by Gill, Tamara
Chapter Twenty-Five
Abby woke with a start at the sound of loud knocking on her door. For a moment, panic clutched at her stomach, thinking the O’Cains had returned, but the sound of Gwen’s excited voice on the other side of the door put all her fears to rest.
“Come in.” Gwen stormed into the room, shutting the door quickly behind her. “What’s going on?” Abby asked, rubbing her eyes.
“Ye will never guess what has occurred this morn. When the servant went in to wake Aline, all she found was a missive on her bed.” Gwen paused. “Her unslept-in bed…”
Abby narrowed her eyes, wondering where this was going. In her time, this sort of thing was common, certainly not the drama it seemed to be here, which was a sign of the times, she supposed. “So what did the note say?”
Gwen sat on her bed, grinning. “She’s run off with Black Ben. They’re to be married. The letter to her father, who’s expected to return today, explained her feelings had changed and that she no longer wanted to marry Aedan.”
Abby shut her mouth with a snap and tried not to smile, and with the thought of Aline out of the picture…she could have Aedan.
“Aline begged for forgiveness and wished everyone the very best in their life.”
“Where’s Aedan?”
“Breaking his fast downstairs.”
“Is he upset that Black Ben has done this?”
Gwen shrugged, seemingly taken aback by the question. “He dinna look it. In fact, he seemed quite pleased about the whole situation.”
I bet he did… Abby’s chamber servant walked in, a deep purple gown in her arms.
“Louise, can you organize a bath for me this morning, please?” Her servant curtsied and went off on her chore.
“I must ask, Abigail. Will you marry my brother now?”
“I’ll let you know after I’ve seen Aedan.”
“Very well.” Gwen kissed her cheek quickly, the woman almost hopping with excitement. “I’ll be in the hall doing some mending when you’re ready to come down.”
Abby watched her go, the butterflies in her stomach at full flight. Aedan was no longer engaged. She grinned, unable to control the excitement that coursed through her veins.
What luck it was that Aline cried off, stopping the need for Aedan to break alliances with clan Grant.
The bath, although not the deepest, was refreshing. She lathered her skin with lavender soap, and thought about what the next few days would mean. Had what happened between Ben and Aline been what Ben had hinted at the other day when he joined her on the picnic? Had he planned this? Or had their attraction been an ongoing thing, and one he’d wanted to pursue, especially after finding out his best friend was about to marry the woman?
There was nothing like wanting something you couldn’t have to make you realize how much you needed it.
“Abigail.”
She gasped and turned to find Aedan walking into her room from the secret corridor. “I’m a little busy here. Perhaps you can come back later.” Not that she meant a word of it. Aedan could intrude on her anytime he liked.
He strode quickly across the small distance, ripping off his shirt and dropping his kilt as he did so. Abby’s mouth dried at the sight of him standing beside the tub, his bronzed form hers for the taking, if she wished.
And she so wished.
He climbed in, the water rising and threatening to swoosh over the side.
“Please, join me.” He smiled at her sarcasm.
He sat at the opposite end to her, which wasn’t all that far considering the size of the tub and stared, his dark emerald eyes beckoning her with untold delights. “Come here.”
Abby bit her lip but did as he asked. Their bodies slid against one another, the feel of his muscular thighs under her bottom making her burn with need.
“What do you want, Aedan?” From the hardness that pushed against her core, she knew what he wanted, as did he. His hands clasped hard against her hips, his cock sliding, teasing her toward madness.
She moaned.
“Marry me.”
She nodded, trying to form the word past the lump in her throat. “Yes.”
He kissed her long and slow. Abby ran her hands across his unshaven jaw and up into his hair. His locks were longer than they’d been when she was here before, and she pulled them a little.
He lifted her and she took him in, his member filling her, making her feel secure and complete. Everything about him she adored—his strength, mind, ability as a man.
As he rocked into her, their need increased. Abby leaned back and watched as they made love to each other. His eyes darkened to a murky green with desire, sparking her enjoyment. She loved having control of a man in such a way, a man who’d normally control every facet of his life, including sex.
But not here. Here Abby had the upper hand and she made full use of her wiles.
...
Aedan ground his teeth as the woman in his arms, his future wife, tormented and pushed him within an inch of his ability to not come before she did. Having not had sex for the past twelve months, a man could only stand so much tupping, and after their kiss last night, his capacity to last was fraying faster than his well-worn kilt.
He ran his hands over her soft flesh, her skin as smooth as pummelled leather. Her breasts rocked before him as she rode them both toward ecstasy. He ran his palm across the pebbled flesh of her nipples. She gasped, laughing a little as he rolled the peaks between his fingers.
Her breasts were supple and all his. “I missed ye, lass. So much.”
She kissed him again and he lost himself in the embrace. He clasped her hard against him, pushing her down on his cock, his body roaring to come.
“Yes. Keep doing that.”
He bit down on her shoulder, helping her to ride him, wanting her to come with a need that matched his. She moaned his name, nibbled his earlobe.
“I’m going to come,” she whispered, sighing against his ear.
He growled and held off his own release as she climaxed in his arms. Tremor after tremor pulled on him and he came hard, following close on her heels in his own orgasm that shot pleasure to every extremity of his body. Their breathing labored, he stroked her back as they slowly gathered their breath.
“I love you.” She kissed his shoulder, her lips leaving fire in their wake.
“I love ye, too. So much.”
She pulled back and met his gaze, ran a finger over his bottom lip, and he clasped it between his teeth. “We should spend the entire day in here. Forget the world for twenty-four hours.”
He stood, taking her with him as he stepped out of the tub. He clasped the linen cloth for drying and quickly wiped them both down before carrying her to the bed.
Abigail looked good enough to eat laid out on the furs. Her long, dark locks sat about her face and over her shoulders, partly hiding the most perfect breasts he’d ever beheld.
“Let me lock the door.”
She sat up with a start. “Oh my God, I totally forgot that wasn’t locked. Anyone could’ve walked in.” A blush stole over her cheeks, making her more beautiful than he thought possible.
Aedan laughed. “I think they would’ve heard ye were otherwise occupied.” His words only produced a darker shade of crimson on her face.
“I hope no one thought I was playing with myself in here. How embarrassing.”
He slipped the bolt across the door and strolled back to the bed. “That’s an interesting thought, and one I’d love to delve into later. But first, I’m going to make due on a promise.”
“What promise?” She frowned, but laughter twinkled in her eyes.
“I said ye were good enough to eat, and now I’m going to do so.”
“Oh really?” She raised her brow, but lay down, placing her hands behind her head. “The thought of you doing that is such a turn on.”
Aedan groaned and kneeled over her. He kissed her stomach, the top of her thigh, between her legs. “Then lay back and enjoy my mouth on yer d
elicious sex.” He flicked his tongue against her and she moaned.
“Oh, I will.” Her hands clasped his hair, kneading his locks. “Trust me.”
...
Later that night in a tangle of limbs, Abby rested her head on Aedan’s chest, the sound of his beating heart lulling her to sleep. “We should have a bathroom made, just for us so we can bathe together whenever we want.”
“And what will ye put in this bathroom?”
She smiled, thinking of all sorts of wonderful stuff. “We could have a larger bath made that would fit us both. Maybe tile the floor so it’s cleaner when we’ve finished washing. And if you’re clever, you could plumb pipework from downstairs so running water, both hot and cold, could fill this tub whenever we wished.”
“If I made such a room for ye, I’d never get ye out of it.”
Abby laughed. “If you were with me, why would we want to leave?”
“True,” he said, and Abby could hear the smile in his voice. “You’ll have to tell me more about it and mayhap we can plan something. Anything to please my woman.”
“Thank you. You won’t regret it.”
They were quiet for a moment, before Aedan said, “When I saw ye in the hall after so long without ye, I thought you were an apparition. I’d been dreaming of you for months, I thought I’d started doing the same while awake.”
Tears welled in her eyes and she sniffed. The last thing she wanted to do was turn into a blubbering mess in front of him. She looked up at him, resting her chin on his chest. “Yes, it’s me.”
“I’m sorry for putting ye through the last few weeks. Will you ever forgive me?”
“Aedan, it wasn’t your fault. Not really. You’re a product of your era. Marriage and heirs are expected of a laird and rightly so. I was crazy jealous that you’d moved on.” She watched him digest her words, wondering what was going on behind that calculating visage.
“I should have demanded more of Gwen, but with the thought of losing ye, I suppose I fell into a hole I couldn’t raise myself from.” He cringed. “I know it’s not fair, but I would’ve married anyone. I really didn’t care who.”
“Oh, Aedan, that’s terrible, but I understand. I do. Please don’t think that this will be an ongoing problem between us, because it won’t.” And surprisingly, Abby felt the truth in her words deep inside her heart. Aedan loved her. She certainly wouldn’t hold anything against him for the choices he made.
“I dinna want it to be,” he said, leaning down to whisper against her lips before kissing them quickly.
She wiggled over his chest, deepening the embrace. How amazing to have had such an opportunity to meet and fall in love with such a man. He wanted to marry her without a penny to her name, no grand family behind her, nothing other than her love. She was the luckiest woman on earth. “So when are you going to make an honest woman of me?”
He smirked and her stomach flipped. “Is tomorrow too soon? From this day forward, you’ll never leave my side again. I’ve missed ye, lass. So very much.”
His lips took hers in a searing kiss and she was lost. Lost to sensation and him. Just him, Aedan, the man she would make a future and life with for all time. This man pulling her hard against him, taking the kiss to searing heights would be the father of her children and she couldn’t wait to get started. She would have Gwen cut out the implant stopping conception tomorrow. She couldn’t wait to live…with him.
“I love you,” she said, breaking the kiss for a moment, laughing as he pulled her against him once more, kissing her hard and deep.
“And I you, and if I don’t tell ye that every day, be sure to remind me of my lapse.” He smiled and her heart melted.
“I will. I promise.”
She kissed him, reveling in all that was him. His moral character, his strength, and Highland heart. A heart that beat only for her. “I’ll never leave you again. I promise.”
“It pleases me heart to hear such words.”
He rolled her over, pinning her beneath him. Abby laughed, and just as quickly sobered as he settled between her legs.
“And it’ll please me more to have the pleasure of yer company…again.”
“I like the sound of the word pleasure.” She leaned in close to his ear, tickling it a little with her tongue. “You’re not turning into that dreaded Neanderthal again, are you?”
He growled and she moaned as he slid deep and slow inside her. “One day you’ll have to explain to me what exactly that term means, although I’m assuming it’s something that resembles an untamed beast of a man.”
Abby laughed and nodded. “What’s life without a little spice between the sheets?”
He kissed her and she lost track of her thoughts. Instead, she shut her mind on the world, on the future and the past, for within their room, their home, and Highland land, they created magic.
A life of their own.
Epilogue
Abby screamed, cursing her husband who, right at this moment, wasn’t beside her, so she could kick him in the face.
“Keep pushing, Abigail. The babe is almost here.”
She cringed, wanting to crawl out of her own body, to do anything to get away from the monstrous sized baby she was trying to push out. She didn’t need anyone to remind her she was having a baby, she could feel it well enough.
“I see the head!”
Abby glared at Gwen, who along with the clan healer, bent between her legs looking at the little rascal that surely was trying to split her in two. Another contraction tensed her stomach, and she pushed hard, feeling only the slightest reprieve from the pain when she worked with the contractions instead of against them.
“Keep pushing, lass. We’re almost there.”
“Oh God, it hurts,” she screamed, pushing.
“Stop, lass, the head’s out.”
She panted, trying to halt the need to get this baby out while her body wanted to be rid of it. The baby felt huge, obviously took after his father.
“One more push, lass, and it’ll be out. It’s almost over,” the healer said, nodding energetically.
Tears pooled in her eyes and for the first time in the year and a half she’d been living in medieval Scotland, she wished she was in her own time. A time when there were hospitals, doctors, and an epidural.
One last push and finally, relief poured through her with the announcement the baby was out. A small, gurgling cry sounded and she sobbed, both in relief and gratitude.
She was a mom.
“It’s a girl!” Gwen laughed, handing the small little person to her and laying her on her chest. Abby looked down at who she and Aedan had created, and a love, unlike any she’d ever known, assailed her.
There was no doubt she loved Aedan, hadn’t thought she could love anyone more with her heart and soul, but she was wrong. As the sweet cherub face scrunched and cried up at her, Abby knew she’d never love another more. She’d die before allowing anything to happen to this little sweetheart.
“Has Aedan returned?” she asked, not taking her gaze from their child.
“I’ll go and check,” Gwen said, standing and kissing her cheek quickly. “Congratulations, Abigail. She’s beautiful.”
“Isn’t she?” She sniffed, sitting up a little when the clan healer said she was okay to do so. Abby opened the wadding to check her daughter had all ten fingers and toes. Her little face scrunched up in annoyance at being unwrapped and she quickly covered her again lest she become cold.
The sound of shouts from outside, followed by banging doors and yelling downstairs made her start. She lifted her little girl up and kissed her, giving her a little cuddle just as her bedroom door burst open.
Aedan stormed into the room, his face one of worry and despair.
“I missed it,” he said, coming to sit beside her on the bed and kissing her quickly on the temple before gazing lovingly at their daughter. “Are ye well, lass? Is there naught anyone can do for ye?”
“I’m fine, Aedan. I’ll be sore for a few week
s, but otherwise, it looks like I survived my first childbirth.” She handed the baby over, chuckling a little as her brute of a husband made an awkward attempt at gentleness.
“What shall we call her?” Abby asked, reaching over to touch their little girl’s soft cheek.
“It’s a girl?”
He sounded surprised and she nodded. “Yes, it is. We’ll have a boy next time.”
“Just as long as you’re healthy, I don’t care what we have.”
He met her gaze, and her heart thudded hard in her chest. How she loved him so. Over the past year, he’d ensured her transition to Highland life was one of ease and enjoyment. And certain situations had improved since being here. She’d certainly showed them a few new ways to live, hints stolen from the future and put into practice here.
Abby watched him get to know their daughter, her little eyes looking at him, even though she wouldn’t be able to focus on anything for some weeks yet. “So,” she said, nudging him. “What shall we call her?”
“She’s as perfect as a pearl, how do you like Maisie?”
Abby clasped her daughter’s little hand, marveling at how small and precious she was. “I love it, and I love you. Thank you for making her with me.” Tears fell unheeded and she welcomed the comforting arm Aedan wrapped about her.
“You’re everything to me, Abigail. My life has never been more full or happy since the day you landed at my feet. And I promise ye, I will never let harm come to you or Maisie in my lifetime. I promise ye that.”
“I know you will.”
And Aedan kept his promise. Always.
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Author Note
When setting out to write this series and To Conquer a Scot in particular, I wanted to use historical events of the past to add adventure, action, and tragedy to the story. The battle between the MacLeod and O’Cain clans was based around the real life disputes between Clan MacLeod and Clan MacDonald. These clans had long disliked the other, and it is true that in a show of peace the laird of Clan Macleod offered his sister to the then laird of Clan MacDonald in a handfasting ceremony. After a year, when the MacLeod sister at the MacDonald stronghold produced no heir, she was sent back to her home, blind in one eye, on a one-eyed horse, with a one-eyed dog and one-eyed servant. The insult infuriated the Laird MacLeod and eventually, war was declared. It was known as the last clan battle in Skye.
