Chapter 22
“And what do ye think of this color, Talia dear?” Orlagh asked, holding up a sample of pale blue silk. “I think it would look absolutely marvelous on ye.”
Talia nodded in agreement, but her eyes kept straying to the man standing across the room, giving instructions about the changes to be made to the hall in preparation for their betrothal.
Since he admitted to being in love with her, their relationship had changed so drastically that she wondered if he had been replaced by someone else.
Gone was the brooding man who avoided her, and in his place was a man who wore his feelings for her openly.
Preparations for their betrothal were well underway, and while they were both busy, he always found a way to be around her, and it annoyed Orlagh endlessly how he stole her away in the middle of the day.
Talia could never resist him, especially not when he gave her mischievous smiles full of dark promises.
He was nothing like she could have expected, and with each day they spent together, she found herself loving a new side of him.
He turned and caught her eye, and gave her a wink that made her blush. She quickly hid her face and turned to the women around her, who smiled at her with knowing looks.
“I ken ye would rather spend yer time with me son, Talia, but ye must help us make these preparations in time for the betrothal,” Orlagh said with a smile. “And I would thank me son to stop distractin’ ye as well.”
“He isnae distracting me, Orlagh,” Talia assured her. “‘Tis me—”
“Daenae deny it, Talia,” Darragh interrupted, walking up to them. “It flatters me that ye cannae concentrate because of me.”
Talia blushed again, but she wrinkled her nose and folded her arms. “It wasnae ye I was lookin’ at,” she insisted. “I was observin’ the decorations.”
“Indeed?” he drawled, raising an eyebrow. “Could the decorations have put such a delectable blush on yer face?”
Orlagh swatted his arm and laughed.
Amber and the other women laughed, making Talia blush even further.
“Stop teasin’ the girl, Darragh,” Orlagh scolded. “‘Tis poor manners.”
He laughed and sat next to Talia, causing her heart to beat faster.
“I cannae help it,” he said with a smile. “She is rather bonny when she blushes.”
The women tittered again, embarrassing her further.
“We must thank Talia for bringing out the Laird’s romantic side,” Amber teased, winking at her. “‘Tis rather beautiful to see.”
“Indeed,” Orlagh agreed. “We are really grateful to ye for making me son smile again.”
Talia nodded and met Darragh’s eyes. He was smiling at her. She returned his smile, feeling rather thankful to have put such a beautiful look on his face.
She had thought him handsome from the first moment she had seen him, but now…
She wished there was a better word to describe him. The deep lines that had made him look brooding had disappeared, and now he constantly sported an easy smile, which made her breathless whenever it widened into a grin.
She loved looking at him, loved watching him smile at his clansmen, and loved seeing him play with the children in the castle.
She loved this man so deeply that it amazed her how she had once thought she would never experience the feeling. And he made it so easy for her to fall deeper in love with him that it always felt as though she were walking on clouds.
He took her hand suddenly, pulling her out of her thoughts.
“I am taking Talia for a turn about the gardens,” he announced, rising to his feet. “I believe ye are finished with yer meeting?”
“Nay, Darragh,” Orlagh protested. “We have barely finished anythin’ because ye kept distractin’ her.”
“I believe ye’re capable of finishin’ whatever remains, Maither,” he insisted, pulling Talia to her feet because, in her surprise, she remained sitting. “Surely, ye wouldnae think to keep me and me wife apart, Maither?”
His wife?
Her eyes widened, and the women gasped excitedly.
“Aye, ye’ve won the argument,” Amber said with a wide grin. “Enjoy yer stroll, Talia.” She gave Talia a wink that told her they knew the two of them were going to do anything but stroll.
Why did he have to be so obvious?
“We will,” Darragh answered, leading her away.
Once they had stepped out into the hallway, she buried her face in his arm.
“Why could ye nae wait until we were finished?” she groaned. “They daenae believe we’re just going for a stroll.”
He chuckled deeply, and the sound resonated in her chest.
“That is because we arenae just going for a stroll,” he answered in a teasing tone.
She slapped his arm, glaring at him, and he laughed again, placing a kiss on her forehead.
“Ye are about to be me wife, Talia,” he said with a smile. “Everyone kens we’re going to do more than stroll. Ye daenae have to be so shy.”
“Ye’re impossible!” she gasped.
“Does it bother ye?” he asked. “I could take ye back to them.”
“I didnae say ye should do that,” she argued. “I just… Next time, daenae interrupt our meetings.”
He nodded and squeezed her hand.
“I will try, but I make nay promises,” he said with a grin. “They had better understand that once we are wed, I will have ye to meself whenever I please, and I will do me best to make it worth yer time, as I always have.”
Her cheeks reddened, but she didn’t argue further.
He had indeed made it worth her time every time they were together with his mouth and hands, and she left wanting even more. She sometimes wished she knew how to reciprocate, but he was in no hurry to do more than pleasure her.
She wished she could ask Amber what to do, but the topic seemed so forbidden that she couldn’t bring herself to ask.
“Have I upset ye?” Darragh asked, frowning.
“Nay,” she answered. “I only wish I could make ye as happy as ye make me.”
He grinned and placed another kiss on her forehead. “Ye already make me happy, Talia,” he assured her. “I daenae need ye to do anythin’ more.”
“But…” she sighed. “I daenae ken how to bring ye pleasure.”
He chuckled darkly. “I daenae stop ye for nay reason, Talia.” He leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Me lust for ye burns hot, and I daenae trust meself to stop if ye touch me.”
Her breath caught in her chest, and her mouth went dry.
This man and his naughty words.
“I believe I have assuaged yer fears now, wife?” he asked with a pointed look.
She nodded.
“Good,” he said, rising. “Now, let’s go.”
She let him lead her away to the gardens, where they spent a better part of the day kissing.
The morning of the engagement party started like others, but Talia found herself surrounded by a horde of women intent on making her look beautiful.
She was scrubbed, dried, dressed, and pulled in different directions as they tried to get her ready for the day, and she found herself excitedly listening as they traded gossip, even though she wished they were gentler with her hair.
When they finally finished, she was allowed to look in the mirror, and she gasped at the woman staring back at her.
They had made her look beautiful. Her hair was tamed and pinned in ringlets atop her head with a few strands to frame her face in a way that made her look elegant.
They had applied the juice of a crushed rose to her lips and cheek and the color made her eyes shine brighter.
Tears welled up in her eyes in anticipation of Darragh’s reaction when he finally saw her.
“We must go now, Talia,” Orlagh announced. “The guests started arriving, and I am eager to see me son’s face when he sees ye.”
“Aye,” Talia agreed and followed them out of the room.
When they entered the Great Hall, she couldn’t hide her smile when she saw Darragh’s face. He had been smiling as he was speaking to Cohen, but when he saw her, his eyes went wide.
He was pleased, she could tell from the pleasant surprise on his face. She grinned and lowered her eyes quickly, but when she lifted them again, she found him walking quickly over to her.
“Ye look… bonny,” he murmured.
She grinned, cocking her head. “Ye’re dashing as well,” she complimented, looking him over.
He was even more handsome than usual. His usually unruly hair had been tamed, and his linen shirt was crisp and fit snugly around his frame. When she lifted her eyes to his again, they had darkened, and she knew if they were alone, he would kiss her again.
Alas, they were soon interrupted by well-wishers. They only had each other for a few minutes before they were interrupted, and she sensed his mounting frustration.
When he pulled her behind him and out of the hall, she couldn’t help the smile on her face. He was so predictable, she found it comforting that he couldn’t control himself around her. It flattered her as well as appeased her that it was not only she who was bothered by him.
“Do ye want to go back?” he asked, when he finally stopped.
He was breathing as hard as she was, and the look in his eyes was desperate, almost pleading.
She shook her head, stepping closer to him. “I want to be with ye. I want ye.”
That seemed to break something inside him, because he pulled her against him and kissed her with such passion that she couldn’t do anything but bury her hands in his hair.
He groaned, and the sound reverberated in her chest. She tugged on his hair, and he moved his mouth from her lips to her jaw and then down to her neck.
She leaned back and gasped.
He had mastered her body and knew where to touch and kiss her to make her hungry for him.
“Please, Darragh,” she begged, needing more than what he could give her in this hallway.
“Aye, lass,” he groaned against her skin, kissing his way up to her lips again. “I ken what ye need.”
His hands moved lower, pulling her into him.
“Shall we head to me chambers?”
She nodded and allowed him to pull her along.
Darragh’s hands found the laces of her dress, and he undid them, pulling until she was naked before him. He stepped back to admire her. She lifted her hands to cover herself, but he stopped her.
“Daenae cover yerself, Talia,” he told her. “Let me gaze upon yer beauty.”