Sacrificing his Highland Heart by Kenna Kendrick
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Rose nearly flung the jar of salve at his head. “Euan Rede, you are an infuriating man!” she called out and put down the pot so that she wasn’t tempted again.
“So, I have heard,” he said and turned away from her to look at the fire. He looked so incredible; she wanted to scream. His strong arms were leaning over the mantle, and his back was exposed to her. The firelight showed off every strong line and curve, and she wanted to both kiss and pummel every inch of him.
She stomped toward him, her hands on her hips. “Why can you not believe me? I told you that I was sorry. It was the wrong thing to do, and to be honest, it was never really my intention. It was the only way I could get my brother to agree to take me here!”
Euan frowned. “Ye wanted tae come?”
“Of course not! But he was wavering, and I knew we needed to make a decision. Our father had precious moments to live, according to your fearsome reputation. So, I told Henry that I would write to him to tell him about the castle and act as a spy. My brother is a weak man,” she admitted, and she didn’t feel guilty about it. Euan looked surprised. “I never thought that he would do something as foolish as this. Because of him, innocent people have lost their lives or been irreparably injured. I will tell him as much tomorrow when I see him. He was an utter fool, and you know it as well.”
She took a breath. “Euan Rede, I have spent my entire life being controlled by my father and brother. They never wanted me to learn much or to be independent. They treated me as a fragile creature who could break after a breath of wind! They never let me do anything on my own until they both had to leave for the war, and then I had my first breath of freedom! It was the most blissful thing in the world, even though it came at a very grave price.” Her chest was heaving, and she felt like every part of her was on fire. It was invigorating. She also had a captive audience. Euan had sat down, his cup in hand again, watching her with new admiration and appreciation. It made her stand taller.
“You can see even now that my brother seeks to control me. He doesn’t think that I could possibly have a thought in my own head or an opinion. It must have come from you, he says.” She was shuddering now; she was so angry with her brother. “I will not have you do the same to me!” She was pointing at Euan now. “I told you that I was sorry and that I love you and want to remain here as your wife for the rest of my days. Why do you not trust my word? Is it because I am English? Is it because I am a woman? What is it?”
The last three words of her impassioned speech came out like a desperate plea. He didn’t say anything, not just yet. She was nearly spent from all the words she had thrown at him, straight from the heart. “It seems that the two of us saw each other the same way. You saw me as a path to a union, and I used you as a way to save my father’s life. Both of us thought of the other as a tool. But now, I hope we can put that behind us. You are not a brute, Euan! You are a good and kind man, and I know that you care, even though you refuse to say it!”
She could feel her cheeks reddening. She spoke the truth, but she was nervous that it would appear that she, too, was prideful and that he would just laugh at her. But it was true; it had to be! Why else would he act the way he did?
A slow grin came across Euan’s face, and Rose nearly stumbled back in surprise. She crossed her arms even tighter across her chest. What was he doing? “Cocky and prideful tae the end, I, see?” he asked, a brow lifted.
Rose shook her head. “What game are you playing?” she asked, the last vestiges of her anger making her continue to tremble. Was he just taunting her now? Maybe he really didn’t love her, and she would have to go back to England, just like he said she would. The thought had her heart screaming in pain, but there was still a bit of hope. That smile on his face, it was not smug or angry. It was…happy.
“Come here, lass,” Euan said, sitting up and waving to her. Rose lifted her chin.
“Is this you continuing to control me?” she asked.
He chuckled. “I thought perhaps ye might like tae hear a few words from me tae ye, and I would like it if ye sat here.” He patted his knee.
Rose’s mouth fell open a little in surprise, and Euan laughed again. “Come. Come sit with me.”
Slowly, she sent her body into stilted movement. She was still confused, so confused, and she was afraid yet to rejoice in Euan taking her back. When she was close enough, he reached up for her waist and pulled her towards him so that she was straddling him, her legs on either side of his thighs.
Their faces were close now, and she could smell the sweet wine on his breath and the musk of his scent. Her hands remained in front of her, but she wanted to touch him. He pulled her closer, and she could feel the heat of his body underneath her thighs. She swallowed and looked into his deep blue eyes. “What are you doing?” she whispered, all fervor and anger gone out of her. Now there was only hope that remained.
He lifted his hand and caressed her cheek, his eyes moving from the top of her head to her chin. He rubbed a thumb across her lower lip. “Ye ken, for a Sassenach, ye really are the most captivating lass.”
* * *
Euan knew that his words would cause her to get angry again. She was looking so wonderful and warm, her soft lips beckoning to him, and he couldn’t resist touching the one with his thumb. She tensed instantly, and he was prepared for it.
“What do ye mean?” she asked angrily, and she meant to continue, but before she did, Euan leaned up and caught her mouth with his. She stilled for a second, and he waited. He was sorry, so terribly sorry, and he wanted to show her with his body that he forgave her, that he loved her. They were frozen for a few seconds, and then, he could feel her hands sliding up from her lap to wrap around his neck. He grinned and retook her mouth in a passionate kiss, his tongue sliding between her lips to touch hers.
There was to be no gentleness between them now. He wanted her and wanted her desperately as if it meant the very breath of his body. However, she pulled away, searching his eyes with her own. She was breathless, and her lips looked deliciously swollen from his rough kiss.
“What does this mean?”
He chuckled and pulled her closer so that she could feel his hardness beneath her. A tantalizing gasp escaped her lips. “This means that I want ye, Rose Sayer, that I love ye, and that I would too like ye tae stay with me the rest of my days.” He could see her eyes fill with tears, and she gave him a tremulous smile.
“I have loved ye from the first moment, I think when ye shocked me in submission with those eyes of yers.”
She wiped a tear away and laughed. “But you did not say anything then. I thought you meant to ignore me throughout the whole of our marriage.”
“Ignore ye?” Euan chuckled. “How could I possibly do that? Nae only are ye bonny, but ye also send me tae madness nearly every day with yer sharp words, quick wit, and teasing way.”
“Teasing?” Rose said with a lift to her brow.
“Aye. Teasing. Do ye nae think that ye taking off my shirt holding the salve in yer hand wasnae teasing?”
Rose giggled. “Well, I had to try something. I have wanted to be with you so badly in the past few days, and I was afraid that you were finished with me. Done forever. I was heartbroken.”
Euan brushed a lock of dark hair that had fallen in front of her face. “I am sorry for that, lass. It was nae ever that I didnae want ye, but that I feared ye. Ye made me look at things differently. Ye made me realize that life doesnae have tae be this cold, horrible thing, full of sorrow. It can be happy and good and full.” He kissed her gently on the lips, and she let out a light sigh of contentment that sent shivers of delight down his spine.
“I have been putting my clan first for so long. I wanted tae be as good as my father, and I was afraid that if he knew I had taken an English lass for a wife, he would be disappointed.”
“But it was for an alliance; surely he could understand that” Rose reasoned kindly; her arms still wrapped about him.
“Aye, I ken. But I still thought he wouldnae like it. I was afraid that I wasnae the laird I hoped tae be, and every time I felt drawn tae ye, I felt like I was a traitor tae my country.”
“And who showed you otherwise?” Rose asked softly.
“Well, ye for one, threatening tae kill yerself for the sake of my clan. Our clan. For the sake of peace. Ye are as full of Scottish blood as me.”
Rose beamed and held him a little tighter. “I didnae like tae see that, but I kenned ye would do what was necessary like ye said. But I couldnae bear the thought of losing ye. I would take anything but nae having ye lose yer life.” He sighed. “But it was also Walter who showed me I was a fool. He told me that I loved ye, that where ye hailed from didnae matter; I just was afraid tae believe it. But I went tae go and find ye tae tell ye that I loved ye and that I wanted tae be with ye in earnest, but then….” He trailed off.
“Then Henry came.” She scoffed. “He ruins everything!”
Euan slid his hands from Rose’s waist to cup her backside. “Nae everything, my love. I think we have figured things out, as Siobhan instructed.” He rolled his eyes. “I will have tae deal with her later.”
Rose lifted a hand to his cheek and slid it across his beard, her mouth tantalizingly close. “You will thank her, you mean, for helping you stop being such a stubborn idiot.”
Euan shook his head. “Ye little minx. Insulting me right before ye mean tae kiss me. Shameful.”
Rose grinned and pulled away. “Is that what I mean to do? I do not think so.” She leaned back, and Euan held tight and pulled her forward again to her delight. He lifted his hips so that she could feel his fully hardened length between her thighs, and her laughter stopped.
“It is what I mean tae do. And so much more, wife.”
“Please, call me Lady Rede,” Rose replied, and Euan smiled before kissing her again. He started softly, touching his lips to hers before opening his mouth, deepening the kiss until they were clinging to one another, their tongues in battle. He couldn’t bear it any longer; he needed to be inside of her. With her still straddling him, he lifted her up, and she moaned into his mouth as she wrapped her legs around his waist.
Carrying her in his arms, his hands under her buttocks, he walked to the bed. He laid her down, and she smiled. He said, “The only problem is that ye are fully dressed, lass.”
She giggled and began to pull at the laces of her bodice. “I suppose you are right, dear husband.”
Euan reveled in his title. For now, he felt he could truly accept it and love it as his. He was her husband and would be for as long as they both lived. It made him feel strong, courageous, and above all other things, completely happy. He helped her with her clothes, unlacing her, removing the skirt and underthings until she was naked, her luscious breasts peeking up towards the ceiling, and he wanted to hold them in his hands.
He hurried to remove the rest of his clothing, and then he slid over her, his muscular body over her soft one, kissing each part of her the closer he got to her mouth. When he settled there, Rose lifted her hands to run her fingers through her hair. They parted, and she whispered, “I love you.”
“And I ye, lass.” He twisted her around so that she was on top of him. Her hands spread over his chest.
“You must show me what to do here, for we have never done this position.”
“I would be most happy tae.” He was as hard as a rock, and he lifted up her hips, and she guided him in with her tiny hands until they both tensed as he slid deep inside of her. She gasped and then looked down at him, grinning. “I think I like this.”
“Good because we can practice it as often as ye like, my love.”
“What a wonderful idea, Laird Rede.”
He moved her hips to guide her how to move, and she took to it well, soon controlling the rhythm all herself, gripping onto his shoulders as she moved up and down.
Euan squeezed her tightly as he felt his pleasure building inside of him and a tingling low at the base of his spine. He watched Rose as her breathing picked up the pace, and her breasts moved pleasantly. He took one in his hands, and she moaned loudly, hanging her head back as she came to her ecstasy, crying out his name to the ceiling of his chamber.
She almost fell on top of him, but he held her up, thrust into her a few more times, and then in a few seconds, they lay side by side, spent by their pleasure. He curled her into his arm, and she leaned her head against his chest, the soft hair tickling his skin.
“Ye are the best woman I could have thought of for my wife. I was a fool tae avoid ye for this long,” Euan whispered against her head before he kissed it. There was no reply, and he turned to look at her face and saw that she was fast asleep. He smiled and leaned back and closed his eyes.
