“Aye,” she agreed on a ragged breath while pressing her palms to his muscular back.
“Nay matter what occurs, nothing can part us. Do ye ken me? We will always overcome. Together we are strong.”
“Together,” she agreed. “Now stop this teasing and take me.”
It seemed to be all the invitation he needed. His hands delved under her and hoisted her body up, and he moved deep within her. They came together in explosive passion, two lovers almost lost but now reunited again, and together they found the tempo that bound them for eternity. Their bodies moved in exquisite harmony until they both cried out, finding release as one.
He melted against her, heavy and hot, and her world was filled with him. She lay with him atop her, utterly secure and nearly drowned in a flood of freedom from the past. Slowly, she succumbed to the numbed sleep of one who had been through a great ordeal and survived.
When she awoke, early-morning light greeted her. Lachlan’s plaid was tucked around her body. He had wrapped her in it but left her arms out. She turned her head and found him lying on his side staring at her arm, which was tilted up to show the cauterized scar. She moved quickly to flip it over, but he reached out and stilled her.
“Let me hide it,” she insisted.
“Nay,” he replied in a stern but loving tone.
“That was given to mark me as his,” she said, as if Lachlan needed reminding.
“Aye, it was. But it marks ye as braw. And it serves to help us keep in our hearts and heads that there is nae a thing we kinnae face and conquer together.”
Love surged within her as she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. “I love ye, Lachlan MacLeod. I have since the day ye kissed me in the forest.”
“And I love ye, and have since the day ye let me kiss ye in the forest. Now ye must let me do another thing…”
She quirked an eyebrow in question.
He brushed a hand down her cheek. “Let me be yer husband. Marry me.”
“Och, aye. To be sure, I’ll marry ye.” She patted her belly. “I may well be carrying yer bairn after last night.”
He leaned down and kissed her stomach. “I hope so,m’eudail.”
