Page 42 of Highland Sky

“Jamie, ye canna be wild up there, and ye must be careful,” Kellina warned him.

“I will, Sister,” he promised.

“They’re here to collect some thatch for their roofs that were burned by the Sutherlands,” Spring informed her husband, rocking her baby. “I hope ye dinna mind, Shaw. I told them we have plenty that we’re no’ usin’.”

“Of course, I dinna mind,” he said, not even seeming bothered that his wife had made the decision without even consulting him first. This told Kellina that Shaw valued his wife’s opinion and that he trusted her as well. She liked that, and hoped that she and Nash could have that someday, too. “If they are in need of thatch, I am more than happy to help them by givin’ them ours.”

“Give us? Oh, nay,” said Kellina. “I think ye’re mistaken, Laird Gordon. We canna accept such a gift. We’re workin’ in exchange for it,” she explained, as they all stood there in the light rain talking as if the weather didn’t matter.

“Workin’? Doin’ what?” asked Shaw with a chuckle. “And please, just call me Shaw.”

“I’m goin’ to thatch yer roofs,” explained Kellina.

“We are. Both of us.” Nash slipped his arm around Kellina’s waist. “I’m her husband.”

“Nash, please,” Kellina whispered to Nash, wondering if he was only doing this because Leod had paid her a little attention.

“Well, thank ye, but our roofs dinna need thatchin’,” said Shaw. “However, ye’re welcome to have as much thatch as ye need, for free.”

“But Spring said I could work for it.” Kellina was starting to see some of Spring’s cunning antics in play here. It was becoming quite apparent that she only brought them here because she was trying to help the marriage work out between Kellina and Nash. Now, Kellina wished she had never come at all, because this made her feel very uncomfortable.

“I’m sure the roofs of the mews and kennels could use a little repair,” Spring told her husband. “Right, Shaw?”

Shaw finally caught on and agreed. “Aye, of course, it couldna hurt. But for right now, let’s all get out of the rain. Willna ye join us for a bite to eat? My brathair will take care of yer horses.”

“Food? Aye, that sounds guid,” North said.

“Where is Leith?” grumbled Leod, taking a hold of the reins. “He should be doin’ this, no’ me.”

“Who’s Leith?” asked Jamie.

“Leith is Shaw’s son who is about the same age as ye,” said Spring. “He has a thirteen-year-old daughter, Colina, and an older son who just married as well.”

“I’ll help ye with the horses, Leod,” North offered.

“Jamie, would ye like to come along, and that way ye can see the stables and the blacksmith’s shop first?” Leod asked the boy.

“Would I!” Jamie ran over and took the reins from Leod, eager to be a part of this.

“I’d like to see that, too,” said Caitlin, joining Leod, North, and her brother. Kellina was sure it was only because Caitlin liked the attention from Leod, no matter if he was too old for her or not. Lately, she was becoming very interested in boys. If she had kept herself busy, the way Kellina always had, she wouldn’t have time to think of such things. Kellina put her thoughts on her thatching, and her sword practice, among other chores that her clan needed completed. Kellina didn’t have time for eyeing up a man.

The group headed away, leaving Nash and Kellina alone.

“Ye can remove yer arm from my waist now,” said Kellina, feeling warm from Nash’s body heat. Her breathing became deeper. She liked it, but didn’t want him to know.

“Why should I remove it?” asked Nash. “I rather like it there. After all, I am yer husband.”

“And that gives ye the right?”

“I didna say that. However, I had hoped it would at least entitle me to a kiss.”

Kellina could see that Nash wasn’t going to leave her alone until she kissed him, so she just decided to do it and get it over with quickly. At least, then, she could get inside and out of the rain. She leaned closer to him, intending to give him a quick peck on the lips and then walk away. But when he pulled her into his arms and kissed her with passion, she found herself dropping her guard. Nash let the moment linger. Kellina didn’t want to like it but, for some reason, she did. Nash was starting to make her feel things for him that she’d never felt before. She’d fought it tooth and nail, but when he kissed her like this, she couldn’t help but lose her resolve.

Being enclosed in Nash’s warm embrace, tasting his sweet lips, almost made her forget that he was a MacKeefe and how much she hated his clan. Her eyes closed and her head tilted back as he kissed her again. This time, the kiss was accompanied by him rubbing his hand up and down her back in an alluring manner.

Damn, if she didn’t feel her body coming to life from his actions. It almost seemed magical kissing him in the light rain. Her thoughts went back to the day they’d gotten married. She had felt her life crashing down around her at the time. She’d been forced to do something she didn’t want to by taking her vows. But then when her husband should have forced her to consummate the marriage, he didn’t. Instead, he gave her the choice. That made her confused as to why he did it. Still, at the same time, it also made it hard not to actually like him since he had given her the choice.

“Thank ye, Nash. That was no’ so bad after all, I suppose.” She said it aloud, surprising herself that she had made her thoughts and feelings vocal. She stepped back, looking up into his hazel eyes.