I sit on the edge of the bed and draw her into my lap. I’m too weary for anything right now, but I want to reclaim her. I need to.
Wordlessly, I strip her clothes from her body and toss them into the wicker basket by the door. She doesn’t protest or fight me, but lifts her arms and lets me remove her clothing slowly.
In silence, I bend her back, nestled in the crook of my arm, lean in, and kiss her. I sigh as her lips meet mine, tasting her sweet essence. Her eyelids flutter closed as we kiss, until her breath’s labored. Her lips part, and my tongue meets hers in a dance of surrender. She moans, and I feel her body become boneless in my arms.
We pull away, both breathing heavily. So much to say, and yet, do we need to say anything at all? Our foreheads meet. Her hand on my shoulder. Mine under her legs and around her lower back. She’s mine, this woman, and I won’t ever let her fucking go again.
Not ever.
“Tully,” she whispers, her voice choked with emotion. “We can’t…”
“Can’t what, lass?” I whisper in her ear. Can’t be together? Can’t make another baby? Can’t forget all that’s happened? It’s on the tip of my tongue to defeat every fucking argument she has against the two of us together, when she finishes her sentence with a fierceness that’s all McKenna.
“We can’t ever let that happen again.”
I feel a corner of my lips twitch. “Let what happen, love?”
She plants her hands on my shoulders, her eyes holding mine intently.
“We can’t let anything drag us apart. We need to fight harder.”
“Oh, aye,” I say, nodding. “You have my word, lass.”
“Do I?” she asks, her eyes shining. “Do you have a plan, then?”
I nod soberly. “I do.”
“And what might that plan be?”
I shrug a shoulder casually. “Well, first, I’m going to tie you to my bed.”
She blinks, then smiles. “Oh, really?”
“Aye. In fact, I think I’ll give you a bit of a demonstration now.”
“Tully!”
I’m already standing with her in my arms, moving to the bedpost. I lay her on her back and point my finger at her. “You stay right there.”
She bites her lip and nods. “Aye. I’m not planning on going anywhere.”
“Good. Second, if you run again, I’ll have to punish you.”
She swallows hard, her cheeks a faint shade of pink. “Oh?”
I reach for the buckle of my belt and unfasten it, before I slide it through the belt loops and lean over her to fasten her hands.
“Oh, thank God.”
“Why?”
“Thought you were going to spank me with that.”
“Not yet.”
“Not yet?”
In silence, I fasten the leather around her wrists, securing it. Her eyes shine at me. I bend and kiss each cheek in turn.
I cup her jaw and drag my thumb across her full, pretty lips.
“I love you, McKenna.”
It’s the first time in my life I’ve ever told someone I love them. My dad was not the demonstrative type, and I learned from him.
“And I love you.”
Hearing her say those words gives me the sudden need to make her mine.
“I want to claim you, McKenna. I want to make you a woman of the Clan. I want you to take my name and wear my ring on your finger. I’ll take the very best care of you I know how, and devote myself to meeting your every need.
Her eyes shine. “Will you?”
“Aye, love, if you’ll have me. Will you?”
She nods. “I will.” Then she looks at her bound wrists and laughs. “My goodness, I can’t believe you just proposed to me while I’m naked in your bed, my wrists bound with your belt, and you’re about to…”
I grin at her. “Have my way with you?”
It’s too soon for me to fuck her, but I will in time.
“You want me to call the fucking paper? Buy a fucking rose?”
She grins right back. “Ack, no. I want you to do all sorts of dirty things to me.”
I bend down to her, hold her in my arms, and kiss every inch of her until she’s moaning, arching into me, her legs parted to welcome me in. I hold her body close as I finger her until she moans. Her eyelids flutter closed.
“I fucking love you,” I whisper, as she climaxes. My cock strains but this is all about her tonight. All her. “I want a baby with you.”
She gasps, straining against the headboard, and she meets my eyes.
“I want your baby, Tully. I want all of you. I want to stay with you, be claimed by you, wear your ring, and take your name.”
I want all of her. I want to give her all of me. Joined together as one.
* * *
I wake in the middle of the night to the wind howling out our window again. McKenna’s asleep, her arm strewn across the pillow. I unfastened my belt hours ago and she squealed when I gave her a teasing smack to the backside. Her wrists are still pink where I restrained her, and her cheeks are flushed with warmth.