Chapter 28

28

The Duty Of A Laird

D akota woke from her slumber. After the ride back from her father's castle, she had been hungry and tired. She had eaten alone and was a little disappointed not to eat with William, but she could not hold a grudge about that.

He had been kind enough to ride with her to her father's castle when there were threats to his clan. She did not know if that meant that he was a complete idiot or a complete gentleman.

She knew that William had Cameron, his most trusted man, so the castle would have been in good hands while they were away. Now that they were back, there was four days’ worth of work to catch up with, so it made sense that she did not see him after they returned.

Dakota thought a little about Conall as she lay in bed. She imagined him locked in a dungeon, and once he was, all her troubles would be gone

She couldn’t help but think back to the first time William had touched her, craving it again. She smiled as she remembered the raw desire on his face as he pleasured her.

Be patient. That time will come.

Dakota rose from the bed, and when she was dressed, she went downstairs for breakfast. She found William, much to her delight, in the breakfast room.

"Come and join me. I wanted to take a ride with ye after breakfast."

"Oh? Ye daenae have castle business to attend to?"

"I do, but it can wait. I wanted the mornin' with ye before I had some meetings this afternoon."

"I gladly accept," said Dakota.

She sat down for breakfast with a large smile on her face. First, he had gone to her father's castle with her, and now he was making time for breakfast and a ride. It made her feel like the most important woman in Scotland.

"M'Laird," said a maid as she entered with a large vase of flowers, "where would ye like these placed?"

"In the center of the table."

The maid came quickly to the table and placed them. "Aren't they lovely, m'Lady?"

"Aye, they are."

"And just for ye! I hope for a man to do the same for me one day." The maid briefly looked at the Laird and realized she was talking too much. "Pardon me; I'll leave to attend to the rest of me duties."

"These are for me?" asked Dakota.

"Aye, I went down to the gardens this morning to have the gardener cut them for me. I thought ye might like them, and they brighten the room."

"Aye, they do. Thank ye, they are lovely," admitted Dakota.

A small smile played on her lips as William grinned at her. She could get used to this. Bread and conserves were brought out along with some freshly basted eggs. Dakota could not eat much—she was excited to go riding with the Laird. She managed one egg and a bite of toast before her stomach could not take anymore.

There were far too many butterflies flapping around inside.

"Finish yer tea, and I will ready the horses," instructed the Laird.

Dakota bit her bottom lip and watched him go. He was the same man in the same clothes, but the way he acted toward her made him all the more desirable. She bit her lip harder as she thought of the prospect of something more than only riding happening on the ride.

When she was done with her tea, which was only shortly after the Laird had vacated the room, she went upstairs with her maid to change into her riding gear. She almost ran down the stairs and out into the courtyard. She found the Laird with two saddled horses at the stables. She was glad to see that Cloud had been saddled for her.

The Laird helped her up onto her horse before he mounted his. His hands on her waist raised goosebumps on her skin. They took off from the castle, but he did not lead her toward the moors this time, a place he often rode, and they headed in the opposite direction toward the hillocks and the river.

It was complete freedom once again to be out on a horse. Almost nothing in life brought her the unbridled happiness that riding a magnificent horse brought her. She took in William out of the corner of her eye—well, perhaps there was something else that could bring her the same happiness.

They rode into the foothills of the mountain in the distance. They were mostly green with dashes of purple where the heather had taken hold. They rode along the bank of the river, the flow against the rocks barely audible above the wind in Dakota's ears as she rode.

When William slowed, Dakota slowed too.

"I wanted to show ye somethin'," he called over his shoulder.

William dismounted his horse and then helped Dakota from hers, holding her firmly by the waist as he lifted her from Cloud. Dakota's heart fluttered, thinking how his hands would feel on the rest of her body.

"What did ye want to show me?" whispered Dakota.

"Follow me."

William took her hand, and she did not have to follow him as he led her by his side. They pushed through some trees and over some bracken. They came out close to the river, and it bubbled joyously. They walked a little upstream to find a small waterfall. It was only three or four feet high, but it provided the most magical sound.

There was a mossy clearing close to it surrounded by trees.

"Beautiful, daenae ye think?" asked William.

"Aye, it is that," Dakota replied. "Thank ye for bringin' me out here, William. What a fine way to spend a mornin'; eatin' and then ridin' together."

"Is it nae a beautiful place to finally spend some time together alone?"

William smiled and held her gaze, and Dakota could read the meaning behind his longing look.

"I have been thinking about nothing else, but I thought—"

"It's about to be done. Even if it werenae, I daenae think I could wait to be with ye."

"So, ye brought me out here to….?" Dakota smiled as her cheeks flushed crimson.

"There's such wonder all around us, and I have a feelin' we can make this wee place more wondrous. I cannae resist me desire toward ye, Dakota. I want us to become one at last."

Dakota felt nervous now that they were about to be together in such a beautiful place. The last couple of times they had been together, they had been bathed in passion, but it felt much too real this time. It meant something more.

William made the first move and took Dakota in his arms. He pulled her in, and the kiss felt familiar and exciting, all wrapped up in a bundle of joy. Dakota could not believe they were going to do this out in nature. It was, perhaps, the happiest day of her life. And she knew it would be the first of many.

Dakota felt her knees start to shake as her heart started to beat faster and faster. She would finally get to give in to the need deep within that had been tugging at her heart—she would finally be able to satisfy the desire that had been bubbling within.

The Laird's hands moved down to her waist, and he held her for a moment. His hands were strong and tender. He did not need to touch her down there for Dakota to feel waves of pleasure radiate from under his touch, even through the fabric of her blouse and breeches. He gently ran a hand up her stomach and down toward her special garden. It was as if a bolt of lightning had hit her, but instead of pain shooting through her, pleasure did.

She pressed her tongue to his, enjoying the warmth that invaded her mouth. She knew at that moment that she loved him. The Laird had taken her heart, and she did not want him to let it go. She had not felt like this before, nor did she expect to feel like this, especially not toward a man she had been forced to marry.

She ran her hands up his muscular back and took his hair, unable to stop the smile from working its way to her lips. She gripped his head with both hands as he pleasured her. The Laird smiled in return, matching the action with their lips pressed together.

She pulled away for a second. "I have been thinking' of nothin' else but ye, William. Me heart feels it is finally whole now that I'm in yer arms."

William brushed a lock of air behind her ear. "Yer words match the beauty of yer heart, Dakota. I long to make ye mine."

"I have somethin' I need to tell ye first," said Dakota.

The Laird took his hand from her breeches and stood reading her.

"Daenae worry, it's a good thin'," she assured, holding his gaze and smiling.

She had to tell him that she loved him. That was the one thing that would make this better than it already was. She did not even care if he did not reciprocate the feeling. She knew she felt it, and she had to tell him—had to tell the world. Or perhaps, she would start with all of Scotland first.

"What do ye need to tell me?" asked William.

"I want ye to ken that I—"

Dakota stopped speaking as William drew his sword quickly and looked around. His eyes moved from tree to tree.

"What are ye—"

William brought his finger to his lips to quiet her. Dakota froze on the spot, but her eyes still moved, trying to discern what he had seen or heard.

"Drop your weapon, and I promise I will not hurt her," said Conall.