Page 70 of A Virgin for the Highland Beast
“Is that so?” Emma asked with a smirk of her own.
Hunter eyed her suspiciously as she stepped away from him for a moment. “Aye,” he answered, as he couldn’t ignore the strange tingle racing down his spine.
“And would ye say anythin’ life throws at ye, ye’ll be able to handle?” Emma asked.
“Suppose,” Hunter answered as he tried to grab her around her waist to keep her from getting away from him.
“Even, say, if we were to have a bairn?” Emma whispered.
Hunter’s eyes remained transfixed on her face. He couldn’t tell if she was teasing him or being serious. He’d once told her about having children and starting a family with her, yet he never thought it would happen so soon.
“Are ye, then? Truly?” Hunter asked, the air around him feeling thinner than usual.
The side chatter from the clansmen seemed so distant and unimportant. Hunter swallowed hard as he looked at her.
“I am,” Emma said.
Hunter wrapped his arms around her and hoisted her up into the air.
“So, ye see, I cannae go, and I dinnae want to go.”
Hunter’s heart felt as if it were overflowing with joy. He squeezed her tightly and showered her with kisses before slowly setting her back on the ground once again.
“What’s all the commotion?” Nora asked as she came around the corner.
Emma withdrew her arms from around Hunter’s neck and skipped over to her sister. Hunter couldn’t get rid of the smile plastered to his face as he watched Nora’s eyes widen.
“Ye’ll be me midwife, will ye nae?” Emma asked Nora.
“Of course,” Nora answered as she pulled her into an embrace. “Nothin’ in the world would make me happier.”
“What about returnin’ home?” Hunter asked, stepping towards them.
Emma’s eyes shifted to him, a warning flashing in them.
“I cannae do that,” Nora said. “Nae when Emma needs a midwife.”
“And why nae?” Hunter asked. “Emma willnae be giving birth for some time, and ye could go back and see yer clan.”
Nora folded her arms over her chest and glared at him. “What’s the catch?”
“Seems ever since I married Emma, I am the rightful Laird of Clan Clyde. But I have me clan to run. Emma thought maybe either ye or Isobel would like to act as a regent for me in that area. Keep an eye on things, and if ye should marry, then the title would revert to ye and yer husband.”
“I thought ye said ye’d never force us to marry?” Nora snapped.
Emma reached her hand out, trying to quickly defuse the situation before it got out of hand. “We’re nae forcin’ ye, we’re askin’,” she said in her sing-song voice that made even the air feel lighter. “If ye dinnae want the position, then we’ll find someone else. But the council of Clan Clyde is in that room right over there. They’ve come expectin’ an answer about who is goin’ to be leadin’ the clan from now on.”
“I’ll do it.” Isobel’s voice rang out.
Hunter spun about as Emma released Nora and rushed to her other sister.
“Are ye sure this is what ye want to do?” Emma asked, and Hunter turned his attention to the chatter rising higher within the other room.
“It is,” Isobel stated. “I’ve wanted to go home since we left. And I ken now that Geoffrey is gone, there’s much to clean up.”
“Nay doubt ye got the arm and the eye for seein’ things get done there,” Hunter said as he patted her on the shoulder. “As long as ye ken that ye can come back here anytime ye want.”
“I ken, and dinnae think for a moment I’m goin’ to let Nora have all the fun wit’ the bairn that’s comin’,” Isobel said.
