Page 49 of Highland Spirit

He didn’t miss the smug look on Alana’s face and wondered if she’d just tricked him into doing it. It didn’t matter. Ethan never planned on having Caleb do all the work. He was only trying to keep him from eating all the food before they even stepped foot on the isle. Ethan removed his cloak and sat down, taking the oars and continuing to row.

Alana’s eyes fastened to Ethan’s arms. He’d pushed up his sleeves that only made his thick arms and bulging muscles more pronounced. She couldn’t stop thinking about those arms and how he’d held her closely last night as they made love. She’d missed that. For five long years she’d been chaste, and now her sexual appetites were brought to life once again by the man she loved. Husband, she corrected her thoughts, suddenly remembering they were married now. She glanced down at her ring and smiled. She only wished her family could have been present at the wedding. Her mother would have been so happy.

Even though Ethan tricked her into it, she was glad he did. He’d made the decision for her. And now that she was his wife, she’d have to find a way to fix the wrongs of the past so she could live with Ethan and Isobel as a family like she’d always longed for.

“What are ye thinkin’ about, Wife?” came Ethan’s deep voice, causing her eyes to snap up from his arms to his face. She sat facing him as he rowed backwards. His dog lay at her feet. Caleb, Slink, and Isobel were behind him at the bow of the boat. Suddenly, the space closed in around her and she felt as if she couldn’t breathe.

Her thoughts of Ethan’s naked body pressed up against her, pumping into her as they both squealed in ecstasy was making her very randy. She had to look the other way before she started to blush or she’d give her thoughts away.

“I think my sister will be glad to see me,” she said. “I’m sure, by now, she is wonderin’ what happened to me and is very worried.”

“I see,” he said, sounding disappointed. “I had hoped ye’d say ye were thinkin’ about us being married. Being husband and wife now.”

“Oh, aye. That, too,” she said nonchalantly, fussing with the clasp on her cloak, feeling her heart beating furiously because she was so excited by just the thought.

“Finn!” Isobel called out, gaining their attentions as they neared the shore of the Isle of Kerrera. Sure enough, there at the water’s edge were Finn and Kirstine waiting for them. Finn was waving a hand over his head.

“Well, it seems someone is happy to see us,” said Ethan. “However, I dinna see yer faither welcomin’ ye home.”

“Nay, he’s too ill,” she said.

“Where are the others? Like yer laird and his warriors?”

“Diarmad is Kirstine’s husband,” she told him. “He and his men are away tendin’ to business. And they are no’ warriors.”

“Business? What kind of business?” he asked, making her feel very uncomfortable. “And if his men are no’ warriors, what do they do?”

“Isobel, sit down before ye fall,” she called out to her daughter, trying to change the subject.

“Fall?” Ethan jerked around in alarm, looking over his shoulder. “Caleb, hold her tightly. I dinna want my daughter to drown.”

“Yer daughter?” Caleb grabbed a hold of Isobel. “What do ye mean?”

Ethan turned back around and looked at Alana as if he were asking permission.

“Well, ye might as well tell him now.”

“Are ye sure?” he asked.

“Isobel,” said Alana, causing the little girl to turn and look at her.

“Aye, Mama?”

“I never really told ye this, but yer da is Ethan.”

“I ken,” she said.

“Ye do?” she asked. “Did Ethan tell ye that?”

Ethan shook his head.

“Nay,” she said. “But I told him he can be my da since I dinna have one.”

“But he really is yer faither,” she tried to explain to her daughter.

“Finn, look at my new doll,” Isobel called out, more excited to show her toy to Finn than realizing Ethan was truly the man who sired her. “Her name is Olivia.”

“Well, we tried,” said Ethan with a shrug of his broad shoulders.