Page 47 of The Highland Heir

“Aye. I thought of it a year or so ago when Iwas sent to the border with a few of the men to guard againstraiding. The men were talking about whatever they talk about as wesettled to sleep. But as I lay there, I looked up at the stars andremembered when we were little. How we talked about everything andanything and I was never afraid to share something with you. Howeasy it was to be with you. How easy life was back then.”

He didn’t know why he mentioned it. Exceptthat the comfort he’d always felt about sharing something with herremained all these years, and it was easy to tell her histhoughts.

“Mayhap later, when we might have reason tomiss one another, we could go out at night and look up at the starsand remember this night. And how very perfect everything was for alittle while at least.”

He turned his head to look at her and saw atear travel from the outer corner of her eye across her temple tobe lost in her hair.

He reached over and laced his fingers withhers, giving her hand a squeeze.

“That is for tomorrow, remember? Don’t letthose thoughts cut our night short.”

She nodded and forced a smile as she wiped ather eyes, brightened by her tears. He rolled over to kiss her. Hewanted her again. He worried he would never stop wanting her likethis.

Just the touch of her lips made him hard andready.

But unlike the desperation they’d feltearlier, this was slower. They drew out every touch, every word, asif doing so would slow the moon and keep the sun from rising.

When he finally slid into her, they lookedinto each other’s eyes and shared a smile. They didn’t need wordsfor knowing each other so well. But they didn’t look away. Hewatched as he made love to her. Seeing every smile, hearing everygasp and moan. And he watched when her pleasure claimed her.

“Beautiful,” he said.

When he climaxed, he pulled her tight to himuntil he knew she had fallen asleep. But he did not join her rightaway.

Instead, he looked up at the stars in the skyand begged them to stay where they were so he could hold Ellaforever.

Chapter Seventeen

Kieran was almost surprised to see the sunwhen he opened his eyes the next morning. Not because he’d actuallythought the stars would obey, but because they had slept well intothe morning.

In fact, Ella was still asleep.

Or she was until he turned to see her moreclearly.

Her eyes opened, and she looked confused fora moment before she saw him and smiled.

“I thought mayhap I had dreamed what happenedbetween us. I had dreamed it many nights of late,” she said.

He smiled. “I have dreamed of you as well.But I had many things wrong. The real thing was so much better thanmy dreams.”

She nodded. Then tilted her head to theside.

“Why did you never lie with anotherwoman?”

He shouldn’t have been surprised Ella wouldask such an impertinent question. If she could be so brave to ask,he would be just as brave to answer.

“Because of you.”

“Me?”

“Aye. Anytime I thought of it, I knew Ididn’t care for the women the way a man should who would do such athing, and I thought of a man touching you and not respecting youthe way he should, and I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t use a maid formy needs, no matter how willing she was, because I knew it wouldnever be more.”

She nodded and then frowned.

“What is it?” he asked, hoping she had noreason for regret this morning. He had none. In fact, he was tryingto remember the reason why they’d agreed to only last night, for hewas very much wanting to love her again before they left the peaceof the forest to face the day.

“You were jealous.”

He blinked, for her thoughts were not thesame as his.