Malcolm paced the battlements while he waited for the priest to arrive. He’d received word in the morning that his father had attacked Dunvegan and the damage was extensive. Malcolm was not surprised. Apparently they had taken prisoners, including the chief’s oldest son, Alasdair. No good could come from any of it. He knew his father well enough to know that when he found Sheona, he would claim her for himself just to spite the MacLeod.

Not if Malcolm could help it.

She was his responsibility and would have to see reason—marrying him today was the only logical and safe choice for her. She would be upset, but she would be protected from his father and that was his main priority. They were due back sometime today and so Malcolm had no time to waste.

Finally Keith’s horse came into view and Malcolm was relieved when he saw a second following close behind. Keith would take the man straight to the chapel as instructed. He had to go and break the news to his future wife.

Malcolm took the stairs three at a time. Outside her chamber he paused with his hand ready to knock. The sound of laughter stopped him. Not big belly laughs, but like that of a woman engaged in a pleasant activity—or with a lover. But that couldn’t be. Sheona had only been here one night and didn’t know anyone. Or did she?

He opened the door wide to find the room empty except for her small frame still in bed. He walked over to her and surveyed her sleeping form. Could she have been laughing in her sleep? It would be odd, but not unheard of.

She turned over and opened her eyes, blinked a couple of times, and sat up in bed, holding the quilts up as far as she could.

“What are you doing here? I am not decent!”

“Did you only just wake?”

“What?”

He must be losing his mind. She had clearly just woken. “You need to get dressed, Lady Sheona. We can waste no time.”

“No time for what, exactly?”

He drew a deep breath. “You must wed me this day. Your father’s castle was attacked and your clan has suffered much. My father is on his way here with prisoners including your brother.”

She threw back the covers and hopped out of bed. “No! Malcolm, what will they do with them?”

Did she even realize she’d just used his given name? Malcolm considered it telling that in her moment of panic, she’d abandoned formality. If she despised him, she would have no doubt shouted “MacDonald.” He had to bite back a smile. Further to that, she had not responded to his mention of marriage. Did that mean she was not opposed?

Malcolm placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed. “Sheona, listen to me very carefully. Your clansmen will not be harmed if I can help it. I detest this war as much as you do and will do everything I can to settle this once and for all. But the bigger problem is that if my father has taken prisoners and finds you here unwed, he will claim you for his own. You do not want that, lass. I am telling you that I will give you my hand and protect you, but this is the only way.”

She looked pale. When she swayed on her feet he was quick to catch her and place her back on the bed.

“I want you to get dressed quickly and come with me to the chapel. I have a priest waiting. We must do this. And we must do this right now. My father is due back here any moment and you must be wed when he arrives. It is the only way.”

Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He understood she had no way of knowing he would never harm a hair on her head so asking her to trust him was an enormous leap of faith.

Malcolm wrapped his hands around hers and stroked her palms with his thumbs. “You must trust me. I will protect you.”

She drew a shaky breath. “I trust you, Malcolm MacDonald. I do not know why, but I do. Please give me a moment’s privacy and I will dress and come with you to the chapel.”

His breath caught. Within the hour, she would be his. This woman whom he’d known for only two days would be his wife forever more. He smiled because he couldn’t help himself—Malcolm was perfectly content with the arrangement.

He waited outside and moments later she emerged wearing the gown in which she’d ridden across Skye. Once they were wed and the danger had passed, he’d have a chest full of gowns made for her. One in every colour imaginable.

Offering his arm, he noted her guarded expression. They needed to consummate the marriage immediately, but he did not want to make her any more nervous than she already was. When she slipped her hand into the crook of his arm, he led her toward the chapel’s family entrance.

“I cannot believe this is happening,” she whispered.

“I assure you, Lady Sheona, this was not my intention when I took you from Bracadale.” He caught her eye and grinned. “Had I known you had plotted to drag me to the altar first chance, I might have left you there.”

“You are truly insufferable,” she said with the hint of a smile.

“Aye, my lady. And you get to suffer me for the rest of your life.”

With that comment she bowed her head. He should have kept his mouth shut. They had a shaky understanding at best and he was daft to push her limits.

At the chapel entrance, Keith and the priest waited, both looking worried.

“Thank you for coming on such short notice, Father. I appreciate you taking this situation seriously.”

“I admit it is unconventional, my lord. However, Keith explained your concerns and though it is not my place to advise you, I feel you are making the correct decision. But, I will not conduct this marriage if the lass is not willing. Do you understand?”

He did understand and prayed Sheona would not lose her nerve and change her mind.

“She too understands the situation and has agreed to the marriage.”

“She can speak for herself,” Sheona said.

“Well, lass?” the priest asked. “Do you come to this chapel and this marriage of your own free will?”

She hesitated. Malcolm didn’t take a breath until she spoke again.

“Aye. I do come to this chapel and this marriage of my own free will. I will marry Malcolm MacDonald today.”

Malcolm let out a great breath and squeezed her hand. She smiled up at him and his heart stopped. By God she was beautiful and he could not wait to bury himself inside her.

“This way, my lord and my lady. We will skip all the formalities except the necessary parts in vows and prayer. Keith, you will stand as witness?”

“Aye. I would not miss this for all the gold in the king’s coffer.”

Malcolm looked back at his friend and grinned. For the first time in a very long time, Malcolm felt a sliver of peace. This one act was about to change everything. He gazed down at her lovely face as she repeated her vows, revelling in the knowledge that no other man had ever or would ever touch her like he would have a right to.

Once the ceremony was over and they were blessed, Malcolm leaned down to claim her lips. Hers quivered as he brushed his across them.

“I told you that you would be mine,” he whispered against her mouth.

“Insufferable,” she whispered back.

The minister and Keith gave them a wide berth as they moved toward the door.

“Now what?” she asked.

He looked down at her and hesitated. He had no choice. There was no way they could hold off. If they did not consummate the marriage, his father would not hesitate to annul it.

Malcolm took her face in his hands. “Lady MacDonald, in order for this marriage to be recognized we must become man and wife in every sense.”

“Now?”

“Aye, love. Now. I will be gentle, but we do not have much time.”

He hated to see the tears forming in her eyes. He was responsible for putting them there and there wasn’t a damned thing he could do about it.

Sheona blinked several times and nodded. “So be it, husband. If we are man and wife, we must see this through. I am ready,” she said, slipping out of his embrace and walking toward the castle keep.

* * *

Sheona went straight to her chamber. She sensed him a few steps behind her and was grateful he’d given her the space she needed to accept everything the day had brought. Now standing in the middle of her chamber, she clasped her hands together in front of her and waited.

The door closed quietly behind her. Three footsteps later, two hands came around her waist and pressed her body tight to his. She drew in a sharp breath from the resulting jolt.

“We should go to my chamber, Sheona. For ’tis yours too.”

“Can we not stay here? I mean, this was only my chamber for a night, but I feel comfortable here.”

He kissed her hair and wrapped his arms tighter around her. “Aye, love. We can share our first time here if you wish.”

She didn’t know what she wished. It was barely past the morning meal and she was about to experience her wedding night to a man she’d met only days ago and up to this point was her captor and enemy. Put that way, she did not know if any of this was real or if it was all some outlandish dream and she would awake at any moment back in her chamber at Dunvegan.

Sheona turned in his arms and gazed up into his eyes. She traced her fingers along his scar. “How did this happen?”

“In battle last year.”

“Does it bother you?”

“No. Does it bother you?”

She smiled. Surprisingly, it did not. It added character to his face, which she discovered she liked to look at very much.

“No, my lord MacDonald. It does not bother me at all. I am not some timid lass who has not seen battle-hardened men before.”

She’d helped stitch up her clansmen often enough over the years to have grown accustomed to the more gruesome reality of warfare.

“Not timid are you?” He reached around to loosen the ties at the back of her gown. “Just how brave are you, Lady MacDonald? Will you bare yourself for me?”

His voice was deep and rough and sent shivers through her. When he had unfastened then, she pulled her gown up and over her head, leaving only her shift. As his hot gaze flicked across her body, she grew bolder.

“And how about you, my lord? Will you bare yourself for me?” Heat flared in her cheeks the moment she said the words. She did not know how to seduce a man, but she enjoyed the wicked flash that passed across his features at her questions.

Malcolm moved away from her and bolted the door. As he returned, he released his belt and let his plaid fall away. Standing there in a linen shirt he crossed his arms and cocked one brow.

“Your turn.”

She hesitated, and pulled up her shift a little at a time to reveal her legs, her thighs and in one fluid movement, tugged it over her head and threw it at him. The curl of his mouth as he caught the garment melted her insides. His gaze lingered like a caress as he studied every curve of her body.

Sheona tried to cover her breasts and womanhood, but he shook his head.

“Please let me see all of you. I wish to look upon you for a moment, Sheona. By God you are enchanting.”

Malcolm inched his shirt up over his body as he moved toward her. The thick muscles of his chest beckoned her fingers. Once he was near enough, she could not resist stroking their curves. He sucked air through his teeth when she touched him and the sound made her thighs squeeze.

With the backs of his fingers he brushed her cheek and then all the way down to the top of her breast. Her nipples pebbled from the chill in the air and his nearness. She wasn’t bold enough to look down to see the part of him that had hardened when he sat behind her the day before. So she kept her gaze locked on his face, loving the heat flaring in his eyes.

“Sheona. So lovely.”

He bent low to capture her lips. She didn’t hesitate to kiss him back this time. His mouth moved over hers in a sensual dance. Liquid heat coursed through her body and left her craving his touch.

As if sensing her need, or satisfying his own, Malcolm lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed. He tossed her in the middle and covered her body with his own, spreading her legs wide in the process.

The shock of being so exposed made her try to close her legs again, but he would not let her.

“Don’t fight it, Sheona. Let your body get used to the feel of mine.”

Before she could protest, his mouth was on hers again, probing, tasting. Sheona reached up to the back of his neck and pulled him down harder, giving back with as much fervour as he offered. His hand slid down the side of her body to cup her breast and her body arched off the bed in response, rubbing against the coarse hair on his chest. Every part of him that touched her sparked new flames across her skin. But the most intense was between her thighs and where his thick member pressed against her. She knew what had to happen, but could not imagine what it would feel like to be truly impaled by him.

Malcolm trailed kisses down her neck and toward her nipples. When he took one in his mouth her body bucked. His hand moved down toward her core and his fingers grazed her mound. How much longer would the torture go on? She craved his touch, ached to have him touch her there, but was mortified at such wanton thoughts. The higher he brought her, the more she wanted him.

Sheona lifted her hips toward him in invitation and he responded by positioning himself at her hot, wet opening. He cradled her and pressed his lips to hers as he slowly entered her. At first there was only pressure, but soon a searing pain made her cry out. She panted not knowing if she would be able to stand it, but he moved deeper into her and the sharpness subsided. He was so thick, and her body struggled to accommodate him.

“Let your body adjust, love.” He kissed her forehead and her cheeks and then her lips, ever so softly, and eased his thick erection into her body and back out again.

The friction of his movement slowly turned her discomfort back to pleasure. Sheona moved her hips in time with his as his thrusts became more urgent. His breath was hot on her neck as the intensity mounted between them. The ache she’d felt earlier was nothing to the need building inside her, coiling and ready to spring loose.

“Malcolm—” She didn’t know what she wanted him to do, but her body was ready to explode and the harder he drove into her the worse it became.

“Let yourself go, Sheona. Fly with me.”

He thrust hard and deep and held himself there and that was all she needed to tip over the edge and take him with her. Sheona’s insides pulsed and clenched as wave after wave of the most exquisite sensation flooded her body. The pain at the beginning was well worth the bliss she experienced at the end. Her breath came in shallow pants as she rode the intensity until it subsided.

Malcolm was a pleasant weight as her body returned to its former state, though she would never be the same again. Whatever that was, that they had shared, was surely a treasured gift and she feared moving at all would break the spell.

He lifted his head after a time and gazed into her eyes. “By God woman. What have you done to me?”

“I know not, my lord.” She couldn’t help but grin at him. He looked so pleased with himself, so proud even.

“I think you do, vixen.” He kissed her neck and slid out of her.

Suddenly she was empty—and she didn’t like it. Sheona wiggled close to him when he rolled to his side. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. She could see the vein in his neck still staggering from his rapid pulse, and she inhaled the musky scent of his sweat and their lovemaking. Sheona closed her eyes, unable to imagine anywhere else she’d rather be.

She began to drift and this time instead of weeping, she heard gentle laughter.

“Mine,” was the last thing she heard before succumbing to blissful and weightless slumber in the arms of her former enemy, now her husband.