Page 45 of Wedded to the Twisted Highlander
The kiss deepened, becoming a dance of exploration, each movement revealing uncharted territories of longing and connection. Her fingers tangled in his hair, and he could feel a tremor of excitement wracking her body.
In that heated embrace, a world of possibilities unfurled before them. It was a moment that transcended the ordinary, a spark that could ignite a fire. And as they finally broke the kiss, breathless and wide-eyed, Thomas knew that nothing would ever be the same again.
The flood had receded, but the impact of their shared passion lingered, leaving behind a landscape forever transformed. As he slowly stepped back, breathless and wide-eyed, Thomas marveled at her boldness. Her cheeks flushed a ruby red that excited him more than it should, and her lips glistened in the fading light, making himachefor her.
“Are ye sure that is all ye want?” he asked, trying to keep his voice steady despite the yearning that was festering in his bones.
He wanted Astrid. And he would fight for every inch he could get. Even if it took him his entire life to gain her trust, he’d do it, for the victory would taste all the sweeter.
“Are ye tellin’ me that ye dinnae?” she challenged, as if she knew exactly how to taunt him.
“Ye shouldnae test me,” Thomas answered as he heard the manservant calling for them again.
“I want ye,” Astrid whispered.
“And ye have a duty,” he pointed out, hating himself for stopping her.
But as he looked around, he realized that this wasn’t the place to have her. Not among the squirrels and the leaves. Not with a rock for a pillow or a bark for a blanket.
“Me Laird,” she panted as she clawed at him.
“Trust me, this isnae the place nor the time.”
“I…” she whimpered as he fought back every emotion rising within him.
He wasn’t going to be one of those fools who lost control so easily. No, that wasn’t how his father had raised him.
“Have a job to do, aye. So go,” he finished for her. “Will I still see ye at dinner?”
Thomas’s stomach flipped as if he had tripped and tumbled down a ravine with no end. His world was slipping through his fingers, and yet what remained seemed of far more value than he could have dreamed of.
“Aye, nothing will keep me away.”
Thomas stood beneath the sprawling branches of the oak as the manservant pushed back the thick shrubs and glared at them.
Astrid skipped to the servant’s side as if embarrassed that she was found with her husband.
A smile spread across Thomas’s lips, for he knew that what they had just done would quash the rumors. And of course, Astrid’s reaction only made it more obvious that something had happened between them. All Thomas had to do now was sit back and let the servants whisper.
“Should I wait to applaud?” Reid asked as he barged into the study.
Thomas let out an audible sigh as he pulled the ledger closer to his face, wishing his brother would go elsewhere.
“What are ye talkin’ about?” he grumbled, barely giving him any grace.
The smirk on Reid’s face made it all too clear that Thomas’s plan had worked flawlessly. If Reid’s ears had picked up the whispers, then he counted that as a success.
“Why, yer escapade in the grove. The whole castle is talkin’ about it. Well done and fast work. Ye ken, I did bet money on whether ye’d bed the bobcat. But since there’s nay doubt about it now, are we waitin’ to see what pops out of her?”
“That is Lady McFair, and ye’ll show respect,” Thomas warned as he glared daggers at his brother. “She is me wife and yer Lady.”
“Which brings me to the matter at hand. When are ye goin’ to inform the other lairds that ye’ve been swiped up?” Reid asked as he plopped down into the chair in front of Thomas’s desk.
“Why?” Thomas asked, feeling a surge of uncertainty clawing at his back. “What do ye want?”
“What makes ye think I want anything? It’s the council. They’ve been chatterin’ in the tavern about formalities. I think it’s only fair that ye throw a party in Astrid’s honor and have every knee bend to the new Lady McFair.”
Thomas rubbled the stubble on his chin as he studied his brother. Out of all the things Reid suggested, Thomas couldn’t find any fault with his request. He knew that Astrid would never ask for such an event, but it would settle all scores across the Highlands.
