“Relax,” he soothed.

He guided her down and she removed her hand and placed both palms on his chest. She leaned forward as his fingers slid from her hips over her buttocks. He gripped her flesh and spread her wider as he slid deeper.

With one final push, her bottom met the tops of his thighs. It was an unsettling sensation, being speared, so full with no relief. Her body hummed with pleasure. Her nipples tightened into hard points, pouting and begging for his touch.

He obliged her, leaving her hips and feathering his fingers over her belly up until he cupped both breasts in his palms. Little sparks of fire sizzled through her body when he thumbed the taut buds. He teased and coaxed until they were painfully rigid.

“Ride me,” he said huskily.

The image of doing such a thing exploded in her mind. A hot flush worked through her core until she squirmed and gripped him even tighter in her sheath.

Eager to do his bidding, she began to move, tentatively at first. She felt awkward and shy but the look in Ewan’s eyes gave her all the confidence she needed to continue.

Back and forth she rocked, rising up and then easing down. They both made contented sounds that became more desperate and urgent as she picked up her pace.

Delighting in her newfound freedom, she proceeded to drive them both beyond the bounds of reason. She smiled seductively down at her husband when he pleaded with her to stop tormenting him.

With her lips fused to his as tightly as their bodies were joined, they found their release. She swallowed his cry of triumph as he swallowed her cry of ecstasy. His fingers dug into her hips and he pulled her down, holding her there ase emptied himself into her body.

With a sigh, she collapsed on top of him and burrowed into his warmth. His heart pounded frantically against hers until she wasn’t sure whose beat harder. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

“I love you, Mairin.”

For a moment she didn’t think she’d heard correctly. Aye, she loved him. More than she’d imagined loving a man. But she hadn’t dreamed that he’d return her feelings. He was affectionate with her. Loving, even. But she hadn’t ever expected that he’d offer her his heart.

Tears filled her eyes as she rose up, her hair falling over his chest while she stared down at him in wonder.

“Say it again,” she said huskily.

He smiled at hearing his own words tossed back at him.

“I love you.”

“Oh, Ewan,” she whispered.

“Don’t cry, lass. I’d do just about anything to keep you from crying.”

“ ’Tis happy tears.” She sniffed. “You’ve made me so happy, Ewan. You’ve given me a home and family. A clan to call my own. And you stood behind me today when I feared you’d denounce me in front of everyone.”

He frowned and shook his head. “I always stand behind you, wife. I may not always agree with you, and there will be times that I may not make a decision you agree with, but I always stand behind you.”

She hugged him again and pressed her face into his neck. “Oh, I do love you so, Ewan.”

He rolled until they were on their sides facing each other. He touched her face, stroking the wispy tendrils of hair from her cheek. “I’ve waited a long time for you to say those words, lass. And now that I have, I’m never going to grow tired of them.”

She smiled. “ ’Tis a good thing, Laird, for I have this problem with saying the least thing that runs through my mind, and ’tis a fact I’ll be thinking of how much I love you often.”

“Perhaps you should show me,” he said in a husky, aroused voice.

Her mouth dropped open. “Again?”

He smiled and kissed her. “Aye, lass, again.”



CHAPTER 31


Ias a miserable occurrence and had happened like clockwork every morning for the last fortnight. Only it didn’t end there. She vomited promptly after the morning meal, then again after the noon meal, and usually at least once before bed.

She’d hidden her condition from Ewan for as long as possible, but with all the vomiting and the way she eyed food as if she were being poisoned again, it was inevitable that he found out.

She would tell him today of her suspicions. Not that they were actually suspicions because it seemed obvious to her that she was carrying his child, and God knew, Ewan had put enough effort into the task of impregnating her.

The entire clan would greet the news with joy. With her dowry to be delivered at any time, prosperity would finally visit their keep. A pregnancy and safe delivery of a child would seal the McCabe control of Neamh Álainn.

She fairly danced with excitement over the idea of telling Ewan the news.

After washing out her mouth and getting dressed, Mairin headed below stairs where she was met by Gannon. She raised her eyebrows in surprise when she saw him because since her poisoning, Ewan had made it a point to have either himself or one of his brothers guarding her every moment of every day. It was a fact she was resigned to and had accepted with good grace.

“Good morning, my lady,” Gannon said cheerfully.

“Good morning, Gannon. Tell me, what have you done to anger your laird?”

Gannon blinked and eyed her with confusion. Then he laughed as he realized she was jesting with him over his duty.

“Nothing, my lady, ’tis the truth I volunteered for the chore of looking after you today. The laird and his brothers have gone out to greet the McDonalds.”

Her eyebrows rose again. Any talk of the McDonalds had been dispensed with after her poisoning. Why, she’d even forgotten the matter of an alliance herself. The McDonalds’ departure was not on pleasant terms, so the idea that they had returned made her very curious.

“Where are they?” she asked.

“Unloading the stores of food from the wagon,” Gannon said with a smile.

Mairin clasped her hands in delight. “So they made good on that ridiculous wager?”

Gannon rolled his eyes. “Of course. ’Tis a peace offering, too. The two clans must soothe over any bad feelings if we are to ally ourselves.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful. Surely this will carry us to the winter months.”

Gannon nodded. “And beyond, if the hunt continues to be successful.”

And if her dowry would come, the clan would have warm clothing for the winter. The children would have shoes. They would eat instead of worrying about where their next meal would come from.