Epilogue
Later that night, when the last of the music had faded and the castle had finally begun to settle, Gordon led Ailis through the quiet corridors toward their chambers.
The silence felt almost strange after the celebration’s warmth and noise. A few lanterns still burned along the walls, their light trembling across the stone, while somewhere below, the faint murmur of servants clearing away the remains of the feast reached them.
Ailis walked beside him, her fingers resting lightly in his.
Neither of them seemed particularly interested in speaking. There were other matters on his mind. He had spent weeks longing for her, and now that she was his, every part of him burned from the feverish heat of his desires.
When they entered the chamber, he let her walk to their bedding then he closed the door and turned to look at her.
Ailis turned toward him.
For a moment, neither moved.
Her cheeks were still pink from dancing, and loose strands of hair had escaped the pins that had held them in place throughout the evening. She felt a familiar tightening in her chest as Gordon approached slowly and reached for the clasp of her wedding cloak.
His fingers were surprisingly careful as he loosened it.
The heavy fabric slipped from her shoulders, and he caught it before it fell, setting it aside.
Then he looked at her and let out a shaky breath.
A small smile touched her lips. “What?”
He shook his head. “Nothin’.”
“That is clearly nae true.”
Gordon gave a quiet laugh. “I have spent weeks tryin’ to control meself around ye.”
Ailis’ smile softened. “I ken.”
“I am nae certain I can do that tonight.” His voice had dropped, becoming rougher.
Ailis stepped closer. Her fingers lifted to his face, brushing gently along his cheek. “Then daenae.” Her thumb moved slowly across his cheekbone. “I want ye to burn me, Gordon .”
For a heartbeat, he simply stared at her. Then a low laugh escaped him, warm and disbelieving.
“Yer wish,” he murmured, drawing her into his arms, “is me command, Me Lady.”
Ailis laughed softly against his chest. His arms tightened around her. She could feel his heartbeat beneath her palm, strong and steady, while his chin rested briefly against her hair.
The tenderness of the embrace made her chest ache.
Gordon’s hands moved to the laces of her nightgown. He loosened them slowly, each tug revealing more of her skin.
The firelight caught the curve of her shoulders and the swell of her breasts. Ailis stood still, breath shallow, as he pushed the fabric down her arms. It pooled at her feet. She wore nothing beneath. Gordon’s gaze traveled over her bare body, heat flaring in his eyes.
He lifted her onto the bed. The mattress dipped beneath her weight. Gordon stripped off his own clothes, tossing them aside.
His hardness stood hard and thick. Ailis’ eyes widened at the sight.
The sight of Gordon above her made her heart pound with a mixture of wonder and nervous anticipation.
He climbed over her, bracing his weight carefully on his arms, and when his mouth found hers, the kiss stole whatever remained of her composure.
It was deep and hungry, yet beneath it, she could feel the tenderness he was trying so hard to hide. His touch made her shiver, not merely because of the sensations themselves but because it was Gordon touching her.
Ailis closed her eyes and surrendered to the moment.
There was still a nervous flutter beneath her ribs, an awareness that everything between them had changed tonight. She was no longer wondering whether he wanted her. She knew.
Gordon broke the kiss and trailed his lips down her throat. He licked the hollow at its base then moved lower.
His mouth closed over one nipple, sucking firmly. Ailis gasped, back arching. He switched to the other breast, teeth grazing the peak. His hand slid between her thighs, fingers parting her folds. She was already slick. He stroked her clit in slow circles, drawing a moan from her throat.
Ailis’ legs opened wider. Gordon eased one finger inside her.
He worked it gently, letting her adjust. A second finger joined the first. He curled them, pressing against a spot that made her hips jerk.
His thumb kept circling her clit. Pleasure built fast, heat pooling low in her belly.
But this time, it wasn’t even close to calming the fire inside him, the same fire that seemed to catch and burn through her as well.
Gordon withdrew his fingers and shifted lower.
He spread her thighs further and lowered his head.
His tongue dragged through her folds, tasting her.
Ailis cried out, hands fisting the sheets.
He licked her in firm strokes then sucked it between his lips.
Two fingers pushed back inside her, thrusting steadily.
Her inner walls fluttered around them. The coil inside her wound tighter with every stroke of his tongue.
She came with a sharp cry, hips bucking against his mouth.
Gordon kept licking her through it, gentling his touch as the pulses faded.
He rose over her again, hardness brushing her entrance.
Ailis met his eyes, breath still ragged.
Gordon pressed forward. The head of his hardness nudged her opening then pushed inside.
The stretch burned. Ailis tensed, nails digging into his shoulders.
He paused, letting her adjust, then slid deeper.
Gordon kissed her forehead, murmuring soft words against her skin.
He stayed still until the worst of the pain eased.
He began to move, slowly and carefully. Each thrust pushed him deeper. Ailis’ body yielded around him, the burn fading into a strange fullness.
Ailis wrapped her legs around his waist. Gordon’s pace quickened.
His hardness dragged against her inner walls, hitting a spot that made her moan.
Sweat slicked their skin. The bed creaked beneath them, and Gordon’s hand slid between their bodies, fingers finding the sweet nub of her pleasure once more.
“Gordon,” she whimpered, her toes curling into their bedding, her thighs quivering.
Ailis’ breath came in short gasps. Her walls clenched around him. Gordon groaned, hips stuttering. He thrust harder, chasing his own release. Ailis came first, crying out as pleasure crashed through her. Gordon followed seconds later, burying himself deep as he spilled inside her.
They stayed locked together, breathing hard. Gordon eased out slowly and gathered her against his chest. He pulled the blanket over them both. Ailis trembled in his arms, skin flushed and damp.
Gordon looked at her then at the brown blanket and said, “This is a very dull blanket.”
Ailis glanced at him. “Dull?” She smiled mischievously. “Daenae tell me ye missed me sheep.”
Gordon chuckled. “Miss is a strong word.” He brushed a strand of hair from her face. “But… the clear skies might look considerably better wrapped around ye.”
Ailis laughed, pressing her forehead against his. Gordon’s hand traced slow circles along Ailis’ back, and she nestled closer to him, still trying to understand everything she was feeling.
There was a lingering tenderness between her thighs, a quiet reminder of what they had shared, and when she shifted against him, a strange flutter moved through her.
His breath caught, and the sound sent another little shiver through her. He rolled her gently onto her back, and his mouth found hers again. This kiss was slower, deeper, and somehow more intimate than the ones before it.
Ailis sighed against his lips as his hand rested against her, and every gentle touch seemed to awaken another unfamiliar sensation. When his fingers wandered lower, she tensed for only a moment before relaxing beneath his touch.
She was still tender, yet there was something comforting about how he touched her. Pleasure gathered gradually this time, spreading through her in slow waves rather than overwhelming her all at once.
Gordon watched her face as though he were trying to read every thought she could not put into words, and the intensity of his gaze made her heart beat faster.
Ailis reached for him instinctively, wanting to feel closer to him, wanting to understand the effect she seemed to have upon him. His quiet groan made her cheeks burn, and she smiled despite herself.
Everything still felt astonishingly new, and when the intensity finally became too much, she clung to him, burying her face against his shoulder as her body trembled. Gordon held her through it, murmuring her name against her hair until she could breathe normally again.
Ailis rested her head against Gordon’s chest and listened as his heartbeat gradually slowed beneath her ear. His fingers moved gently through her hair, and the simple tenderness of the gesture made something warm settle deep inside her.
He kissed her temple. “Ye are mine now, Ailis. And I am yers.”
The words settled somewhere inside her, not as a claim but as a promise.
She had once feared belonging to someone. Now, she understood the difference. He was not taking her from herself. He was choosing her, and she was choosing him.
Sleep tugged at her eyes, but she fought it for a little while longer. She wanted to remember everything about this moment: the warmth of his arms, the quiet rhythm of his breathing, the softness in his touch.
Eventually, his breathing evened out.
His hand stilled against her back, and the chamber grew quiet, leaving only the fire and the gentle sound of their breathing.
Her body felt tender and pleasantly weary, but her heart felt impossibly full.
Outside, the Highland wind whispered against the shutters.
Inside, held safely against the man she loved, Ailis finally surrendered to sleep, knowing there was a promise of more nights like this to come.
The End?