“I can understand why. It is peaceful here.” He felt a smile tickle at the corners of his mouth. It was her soft laughter that did it, or maybe it was her carefree smile, or the feeling of contentment sitting there beside her that almost brought a smile to his lips. His smile had been dormant so long, he didn’t think it would ever return. He just might be wrong.
“The woods that connect your clan and mine are lovely as well,” she said, recalling the endless times she’d spent there.
“You will not walk in the woods alone,” he ordered, a sense of dread gripping him of what might await her there.
Her smile faded. “Dictating already?”
“It’s my duty as your husband to keep you safe. I will walk with you in the woods.”
She thought to disagree with him but he obviously thought he’d solved the issue and it needed no more discussion. And it didn’t. She may have agreed to wed him, but she hadn’t agreed to surrender her freedom.
“We will be good together,” he said.
“Is that hope I hear in your words or belief?”
“Both,” he said. “And you? How do you feel it will work between us?”
Was this the time to tell him she loved him and had dreamt of being his wife, never, ever believing her dream would come true? Or did that remain her secret? “I believe we can do well together.”
She thought she caught the slightest lift of one corner of his mouth as if a smile tempted to surface. She’d love to see him smile again. He had such a gorgeous smile. Women would stare and sigh when he smiled and her heart would ache thinking that she had no chance of ever being his wife. And now here she was Arran MacKinnon’s wife.
His hand went to her face, resting against her cheek while his thumb skimmed her lips. He didn’t know why but he couldn’t stop touching her face. Maybe it was because her skin was so soft and her lips far too inviting. Or maybe it was her kindness. Whatever it was, he was glad he’d made her his wife.
He brought his lips to hers, eager to kiss her again and again ever since their first kiss. He kissed her with a slow pleasure, teasing them both with a tentative brush of his lips, then a light lingering that sparked passion in him and he felt it spark in her as well. He didn’t need to coax her lips apart, they parted on their own, inviting and greeting him with enthusiasm.
His one arm went around her back to rest his hand at the back of her head as his other arm circled her waist, then he slowly eased her back on the ground, following down over her, never breaking their kiss.
It had been too long since he had taken his time with a woman, pleasing her, teasing her, bringing her and himself immense pleasure. How long had it been since he found a woman who he wanted to enjoy that with, who caused his shaft to swell more from desire, then nothing more than a need, a persistent itch that needed scratching?
Purity continued to marvel at how wonderful a kiss could be and how eager she was to share them with her husband.
Husband.
She had a husband and that meant they could do more than kiss and the thought added to her excitement.
He warned himself to go slow. This was no place to consummate their vows and yet his passion was firing hotter than it had in quite a while. His hand drifted to her breast and that’s when King pounded on his back with a screech and he heard Princess growl.
He was ready to warn them both off when he lifted his head and saw Princess standing a short distance from them, her growl growing as she stared at the woods.
Arran was off Purity in a flash, yanking her to her feet as his other hand grabbed his sword where he’d laid it on the ground beside him and took a protective stance in front of her. He silently cursed himself ten times over. He had been so caught up in his desire for his wife, he had paid no heed to anything around him. He had left them both vulnerable. And again he was indebted to the dog and cat.
“We would have waited until you were done,” one of two men said, stepping out of the woods.
One glance told Arran that he’d have no trouble disposing of the two. They held their swords with little skill and their steps were far from measured. It didn’t take further thought to realize what drew the likes of thieves and murders to this particular area of the woods—a bounty on Purity.
“Yeah, then we would have let you watch while we took our turns,” the other said and they both laughed.