Page 72 of An English Rose for the Highlander
“My sweet lass, brave and so verra beautiful. I will fill ye till there is no space between us at all.”
And he did, sheathing himself inside her deep and completely. Rose felt exquisitely full, her entire soul lifting to the joy of their connection. Dominik loved her, and she loved him. Nothing would change that. She was sure of it, and in this moment of union, Rose allowed all the pretense and propriety to fall away, giving herself over to the pleasure as they began their dance.
In and out, back and forth, they found a rhythm between them. Perfect, pure, and so long overdue. Rose held onto her husband, clutching his neck, and her body surged, squeezing around his length as he stimulated her in ways no one else had or ever would.
“Ye are the divine, lass. I shall lose meself to the glory of how ye feel.” Dominik nuzzled into her neck, pumping quicker,harder. “Ye willnae leave me. Ye willnae be parted from me ever again.”
“Ah!” Rose cried out from the intensity, Dominik reaching a spot within her that both throbbed and lit her up. “No. I will…n-never…leave you.”
Her words came out in a breathy jumble of syllables, the pleasure blinding and all-consuming. She was right on that edge once more, the tipping point looming ahead so close that Rose could taste it. Sweat clung to them as they both worked tirelessly, rising and falling, giving and taking.
“That’s it, lass. Aye, let me feel ye.”
She felt herself tighten, the bundle of nerves at her tip buzzing and tingling. Rose’s breaths were erratic and shallow, her core slick and warm, begging for Dominik to rush her to the precise of climax and beyond.
“Oh, Dominik. Please, oh, please, please, please!”
“Anything for ye, lass. Anything.” He grunted low, the sensation of his already impressive length thickening all the more inside her, “I give ye me verra soul.”
Warmth flared into her, the edge there and disappearing behind her as she unfolded into bliss. Rose’s body bloomed, burst like something wild and new. She took off into the stars and furtherpast them, knowing with certainty that they would tackle every obstacle that might find them, that she would be with her Dominik, her rugged, loyal Scottish Laird, for all her days.
EPILOGUE
A FEW MONTHS LATER
Spring had finally arrived after the long winter. Months of preparation and labor had at last come to an end, and the copper mine was ready to begin operations. Dominik was beyond proud; the work and skill of his men were something he would always be grateful for. And now, here before the people of his clan in the Great Hall, he raised his glass in celebration of the job well done.
“Thank ye all for such tireless effort. The mining is finally ready to begin, and as the overseer of the endeavor, I will be leaving it in the incredibly capable hands of me wife, Rose.”
The room applauded, his Rose next to him, watching with wide eyes as she stepped forward. The two of them had still been through so much, and after all this time, the last of any opposers of their marriage would finally be silenced, even the Crown had returned that their marriage was valid with impressive speed. She had brought this opportunity to the clan, it being her land, and he knew that her keen mind would manage it skillfully, as she had done with the keep under Eilidh’s laborious tutelage.
“I am so grateful, Dominik.” She leaned into him, smiling as her eyes shone with unshed tears. “I will make you proud.”
“I have nay doubt, lass.”
Dominik smiled at her, admiring the radiant glow of his beloved wife, her gracious acceptance of the honor. He never doubted for a moment how proud she was ofherclan, how much she would do to take care of it.
“Here, here!” Oskar cheered, making the small line of them at the front of the Great Hall break out into laughter. Smiles and joy filtered through the room, touching everyone there, and Dominik felt another part of himself unlock.
The clan was well at hand, no more fires or poisonings, no more worries over the Crown’s decision regarding the death of the Viscount—a situation they deemed necessary violence against a man who did not uphold the virtues of his station—and the clan had accepted Rose. They had all at last seen what Dominik had known from the very beginning. She was a force to be reckoned with, and one they would be honored to have among them.
“At last,” Fiona leaned over to Rose, nudging her with her elbow, “I think ye areat lastHighland enough for them all.”
The women laughed, and Dominik’s cheeks lifted in a genuine grin. Eilidh stood proudly at Rose’s side as Peggy came up from behind her, leaning a hand on Rose and saying, “I shall never eat that blasted English porridge again.”
More and more laughter, more and more futures to look forward to. Dominik’s clan—his home—felt complete in a way it never had, not since the death of his father. And never again would he think that his English wife could not become a part of her Scottish family. Rose had embraced the Highland way of life, and indeed, there was nothing and no one who could say that she was not “Highland enough.”
What’s more, even England recognized that Rose had been an innocent of the plot of Lord Egerton. The Crown demanded that his estate return the stolen dowry, which he and his wife both agreed should be given to her parents. They were well and comfortable, while the Baron and Baroness still needed to be taken care of. They were thrilled to receive it, and Dominik could see how glad it had made his wife to see them stable after all this time.
“To the copper!” Rose cheered out, lifting her glass. “May it run as strong as the blood of Clan MacKay!”
Uproarious celebration burst to life at that, and in true Highland fashion, music and dance and food began to fill the hall from wall to wall. The gathering commenced at once, and the celebration would continue long into the wee hours of the night.
“A moment alone with me wife is of the utmost importance, I assure ye.”
Rose laughed, playfully leaning away from him as Dominik pulled her against his, dragging her into their bed chambers.
“And what do you intend to do with this moment, my laird? There are several excited clanspeople just beyond those doors. There is so much to celebrate, and they want to do so with their fearless Laird of Clan MacKay.”
