for yehrs,” he said, burying his face in the covers so I was unsure whether he was waxing poetic or pleading with me. Either way, it didn’t matter.
“I love you, Bahlin,” I whispered, reaching out to stroke his hair. My stomach felt like it was plummeting into the abyss, and my heart pounded so hard I knew he heard it.
Bahlin froze, even his breath stilling. “What did yeh just say?”
“I said I love you,” I whispered again, afraid to say it too loud lest the words somehow break apart, so fragile did they feel.
“Why?” he breathed, still not moving any more than to speak.
“Because you did it for love, not for power. You took a chance at being happy, when I’d decided to do the same. You’ve cherished me every night together, and respected me every morning after. You didn’t use me, Bahlin. You truly didn’t. But I expected you to—oomph!” I gasped as he threw himself on top of me, wrapping his arms around my waist and burying his face in the bend of my neck.
“Maddy, Maddy, my Maddy,” he chanted over and over again. “Tell me again, mo chrid, tell me you love me.”
I laughed, the relief of love casting aside the burdens of life. “I do, you silly dragon, I do love you.” I wiggled down under him so that we were face to face. “I have a request, though.”
“Anything, a stór, anything for you,” he murmured, raining kisses all over my face.
I placed my hands gently on the sides of his face and made him look at me. “I want to go slow this time, Bay. You were awfully hard on my morals before, and while I don’t regret physically loving you, my heart is still tender. A bruise is a bruise is a bruise, after all.”
His eyes were grave when he said, “I will wait for you forever, Madeleine Dylis Niteclif. When the day comes and you leave me, I will continue to wait for you on the hope that one day you’ll return. But until then? I’ll love you with all that I am. What is mine is yours, from home to hearth to lair.”
“What does that mean, exactly?”
“It’s a marriage proposal when you’re ready for it.” I jerked beneath him. “No, Maddy, I’ll no’ let yeh go.” His brogue was again thick with his emotion. “Know that until that day it means I love yeh. And whatever need of me yeh have, it’s yehrs.”
Shaken to my soul, I couldn’t help but try to lighten the moment. “So does that mean I’m rich?”
He grinned wickedly, and his eyes flashed back to dark blue. “Beyond yehr wildest dreams, my love.” He rolled me over so I was lying across him, then shifted so I slid down to rest with my head on his chest. “I’ll agree to take it slow, but I’ll ask that we still sleep together, Maddy.”
I stiffened, thinking he hadn’t heard anything other than what he wanted to hear and I tried to sit up but he wouldn’t let me move. He laughed, and the sound boomed as it echoed through the ear I had pressed to his chest. “No, my heart, just sleep. I want yours to be the last face I see at night and the first I see in the morning.”
I relaxed, smiling softly and snuggling into the crook of his arm. “Deal.”
He reached across me and pulled the covers up over us, flipping the lamp off when we were settled in. “Sweetest of dreams, Maddy. I love you.”
I yawned. “I love you, too, Bay.” And then sleep claimed me. Thankfully it was a dreamless night.
I came to consciousness feeling smothered. Then I realized Bahlin was sprawled across me, a rather impressive—if mildly frightening—morning erection pressed into my side.
“Bay,” I moaned, elbowing him and trying to get him to move.
He rubbed his hips against me suggestively and grumbled something.
“Bahlin,” I hissed, struggling harder.
“What, love?” he mumbled, slowly waking up. “What is it?”
“Get off me,” I groused.
“My apologies,” he said, rolling over and pulling the covers over his waist. He actually looked bashful having been caught with the horse out of the barn. “I, uh—”
I laughed, reaching out to smooth his hair off his forehead. “It’s okay. I just didn’t want to let it get too far out of hand.” I blushed like mad, and he laughed so hard he wiped tears from his eyes.
“Oh, Maddy. I’ve missed you so.” He leaned over and kissed me good morning. “Let’s get