Page 135 of Seduced By the Reckless Highlanders

“No, the water did not suck you under - it has no will of its own. Your brother pushed you in.” He dismounted and set Minna down at the very edge of the loch so that the water was almost touching her toes, but she instinctively took a step back. He removed his boots quickly and told her to do the same.

Reluctantly, Minna did as he had bid her, then he took each of her hands in his. “Do you trust me, Minna?” he asked softly.

She nodded, but her eyes were still wide with fear.

Gowan took both of her hands in his. “Look at me,” he said gently, then he turned and backed slowly into the water, keeping their gaze locked. “Follow me.”

Minna inched into the loch, almost hypnotized by the deep, deep brown eyes looking into hers. “Come with me, Minna,” Gowan whispered. “Trust me. I will not let you go, my beautiful wife. Nothing bad will ever happen to you as long as I am with you. Do you believe me?”

“Yes,” Minna answered.

“Look down,” Gowan ordered.

Minna lowered her gaze, then gasped. Her skirts were floating, since she was up to her knees in the cold water of the loch, hardly noticing how she came to be there.

“I could never make myself do this before,” she said in wonder. “I never had the courage.” She looked up again into Gowan’s deep brown eyes, and tears sprang into her own.

He smiled at her lovingly then took her in his arms and kissed her gently. When he drew away, he stroked her hair back from her cheeks then let it slide through his fingers, all the while keeping her gaze fixed on his. “I love you,” he whispered.

“And I love you,” she answered. “Just one thing, though, sweetheart.”

“What?” His voice was fearful.

She gave him a sudden grin. “My feet are numb.”

Gowan swept her up into his arms, making sparkling droplets of loch water arc through the air and spray them all over. He stepped onto dry land again and whirled her around and around until they were both dizzy and helpless with laughter, then he laid her down on the soft grass a few yards away from the loch’s edge. He lay down beside her and propped himself up on his elbow, looking down into her face. “I cannot remember the last time I felt so good, apart from our wedding night.”

“Neither do I.” Minna smiled and sighed as she took his hand and kissed it.

“Being with child suits you.” Gowan observed, then frowned as Minna gasped. “What is it, Minna? Is something wrong?”

She shook her head, then slowly a beatific smile spread over her face, lighting it up from within. “No, Gowan,” she replied. “Nothing at all. I am just a little surprised.” She took his big hand and placed it on the slight bulge on her stomach.

Gowan’s eyes widened in wonder as he felt the faintest of rhythmic movements under his palm, a series of tiny taps that made him shake his head in disbelief. “The baby is kicking!” he whispered, almost reverently. “I could never really believe it was real until this moment, Minna. It is so wondrous. And it will be a daughter. I am sure of it.” He looked up at her, his dark eyes shining with love.

“You would not rather have a son?” Minna was surprised.

“I have never cared about bloodlines, ancestors and nonsense like that.” He shook his head, making his pale hair glint gold in the sunlight. “Pfft! What is a name? Only a way to tell one person from another. Why must we worry if it is passed down from one generation to another? I do not care if my name ends with me.”

“I must say I agree with you,” Minna replied. “If our daughter - or son - is the last of our line then it is meant to be.”

“I hope he or she has blue eyes like yours.” Gowan ran his thumb lightly along her cheekbone and kissed her eyelids one by one until Minna giggled. Then she pulled him down for another kiss, but it turned into something more as he pushed up her skirts and whispered.

“Let me inside.”

Minna opened her legs and opened herself up to him, then cried out as he buried himself inside her and made her scream in ecstasy as she reached fulfillment.

A moment later, Gowan made a long moan and shuddered in the aftermath of the fiercest, most powerful climax he had ever experienced, stronger even than the one on his wedding night. He found his wife even more desirable now that she had his child growing inside her.

He pulled her over to lie beside him while they gazed at each other, blue eyes shining into brown, and he felt as though nothing could ever go wrong in his world again. He had everything he had always wanted; a home, a beautiful wife and a child on the way. What more could he wish for?

“There is only one thing I want at this moment,” Minna said, sighing.

“What is that?” Gowan asked.

“A plate of rabbit stew and half a loaf of bread.” Minna stood up and Gowan followed her. “I am ravenous!”

“I do believe this ‘eating for two’ is a myth, you know,” he remarked.