Page 31 of A Highland Bride Taken

His eyes darted to her lips, then her eyes, then back again. He groaned, stepping forward till his warmth crowded her.

Was he about to kiss her?

Why couldn’t he decide what he wanted?

His struggle, while it made her feel powerful, made her feel nervous in equal measure. If they didn’t consummate the marriage, would they be truly married?

A lone finger trailed down the side of her face, stopping at her lips before he pulled it back to his side.

“I find it hard to think when ye’re near,” he admitted, which stunned her. “Ye’re too tempting, but I cannae give in to ye.”

“Why?” she asked, feeling emboldened by his admission. “I am yer wife.”

“I kissed ye to scare ye away,” he murmured. “Ye didnae seem to want a marriage, but I needed to be sure. Ye werenae supposed to kiss me back. I expected ye to push me away in fright and nae lean into me or kiss me.”

“And now ye have yer answer,” she finished for him. “Have ye seen me sincerity?”

“Aye,” he answered coldly. “I now ken that ye will do anything for the bairns.”

“I didnae mean that,” she protested, stepping closer to him.

His eyes widened a slight fraction, but as soon as they had, he schooled his features into a blank mask.

“Do ye believe now that I wanted to marry ye?”

“Aye.” His voice was thick, and his eyes darkened.

The air between them was charged, and she knew he was struggling to control his desire.

The whole conversation had filled her with a confidence she had never felt before. That a man as powerful as the Laird would struggle against his desire for her.

She bit her bottom lip, trying to ignore the tingles that raced across where he had touched her.

His eyes were impossibly dark and threatened to swallow her whole. Would it be so wrong if he gave in?

She lifted a hand to touch him, but he stepped back, the spell broken. He cleared his throat and adopted a serious look, as if she were to blame for the situation they were in.

“I expect ye to fulfill yer wifely duties,” he stated.

“Dinnae that include giving ye heirs?” she asked, feeling her cheeks flame at her words.

“I already informed ye that I married ye for the bairns,” he told her. “I have nay need of heirs. The boys are me heirs.”

Mabel tried not to let her disappointment show, yet her face fell. She didn’t entirely dislike the notion, but she had assumed that he might have reconsidered, having kissed her in her chambers before they had wed.

She didn’t know why she was so displeased by the prospect when she had only decided to marry him for the bairns’ sake as well.

“I only require yer help with bonding with Connor and Ollie. They still fear me, but I need them to trust me. I cannae train them if they cannae stand me presence,” he added. “And I believe ye will perform yer duty?”

She nodded, blinking.

“Good,” he uttered, turning away after giving her lips one last longing look. “I bid ye a good night, then. We shall begin on the morrow.”

“Goodnight,” she said breathily to the empty chamber.

Her mother’s fears had been unfounded, after all. There would be no ravishing, beastly or no, in her future.

Sighing, she lay back in bed, unsure of how to feel about her current predicament.