My Heart's in the Highlands by Angeline Fortin (best english novels for beginners .TXT) 📗

Free to truly begin their lives together.

Ian followed the sound of the piano playingto the music room once more, without fear that Hero would be gone.This time the tune was a lively one and he could hear laughter ashe approached. At the door, Ian watched Hero play withoutdisturbing her. The setting sun slanted through the west-facingwindows and caressed her skin, casting it in gold. His heart warmedjust as it always did when he looked at her or even simply thoughtof her. Still, it never ceased to surprise him, this consuminglove.

Beaumont sat by her side as she played,turning the pages of the sheet music for her. He was speakingquietly to her. Ian couldn’t hear the words, but whatever the dukesaid brought a slight smile to her lips. Hero’s lips moved inresponse, and Beaumont laughed buoyantly.

“Ah, good evening, Ian!” the duke boomed,spotting him in the doorway, and Hero raised her bonny eyes to his.They softened and a different kind of smile turned up the cornersof her lips.

Hero looked up to find Ian leaning gracefullyon the doorjamb, his arms crossed casually across his broad chestand his eyes darkened with love. Her own heart quickened, and shesmiled warmly at him, unaware that intense love shone as obviouslyin her eyes as in his.

“Good evening, my lord,” she said softly.

It never failed to amuse Ian that no matterhow intimate they became, when in public or even within theservants’ hearing, she would always address him in a formal way. Heteased her about it so mercilessly that Hero sometimes wondered ifshe continued to do so only to cause that humor to light hiseyes.

“Good evening, Lady Ayr,” he said softly ashe approached and bent to place a gentle kiss on her upturned lips.“Harry, Cooper awaits you below to attend the summer solsticefestival.”

“I think not,” Beaumont said.

Hero and Ian exchanged surprised looks. “Ithought you were excited about the festival, Papa.”

“I am more tired than excited,” the dukesaid, waving a hand as she reached out to him. He then surprisedher even more by using her name. “No, Hero, don’t worry about me. Ishall go straight to bed and you shall have an evening alone withyour new husband. It has been a long week, has it not?”

Hero nodded. “Are you certain?”

“I am.” He kissed her cheek and rose, makinghis farewells as he went.

“I hope he’s all right,” Hero said after heleft.

“I’m sure he is,” Ian told her. “Harry isn’tone to withhold how he feels. Now the staff has gone and yourfather will soon be abed. Would you care to walk with me on theramparts, my bonny bride?”

“That would be lovely,” Hero replied.

Tucking her hand firmly in the crook of hisarm, Ian led his lady through the castle and out between theramparts. Hero went in front of him, skimming her fingers acrossthe top of the wall and skipping over the spaces just as she hadthe night they first met. Just as she did each time they came outhere to their favorite spot. Four … five … six. Hero stopped andIan pressed in behind her, snuggling her slim body against his. Sheleaned her head back against his chest with a sigh, tempting Ian toplace an affectionate kiss on the top of her head. He sighed incontentment.

As a boy, Ian had always been reclusive,interested more in books and individual activities than in thosepastimes typically undertaken by the rowdy lads at school. Still,he’d had companions aplenty, whether he sought them out or not. Itseemed that his disinterest in garnering the approval of othersonly served to make his friendship that much more desirable. Amonghis classmates, he would participate in random amusements. In thosemoments, he enjoyed sports and pranks with the others and was quickto laugh, but there was a true camaraderie and absolute friendshiplacking there that might have made him relish those times. Neverhad Ian preferred the company of another over solitary privacyuntil Hero had come to him.

Now Ian wondered if he could ever live lifethat way again. If something were to happen to her, he wondered ifhe would experience true loneliness for the first time.

No, there was no question; Ian knew hewould.

At least he wouldn’t have to face such anevent any time soon. They had been freed of their nemesis. In justa few more days, Daphne would face the magistrate and head off toprison.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Hero sighed asthe sun dipped below the horizon, casting the sky in red and purplethat reflected on the waters of the firth below. Turning hisattention to more pleasant thoughts, Ian joined her in watching thesunset. Beautiful as it was, it didn’t hold a candle to Hero’sbonny face, and he told her so.

Though he couldn’t see her face, he felt hersmile. “No regrets, then?”

Bending his head, Ian nuzzled her neck andwhispered in her ear, “My only regret is that I did not find youbefore Robert did.”

“You wouldn’t have liked me then. I waswoefully prim,” she said.

“And you aren’t now?” he chuckled softly whenshe slapped his hands playfully. “No? How about proving mewrong?”

Her hands reached back, sliding down his hipsand grasping his buttocks as she wiggled her backside against hisgroin. “Haven’t I already?”

Ian groaned, feeling the rush of lust thatalways gripped him at her slightest touch. Always it was the same.Even if they had just found heaven moments before, Hero couldarouse him as easily as a man deprived for years. He didn’t need tohope that it would be that way for the rest of their lives. Hesimply knew it would be. “Little minx,” he growled in her ear. “Areyou trying to provoke me into taking you right here?”

“It was one of your promises, wasn’t it?”Hero asked, turning in his embrace and looping her arms around hisneck. “I believe you said something about me and that wall? Howwould that work, exactly?”

A shudder ripped through him at the thought.Images of just how it would be done. His body tensed with need,urging him to do it, but Ian pushed the idea away. For all thecarnality, their interludes were not purely sexual. When he madelove to