Page 68 of Her Forbidden Highlander Husband

“Perhaps she thinks she’s a rabbit.”

“So you’re saying it’s my fault?”

“If you’d not traveled all that way and married me in secret, ye’d not be getting kicked. So I guess it is your fault.”

He wrapped his arms around her from behind as she braided her hair. She felt desire warm her belly.

She saw his grin in the mirror and knew he was about to say something witty that was going to earn him a thump on the arm.

“If you’d not come out to the stables and begged me to take ye— Ow!” He rubbed his arm. “Damn, woman. You’re stronger than you look.”

“Always remember that.” She quieted her laughter when Gwennie shifted. When she looked back at Liam, he was staring at her, his humor had faded.

“I’ll never regret marrying ye,” he said.

She hoped he wouldn’t change his mind if ever he found out she’d been promised to another.

…

The sun was up when Liam woke. He was alone in the bed, but the sound of whispering told him his wife and daughter were still in the room. He opened his eyes and watched Evelyn brushing Gwennie’s hair and helping her into a dress.

“Can I wake up Papa now?” Gwennie asked.

Liam was quick to shut his eyes.

“Papa is very tired. He held you the whole way here, even when you were sleeping.”

“But I’m hungry.”

“Put your shoes on and gather up your bunnies and then we’ll wake him.”

Liam lay still until he heard Gwennie come closer to the bed. When she placed her hand on his cheek and whispered, “Papa, wake up. I’m hungry.”

He snapped at her hand and growled. She squealed and then laughed.

“I’m hungry, too.” He pretended he was gobbling up her hand as he’d seen Cam and Lach do to their children many times. As expected, she held out her hand and forced him to do it twice more before Evelyn saved him so he could get up.

They were greeted warmly by the people in the hall as they made their way to the main table to sit with Bryce and Dorie.

Liam took their son, Dorien, from Bryce and held him up. “He’s an armful,” he said. “Soon enough he’ll be carrying a sword.” He took a moment to talk to the lad in the way adults spoke to babes, earning a smile.

“He’ll need to learn to walk first. He refuses,” Dorie said. “Instead, he crawls wherever he wants to go.”

“Children do things when it’s right for them,” Liam repeated something he’d heard from Kenna before handing over the little boy to his mother.

Liam had planned to take Gwennie to see the seals, but a storm was coming in, so he went with Bryce while Dorie took Ev and Gwennie for a tour of their home.

It wasn’t long that he and Bryce were alone. The man gave him a good wallop on the shoulder. “A wife and a daughter.”

“Aye.” Liam smiled with pride.

“How does it feel?”

“Quite different than I expected, to be honest.”

Bryce nodded. “I understand. I didn’t think I could love again after Maggie died. But somehow, I was lucky enough to be given Dorie. Some men do not find such women in their lives, and I’ve managed to find two of the best ones that ever were.”

Liam didn’t take offense to Bryce’s words, and he’d not tell the man that he was wrong because Evelyn was clearly the loveliest. Liam knew well enough they were both lucky bastards to have found such wonderful wives.