, Rowen sensed Alec was right behind her, which made her careen desperately toward the tower steps.
She almost reached them, too, when she was grabbed from behind and swung into the air, gasping and choking.
Her sobs uncontrollable now as she flailed her arms and struck Alec with her fists again and again, though he bore them with only pained grunts while carrying her back to their bedchamber.
The door slammed behind them as he kicked it shut. Only then did Alec set her down so she stood shakily in front of him, Rowen weeping so hard and cursing his name that she doubled over, her arms clenched to her chest.
“I dinna want tae be here any longer! I dinna want you or this marriage! You will send a messenger tae my father at once that I demand an annulment?—”
“Och, it’s too late for that, lass, for I love you, too. Do you hear me, Rowen Mackay? Stop your weeping, I beg you, and stand up so I can swear it tae your face.”
Rowen had stopped crying, and near choked in disbelief that he would say such a thing to her after…after…
“I would never do what you’re thinking, lass.Never! I dinna know what Sheena is about, but she will leave here this very morning and never distress you again. Now please look at me…”
Alec’s voice had grown so hoarse with emotion that Rowen slowly straightened, swiping away fresh tears that coursed down her cheeks even as he reached out to cradle her face and stare into her eyes.
“If I had realized it was Sheena, I would have thrown her from the room, I swear it on my life. You’re the only lass for me. I’ve been a fool not tae believe you, and I can only humbly ask for your forgiveness. I love you, Rowen. Do you hear me?I love you.”
Her heartbeat roaring in her ears, she knew from the moisture glistening in his eyes that he spoke the truth, Alec lowering his head to press his lips to hers.
So tenderly…as if by his kiss he could profess again what filled her heart with such joy, she trembled as her arms flew around his neck.
“Oh, Alec…I’m so sorry I struck you,” she murmured against his mouth, tasting the salt of her own tears. Or were they his? That so formidable a man could display such depth of emotion made her joy soar all the higher, Rowen whispering to him, “Please forgive me, too…”
His low groan as his kiss grew deeper the answer she craved, Rowen felt herself lifted again, but he didn’t carry her to the bed.
Instead, he went toward the fireplace and sank onto a high-backed chair with Rowen seated astride his hips, and still he kissed her.
Dimly, she felt his hand slip between them to lift his tunic and pull hers up as well, and then he clasped her hips and brought her down upon him, his lower body swollen and hard.
So hard that she gasped against his lips, his tongue parting hers to sweep into her mouth even as he moved her hips upon him…slowly at first and then faster…ah, God, faster still.
Moaning now, Rowen poured out all the emotion sweeping over her into how she kissed him, how she clung to him, while Alec groaned into her mouth as his body began to shake, the chair teetering beneath them.
Rowen inhaled in surprise when he rose suddenly and pressed her up against the nearest wall to thrust himself deeply into her, both of them crying out with their release that made her laugh a moment later, too, at how close they had come to toppling over.
“Aye, lass, that’s what I want tae hear,” Alec murmured as he chuckled, too, still holding her with the wall at her back and kissing her face, her eyelids, the tip of her nose. “A lifetime of your laughter. No more weeping, aye?”
She nodded in agreement, his breath warm against her face and his chuckling stilled as he stared into her eyes, his expression grown sober.
“I love you, Rowen Mackay—never forget it.”
