Page 131 of The Dragon Laird’s Obsession

Gordon forced himself to continue before fear could silence him again.

“I have loved ye far longer than I wanted to admit.” His voice roughened. “I fought it every day because I daenae believe in happy endings. Nae for men like me.”

Ailis stared at him.

“I thought I would ruin yer life. I thought ye would wake one mornin’ and finally see what me uncle made of me. I thought ye would look at me and see nothin’ but the monster everyone else feared.”

He shook his head. “But I was wrong.” His fingers curled around hers. “I was wrong about ye. I was wrong about me. And I was wrong to think lovin’ ye meant I had to send ye away.”

Ailis’ lips trembled, and her eyes searched his now.

“I need ye, Ailis,” he whispered. “I need ye here. With me. Laughin’ with me. Fillin’ me halls with yer bloody flowers and paintings. Makin’ Lileas smile. Makin’ me wonder why I ever thought stone walls were meant to stay cold.” Gordon’s own voice broke as he repeated the words true to his heart. “I need ye, Ailis.”

He stepped closer, lifted a shaky hand, and stroked it down the side of her face. “I want ye to be me wife if ye will still have me.”

Ailis stared at him for several heartbeats. Then she stepped even closer to him. Tears gathered in her eyes again, but there was no fear in them now.

“I never feared marriage,” she admitted. “I feared disappearing inside it.” Her fingers tightened around his. “I feared losin’ meself. I feared becomin’ someone’s possession.”

She looked down at their joined hands.

“I have spent so much of me life bein’ told what I must do and where I must go. I thought marriage would simply be another cage. But somewhere along the way, Gordon…” A smile trembled across her lips. “… ye stopped bein’ the cage I feared.”

His breath caught. “Ye became me home. When I said I willnae run, I meant it.” Her smile widened through her tears. “Because I love ye too.”

A laugh escaped him. It was weak and disbelieving, almost broken by the emotion lodged in his throat.

“Ye love me?” The shaky words made her press even closer to him then he inhaled when her right hand moved over the side of his face, her touch gentle.

“I love ye,” she repeated with an even wider smile.

He shook his head, unable to keep the smile from his face, then he pulled her into his arms.

Ailis wrapped herself around him, and Gordon held her with a desperation that would have embarrassed him had anyone else been watching.

But he did not care. He had spent too much time denying himself what he really wanted.

He buried his face against her hair and breathed her in. His arms tightened when she lifted her face. Their eyes met with no uncertainty, and Gordon lowered his head to kiss her.

His lips closed over hers slowly, and he savored her taste, allowing the rage of sensations to sweep through him and take over.

Ailis’ hands rose to his shoulders, and she melted against him as his hand cradled the back of her head. Her mouth parted for his, and she let out a soft moan, and the sound echoed through him, making him shiver with pleasure.

When they finally parted, their foreheads remained together.

Gordon closed his eyes and breathed her in deeply again.

For the first time since they met, a life with her did not frighten him. A life without her was what he realized he could no longer endure.

He reached for her hand again, smiling as his rough fingers closed gently around hers, careful of the small cut across her palm. He lifted her hand to his lips, and his kiss lingered against her knuckles.

Ailis’ eyes softened.

Gordon lowered their joined hands but did not release her.

“Ye’re safe now,” he whispered. “Kerr will remain me prisoner and his people will appoint a new laird. He willnae try to hurt ye ever again. I promise.”

He stepped closer until their foreheads touched.