Page 105 of Taken By the Heartless Highlander
As the ceilidh dancers gathered, Noah nodded in greeting to his fellow lairds, all of whom had come to celebrate with him on this happy day.
The only one who was not participating in the dance was Murdoch, who stood at the edge of the room, looking positively furious, but when he caught Noah’s eye, the frown faded, and he raised his glass in acknowledgment with a brief smile.
Noah nodded in return just as he heard a loud laugh at the end of the line and sighed as he looked over at Camden. It appeared he had promised himself to far too many ladies and Noah would not be surprised if there wasn’t a fight by the end of the evening.
He looked back at his bride, whose gaze was fixed at the other end of the line of dancers and Noah followed it curiously, only to grin as he saw Scott standing up with Fenella, looking absolutely terrified as he prepared to dance with her.
Keira’s eyes came back to his, and they were filled with so much happiness that he thought his heart might burst. “I love ye,” he mouthed across the divide between them, and as the music began, they came together in their first perfect act as man and wife.
* * *
It was later that night, as they lay together in bed, a candle burning gently beside them and the warm covers pulled up to their shoulders, that something occurred to him that he had not considered before.
“Me chest hasnae pained me for some time, now,” he said, as he rolled closer to his wife and pulled her into his arms.
“Do ye think it is because ye have been smilin’ more?” she asked, laughing at the look he gave her at that comment.
“Are ye sayin’ I am nae cheerful enough for ye, wife of mine?” Noah asked.
“Callum said ye nearly killed him when I was gone. Apparently I have been a good influence on ye. Laird Dougal said as much at the wedding feast.”
Noah scoffed. “Laird Dougal kens nothin’ about anythin’,” he said defensively.
“And Callum?”
“Callum is a good man, who puts up with me nae matter how disagreeable I am, and for that I am very thankful. Ye are forbidden from ever speakin’ to him again. I dinnae need ye to have nae more tales told about me.”
She chuckled lightly as his fingers began wandering, and she gave him a knowing smile.
“Ye ken,” he said thoughtfully, “me chest might have stopped hurtin’ because I’m too distracted,” he said, cupping her breast as his hand moved further down her body.
“Is that right?” she asked as his fingers skimmed over her curves, his breath coming faster as he looked at her beautiful body laid out before him.
“Aye, I think so,” he said happily, and there was a softclinkas the necklace she always wore fell to the mattress between them. Noah could not help but pick up the stone and examine it carefully.
“Ye ken,” he said idly, rubbing his finger over the piece. “Me grandmaither was appalled that I was lettin’ me wife get married in a necklace made from glass,” he said conversationally as he rolled away from her briefly to pick up the box that he had placed beside the bed.
She looked at him quizzically as he handed it to her, a soft smile playing over her lips.
“Noah Black, what is it ye have done?” she asked.
“I remember when I bought it for ye I wondered how ye would look with jewels about yer neck. I love this one,” he said, gently placing the necklace back between her breasts, making her breath hitch. “But nae wife of mine will own a necklace from a market.”
Keira gently prized open the box and gasped as she saw the contents.
“I still wish for ye to wear this one, for as long as ye like, but I wanted to get somethin’ to replace it. I am not sure it is made of the sternest stuff.”
Inside the box was a chain of the finest silver. The pendant on the base was identical to that of the one she already owned, but Noah had had it made from a black sapphire that his grandmother had given to him as a wedding gift for Keira.
It was a deeper black, and beautifully contrasted against the silver mount he had had made for her. It had a raven carved into it, which reminded him of her hair, and he hoped she would wear it often.
“It is so beautiful,” Keira said in wonder, “I have never had anything this fine in me life. This is the second gift I’ve ever received,” she said happily.
“Was the pendant the first?” he asked, feeling ridiculously pleased that he was the only one to ever buy her a present.
“Aye,” she said as she placed the box behind her on the bedside, pulling out her glass necklace and looking at it carefully. “I will still wear this one, but I shall wear the other on special occasions,” she said decisively. “Thank ye, it’s beautiful.”
“Whatever ye want, witch,” he muttered, kissing along her neck and down over her breasts, taking the chain in his mouth, making her laugh as she tugged it free.
