Page 49 of Wedded to the Heartless Highlander
“Yes, Lily,” he murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to the girl’s forehead. “I’ll stay.”
Lily’s sleepy gaze flicked to Erica. “And ye too, Aunt Erica?”
Erica’s heart melted, and she reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her niece’s face. “Of course,” she replied softly, giving Hunter a reassuring smile.
Together, they carried Lily into her room and tucked her beneath the blankets. But before they could step back, her hand shot out, grabbing hold of Erica’s arm.
“All three of us,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
Hunter glanced at Erica, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, and she felt a blush rise to her cheeks. But he didn’t protest, and with a quiet nod, he gestured toward the bed.
Erica climbed in beside Lily, feeling a mix of awkwardness and warmth. Hunter settled on the other side, his body a solid, comforting presence beside her.
In the quiet darkness, with Lily’s small hand resting on hers, Erica felt a sense of peace she hadn’t known she needed. And as she lay there, her gaze flicking to Hunter every now and then, she realized just how much she wanted this—all of it.
Not just the quiet moments, but the laughter, the arguments, and the silence that spoke louder than words.
15
Hunter leaned back in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose as Calvin relayed the council’s latest demands.
For the third meeting in a row, the council had pressed the same issue: his siring an heir. Their concern barely masked the urgency of a looming crisis, as though Hunter would fall ill tomorrow if he didn’t produce an heir. He’d listened, gritted his teeth, and kept his expression flat, only responding with measured silence.
“Perhaps they’ll back off for a while,” Calin said, though his tone suggested he believed nothing of the sort. “At least until the next meetin’.”
Hunter snorted, not bothering to reply as his eyes drifted over Calvin’s shoulder. A flash of skirts as Erica and Lily raced each other outside. The sound of their laughter made a smile tug at his lips.
Suddenly, his thoughts were consumed by Erica as she stepped back into his view and crouched down, pointing out a flower to Lily, who gasped in delight. Erica’s face was glowing, her features soft with affection. Though it was Lily’s clear admiration for her that made him stir.
Calvin smirked knowingly. “Getting a bit distracted, are we?”
Hunter jerked his head back, but he kept his expression neutral. “Careful, Calvin,” he warned in a low voice.
Calvin simply chuckled, unbothered by his glare. “Cannae blame a man for noticin’ when his Laird’s mind is elsewhere,” he quipped, crossing his arms over his chest. “Ye have been driftin’ off more often these days.”
Hunter shot him another ice-cold look that would have silenced weaker men. “Keep it to yerself, or I’ll assign ye stable duty for a week,” he retorted, his voice firm, though there was a note of amusement there.
Calvin’s grin only widened. “Understood, Laird MacKinnon,” he said with a mock formality, giving him a small bow.
Ignoring him, Hunter made his way out of his study to join them outside. Calvin fell into step behind him, but Hunter’s attention was already on Erica—the way her skirts swished around her legs, the way she gently guided Lily through the gardens. His chest tightened as he approached them.
They both looked up at him, and Erica flashed him a radiant smile that sent a wave of unsettling warmth through him.
“Hunter,” she greeted, reaching out to touch his arm in a familiar, casual way that only intensified the heat blooming behind his ribcage.
“Erica,” he replied, his voice gruff.
He looked down at Lily, who was beaming up at him, though he noticed her demeanor shifting slightly when Erica withdrew her hand.
“I was just showin’ Lily some of the flowers again. We’re decidin’ which ones to paint next,” Erica said, glancing between him and the little girl with a gleam in her eyes.
She gave a small, oddly mischievous smile and glanced down at her skirts, her fingers toying with the fabric.
“Actually,” she added, glancing up at him with an innocence that didn’t quite reach her eyes, “I just remembered somethin’ I need to fetch. Willnae be long!”
Hunter narrowed his eyes at her, watching her turn around and head back to the castle, leaving him with Calvin and Lily.
There is somethin’ about her grin…
