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Ainsly had mixed feelings. Her heart had been touched by the story of his traumatic childhood, and she hated that anyone should have to go through that. It was a horror she wished the world would not contain, and yet so many people over the years had come to her with similar tales, although none quite as grim as Ian’s. However, she wasn’t sure that justified his actions in raiding and attacking her keep. She could understand his desire to want to make a home for himself, but why did that mean he had to take someone else’s? Things might have been different if he had just asked for sanctuary. Hatred had begun to build up inside her again, and whatever affection had started to fill her heart had evaporated, or so she had thought.

She was so struck by this that she almost fell from her horse. She hadn’t even thought of children. Ian’s need to have a family was strong; she could sense that from the tone of his voice. But in all the talk of rebellion and the mixed feelings, she hadn’t thought about it herself. Could she even bear to have the children of this man? Sharing his bed was one thing, but bringing his child into the world…that was quite another. Children were things she had always assumed she would have one day as that seemed to be a natural part of the world, but she had never given it serious thought. She looked around and tried to see what he saw. His dreams were big. To imagine her small keep turning into a kingdom was difficult for her, and she wondered if perhaps she had not been ambitious enough as a laird. He considered things she never had before, and for the first time, she wondered if it was truly right to rebel against him.

This man wasn’t the same man that had charged into her keep and demanded her surrender. He wasn’t the same man who had grabbed her and thrown her onto the bed…and yet he was. He was the small boy who had had his home burned and his parents killed, a boy who had grown into a man searching for a home and a family. The contradictions and complications made her mind grow hazy. She wasn’t certain what to believe anymore, and she hated how he could have such an effect on her.

“There’s one more place I hae tae show ye,” she said, deciding that what she needed more than anything was a good ride to clear her mind. “Dae ye see that hill?” She gestured with a nod to a small hill to the north.

“Aye.”

“There’s a lake beyond it. First one there wins!” she said, and immediately kicked her heels into the horse and galloped away. She heard Ian cry out a curse as he adjusted his horse to pursue her. Ainsly laughed and let the wind whip through her hair as she clutched her horse tightly and rode her hard. The world passed by in a blur of green and blue tones, with the odd pop of color from a bunch of flowers. The air was sweet. This was what she lived for—competition in the wild. There had been so many times in her youth when she and Seamus had ridden around these hills, although she didn’t like to think about Seamus now. The plot of rebellion caused her stress. She thought back to Calum’s words, about how she should be careful that Ian wouldn’t distract her, but all the things he told her did not seem like a distraction.

Behind her, she could see the black stallion advancing, like the night coming inexorably to conquer the day. But Ainsly was not ready to surrender just yet. She whispered in the horse’s ear. Her thighs ached, but she ignored the pain as the path wound around the hill. She laughed with glee as the lake came into view, and she stopped just a few moments before Ian caught with her.

“Ye may be good with a sword, but ye hae some work tae dae if ye want tae outrun me,” she said. Her hair was matted to her face, dark with sweat. Her chest heaved with heavy, panting breaths, but she wore a smile. There was nothing like a race to get the blood pumping. Ian shook his head and alighted from his horse, looking around at the area.

The small copse was in the shadow of the hill. Trees stood guard, offering some privacy from the open fields. There were purple and blue flowers dotted around the base of the trees, and then a wide lake, filled with crystal water. Ian walked towards it and crouched, dipping his finger in the water.

“It’s nae as cold as I imagined,” he said. Ainsly leaped off her horse and patted her thighs. The horses went to graze on the grass. She walked up to Ian and looked down at him.

“In winter it turns tae ice,” she replied.

“Then, I’m glad it is nae winter.” He rose to his full height. The way he looked at her made her stomach swim. Breath caught in her throat. “It’s a warm day and that ride took a lot out of me. Would ye care tae bathe?” he asked.

Ainsly swallowed her fear. In the bedroom, she had been swept up in the moment and his passion had been irresistible. But now…she wondered if she should try to find some excuse to shy away from making love with him. Even though she was his wife, she felt she should offer resistance wherever she could, and yet…it had felt so wonderful to be intimate with him.

“Ye first,” she whispered.

Ian peeled away his top and tossed his clothes away from him. Unable to help herself, she reached out and pressed her hand against his chest, feeling the powerful vibrations of his heart underneath her palm. She licked her lips and looked up at him in wonder, and then down, her gaze darting towards his impressive manhood.

“Yer turn,” he said. She nodded softly, hating that she wanted this so much. She felt that she should be stronger, that she shouldn’t be such a slave to her primal desires, but she did not stop. The searing heat that pulsed through her body cut through the doubts and the fears, dispelling the shadows and leaving nothing but pure, radiant lust. Her clothes fell to the ground. She slipped off her boots and felt the grass tickle her feet. He smiled when he saw her exposed body, and his hand caressed her waist. He glanced at the water. There was a wicked gleam in his eye, but before she could do anything to stop him, he was already in the process of whisking her into his arms. She screamed so loud that it startled a nearby bird, who fluttered away to find safety, and then there was a loud splash.

Although the water was warm, jumping into the lake was still shocking. Ainsly plunged beneath the surface as the water swallowed her whole. She felt Ian’s hold on her weaken. She flailed out with her arms and legs, trying to regain her balance as she lurched underneath the water, swimming towards the light. She broke through the surface and wiped the water from her eyes, gasping for breath. Her hair was drenched and flowed down her shoulders in thick, straggling lines. The water reached the top of her chests, just above her breasts. She playfully lashed out at Ian, hitting the water and making ripples spread. He dodged back and smirked at her.

“Now it’s yer turn tae catch me!” He turned and dove into the water, swimming away to the far side of the lake. She shook her head and giggled at the cheek of the man, but she turned her lithe body around and kicked out, swimming through the water in pursuit of him. She followed his wake. As she lifted her head she couldn’t help but admire the form and figure of the man. His body had been through a lot, but it had been honed into a powerful force that could pick her up with ease. She had always assumed that whichever man she ended up marrying would be able to challenge her in every aspect of life, and in that respect, she had not been wrong.

She dipped her head down and surged forward, swimming as fast as she could, but when she next lifted her head up, Ian was nowhere to be found. She looked around, a little irked that he had found it so easy to escape her attention. She knew he was under the surface somewhere…but where? She glanced around and then there was a surge of water, but before she could react he leaped out and grabbed hold of her, lifting her out of the water with him, before plunging her down again. They landed with a splash and were surrounded with laughter.

“Ye hae tae dae pretty well tae fool me,” he joked. Regret whispered in the back of her mind before it was silenced by his kiss. Unlike the rest of the man, his lips were soft and tender, and they held within them different shades of affection. His hands were clasped around the small of her back, holding her tightly to him. Water trickled between them as his kisses deepened. His tongue thrust into her mouth and danced with hers. The kisses became hungrier, and Ainsly found herself clinging to him as lust swelled and flowed through her body. It was as sweet as honey, and it felt as though it was being poured all through her.

When she drew her head back, her arms were wrapped around his neck. She kissed him again, more softly this time, and smiled. She felt safe in his arms, as though he would never drop her. Their movements had caused the lake to ripple around them. The water shimmered, and it felt as though they had their own private part of the world, far from the keep, war, and everything else. Ainsly could forget about everything except the present moment and the feelings that coursed through her heart.

However, there was one thing she could not forget about, and that was something he mentioned earlier.

“Did ye really mean what ye said before? About children?” she asked softly.

“Aye,” he said. The shade of the trees fell upon his face, but it did nothing to hide the sparkle in his soul. “I want tae give my children the chance I never haed; I want them tae see their parents grow older. I want tae know that I hae left something good in this world before it’s my time tae die,” he said. Then, he added, “Ye will make a beautiful ma.”

Whatever she was going to say in reply was lost in a kiss. Her eyes closed and she sank into his embrace as easily as she sank into the water. She could feel every inch of his body and was unable to stop herself from listening to her heart and giving herself to him. She kissed him fervently and cupped his head in her hands, peppering him with deep, sweet kisses. She could feel the tension rise within her body as she burned with the need for him.