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She wasn’t sure that she needed much time to rest when that was apparently all she had been doing for the better part of a week, but when she tried to rise, her head spun, so she yielded to the needs of her body and sank back into the pillow, allowing comfort to overcome her.

* * *

It was a few hours later in the late afternoon when she felt strong enough to rise from bed and get dressed. Her limbs were shaky at first, and she had to move a little more slowly than she had been used to, but it didn’t take long for her to rouse her strength again.

When Maeve left her chamber, she felt better for being able to move, and her head was clearer. She hoped that whatever had inspired this illness had been expelled from her system so that she could continue with her life and be the Lady that her father had wanted her to be. Before this, she had been swept up in the current of her life and felt as though everything was happening too quickly, but now having lost what amounted to a week of her life, she found that she did not want to miss out on anything again, so she was looking forward to fulfilling her duties and resuming what had been interrupted with her husband.

Yes, her nerves had been allayed by the kissing that had occurred between her and Gowan, and since she felt annoyed that their union had been interrupted, she knew that whatever hesitation she had been feeling was not something that was going to last. She wanted to be with him in all the ways a man and a woman should be together, and it was now surely only a matter of time before they picked up from where they had left off.

She hadn’t been expecting to see him in the meeting hall, where he, Harrison, and Callum sat around a table. A pitcher of drink stood in between all of them, and they rose when Maeve entered the room. As her husband, Gowan did have every right to attend these meetings, and she felt pleased that he took an interest in the mundane matters of running a clan rather than venturing out on another adventure.

“It is good tae hae ye back, my lady,” Callum said, bowing his head deeply.

Harrison expressed similar sentiments. “We are all glad that ye hae made a full recovery,” he said.

Gowan held out his hand, leading her to the table, where she took a seat and asked to be updated on everything that had happened during her convalescence. Callum and Harrison spoke in turn, and it seemed as though a surprising amount had happened. Maeve fired back with questions when something took her by surprise or when she disagreed with what they had decided. Callum and Harrison occasionally shared a glance to suggest that she had expressed something they hadn’t considered or saw things in a different way to them. The last thing Maeve wanted was to be like every other Laird that had ever ruled over the clan. She wanted to do things her own way, and if she took people by surprise, then all the better for it. Although Callum and Harrison weren’t enthused about her suggestions, Gowan was. He agreed with her points and did not try and speak for her, only adding to the discussion when he had something supportive to say. It was refreshing to have an ally who was on the same wavelength as her, and she was even more pleased that her father’s wishes had come true.

However, it did seem as though he was sitting rather close, and he seemed to be startled whenever there was an unexpected noise. If the door was opened, his gaze darted toward it, and he poised himself ready to leap up, only relaxing when it became clear that a servant was entering the room. This skittishness was at odds with the man she had gotten used to being around, and it was only exacerbated by the fact that at one of these points where there was a jerking motion to rise, her eyes glimpsed a dagger sheathed around his waist. The image was a stark one, and she wondered if there had been anything else occurring in her absence. As soon as the meeting was over, she made a point to speak to Gowan about it, which didn’t seem a challenge as he whisked her away as soon as the meeting was over anyway, deciding to escort her down to the archery targets.

When she tried to speak to him, he shushed her, casting wary glances around. He thrust a bow in her hand and told her to practice.

“Is this a way for ye tae get another bet?” she asked, trying to be playful to cover up her nerves.

Gowan shook his head. “It’s a way for us tae be alone away from everyone else and a way for ye tae practice yer shooting, in case ye need it.”

“Why would I need it? I think there’s something that haes been gaeing on. Ye were ever sae jumpy in the meeting, and why are ye carrying a dagger around with ye?” she asked. She held a bow in her hand, but she was not ready to begin practicing when it seemed as though there was no need.

Gowan cast a wary glance around, and when he seemed sure that nobody was close enough to overhear, he replied, although it was still in a quiet tone. He also wrapped his cloak around himself to hide the dagger, which he apparently didn’t want anyone seeing either. It seemed strange for him to be so clandestine about things when before, he had been such an open and gregarious person. It was almost as though her husband had changed a great deal.

“Ye almost died, Maeve. I know ye dinnae understand because ye were unconscious, but I was truly worried about ye. I sat by yer side and watched ye be in pain, and there was nothing I could dae about it. There’s some unseen threat happening here, and I dinnae want ye tae suffer the same fate again,” he said.

Maeve was touched by the affection in his voice and the worry in his eyes, but this talk was madness.

“I was ill, Gowan, that’s all,” she said, laughing lightly to try and dispel the worry, but it was clear that Gowan wasn’t going to let the matter go.

“There’s something else happening here, Maeve. I think someone means ye harm, and—”

“Gowan, I dinnae want our marriage tae be filled with suspicion. I fell ill, and I hae recovered. We should be grateful for that. It warms my heart that ye hae been sae worried about me, but I dinnae want tae walk around with daggers and weapons in my own home. What on Earth are ye thinking? The worst of it is over. We should be happy that we get tae begin where we left off,” she said.

Gowan remained uncertain and looked as though he wanted to continue being suspicious. Maeve was determined to change his mind. She had spent so long in the mire of unhappiness and sorrow that it had become something she wanted to shed.

She placed the bow back onto the rack and moved toward him, draping her arms around his neck and pressing her body against his. While she still experienced a few nerves about being intimate with him, she felt as though she wanted to be near him again and shed this fear that had plagued her.

“Ye know, it haes been a long week for ye, and I feel as though we should pick up from where we left off last time.”

At first, Gowan continued to look around, so she kissed his neck and cheeks all the while running her hand along the back of his neck to inspire some kind of reaction from him. Eventually, he gave up and relented to her kisses. They were just as hot as what they had been on their wedding night. The heat swam through her mind, and this time it was not accompanied by the churning nausea that she had put down to nerves before. It was clear that those feelings had been a product of whatever illness she had suffered from, and there was no need to be afraid of what was going to happen next.

* * *

Maeve took Gowan’s hand and led him back through the keep. Soon enough, they were in their chamber again, just as they had been on their wedding night. Candles were lit, and the room was bathed in a soft glow.

“There, it is just ye and I now, sae there’s no need tae be afraid,” Maeve said, toying with him. She embraced him in a kiss again and felt her confidence growing. The more she kissed, the more at ease she felt with him as she surrendered to the fervent desire within her, something she had not known existed before. Whether it had been inside her, laying dormant this whole time, or if it was something that had been conjured by him, she did not know. Either way, it made little difference; it stormed through her body and made her feel alive in such a passionate, vibrant way.

His hands were strong, and they wrapped around her forcefully, making her feel small and petite. She rolled forward on her toes, and at one point, he lifted her up off the floor. She wrapped her legs around him, and he supported her weight in his arms. Her red curls fell about his face as they kissed, and she smiled as they moved toward the bed.

It creaked as they sank upon it, the bed taking the weight of this young woman and this mighty warrior. They continued to kiss while their hands roamed about their bodies, stripping and peeling away the clothes that kept their bodies from being with each other. Gowan’s deft fingers elicited gasps from Maeve’s mouth. She shuddered as her flesh was exposed, voluptuous and supple and naked. Her trembling hands were adventurous as well, pulling his shirt away, revealing taut muscles that were covered in hair. Scars trailed across his body, long lines that spoke to his life before her. There was something alluring about them. He exuded masculinity and strength. The mere force of him was intoxicating, and her mind grew hazy as kisses were plucked from her lips and crackling sensations passed through her body.

He kissed her neck while his hands moved around, fondling her breasts, teasing her hard nipples. It felt as though her body was on fire, and at first, she wondered if she should at least be a little afraid of what was happening because it was so new to her, yet there was no will to stop this at all. She could feel her heart soaring and the warmth flowing through her body. Her eyes fluttered shut as his hand drifted down, seemingly of its own accord. Her legs parted for him, and then he was touching her in her most intimate area. It was strange at first, but within moments it felt as though he belonged there. His fingers were strong and curling, sliding inside her as though they had an open invitation. The pleasure that careened through her was rippling and lusting. Her breaths were deep, her throat was tight, and it felt as though there was a storm inside her.