Twenty-Two
“How are the fish today?”
Lost in thought, James looked up at Katie standing a few paces away from him.
“Did I achieve the impossible? Did I come to be near ye with ye unaware?”
James laughed and looked down into the lake seeing if the fish were active.
“Mayhap ye did, lass.”
She grew pensive. “That is a feat. Are ye nay feeling well? Are ye troubled by thoughts?”
“Nay. Thoughts were just astray.” He smiled at her in an effort to reassure her, not wanting her to know that he was worried about what was transpiring with their families.
Why had his father not sent for them? Was the battle raging stronger?
“I doona believe ye, husband.”
Preferring to sever his fingers than to worry his wife, he grinned at her. “Need convincing of it, mo stòr?”
She laughed. “Doona ye try and sway my concern. Truly, are ye well?”
“Aye. Doona fash yerself, mo stòr. All is well.”
The smile on her face made him think she believed him.
“Is that so?”
He grinned. “Aye, lass.”
“Ye are certain?”
She asked that as if she knew more than he did. His grin faltered as he grew suspicious.
“Aye.”
The smile that transformed her face from one of worry to one of cunning, had a note of mischief. Katie leaned down, placing both hands on his shoulders, and moved toward him to kiss him.
“Ahh, ye want a kiss, lass.”
Her smile broadened, she whispered a mere breath away from his lips, “Oh, I want so much more.”
His grin added a sparkle to his eyes. “Is that so, lass.”
Locking her gaze with his, she nodded. Her hands gripped his shoulders firmly, and she pushed him over the edge. She heard him curse before he splashed.
James surfaced from the loch with eyes narrowed on hers. His lips pursed as he saw her leaning over in laughter.
“Lass, why would ye do that?”
After a few more giggles, she straightened and grinned.
“That was for the day ye moved me under the cold waterfall without first telling me.”
“Is that it, then?”
She laughed. “Oh yes, that’s it.”
With three strokes, he reached the edge and hefted himself up. Seeing determined eyes fixed on her, Katie’s laughter changed to a scream, and she began running.
“Nay, James!! Nay!! ‘Tis cold!”
Laughing, he grabbed her by the middle and dove into the lake with her.
***
“Why do ye kiss every part of me so…”
“Reverently?” he supplied as he kissed her fingers.
They were relaxing on the green plush grass drying off in the warm sunlight after their swim. They’d made love under the warm rays. It was all still new to Katie. Her bad memories continuously tried to invade her thoughts, but it had been becoming easier to push them away. James’ touch made her feel safe, calm. For the first time since her rape, Katie felt hopeful and optimistic that she would have a happy future free of the shadow those men had erected over her.
It was all because of her husband.
Katie only wore her chemise, and James wore his kilt. They’d settled into a little routine for the month and a half they’d been there. They’d rise and break their fast. James insisted that they practice more protection skills, and Katie was fast becoming a good adversary. Afterwards, they’d swim or walk, but their days and nights always included making love.
She laughed. “Aye. Reverently. As if I was a goddess.”
“Because ye are worthy. Because ye are my goddess, mo stòr.”
Katie continued to watch him.
“Ye love every part of my body with kisses and touches.”
He lifted himself on his forearms and searched her eyes. “I want the sun to bathe your skin in its warm rays as I lave your skin with my tongue.”
Her sharp intake of breath made him lean down to kiss her lips.
“How could I not love, kiss, and lick every part of ye? This belly will care for our bairn, feed him, protect him, and keep him warm when he is too little to survive without ye. This body will be his home.”
He lifted one of her hands and kissed each finger.
“These delicate but strong fingers that run through my hair so gently, are attached to hands that will comfort and hold him.”
He kissed her lips.
“These lips will tenderly kiss my bairn’s head with love and soothe his cries.”
Katie sighed as he trailed his lips down to her breasts.
“These breasts will nurture him and feed him, allowing him to grow and thrive.”
He kissed a path down to the top of her thighs and trailed down to her legs.
“These legs will walk and rock him to sleep.”
He rose and tugged an earlobe into his mouth, whispering, “These ears will hear his cries so that he may be comforted and fed.”
He nuzzled upwards and kissed her watery eyes shut.
“These eyes will watch him grow and become all that he is meant to be.”
Tears silently fell down her cheeks and he kissed them away. Katie opened them and stared intently at him.
“And if it is a ‘her?’”
He nuzzled her neck and moved back to look at her. “All the more reason to love this body, for my wife will nurture the incredible baby girl to become a strong and intelligent woman like her mother.”
Her hand caressed his face, searching his eyes.
“I want this to be the home of my children.” He kissed her stomach again.
“How many?”
“Ten would still nay be enough. To have ten bairns with yer beautiful hair, honest honeyed eyes, and pure soul would be the greatest blessing bestowed upon me only second to ye agreeing to be my wife.”
She gasped, her hands flying up to his head.
“I love ye.”
He nuzzled her cheek and whispered into her ear, “Nay as much as I love ye, mo stòr.”
He took a deep breath in, savoring her flowery smell, before he glanced up at the sun and then at her.
“Seems as if rain will fall soon.” He stood effortlessly, as if he didn’t weigh as much as a great pine tree. He reached his hand down.
“Come.”
She slowly rose and he grabbed her hand, his strength heaving her to stand as if she weighed no more than his sword. He lowered his head to hers and kissed her passionately.
James had ceased asking her for permission for every affection he wanted to give her. She’d told him he didn’t need to any longer. When she was with him, she felt free from her earlier prison of memories.
She was grateful for it.
He led her to a tree where he took his dagger and slashed a notch next to the ones already there.
“What’s this?”
She counted nearly fifty.
“Marks how long we’ve been here. Ye, mo stòr, distract me from maintaining count in my head.” He looked down at her, grinning.
“Do I, now?”
He faced her fully then. “Aye. And in the most pleasurable of ways.”
Katie laughed and turned quickly, running back to their site. James’ laugh was deep as the strides of his long legs easily caught up to her smaller ones. He slid an arm around her waist and swung her into his arms.
“Where were ye running off to?”
Her laughter was infectious and carefree.
Later that evening, they were settling down to eat the roasted fish.
“Delicious, mo stòr.” He looked over at Katie. “Ye’ve barely eaten a bite. Is there something amiss?”
She looked up at him and twisted her lips. “Is this the fish from earlier?”
He nodded, chewing what was in his mouth before responding. “Aye. Why, love?”
She shook her head and set it aside. “Tastes odd to me. Ye think the fish is bad? Mayhap ‘twas a bad one?”
“Nay, tastes fine to me.”
“Have mine.”
“Ye need to eat, mo stòr. I could catch another for ye.”
Katie shook her head. “Nay, but thank ye. I’ll finish the berries. I’ve lost my appetite.”
He looked at her closely. “Are ye feeling well, lass?”
She smiled at him. “Just tired.”
He shook his head. “I apologize. My inability to stop myself from touching ye and making love to ye, has made ye much fatigued.”
Katie laughed. “James, I’ve nay complained about yer affections. I’m a willing participant. I love ye, and I love sharing my body with ye.”
James grew serious. His look made her feel like a woman, and she would not look away. His eyes studied hers with the familiarity of lovers.
And she treasured that, nay only because she adored her husband and enjoyed making love with him, but because a year ago, she never believed that she would ever be married or trust another to touch her as she trusted James.
“Mo stòr, yer words disarm me.”
James rose quickly to the lake, washed his hands and his mouth, and returned to her.
“Ye are my life, Katie. I knew it the moment I first saw ye.”
They sat facing each other, his hand on her cheek.
“How?”
His lips picked up on the side. “Ye called out to halt us, and yer voice made my heart beat faster. Then my eyes feasted on yer beauty, and ‘twas like the sun parted storm clouds. When I saw that ye’d selflessly gathered food for our journey, my soul moved inside and peered through my eyes at its mate.”
He laced their fingers together.
“I knew I’d have ye, or no one else. Ever.”
He leaned towards her and their noses touched.
“I saw ye, and for the first time since the…violation, I felt drawn to a man. And I saw ye with Maddie, and the happiness that was evident on yer face at meeting yer sister. I saw the goodness in ye.”
“How so?”
She kissed his lips. “What evil man would be happy to meet a sister? I saw pure joy on her face, and yers.”
He kissed her and slowly laid her down. His lips glided over her cheeks and neck.
“I love ye, husband.”
He bit below her ear, making her groan.
“As I love ye, wife.”