Read Online Highland Courage (Highland Brides) by Ceci Giltenan - Free Book Online

then?”
    “Honestly, nay.”
    “That pleases me more than I can tell ye.” He hugged her tightly for a moment and, kissing the top of her head said, “Good night, my sweet little bride.”
    “Good night,” she whispered back. Soon his breathing became slow and regular signaling that he had fallen asleep. Sated and relaxed, she sighed happily. The faint scent of thyme assailed her. Thyme for courage . Nay, she didn’t need it for this. Here she was, lying completely naked in the arms of an equally naked man whom she had only known for a few days. To her utter bewilderment she didn’t feel remotely shy. In fact, she was more comfortable and content than she had ever been. Basking in this serenity, she drifted into a dreamless sleep.
    Before dawn, she woke to find herself draped across his chest, with one of her legs between his, her thigh pressed against his manhood. She stirred and nuzzled her cheek against the soft hair on his chest. A low rumbling growl rose from him, and she looked up to find him watching her.
    She ran her hands across his broad chest, kissing and nibbling the way he had the night before.
    Stilling her hands, he said, “Ah, God’s teeth, lass, ye could tempt a saint.”
    “Can we not do it again?”
    “Aye, we can, I just thought—never mind what I thought.” He captured her lips, rolling her onto her back, making tender love to her once more.
    They slept again in each other’s arms, waking well after the sun was up. In the light of day, some of her bashfulness returned and she wrapped the sheet around her before climbing out of bed.
    “Nay, lass,” Tadhg said huskily, tugging at the sheet. “Ye are truly beautiful and it gives me joy to see ye. Don’t hide from me here.” She blushed and looked away, but left the bed, leaving the sheet behind, enjoying the sound of his rich chuckle.
    She found her clothing had been moved into the wardrobe and one of the chests. She washed quickly, dressing in a deep russet léine cinched at her waist with a leather belt.
    He, too, rose to dress and picked up a small vial that had been on the bedside table. “Well now, we don’t need this.”
    She gave him a quizzical look over her shoulder. “What is it?”
    “A vial of sheep’s blood.” At her confused expression, he grinned. “Do ye remember the promise I made ye in the chapel, the night ye arrived?”
    “Oh. That was—ye were going to…” she glanced at the evidence of her virginity on the bed. She giggled nervously. “Nay, I suppose we don’t need it. But, Tadhg, thank ye for thinking of it.” She blushed crimson.
    He chuckled, wrapped his arms around her and kissed her soundly. “Ye have nothing to be embarrassed about, sweetling, but I do love to see ye blush. Ye are so very beautiful.” He kissed her again before releasing her to finish dressing.
    She removed a cream-colored plaid with green, gold, and russet stripes from the chest containing her clothing and started to fasten it around her shoulders. He stopped her. “I would like for ye to have this.” He fastened her plaid for her with an intricately filigreed gold brooch. In a voice tinged with sadness, he added, “It belonged to my mother.”
    “Tadhg, I would be honored.” She rested her hands on his shoulders while he adjusted the brooch. Her brothers had told her Tadhg’s mother and younger brother had died of the plague ten years earlier while visiting the royal court in Edinburgh. When Tadhg had the brooch secured, she put her arms around his neck and kissed him, wanting to banish the shadow of loss from his eyes.
    When their lips parted he said, “Now, no more of that, lass, or ye’ll have me taking ye back to bed.”
    She laughed at him. “Ah, ye have discovered my evil scheme to avoid the throng of MacKenzies who no doubt lay in wait below.”
    “There is no point trying to avoid them, little one. In just a few short days, I have learned it is nigh on impossible to do that. We will brave them