Page 64 of Craved By a Highland Beast

“Aye!” Evan said way too loudly and then he shook his head, taking a deep breath. It seemed to calm him a little and he smiled at Bonnie, reaching for her hand to lace their fingers together. It was a tender gesture, one that made her smile, too, despite herself. “Aye. Everythin’ is fine. I wished tae speak with ye because I . . . I came tae a decision.”

“A decision?”

Evan nodded firmly. “I’ve been terribly unfair tae ye, Bonnie. I never meant tae hurt ye. I never meant tae make ye think that ye dinnae matter tae me because ye dae. Ye matter more than anythin’.”

Bonnie frowned, tilting her head to the side. She was waiting for him to shift his words around, to tell her that even though she mattered to him so much, he couldn’t disobey his council; that even though he wished they could be together, they never could be.

“I wish tae make ye me wife.”

Bonnie’s heart stopped. At first, she feared that she had misheard Evan or that perhaps she was dreaming, her mind conjuring up fake scenarios in which she could be happy. But Evan was real next to her, his hand warm and solid around hers, his smile as blinding as the morning sun. It was real. There was no doubt about it.

“Say somethin’,” Evan prompted and it was only then that Bonnie realized she had been stunned into silence, giving him no answer.

“I want that,” she said, nodding fervently as she flew into his arms. Evan’s laughter was a deep rumble in her chest as their bodies collided, his arms wrapping tightly around her and holding her impossibly close. “I want it. I want tae be yer wife.”

Neither of them wanted to leave each other’s arms. They stood there for several moments, Bonnie hiding the tears of joy in Evan’s shoulder as she clung to him, her happiness so overwhelming that she could think of nothing else. Her entire body felt warm, a tingle of excitement spreading through her as she imagined their future together.

When she pulled back, though, she couldn’t help but ask, “An’ the council?”

“I will tell them soon. Today,” Evan promised. “I dinnae care what they say. They cannae stop me. If they so wish, they can give the lairdship tae Alaric. Yer more important that this tae me.”

Fresh tears welled up in Bonnie’s eyes. She could hardly believe Evan would be willing to give up his title, his position, all just for her. She didn’t want him to do such a thing but when she looked at him, he seemed to be at peace with his decision.

“Come,” he said, before she had the time to wonder if she should protest, if she should try to convince Evan to do anything to keep the lairdship. “I wish tae show ye somethin’.”

Evan had barely finished speaking before he began to drag her along as he walked towards the castle walls. Bonnie followed him, trailing after him and wondering where he was taking her when she saw a small door there in the wall, hidden behind some bushes. Two guards stood on that side and Bonnie and Evan greeted them before they slipped outside and found themselves at the far side of the castle, where the land spread in a gentle slope.

In the distance, a small lake glimmered under the morning sun. If the slope of the land didn’t deceive her, then she thought it must have been a twenty-minute walk to the lake, down a narrow, winding path.

“Are we goin’ there?” she asked, smiling at Evan.

“Aye,” he said. “If ye wish. It is me favorite place in the world.”

“Let us go.”

Still hand in hand, the two of them walked down the path, Evan helping her whenever the path became too slippery or steep. Bonnie looked around her in wonder, gazing at the beautiful valley that spread all around her and farther down the distance, a sprawling forest of towering trees. All around them, the air was filled with the songs of birds, the whole world alive under the morning sun.

When they reached the lake, Bonnie realized it was a little farther down the path than she had originally thought, but still close to the castle. She could see why Evan loved the place so much; not only was it beautiful, but since it was so close, he could probably visit it often, even as a child. It was even a little bigger than it seemed from the top of the hill, with shrubs and flowers growing all around the bank in an explosion of color.

“It’s a very bonnie place,” she said, the soft, long grass brushing against her legs as she raised the hem of her dress a little, trying to keep it from getting soiled by the mud which collected near the edges. “Dae ye come here often?”

“Nae as often as I would like,” said Evan as he laid out his plaid and sat on the edge, gesturing at Bonnie to join him. When she did, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “I’ve been away a lotlately . . . an’ when I’m here, there is too much tae dae. But I’ll try tae come here more often . . . with ye. With our bairns.”

Our bairns.

Bonnie’s heart melted at the mention of children. She could hardly believe that Evan was already thinking about the family they would have, that he didn’t fear talking about such things when only the previous day, he had been so reluctant to oppose his council.

Would they ever accept her, Bonnie wondered? Or would they always spurn her, blaming her for their laird’s decision?

And what if they were right? What if Ruthven attacked with the shadowed support of Baliol and the King, bringing the MacGregor Clan to its knees? What if the clan was destroyed and Evan was killed by Ruthven’s hand?

Bonnie didn’t think she could ever bear it.

“Me love,” Evan said softly, cradling her cheek and making Bonnie look at him. “Whatever it is that is makin’ ye fash, forget it. I am here right the now, with ye. I’m with ye.”

Bonnie nodded, sighing softly when Evan kissed her. At first, it was barely more than a brush of lips, but then it quickly turned hungry, lips and teeth clashing together as they tried to get ever closer. Evan pulled her into his lap once again and Bonnie hadquickly come to realize how much she loved being like this, their bodies plastered together as she was enveloped in Evan’s arms.

“Maybe we should begin tae try fer those bairns,” Evan said, laughing against Bonnie’s lips. “What dae ye say,mo ghraidh? Will ye give me an heir?”

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