Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 32259 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 161(@200wpm)___ 129(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32259 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 161(@200wpm)___ 129(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
Hamish kisses me, and I know I should be feeling the fire and passion in that kiss—our first as man and wife—but I don’t. And when he pulls away, I can see the shadow cross his face before I look away, avoiding his eyes.
…Ailith was right. I’ve read too many books. And real life is not like that.
I know I shouldn’t care. I mean, it’s not like I imagined fairytale romance when I was told I’d be marrying a man I don’t know, because it’d been chosen for me. And yet, I do. I care, and it stings knowing how… how…
I frown.
How disposable I am.
“And now!” Lord Malcolm McAuley, one of Hamish’s—my husband’s—friends roars, as he stands. “Now, we feast!”
Hamish takes my hand, my billowing white dress streaming behind me as we walk back down the aisle of the chapel.
Like the ceremony, the feast passes by in a blur. My stomach is in knots, my head lost somewhere as I smile mechanically at strangers, friends, and family alike who stop by the master table at the front of the hall to congratulate me. I’m numb as my parents hug me, my mother crying tears of happiness. All three of my friends sit with me for a while of course—and even though I never do, I eagerly take the goblet of wine from Cat when she offers, slugging the sweet red liquid down quickly as she arches a brow at me.
“Some courage for later?”
I blush, heat rushing through me. Before earlier, yes. Before coming crashing into Hamish in the bathhouse, the thought of what’s to come after the feast would have terrified me. Because I know what comes after—after comes sharing his bed and giving him my everything. Except, I’m not scared, not after the taste of his touches and kisses earlier.
…I’m excited.
It’s not nerves that has my fingers toying together, my pulse racing, and my bottom lip worrying between my teeth. It’s anticipation.
Cat shoves more wine my way as Rhona slides a hand to squeeze mine.
“I’ve heard it doesn’t hurt if you drink goat’s milk before you—”
“Rhona?” I smile at her. “I’ll be fine.”
“Oh yes you will,” Cat murmurs, blushing as she nods across the table to where Hamish is having a drink with some of his advisors and friends. He looks positively regal—his tartan shall draped over one muscled shoulder, his tunic beneath it open down the front of his powerful chest. His bare arms flex, the tattoos from foreign lands rippling on his skin as he takes a swig from his glass. One of the men he’s standing with says something that makes him laugh, and I shiver, heat teasing through me as I watch his gorgeous face pull into a smile.
Cat arches a brow, eyes darting back to me as she grins.
“You’re going to be a lot more than fine with a man like that.”
“Catriona!” Ailith gasps, smacking Cat on the hand. But Cat just laughs, winking at me.
“What? I can’t tell her that she’s married a gorgeous husband? As if she doesn’t already know that?”
I roll my eyes as Ailith goes red, looking away.
“Oh, don’t worry, Ail. There’s more than one handsome lord here tonight.” Cat grins, poking Ailith. “For instance, like the one staring at you right now.”
All four of us swivel our heads without a trace of subtly to see the tall, roguish-looking and yet extremely handsome dark-haired man staring at Ailith with piercing blue eyes. Ailith immediately goes bright red and yanks her eyes away.
Cat giggles. “That’s Malcolm McAuley, lord of Falmer Island.” She pokes a teasing finger at Ailith. “Why you tempting little minx, you!”
“Cat!” Ailith hisses, her face flushed. “I am betrothed.”
Rhona snorts. “Yeah but not to a man who looks like that. Or a man who looks at you like that.”
Ailith grabs my glass of wine and takes a big swig from it before shaking her head. “Well don’t look back!”
We’re all still giggling when suddenly, my friends go silent, their eyes going wide as they stare past me.
“My queen.”
God.
That deep, powerful voice of his rumbles through me, making my heart jump into my throat and making every inch of my skin tingle. I take a shaky breath, swallowing before I stand, and slowly turn. My heart flips again as I drag my gaze up his huge, muscled body, taking all of him in as I sweep my eyes up to his fierce, piercing gaze.
“It’s time for us to go.”
Heat throbs through me, making my legs quiver. I remember that I’m still angry at what I now know about this whole arrangement—that I’m just one of a string of women he’s either been with or will be with. And yet, it’s so hard to be mad when those beautifully fierce eyes burn into mine.
…Which makes me furious, even if he’s got my body trembling for him.