Chapter Twenty-Four
The clapping subsided, and Torquil looked at Eilidh, realizing how much he had missed her. How much he did not want to spend another moment away from her.
He stepped toward the dais. “I wrote something new, for Eilidh.” He met Lillias’s gaze and gave her a wistful smile. She nodded, encouraging him to go on.
He sat in an empty chair near the hearth, facing Eilidh, and began to play. At first his fingers and his voice were uncertain. It was the first time he had ever felt doubtful in his playing. But as he continued, he filled with boldness, his voice stabilized, as he sang the lyrics he had written.
Words that told of their story. A ballad of passionate and unforgiving love.
Eilidh’s eyes filled with tears, rolling in fat drops down her cheeks as she watched him, listening. Realizing what he had done.
Morven approached Eilidh and drew her into the middle of the room, swaying to the melody, their hands entwined.
He glanced over to the dais. Alpin watched silently, his jaw clenched tight. He didn’t ken what else he could do to prove he loved his sister with all his being.
The room fell into a hush, completely absorbed by the emotion emitting from the music.
When Torquil finished, he stood and approached the dais once again.
Softly, he addressed Arthur and Lillias.
“I love yer daughter with all my being. All my heart.” He turned to Alpin.
“I love yer sister. I ken ye dinnae believe it, but I hope in time, ye can. I vow I shall spend the whole of my life proving how much I love her.”
Morven was the first to start clapping, a smile on her face. Moira followed. Lillias grinned broadly. Torquil’s gaze met Arthur’s and he waited, holding his breath. Hoping he had done enough to show them that his feelings were true.
Slowly, Arthur nodded and it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of Torquil’s shoulders.
Alpin looked away, irritated. Clenching his jaw, he pushed away from the table and left the Great Hall. He would have to deal with Alpin later or hope that eventually, now that the rest of the Harts seemed to be in agreement, that he would too.
Eilidh approached, placing her hand on his chest and lifting to her toes, bringing his mouth down to hers.
Torquil closed his eyes at the divine sensation of his wife’s lip on his.
Och, how he had missed her taste. They made no move to hide their kiss, instead they made a display of it so everyone in the attendance would ken.
The silence grew into murmurs of congratulations, smiles, and laughter.
And acceptance.
It warmed Torquil’s heart.
Eilidh approached the dais and curtsied low to her parents. Torquil was right beside her bowing.
Later that night, as they lay in bed in Eilidh’s chamber, she whispered, “I kenned ye would find the words.” She stroked his cheek, looking deep in his eyes and he felt as if she could see his very soul.
Pulling her to him, he kissed the top of her head, holding her close, relishing in the contact he missed so much. “I had to,” he finally replied. “Ye’re the music. My music.”
She lifted her head to meet his eyes. “I dinnae e’er want to spend days apart like we just did. I missed ye so.”
“I am in agreement with that. I was verra lonely without my Firebrand by my side.”
Her eyes darkened, and her face grew serious. “I must apologize for my words. I spoke them out of anger. No’ at ye, but the situation we found ourselves in.”
He smiled. “We both said things we didnae mean. Let us no’ think of them again.”
Capturing her mouth in a searing kiss, he rolled Eilidh onto her back, trailing his lips to her jaw, her neck, afore sucking her hardened nipple into his mouth. She threw her head back, grabbing a fistful of his hair, and he moaned at the bite of pain as he feasted.
She was divine, and he wanted more. So much more.
Moving lower, he trailed his lips down her stomach, grazing his teeth on her skin.
She writhed beneath him, and he smiled. He wanted her out of her mind with want.
With need. When he lapped at her soft folds, her hips bucked off the bed.
He draped an arm over her to keep her in place as he licked and nipped.
He slid a finger into her warm heat, and she gasped, reaching for his shoulders, trying to pull him up.
“Ah, ah, ah,” he said. “I’ve no’ had my fill just yet.” He drew her sensitive bud into his mouth and pushed another finger inside of her, pumping in and out as her juices flowed over his hand.
“Torquil!” She shouted.
He chuckled. She was so needy, but he could not hold back any longer. He was just as needy as she. With a final kiss to her mons, he moved up onto the bed, covering Eilidh’s body with his. He kissed her, deep, long, and he kenned she could taste herself on his tongue.
Thrusting, he entered her in one long push, burying himself to the hilt as they groaned in unison. Her tightness milked him.
He was in Heaven. There was no other explanation for the divine feelings that were flowing through his body. He wasn’t going to last long. Couldn’t.
“Ye feel so good, Firebrand. I cannae—”
Eilidh cut him off by drawing his head down for a kiss. Their tongues tangled together, as he pumped harder. They broke the kiss, gasping for breath as their moans filled the room. Her eyes blew wide as her breathing quickened and he felt her begin to contract around him. Squeezing him.
Quickening his pace, neither of them could hold on any longer. As she stiffened beneath him, crying out his name in a guttural call, he joined her, his face buried in her neck as he spilled his seed, his whole body shaking.
It was some time afore they caught their breaths. Eilidh looked up at him lazily.
“I dinnae e’er want to be deprived of such pleasure e’er again. Tell me ye willnae leave again. That we will talk things out afore we make any rash decisions.”
Torquil bent and kissed her nose. “I promise ye that. Ne’er again.”