Chapter 3

3

T hey rode for a couple of hours, and Aidan was surprised at how well his bride held her seat. He’d half expected the lass to demand a coach to see her to his castle. She hadn’t complained once, but she didn’t look happy either. He felt more than saw the glares she sent his way. That was confirmed when Barrett rode up alongside him.

“Do ye think we should stop for a respite for the lass?”

Aidan frowned at Barrett then glanced back at Tillie. The sun had started to set, bathing her in deep orange and pink. She didn’t look tired to him. She still rode with her back straight, not slumped as if she was so tired she was ready to fall off. Her hair had come undone and was hanging around her face and shoulders. He suddenly wondered how long her hair was. He could see strands of it whipping around her sides, and it looked to be down to her waist.

“Nay.” Aidan returned his attention to Barrett and shook his head. “We’ve only a couple more hours of light before we need to make camp.”

Barrett nodded. “She’s a bonny lass,” he remarked with a grin.

“Aye,” Aidan said through gritted teeth.

Aidan didn’t know why it mattered to him that Barrett thought Tillie was bonny, but it did. He didn’t like the fact that his clansman had noticed.

They rode in silence for a few more minutes before Barrett spoke up again.

“Did ye prepare Grace and let her ken ye were bringin’ back a bride?”

Grace was the older sister of Anne, Aidan’s deceased wife, who also lived at the castle.

“Nay. She’ll ken soon enough when we show up with the lass in tow.”

Barrett shook his head with a low whistle. “That woman is a shrew. She willnae like havin’ her home disrupted.”

“ Her home?” Aidan said with a raised eyebrow. “Geamnaben is me home, and I allow her to live there.”

“Even so,” Barrett continued. “

Adan knew his friend was right, but he had other things to worry about. As laird, he had a duty to marry and produce an heir, as his councilman and friend, Hector, had constantly reminded him.

He was still young and strong, and his people depended on him. It was his duty to make sure he left an heir to take over when he was gone. Hector had nagged him day and night for the past year, reminding him of his responsibilities. As if he hadn’t known.

But Aidan had not been in a hurry to find another wife. Anne had been a good wife, but they had not been able to have children. That is what drove her to jump off the cliff, or at least that’s what Aidan believed. She had really wanted a child and had eagerly looked forward to being a mother. But after a full year with no luck, she feared she was barren. Of course, he would never know what madness had made her decide to take her own life that day.

Aidan looked around their surroundings and spotted a clearing with a small creek running by it. Tossing a glance over his shoulder, he pointed toward the area.

“We make camp over there,” he shouted, so all his men could hear.

They dismounted, and Aidan immediately went over to help the lass off her horse. For some reason, she glared at him, but he ignored it. His blood heated, and his heart started beating hard as soon as his hand touched her waist, and he lifted her from her horse.

Their eyes met, and he held her suspended above the ground, their bodies so close he felt the heat from her skin seep into his own body.

Why does she have such an effect on me? I want to pull her closer and feel her breasts pressed against me chest. Feel those luscious lips against mine.

“Ye can put me down now, Me Laird,” Tillie said, her voice full of irritation.

She is feisty. Why do I like that?

Aidan set her down so quickly, she stumbled. Giving him another glare, she smoothed her skirts and started walking toward where the men were already setting up camp.

He watched the sway of her hips as she walked away and then had to adjust himself when he felt himself grow thick with wanting her. Aidan cursed beneath his breath then stomped over to the campsite. He forced himself not to look at her as he unpacked his things from his stallion. She was causing too much of a distraction for him, and it was driving him crazy.

Most men would be happy that they had this kind of reaction to their bride-to-be, but it was not something Aidan wanted. She was supposed to be a duty, and most duties were unpleasant.

He looked up from unpacking and realized she was not in the campsite. His heart stuttered and then started rapidly beating. His gaze frantically searched the area again, but still, no sign of her.

“Where is she?” he demanded of Hector.

Hector’s blue eyes widened at the harshness of Aidan’s voice. “She said she was goin’ to wash up and refresh herself at the creek.”

“Without a guard?” Aidan’s voice was hard, but there was also the tiniest bit of panic tinging the edges.

Hector pointed at the creek. “’Tis just right there, Aidan.”

And it was. The small creek was only a few steps away, but he still couldn’t see her, and that made Aidan nervous. However, there were also some tall bushes running alongside it a little bit down the creek, and that was probably where she went for privacy.

Aidan didn’t respond to Hector and hurried over to the creek with the cluster of bushes. He heard the splashing before he rounded the shrubbery and felt a little relief. But he wouldn’t be satisfied until he saw her with his own eyes. Anything could happen to her out here by herself. Thieves could try and rob her; enemy clans could kidnap her for ransom. One by one, images of the trouble she could find herself in flooded his brain until he became almost desperate to make sure she was all right.

He stomped around the bushes and came to a stuttering stop. His eyes widened, and his jaw unhinged at the sight of her bathing at the creek. She wore her underclothes, so it wasn’t like she was naked, but Aidan’s body didn’t seem to care.

“What are ye doin’?” Tillie shrieked, ducking down in the water so that the waves lapped up to her chin.

Aidan shook his head. Heat climbed his throat at being caught ogling the lass, but he couldn’t help it. She’d let her hair down, and it had been floating around her waist. He’d been in the process of imagining that hair wrapped around his hand when she’d caught him.

He wasn’t going to apologize, though. Aidan stood with his feet braced apart and his hands on his hips then mustered up the most disapproving voice he could, even though his body was still reacting to the sight of her.

“Ye took off without a guard,” Aidan accused.

Her eyes widened incredulously. She looked like a wood nymph to Aidan with those green eyes so prominent against her pale skin and the blue-green water lapping at her chin. The top of her head was dry, but her hair from neck down was wet and floated around her on top of the water.

“A guard?” Tillie repeated. “I’m just steps away from camp.”

“But hidden behind these bushes,” he argued, thrusting a hand out and pointing at the shrubbery.

“For privacy,” she said through gritted teeth. “But that obviously didn’t do any good.”

Aidan stiffened, well aware she was chastising him. “’Tis for yer own protection. Ye are not to leave without informin’ me first.”

A strange clicking sound caught Aidan’s attention, and he searched the area. His eyebrows rose when he realized it was coming from the lass, more specifically from the way her teeth were chattering.

“Come out of the water before ye freeze to death,” he grouched.

“Not until ye leave,” she shot back. “This is highly improper, Me Laird.”

“Ye are to be my wife,” Aidan pointed out.

“I’m not yer wife yet,” Tillie snapped back.

“Soon enough. Ye might as well get used to it.”

Aidan could hear her sputter in indignation, and he almost smiled. She was feisty, and he found he enjoyed that about her.

“Besides,” he argued. “How am I supposed to guard ye if I can’t see ye?”

“Use yer ears.” Her tone made him want to smile more, but then he noticed that her teeth were chattering even louder. His gaze dropped to her lips, and he swore they were turning blue.

“Ye are just stubborn enough to stay in there until ye freeze to death, aren’t ye?” Aidan asked on a long sigh.

Tillie raised her chin defiantly, and he watched her chin quiver with the force of her chattering teeth.

Aidan tightened his jaw. “I’ll give ye me back for your modesty, but I won’t be leavin’ ye here alone.”

He promptly turned so that his back was to Tillie and then stood there for a minute. When he didn’t hear any noises indicating she was leaving the water, he spun back around, ready to demand she hurry up.

The lass was quiet, he realized when his gaze fell on her already halfway out of the water. Aidan clenched his teeth and spun back around before she caught him gawking at her.

But the image of Tillie in her wet underclothes was burned into his brain. The sight caused his mouth to go dry and his lower body to harden. The water had turned her clothes see-through, and he’d had a very good look at all the curves and valleys hidden behind her clothes.

Och, why am I torturin’ meself! I will not turn around again, no matter what, until she says she is properly covered.

Thankfully, it was but another couple of minutes before she called out and said he could turn back around. Aidan hesitated for just a minute then turned and breathed a sigh of relief that her delicious curves were not as noticeable, and she’d secured her hair behind her back.

Aidan nodded and waited for her to walk to him.

“Ye will sleep with me tonight,” he announced, ignoring the way her jaw dropped open. “And every night while we travel.”