Page 39 of Falling for Her Highland Steward
However, she was not prepared for the sight of Michael’s naked body, having only ever seen Nairn’s before. He was young and muscular, and his male member was not flaccid like her husband’s but as erect and stiff as a spear pointing at her. She instinctively pulled the bedclothes up to her chin and gazed at him with fear-filled eyes.
Michael smiled. It was a strange, ugly smile with a glint of lust in it. He pulled the covers down again, his eyes traveling all over her nakedness as he exposed her breasts to his view. “Erin,” he said gently, “do not be afraid. The last thing in the world I want to do is to hurt you.”
“I know, Michael, but this is the first time I have ever been with a man in this way.” Erin’s voice was trembling, and she was as tense as a bowstring. “I am terrified.”
“I will take care of you,” he whispered. “You will enjoy it, I promise.”
Later, Erin wondered why she had ever believed him. He had not been deliberately brutal, but he was extremely clumsy, and when the moment of penetration came, Erin screamed with pain.
It took another three such encounters before the child was conceived, and Erin had dreaded every one, but fortunately none was as painful as the first time. After the pregnancy was confirmed by the local midwife, Nairn was overjoyed.
“Thank you, my darling one!” he cried as he held her close to him in bed that night. “You will want for nothing. Your every need will be accommodated, and the child’s. Ask for anything, and it will be given to you.”
“I need nothing but enough food to keep the babe and me healthy,” Erin replied. “And when the baby is born, I want nothing but the best for him—or her.” She giggled, then her expression turned to a frown. “But Nairn, what if the baby is a girl?”
“We will cross that bridge when we come to it,” Nairn replied. “Concentrate on this one, my darling.”
When the baby was born, Nairn was overjoyed and hurried into the birthing chamber as quickly as he could. As soon as he saw his son, he fell in love with him. He wrapped his arms around both Erin and Stephen, his throat choked with tears.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you, Erin,” he whispered. “I never thought this day would come.”
“I will not say it was a pleasure,” Erin said grimly, then she smiled. “But it was all worthwhile.” She looked down into the face of her firstborn. “Little Stephen…”
“So you see,” Michael said, with a nasty leer, “the boy is mine.Myson, not that doddering old fool McCaskill’s. This estate belongs to the boy and his mother, and if Erin marries me, I am the de facto laird. I am a wealthy man, but I have no lineage. Stephen does, and I am his father.” He shrugged. “I will have the estate signed over to me, and the whole problem will be solved.”
“Stephen is your illegitimate son,” Caillen pointed out. “Not your legal one.”
“But no one knows that.” Michael’s smile was smug. “And milady here is very unlikely to tell them, is she? She does not want the poor child to know the circumstances of his birth. It would be such a shock for the poor child.”
“You talk about Stephen as if you care about him,” Erin said in disgust. “You are a monster. You do not love him. All he ever was to you was a commodity to bargain with! You would have killed your own flesh and blood to get what you want.”
“Sign the estate over to me, and I will let him go.” Michael’s voice was nonchalant. “I will give you until tomorrow to think it over, and in case you need an incentive…” He stepped aside, and Stephen ran into the room.
“Mama!” he cried, as he threw himself into Erin’s arms.
18
Erin was speechless. All she could do for the first few moments after Stephen’s arrival was hold him and breathe in the aroma of fresh air, earth, and his own little boy scent. She felt his muscular little body wriggling against her, his arms hugging her as tightly as he could, and she was overwhelmed with love, realizing just how much she had missed him. She would never, ever let him go again.
He pushed her away a little to look at her and frowned. “Why are you crying, Mama?” he asked, wiping away a tear from her cheek with his fingers. His bright green eyes, which looked so much like her own, were troubled.
“Because I have not seen you for so long, and I am very happy,” Erin answered. “Sometimes people cry because they are happy.” She frowned and studied him for a moment. “I see you have lost a tooth.”
Stephen put a finger up to feel the gap, but he smiled. There was already another tooth pushing into the space. “Yes. Uncle Michael gave me a silver sixpence for it!” he said excitedly. “I am going to buy a collar for my new dog.”
“Have you enjoyed yourself?” Erin asked as she studied his face for any sign of sadness. Stephen climbed off her lap and began to jump up and down.
“Yes!” he cried, his face lighting up with boyish delight. “Uncle Michael gives me loads of treats!” Then his face fell. “But I want to come home now, Mama. I miss you.”
“Oh, darling, I miss you too.” Erin smiled, brushing his tangled hair back from his face. He had obviously been playing outside since there were blades of grass and autumn leaves liberally sprinkled in his light brown hair.
Stephen looked at Caillen, and his face broke into a wide smile. “Uncle Cal, I want to fight you as soon as we are back. You said you wanted to beat me.”
“I did,” Caillen laughed. “Nobody beats me twice!” Then he reached out and tickled Stephen mercilessly until the little boy was helpless with laughter.
Watching them, Erin felt happy and sad at the same time. What a pity Caillen was not his father!
At that moment, Michael came back into the room. He took one look at Erin, and something shifted in his eyes. He knew he had her right where he wanted her.
