Page 108 of When A Laird Loves A Lady
“Nay.”
“Why not?”
“I was listening to yer breath andwatching yer face. Ye smile when ye sleep, and ye do this little thing with yerlips where ye suck on the lower one.” He rolled toward her and brought her intothe cradle of his arm.
She laid her ear against his heartand traced a finger over his ribs. “I can hear your heart beating.”
“I imagine it’s loud,” he said witha chuckle.
She tilted her head back and lookedat him. “Why would you imagine that?”
A wistful smile pulled at thecorners of his mouth. “Because ye’ve made my heart grow, Marion. I thought Icould never open it up again but ye helped me to do so, and with as much as Ilove ye, it must be a verra big thing beating in my chest now. I am verrafortunate.”
Marion laid her palm over hisheart. “I’m the fortunate one. You’ve given me what I always wanted—to be lovedand to feel like I’m part of a family.”
He kissed her on the forehead. “Weare both fortunate, aye?”
She pressed her lips to his. “Aye,”she replied, mimicking his burr.
“Ye’re no longer a Sassenach atall,” he said with a chuckle.
“Nay,” she replied, grinning. “I’ma MacLeod.”
Epilogue
Two months later
After supper had ended and the entertainment hadbegun, Marion sat beside Iain on the dais and watched Cameron, Graham, andLachlan each dance a jig for the honor of being declared the champion, allowingthem to pick the maiden he wished to dance with for the rest of the night.Cheers erupted after each man finished his jig, and when the competition cameto an end, everyone in the great hall looked to Iain to announce the winner.
He held up a hand for patience andturned to Marion. “Who should I choose?” he whispered in her ear.
She cast a surreptitious glancefrom under her lashes at each brother and then to Bridgette, who sat at thetable just below Marion. Bridgette stared at Lachlan with thinly veiledlonging. When Graham turned to give Bridgette a wink, she ripped her gaze offLachlan and blushed furiously at Graham. Marion sighed. Graham would think theblush was for him, but Marion knew Bridgette’s pink cheeks were from havingbeen caught gaping at Lachlan, who had seemed to have done his best to avoidBridgette altogether upon their return from England, which told Marion he feltsomething for Bridgette.
“Marion,” Iain urged softly.
She sighed again and pressed hermouth close to his ear. “I think Bridgette likes Lachlan but feels she owesGraham since he almost died to save her.”
“Aye, and Graham has eyes only forBridgette. What shall we do?” he asked in a low voice.
“Pick Cameron.”
“But was it nae plain to see thathe was the worst at the jig?”
Marion giggled. “Undoubtedly, butwe can tell them our secret to distract anyone who may wish to object.”
Iain cocked an eyebrow at her.“We’ve a secret?”
“Aye, laird,” she purred, fairlybursting with joy. “We’ve a bairn on the way.”
Iain’s jaw dropped open, and thenhe grinned and gathered her into his arms to give her a passionate kiss.
Cheers erupted in the hall onceagain.
“Who’s the winner?” Grahamdemanded.
“Aye,” Lachlan added. “Which of ushas triumphed?”
“I’m certain I’m the winner,”Cameron said, crowing with laughter.
“Nay, I’m the winner,” Iainannounced. “I’ve a bairn on the way!”
With that, Iain leaped over thetable and attempted to dance a jig, the likes of which Marion had never seen.
She laughed as she watched herhusband, secretly thinking that she was the biggest winner of them all.
