He leaned his forehead against hers and tightened his arms around her, gathering her so closely that she could hardly breathe.
“I think you should loosen your grip a little,” she suggested, laughing. “You might kill me before the wedding.” She could have stayed there all day listening to the steady thud of his heartbeat with his chin resting on the top of her head.
“I am so sorry, I was a little carried away!”
Keira let out a sigh of utter contentment and heard his laugh rumble through his chest as he heard her.
“You are sighing. Tired of me already?” he asked, twitching a smile.
“Never,” she answered, tilting her face up for another kiss. “It was a happy sigh. Kiss me again.”
“Yes, milady,” he laughed.
He was only too happy to oblige, and once more they became lost in each other. He knew that from now on he was going to find it very difficult to keep his hands to himself when his betrothed was around him. Every time she came too close to him, he knew he would feel the urge to hold her again.
When they broke the kiss, Keira traced a line around the outside of his lips with her forefingers, frowning.
“You told me about one of your strategies but not the other.”
“But I did,” he replied, cupping her face in his hands. “I want to unite all of us into a clan of our own, starting with you and me. So we must marry. But we will need a clan name since there is a Holmes clan already.”
“Let us discuss it with the others,” Keira suggested. “I have no doubt that we will find something to call ourselves!”
“There is another thorny problem that needs our attention,” Murdoch reminded her, grinning. “Where shall we be wed? The nearest church is miles away.”
Keira laughed merrily. “I hardly think that is an insurmountable problem, my darling.”
Her voice sounded carefree. Everything was right in her world. Well…not quite. It would only be perfect when Murdoch was lying in her bed making her his.
“Well, my Keira,” Murdoch said gently, “let us start the way we mean to go on. Everyone must have a voice since we are a community, and that voice must be listened to. Agree?”
She nodded, then gave him a mischievous grin. “And when we have heard everyone’s voice, I demand that you listen to mine.”
“Of course,” Murdoch agreed.
“When the meeting is finished, we will come back here for more kisses,” Keira commanded. “For I find that I enjoy them very much!”
Her wish was granted, and a few seconds later, she was enjoying another one.