Page 57 of Secrets of a Kilted Seduction

He could not help chuckling. “There was me just thinkin’ I could never be happier than I am at this moment,” he said joyfully, whirling her around until she was laughing too.

He looked into her lovely blue eyes, which were shining with innocent happiness, his heart overflowing with love for her.

Yet despite his elation, he could not help thinking of what he would lose if she ever found out how he had been lying to her for so long.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

They dozed on the bed for a few hours, wrapped in each other’s arms. Tadhg slept fitfully because since their vigorous bout of lovemaking, which had at the time made him forget the pain he was in from the beating, it came back with a vengeance.

Aside from his physical discomfort, he felt an enormous sense of wellbeing to have Alana sleeping in his arms. He could hardly believe the way things had changed so drastically between them. Of course, it was all he had dreamed of, but it was still hard for him to take in the fact that Alana had forgiven him for leaving her.

Maybe we will end up having that wedding and bein’ man and wife after all.

It annoyed him that he was not at leisure to fully enjoy their new-found closeness. Being able to lay together was indeed a marvelous thing. But he wanted to be with her all the time, enjoying all the simple, domestic pleasures loving couples did, like going to market to buy groceries for dinner or tending the garden together. He wanted bairns with her.

Ye’re gettin’ ahead of yersel’, man! Ye’ve only just got her back. Dinnae go scarin’ her away with yer dreamin’. And besides, there’s other matters that need attendin’ tae first, like Blaine.

“A penny fer yer thoughts,” came a soft voice. Alana rose up from his arms, leaned over, and kissed him on the lips. She smiled into his eyes, and his chest filled with warmth to see the tenderness they held.

“They’re nae worth that much,” he quipped, kissing her back and brushing aside the long curling tresses of her dark mane, “but I’ll take yer penny.” He took a few moments to drink her in and had to shake his head in wonder. “How is it that ye can look so bloody beautiful when ye wake up?”

She fluttered her eyelashes flirtatiously and replied, “Maybe because that’s how ye make me feel. And anyway, I’m nae sure I’m the only beautiful one around here.” She kissed the tip of his nose playfully. “Ye’re nae so bad yersel’.” But then her humorous expression changed to one of worry as she scrutinized his face. “Except fer those nasty bruises and wounds tae yer poor face. I must dae somethin’ about them at once.” She moved to get out of bed, but Tadhg, not wanting her to go, caught her wrist.

“Hey, where d’ye think ye’re goin’?”

She gently disengaged her wrist and got out of bed. “I’m goin’ tae see Moira, of course, tae get somethin’ fer yer face. Ye must be in a lot of pain. Have ye lost any teeth?” She asked, flicking him a questioning glance as she dressed quickly in her red gown quickly, not bothering with petticoats or stays.

“Nay, ye ken yersel’ I’m as tough as old boots. I’ll mend. But I have tae admit, I’m hurtin’,” he told her, yawning and rubbing a hand through his hair. “I suppose I’m goin’ back on the willow tea.”

“Aye, or maybe somethin’ a wee bit stronger until that bruising subsides. Ach, I’d love tae get me hands on the bastard who did that tae ye and teach him a lesson,” she said, putting on her slippers and heading for the door. She smiled back at him over her shoulder before she went out. “I’ll nae be long. If ye feel up tae it, put the kettle on the fire tae boil. It’ll save waitin’.”

“Aye, be quick, I’m already missin’ ye,” he called after her truthfully. He did not like her going anywhere without him, especially not after the horrors of the kidnapping and captivity, however brief. While he waited, he cast his mind back to his meeting with Blaine, when he had agreed to go on the scouting mission for him. What had really been going on yesterday when Blaine arrived and so heroically “rescued” them?

Tadhg had deliberately not asked Blaine about who their kidnappers had been, nor why they had been taken, nor if those responsible had been punished. That Blaine had failed to mention something so important seemed highly suspicious. Plus, his explanation as to how he had discovered their whereabouts was sketchy to say the least. It all smacked of skullduggery.

When Alana came back a short while later, she gave him the revolting willow tea, and set then set about tending to his injuries.

“After what happened yesterday, I trust Blaine even less than I did before,” he told her as she tenderly bathed his damaged face.

“Aye, I dinnae trust him one inch. There’s nae doubt in me mind he’s up tae something.”

“I just wish I knew what it is. Ow, that stings!”

“Sorry, I’m tryin’ tae be gentle. There must be a way we can find out. I have the feelin’ it has somethin’ tae dae with me faither’s disappearance.”

“Aye, me too. Ye’re right, we have tae find out somehow.”

“Well, I’ve been thinkin’ about that, and I’ve come up with a plan of sorts,” she said, carefully applying salve to one of the many cuts on his cheeks.

He looked at her in surprise, then he frowned. “A plan? What sort of plan? If it puts ye in danger, then ye can forget it.”

“Blaine likes me. We should take advantage of that. I thought I could meet with him, maybe try flirting a little, and try tae learn something.”

“Absolutely nae,” Tadhg replied vehemently, hating the thought of her flirting with Blaine. “Ow, that stings!”

“It was meant tae. Ye say nay without even thinkin’ about it. If ye have another plan, I’ll gladly go along with it, if I think it could work. D’ye have a better idea?”

Tadhg huffed. “Nay. But I still dinnae like the sound of yers. What if it goes too far and he tries tae take advantage of ye?”