Page 18 of Heart of the Highlands: The Rose (Protectors of the Crown #6)

After receiving her sister's blessings and debating for what seemed like hours, Abby stood before the pastor, reciting her vows. She’d waited years for this moment. A moment she never thought would come. The air was thick with the quiet hum of celebration, the soft murmur of guests still lingering in the church, but for Abby, all she could hear was the beating of her own heart.

The evening was drawing to a close. The long hours of anticipation were finally coming to an end. Aiden, ever vigilant and ever protecting, noticed her slight stumble and immediately placed his palm on the small part of her back. Before she could protest, she swooped her into his arms and began ascending the three flights of stairs with Abby in his arms. The flickering candlelight from the scones on the wall illuminated the hall, but all Anby could focus on was Aiden and what was to come once they crossed the threshold and into the bedchamber.

She wasn’t ignorant of what happens between a man and a woman. Nor did she fear it. Aiden had assured her countless times over the past few days that he’d be gentle. But she did not need that reminder as he was the gentlest of men she’d ever known. She rested her head against his chest as he finished climbing the stairs. When they reached the top step, Iaden paused outside the door to their room. He lowered her gently to her feet.

“If ye wish to rest tonight,” he began to say, but Abby wouldn’t hear another word. She’d waited long enough for him to hold her in his arms. For his sweet kisses. For his touch.

“Nay, I wish to no’ sleep tonight but to spend it all night wit’ ye.”

They stepped into the room, the fire burning hot, filling it with intense heat. The door clicked as Aiden locked the door behind him. He stepped toward her and delicately helped her remove the layers of her gown until she was left in nothing but a thin chemise that did nothing to conceal what was underneath. She felt a tinge of embarrassment, with her body exposed to him in a way it never had been before. When the last of her garments slipped over her head, she stood in the soft candlelight, Aiden admiring her with a soft gaze.

“Ye are more beautiful than I could have ever imagined,” he whispered.

Aiden clasped her hands, drawing them to the hemline of his shirt. In that unspoken demand, Abby pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it onto the floor. With a feather touch, she ran her fingers over his shoulders and then across his chest, wanting to know what every inch of him felt like. The tips of the fingers slid down to his waist to the top of his trews. Her gaze dropped to the string that secured his trews. With a swift tug on one cord, then the other, she felt a surge of adrenaline.

She stepped toward him, closing the distance between them, kissing him without hesitation. They guided themselves to the bed with their arms wrapped around one another. Softly, Aiden lowered her onto the bed and climbed up beside her. With roaming hands, he left a trail of kisses along her neck and slowly down her shoulder. She craned her neck, offering him better access, and took in every sensation of his touch.

Abby’s heart pounded as she deepened the kiss, her hands trembling slightly as they rested against his chest. The warmth of his body pressed against hers amplified the burning she felt inside. Every breath, every touch, her body responded, pulling him closer to her until there was no distance left between them.

He was gentle as promised, despite the moments of pain that shortly followed, but did not last long. Pain quickly turned into pleasure like a wave of warmth spreading through her until a storm began to brew. Her breaths quickened, and the gentleness she once knew had turned into a hunger.

The room was still, save for the steady rhythm of Abby’s breath. She lay in Aiden’s arms, her head resting against his chest, her body feeling both weightless and grounded at the same time. The silence between them was comfortable, filled with the aftermath of the moment they’d just shared.

Her fingers traced the outline of his chest lazily, feeling the beat of his heart beneath her touch. His arms encircled her, holding her close. She had never known a moment like this when all her emotions, fears, and desires came together in such an overwhelming rush. It was nothing she could explain.

She looked up at Aiden, her eyes tracing the lines of his face, memorizing how he looked, his hair slightly disheveled, his jaw clenched, his breathing ragged. His eyes met hers.

“Are ye all right?” he asked, his voice low, but there was concern.

Abby nodded. “I am more than all right,” she said, smiling with her reply. “Ne’er would I have known that fate would lead me to ye, but I am forever gratefully yers.”

“Always,” he replied, as he placed a soft kiss to her forehead.

Abby closed her eyes, and together, they fell asleep in each other’s arms.