Kieran closed the distance between them, standing so close, the top of his chin could rest atop her head.
He cupped her face, his fingers gentle and his palms cool against the heat of her cheeks. “I have no intention of having ye killed, lass.”
She stepped away from him, refusing to allow any hope. “I’m a traitor,” she said.
“Ye are nae a traitor. Ye dinna have a choice.” He studied her for a brief moment before continuing. “I dinna know everything about yer past, but I do know ye’ve lived a hard life. Yet still ye persevered and stayed true to what is most important.” The corner of his lip lifted in a slow smile. “I’m proud of ye.”
Her pulse raced. Was he serious? He truly did not believe she was a traitor even after all she had done?
His eyes searched hers. “I meant what I said to Jack. My life is better for having known ye.” He stepped in front of her once more and caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger. “I’m a better man because of ye.”
“Kieran,” she breathed, torn between wanting him to stop and needing him to continue. There could be nothing between them, not when she’d already hurt him so much. His words gave her a hope she did not deserve. A hope that would never flourish.
His thumb pressed against her lips, silencing her. “I dinna interrupt ye this morning when ye talked. Dinna interrupt me now, aye?” The pressure of his thumb brushed to a delicate caress. “I asked ye something once before and ye said no. At the time I dinna understand yer reasoning, but now I understand ye did what ye knew in yer heart was right.”
Her breath quickened. Surely he didn’t mean…
“This time I know ye as I dinna know ye then. I know yer faults that ye feel are great and that I feel are few. And I know yer strengths that ye feel are few and I feel are great. After hiding for years, ye finally have someone who knows ye, knows all of ye, and loves ye no in spite of it, but for it.” He stroked her cheek. “I love ye, Mariel, and I would be honored if ye would become my wife.”
She jerked back from the burn of his touch, unable to bear the torment of his closeness any longer. “How could you possibly wish to wed me?”
Kieran’s hands gripped her arms firmly, forcing her to return her gaze to him. “I was a warrior for years, do ye no think I dinna have to do things I dinna want to do? Things I was ashamed to do? I killed men who meant to kill me and stole food when my warriors were starving. It doesna matter the direction necessity forces ye to take in life, it matters which way ye go when ye have a choice.”
Pain laced his words. He understood her far more than she thought possible. He knew the raw burn of survival and bore its wicked scars.
His lips pressed against her forehead, and the familiar spice of his scent enveloped her with memories that left tears in her eyes.
“Ye dinna have to sacrifice any part of yerself ever again, Mariel. Come back to Skye with Jack.” A muscle worked in his jaw. “Ye dinna have to marry me if ye dinna want to. Regardless, ye will have a home for the two of ye.” He paused. “But if ye do want to marry me, I promise to be a verra good husband.”
He saw something in her she had never allowed herself to see and gave her permission to accept what she had done in the past, to move forward into a future she had never considered. While she saw only the bad she had done, he opened her eyes to all the good in her life.
She could begin a new life. With him. A smile spread over her lips before she could stop it.
He grinned down at her. “Typically when a man asks a lass to marry him, it’s polite to give him a response of some kind.”
She gave a choked laugh. “You’re exceptionally good at convincing people, Kieran MacDonald.”
His eyebrows raised in a serious expression. “Is that a yes?”
“Aye,” she teased, “that’s a yes.”
His arms wrapped around her, narrowly missing the whip’s mark around her waist, and pulled her against the solid warmth of his chest. She melted against him and breathed deeply, allowing the memories to fill her heart with a joy she had tempered for too long.
“No one will ever hurt ye again,” he whispered fiercely into her ear. “Ye’re mine, and I’ll no ever let anything cause ye unhappiness.”
His heartbeat was steady and strong against her cheek. “I love you,” she breathed into the warmth of his leine, not certain if he would hear her.
“And I love ye, my sweet Mariel.”
• • •
Kieran stood at the front of the small, private chapel and tried to ignore the numerous sets of eyes on him. The thick stone walls held out the heat of the midafternoon sun while the large lead encased windows let in ample light. Small bundles of heather dotted the aisles with sprays of purple. Blair had outdone herself, and he couldn’t help but smile knowing how it would please Mariel.
The glossy wooden door of the chapel, however, remained closed as they all waited for her arrival.
Kieran shifted from one foot to the other, and he caught the pungent aroma of rosemary he’d inadvertently crushed beneath his boot. He scanned the faces of his clan where they waited in eager anticipation.
Alec sat silent in the back with a rare grin on his face. Colin, who’d finally learned to keep his damned hands to himself, sat at the front. Even Hamish had arrived, wearing his best plaid for the occasion. Blair sat between Dougal and Jack with her arms affectionately slung around each boy. Tears glistened in her eyes, and the ceremony had yet to begin.
Jack and Dougal had not stayed out of trouble since they’d been introduced. Though Mariel and Blair acted exasperated with the antics, Kieran knew deep down they were glad to see the boys happy once more.
The doors to the chapel opened and Mariel swept in like a mythical goddess, ethereal with a halo of golden afternoon light framing her slender form.
Her long onyx hair tumbled down her shoulders to the simple blue gown she wore. She glided down the short aisle to his side. Her eyes sparkled up at him with a joy that lodged in his heart and swelled with pleasure.
There were so many things he wanted to tell her, so much to say that he found himself overwhelmed. She humbled him with her love. She made the warrior turned laird in a land never meant to be his suddenly feel right, and washed away the bitterness of his past with the warmth of her presence.
“Ye look bonnie,” he whispered. Petty words that failed to cover all he wished to say.
He would take the time to show her his appreciation once the festivities came to a close and they were left alone in his chamber. Their chamber.
His blood heated at the thought.
The priest cleared his throat, silently chastising them with a stern look. Kieran reluctantly turned from his bride to face the old man who prattled on for what felt like an eternity before he finally addressed Mariel. “Do ye consent to this union?”
Mariel met his gaze and smiled radiantly. “I do.”
“And do ye consent to the union?” the priest asked Kieran.
Kieran took Mariel’s smooth hand in his. “Aye,” he said in earnest, “I do.”
Colin’s voice piped up from the front pew. “Hurry up and kiss her before the priest starts up again, aye?”
The priest narrowed his eyes at Colin before giving them a gentle nod. “Go on then,” he said and muttered under his breath about youth and failing traditions.
Kieran paid the old man little heed. He tilted Mariel’s face toward him and closed his mouth over the warmth of her lips. Finally, he would convey the love he’d repressed for so long. His tongue dipped into the sweetness of her mouth—a promise of good things to come.
A delicious shiver raised the hair on Mariel’s arms as Kieran’s tongue brushed hers, none too discreetly based on the lewd applause of those watching. He grinned up at their audience, and the priest grumbled beside them.
“Kieran,” she chided with a laugh. “You’re wicked!”
“No nearly as wicked as I intend to be later, wife,” he breathed into her ear. A fresh wave of heart po
unding excitement washed over her. The expression on his face was not one of lust, but one of love. His dark gaze was tender.
He caught her hand in the crook of his large arm, and together they made their way down the aisle to exit the chapel. Jack scampered to his feet and ran beside her with a wide smile. She folded his sweaty hand in hers. Dougal wouldn’t be far behind.
Caisteal Camus rose from the large hill before them, no longer a cold, ominous fortress. The castle had become her home, filled with those she loved.
Kieran brushed a kiss against her ear. “Welcome to yer new life, Lady MacDonald.”
Mariel breathed deep Kieran’s scent and basked in the warmth of his solid body against hers as she considered his words.
A new life, one filled with kindness, honesty, and love.
And blissfully free of deception.
Acknowledgments
I always thought the ‘there are too many people to thank who made this moment possible’ line was just a note of drama in an exciting moment. Now that I’m there, I realize exactly what they mean. There are always so many inspiring, amazing people to thank with each book written, but I think a debut requires an even longer list. First of all, I want to thank Laura Bradford for believing in me. Next I want to thank Randall Klein (and Sarah, Mary, Eliza, Hannah, Brielle and all the other awesome people with Diversion Books) for being so wonderful.
Thank you to my amazing beta readers who helped me with brutal honesty and made me giddy with genuine compliments (and holy Scotsman are y’all some fast readers!): Alli Searle, Sandy Martins, Katie Couch and Amanda Sumner. Thank you to Hillary Raymer for being the best critique partner ever and a wonderful friend—Wine Wednesday forever! Thank you to April Smith for the countless hours of e-mails and encouragement and for being so excited to read each chapter as soon as I wrote it—you motivated me more than you’ll ever know. Thank you to Shelby Reed for being there for me (as a fellow writer and stoic friend) through the start of the book all the way to the finish (and all the chaos in between)—you inspire me.
I also want to thank First Coast Romance Writers for the incredible knowledge gleaned and friends gained. Thank you to the Fire Breathing Flamingos for the mentoring and encouragement and constant availability for questions and to the Lalalas for always being such a huge support network—I love you ladies. Thank you to Donna MacMeans for her rooting interests lecture and the way it revolutionized the way I write. Thank you to Margie Lawson for encouraging me to write fresher than I ever realized I could.
Thank you to my loving parents for their nonstop encouragement and support all these years. And a final, special thank you to my beautiful daughters (the minions) who are my biggest, cutest cheerleaders ever and who only ever go to bed without a sound when they know my agent is going to call.
Thank you to anyone I may have missed in this incredibly long list. I’m a fortunate woman to have my dream come true and all the more fortunate for all the love and support surrounding me.
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