Page 48 of Wedded to the Heartless Highlander
“Ach, nonsense!” Erica laughed, passing Lily a finished crown to place atop his head. “If it’s good enough for a fearsome warrior like ye, then it’s good enough for anyone.”
With a flourish, Lily placed the crown on Hunter’s head, looking intensely pleased with herself.
Hunter grimaced for a moment, but something on Lily’s beaming face must have softened him because he didn’t remove it. Instead, he reached out and pulled her onto his lap, surprising Erica with his affection. His arm wrapped protectively around the girl, and she nestled happily against his chest, giggling at her handiwork.
“See, Uncle Hunter,” she said, grinning up at him, “ye look just like the knights in me stories!”
Hunter chuckled, looking down at her with a warmth that made Erica’s heart ache in the best way. She felt as though she were witnessing something rare and precious—his tenderness, usually hidden behind his cold exterior.
“Do I now?” he said, eyeing her crown. “And here I thought I was meant to be a laird.”
“Nay, today ye’re a knight,” Erica murmured, her voice soft as she watched them.
She felt a sudden urge to reach out, to take his hand in hers, but she held back, letting him warm up to this moment on his own.
They spent the next hour sharing food, laughing, and telling Lily stories of Highland heroes and old battles. Erica even managed to draw Hunter into the storytelling, his deep voice adding a dramatic flair to the tales that had Lily on the edge of her seat. Every so often, Erica would catch him glancing at her, his gray eyes softened by something she couldn’t quite name.
At one point, Lily scampered off to pick more wildflowers, leaving Erica and Hunter sitting alone on the blanket. The easy silence between them felt intimate, a comfortable pause that neither seemed in a rush to break.
Erica leaned back, feeling the warmth of the sun on her face as she watched Lily dance around the field, her laughter filling the air. “She adores ye, ye ken,” she said quietly, glancing at Hunter.
He looked away, his gaze distant as he watched his niece, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. “She looks just like her faither—me eldest braither,” he admitted. “She’s all I have left,” he murmured, his voice almost inaudible. “And I’d give anythin’ to keep her happy.”
Erica reached out, daring to gently put her hand on his. He stiffened at the touch but didn’t pull away. Instead, he looked down at her hand, his fingers twitching slightly under hers.
“She’s lucky to have ye,” she said softly, her gaze steady as she looked at him. “And so am I, if I’m bein’ honest.”
For a moment, the world seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of them. The intensity of his gaze sent a shiver through her, his eyes roaming down her face to the very necklace he had gifted her. It was as though he was memorizing every detail of this moment.
Her breath hitched in her throat, heat rising to her cheeks as she followed his eyes, the intensity of his attention almost too much to bear.
But before Erica could say anything more, Lily returned, clutching a handful of flowers and demanding her aunt’s attention. With a reluctant smile, Erica pulled her hand back, though her fingers tingled where they had touched Hunter’s.
The tension between them simmered as his eyes lingered on her. She could feel the heat radiating from him, and the memory of their passionate encounter last night flashed through her mind—the way he’d held her, kissed her, and spoken words she’d longed to hear. She swallowed, trying to steady her breathing, but his proximity was intoxicating.
“Ye look beautiful,” he murmured when Lily scampered away once more, his voice low, for her ears only. His gaze dropped to the necklace again, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
“Do I?” Eric asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
She wanted to say so much more, to ask him what this all meant. But she held back, savoring the moment instead.
Hunter’s hand brushed against hers, his fingers warm against her skin. It was a subtle touch, but it sent a shiver up her spine, and her heart fluttered with anticipation. She felt as if they were teetering on the edge of something—something profound.
Lily called out to them both from just over the hill, begging them to help her search for flowers. Her pleas pulled them back to the present.
Hunter pushed himself to his feet with impressive agility and offered Erica his hand to help her up. The two walked close enough to sense each other but just far enough not to touch as they met Lily over the hill.
Finally, as the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting a golden glow over the hills, Lily grew sleepy. She leaned against Hunter, her eyes heavy with drowsiness.
Erica couldn’t help but smile at the sight, her heart swelling with affection. She packed up their picnic as Hunter lifted the girl into his arms. Lily yawned and buried her face in his shoulder.
“Come here, lass,” he murmured, and they both chuckled as they walked back up to the castle together.
As they walked down the dim corridors toward Lily’s room, she mumbled something incoherent, then shifted, blinking her eyes open just long enough to look up at her uncle.
“Will ye… stay with me tonight, Uncle Hunter?” she asked sleepily, her small hand clutching his tunic.
Hunter hesitated, glancing at Erica. She could see the uncertainty in his eyes, the lingering shadow of guilt that always seemed to haunt him. But then, he nodded, his expression softening.
