Page 21 of Never Kiss a Highlander

Her husband didn’t sit right away but stood looking at her until she became uncomfortable. “Why are ye standing over me, staring?”

“Most likely because I doona really ken what to say.”

She raised her chin. “Mayhap ye wish to apologize?”

His brows rose. “Apologize for what? If ye’re referring to the kiss we shared that ended with us?—”

“Nay.” She frowned. “I’m thinking ye might want to apologize for all the demands ye’ve made of me since ye arrived.”

Finn placed his hands on his hips. “The only demands I made upon ye was to keep ye from killing yerself, or, in the case of parading past the lists, one of my men.”

She pointed her finger at him. “I was merely returning to the keep after collecting flowers from my garden. I think ‘tis yer responsibility to keep yer men under control.”

He growled. “Iam always in control.”

“Aye. That is the problem. Ye feel as though ye need to control everyone.” She pointed her finger at him. “Ye are an arrogant mon, Mr. Mackay. Ye think ye always ken what’s best for everyone. Ye are no’ always right, ye ken.”

“Perhaps ye can tell me, lass, what I spoke with ye about that was no’ necessary to protect yerself.”

She jumped up. “‘Tis was no’ yer right to tell me what no’ to do.”

“As yer husband it is my duty and job to protect ye, even from yerself.”

She pointed her finger at him. “I was no’ yer wife when ye ordered me around like a bairn.”

Finn ran his hand over his hair and took a deep breath. “Alison. I dinna ask to speak with ye so we could argue.”

Finn studied his wife’s demeanor which told him this wasn’t going how he’d planned. He wanted to spend some time with her alone since they hadn’t had a chance to speak since the brief time the laird had allowed them after she’d been ordered to marry him.

He knew once the bedding ceremony began, it would end with them together in bed, naked, which would make any kind of discussion on his part impossible.

He took complete responsibility for his actions. He was the one with experience, and Alison an innocent miss. He should have known better than to let their kiss go as far as it had. Foras infuriating as the lass made him, the lust he felt for her was frightening.

What was truly frightening was that he’d lost control again. Twice now the woman had done that to him. When he’d attacked Archie Sinclair and when he let his lust for her consume him.

However, he had no idea how he would have sat this morning and watched his Alison marry the bastard Sinclair.

His Alison.

It hadn’t taken long for him to make a claim on the woman, even if they hadn’t yet shared a bed.

Just as the blame for the event that led to their marriage should fall on his shoulders, the fact that they were already arguing was his as well. Mayhap he did sound a tad overbearing, but, from what he’d seen since he’d arrived, no one seemed to have control over the lass’s actions.

He had many things to do both as second-in-command and now heir to the laird. He could not spend his time worrying that his wife was in trouble and endangering herself.

Give her a bairn to worry about, he told himself.

All the time he’d been musing, Alison had been staring out the window, her arms crossed, her body tense. This would not do. He wanted to spend this time making amends with her so when they did retire for the night the only thing on their minds would be a proper wedding night.

He walked up to her and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her to his chest. With his other hand, he moved her long, curly hair from her back to her shoulder exposing the soft, silky skin on her neck.

She shivered as his lips touched her. He nibbled on the spot, then soothed it with small kisses. “So soft.”

With a slight moan, she leaned back against his chest. His hand moved up to cup her breast, his thumb circulating overher nipple, feeling pleasure as the nub tightened and she pushed herself harder against him.

He closed his eyes, telling himself he needed to get this conversation over with so they could return to the great hall, finish the celebration and retire to their bedchamber.

Finn turned her body, his arms encircling her. “I doona want to argue because I think we can make a good marriage.” He leaned in and pressed his lips to her hair and mumbled. “We will have many bairns. Strapping sons and bonny girls.”