Page 44 of A Highlander’s Heart

“I need to meet with the warriors.”

Gregory nodded. “We will go ahead as planned to have them swear fealty and then I will gather them to the lists and tell them ye have ordered me to assess their skills.”

Morgan nodded. “I do no’ wish to see Patrick right now. I don’t trust him not to attack me again and I want time to watch his behavior. And, of course, I don’t want him to see any weakness on my part. Tell him he is to work with ye until I have the time to join them on the lists.”

Gregory crossed his arms over his chest. “How do ye plan to handle the oath of allegiance in the morning?”

“I’m hoping a meal and a good night’s rest will enable me to walk to the Great Hall in the morning and receive the men there.”

The door opened and Emma appeared. She held up a mug. “There was a tonic already in the kitchen left over from a lass who had burned her hand. I asked the cook if I could have it for myself, and she was quite pleasant about it.” She handed it to him and then began unpacking her trunks.

He put the tonic aside and he and Gregory finished what they needed to discuss. There came a soft knock on the door; Emma crossed the room to open it; a serving maid stood there with their evening meal on a tray. She placed it on the table near the door.

“Good evening, Laird, my lady.” She dipped slightly and smiled at them.

She was a bonny little lass and one he remembered, but could no’ recall her name.

After she left, Gregory grinned at Morgan. “Aye, it seems there are those who are accepting ye already.”

“Now I need to have the men follow their example,” Morgan said as Gregory walked to the door and turned, giving Morgan a wink after glancing at Emma. “Remember, Laird. Rest. Now that ye have a nice soft bed.” With a hearty laugh he left them.

Morgan reached out and grasped Emma’s wrist, tugging her forward so she landed on his lap.

“Morgan!” She tried to wrestle herself up, but he held firm. “Ye may no’ have noticed but Gregory is right. We are alone, and there is a comfortable bed but a few steps away.”

“Nay, Morgan. Ye need to rest.” She tugged, but he held fast.

“Nothing is more restful than sleep following a good tup.” He ran his finger down her cheek. “Now that we are alone, let me show ye what I can do to have ye shouting down the roof.”

“What…” He smothered her words with a kiss like he’d wanted to do since their wedding. She slumped in his arms, and he growled his approval.

Scooping her up in his arms, bruised ribs or not, he walked to the bed and tumbled her onto it, following her down.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Emma knew there was much more that Morgan could teach her, and with the little bit they’d been able to do on the way to Clyth Castle with an almost-audience not too far from them, she felt herself relax now, as she hadn’t done before.

Morgan began by removing her gown, faster than she’d ever removed it herself.

’Twas the first time she’d been completely unclothed in front of him. However, whatever embarrassment she felt soon faded with the hungry look in his eyes as he reached up and cupped both of her breasts, kneading the flesh and tweaking her stiffened nipples.

“No’ fair for me to be the only one undressed.” She barely recognized her own voice, with how breathless she sounded.

He tucked his hands behind his head and smiled at her. “Aye, love, go right ahead and do what ye want.”

Emma grinned and started by loosening the top fastenings at the neck of his léine. She gathered the cloth in her fists and moved it up and over his head.

She ran her palms over his chest, amazed at the amount of muscle he’d recovered since his injury. Curly dark hair was scattered over the area, and she could not resist running her fingers through it.

’Twas soft, much like the hair on his head. She looked into his deep brown eyes which had darkened almost black. “Now the breeches must go.”

It took not much more than seconds to get them unfastened and off his body. As she tossed them off the bed, Morgan reached up and pulled her over his body. She loved how he was hard where she was soft and enjoyed the difference in their bodies as she rubbed herself over him.

He reached up and cupped her face in his hands and kissed her like he’d never kissed her before. His tongue immediately entered her mouth, and she sucked on it, causing him to moan. “Lass, I love how ye do that. I’ll have another place ye can do that one day.”

Being a healer, she was quite certain she knew exactly what place he wanted her mouth. Instead of being taken aback by his words, her stomach muscles tightened, and she found herself looking forward to that particular activity.

Morgan shifted bit.