Angus’s body caught fire.
He lifted her chin with one finger so his lips could find her mouth, but kissed her gently. She kissed him back, not at all gently. So he stroked her lips with his tongue and, when she opened her mouth to him, tangled his tongue with hers. She tasted like spring, like honey, like something he’d missed all his life but had never known the lack. He did now. He never wanted to stop tasting her. Kissing her. But he should.
“What are we doin’, lass? Ye need to rest.”
She leaned into him, her breasts pressed against the wall of his chest, making him hard all over.
“I’ve rested. I need ye, Angus. Did ye mean what ye said? That ye want me? That ye’ll court me?”
“Every word.”
Her hand cupped his cheek. “Ye have cared for me…been so gentle with me.”
He took it and kissed her palm. “Ye needed care. I was happy to give it.”
“I need ye even more now. The darkness…”
He laid her back and stretched out beside her, murmuring her name. His hand traced a path down her arm to her hip and back to her shoulder. Her moans plucked at the tethers of his control, so he reached between them and covered her soft breast with his hand, squeezing gently. She called his name and arched into him, her thigh pressing against his manhood and making him long for more.
“Dinna be afraid, love. I want ye, Shona.”
She stilled at his words, but her breath tickled his neck. “I feared ye wouldna when ye learned…”
“What ye could do?”
“Aye. And what I canna do.” Her shoulders hunched, just a bit. “That I canna see.”
He traced her face with his fingertips. “Ye will. And even if ye never could again, I would still want ye.”
“Only for this?” She ran her hand down his back to his buttocks and pulled him closer. Her bravery impressed him. Her talent exposed, her body injured, her sight taken from her, she still had the strength of will to question his intentions.
“Nay lass. I wish to marry ye.”
“Why would ye?”
“Besides the fact I want ye? Ye are a braw lass, with the strength and willingness to help others, even at risk to yerself. I never kenned I’d have room in my heart for love. All I knew was doing what I must for this clan. Ye taught me to love ye, and ye showed me I dinna have to do everything alone.”
“But what good is a blind wife to the chief of the clan?”
“Shona, I dinna think it will come to that, but even if it does, the other lasses can help ye with yer duties.”
“All of them?”
He heard the question in her voice—the fear she would never be enough for him.
“All but taking care of yer laird. That task will belong to ye alone.” He kissed her forehead and hugged her tightly to him. “I’ll want nay other in my bed.”
She stilled, clearly considering his words. His promises.
Did she know how seriously he took his promises? “I will no’ break my word to ye.”
“Ye make me verra happy, Angus. But I dinna think we should marry. No’ right away. We should wait to see if I will recover.”
“I canna accept that. I want ye.”
“’Tis too much of a risk, Angus. I told ye how my village cast me out, scorned me. I canna go through that again. And if I am the laird’s wife, the clan will find out. They’ll watch me. And if I dinna regain my sight, I’ll never ken when they do. We must wait.”
“This village, this clan, are no’ the same as yer village. Ye’ve seen what the healer has done…well, ye have no’seen, but ye will. This clan accepts such talents and is grateful for them. They will be for yers, as well.”
