“I wanted ye to see it the moment ye came in,” he added. “It belongs here.”
Ava put one hand over her mouth. Then she laughed softly because crying on her wedding day for the tenth time seemed excessive, even for her.
He crossed the gap between them and took her hand away from her face. “Nay more tears,” he chided softly.
“I make nay promises.”
“A cruel wife already.”
“Oh, daenae pretend like ye didnae choose me.”
“Aye.” His thumb stroked across her knuckles. “Best thing I ever did.”
Ava looked once more at the star map and then back at him. Their whole story seemed to sit in that small space between the bed and the wall, every event gathered in ink and paper.
When he kissed her again, there was heat in it. She held his shoulders and leaned fully into him. His hands settled on her waist, then slid up her back, slow and certain, as though he had no wish to rush through a single second of this. She felt the care in his touch. She felt the burning hunger too, open and unashamed.
Her veil slipped, and he caught it with one hand and laughed under his breath when it tangled briefly around his wrist. “This thing is trying to kill me.”
“Oh, well, something needs to.”
He pulled the pins in her hair free one by one, set them on the nearby table, then lifted her veil clear and let it fall. Her hair came loose around her shoulders, and his eyes darkened at the sight.
She shivered.
“Ye are staring,” she whispered.
“I am yer husband. I have earned the right.”
He kissed her throat then, and she closed her eyes.
Eventually, she sank onto the mattress, laughing softly. He came down with her, one hand braced beside her shoulder and the other holding her as though he meant to keep her there forever.
Above them, the stars remained fixed in place.
The End?
CHAPTER 1
Ava Fraser flew downthe passageway with Bruce at her heels and shrill laughter in her throat.
The tiny dog’s legs were absurdly short for the ferocity of his pursuit, but Bruce did not know that, and Ava had long since learned it was useless to explain things like this to a creature with ears too large for his head and the soul of a charging warhorse.
He barked as he ran, sharp and outraged, as if she had committed some grave offense by snatching his ribbon and fleeing with it.
“Ye shallnae catch me,” Ava called over her shoulder.
Bruce barked harder as if he understood.
She rounded the corner by the stairwell and nearly collided with a maid carrying folded linens. She skipped aside at the lastinstant, one hand catching the wall, her skirts swaying round her ankles.
“Forgive me, Mairi.”
The maid huffed a laugh. “Me Lady, one day, that beast shall bring ye both to ruin.”
“Bruce would never ruin me. Headoresme.”
Bruce launched himself at her hem as if to dispute the claim.
