He chuckled. "Okay, then. Half a dozen."
A knot formed in her stomach. She couldn't think about babies right now. She wanted to get back to the twenty-first century, hospitals, pain killers, and possibly two kids in the future. Normalcy. She was relieved she'd taken the three-month birth control injection a few days prior, to prevent severe cramping. If she did succumb to the temptation of Gavin, at least she wouldn't experience a time-traveling pregnancy right away.
His gaze intent but amused, he tilted his head. "Four bairns?" He waited, then winked. "An heir and a spare?"
"We'll discuss it later."
Talking about their possible children made everything more real. Did she want to start a family here in 1630? Not much had improved since medieval times in terms of medical care. Icy fear slid through her. In any case, she had the birth control in her system, and that helped her relax a bit.
Although a strong magnetism drew her to Gavin, she didn't know him well enough to make a lifetime commitment to him. Heart pounding, she knew she had to get to the sword.
If she followed through with marrying him, and he began to trust her, maybe she could get her hands on the weapon sooner or later, and it would take her back home.
But then, would she regret leaving him?
She gazed into his familiar fierce blue eyes. She knew him better than she wanted to admit. He'd inhabited her dreams for a couple of months. Even though he had a tendency to be grumpy, he had a good heart, a compassionate soul. He wasn't evil, no matter what anyone said. She knew him. Her insides seized up every time she looked into his breath-stealing eyes.
"Aye, lass. One step at a time." Gavin's tone calmed. He took her hand in his and dropped to one bended knee. "Will you do me the honor of becoming my bride, Dani MacRae?"
Her heart jolted. No man had ever uttered those words to her… and perhaps never would again. He wanted to marry her, but… only to drive out his bad luck? She needed more. She had to know he liked her a little, that she wasn't simply convenient or in the wrong place at the right time for him to make use of her.
"Why?" she asked.
His hopeful expression fell. "That's your answer?"
"No, but I need to know why you want to marryme. Because I'm the only woman here? Because I havecurse breakerstamped on my forehead?" She considered those reasons unromantic and downright insulting. Real marriage or not, she hated feeling used.
He glanced behind himself—she assumed to make sure no one stood in the open doorway listening—then gazed at her with soulful sincerity. "In truth, you're the loveliest lass I ever laid eyes upon, and I admire your bravery. I enjoy our conversations. You've never called me MacDeevil like some of the others."
Her heart melted a wee bit. He wasn't turning on the faux charm, and she believed his compliments. "Did they call you that because of the curse?"
"Even before then, some of them did. I'm a fearsome warrior in battle, and my glare frightens the wits out of them. They say I have the evil eye."
At times, she also found the expression in his eyes rather intimidating, but she gave a slight grin. "I think your eyes are beautiful."
Dani stroked her fingers along Gavin's face in a tingling trail, over his scar, then traced his brow. No woman had ever touched him thus, with such care and tenderness. Nor looked into his eyes with complete trust.
"As well, I admire your intelligence and canny wit," he added. She amused and entertained him. He found talking to her fascinating.
Those feelings of arousal which near overcame him in the dungeon returned—yet another reason he chose to take her to wife. He wanted her in his bed every night. If his sensual dreams held a dram of reality, such pleasure would be astonishing.
"Will you marry me, then?" he asked and kissed the back of her hand. He yearned to win her over, but he did not wish to beg.
"Oh, all right." She gave a dry smile. "Yes."
Thrilled, he arose, pulled her to him, and kissed her lips. Not wise. He craved her as he had never craved any other woman. Not just because of his months of abstinence. He sensed an unseen bond between them. 'Twas as if the Divine had blessed him at long last by sending a lady who could drag him out of this dark quagmire his life had become.
Dani wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him with fierce passion. Dragging her to him, he reveled in the feel of her soft, slight body pressed all along his. Her eagerness near sent him up in flames. Fisting his hands on the back of her plaid sash, he mustered all his restraint not to yank her clothing out of the way, especially when the powerful memory of the sensual dreams invaded his mind. He longed to experience those in the physical. 'Twould be like paradise.
But first, he had to make sure he followed the correct steps to banish Wilona's evil and establish a befitting start to their marriage.
His heart pounding like a runaway horse, he pulled back a breath and gazed down into Dani's dark, dreamy eyes. The way her lashes lowered further enchanted him.
"Gavin?" Her yearning whisper tugged hard at his resolve.
"You need your sleep, sweet lass."
"I need you."
