would I ever be?”
He carried her to their bed and set her down atop it. “I love ye, lass.” He settled over her and dipped his head to claim her breast with his lips and tongue. He caressed her body, slipping his hand between her legs and stroking her there until she was ready to take him in.
Then he thrust into her body with a slow intensity that never failed to make her wild. She loved the look of him as he claimed her and experienced his own exhilarating crest, loved the dark curls of his hair and the ocean blue gleam of his eyes. She loved the size of him and the solid weight of him atop her.
She loved his rugged scent, sandalwood and Highlands salty air.
Her body sang whenever he touched her.
Most of all, she loved his soft brogue and the way he was always so direct with her. I love ye, lass. I want ye, lass. Ye fill my heart with joy, lass.
When they finished coupling and he’d teased and suckled his fill of her breasts – a particular favorite of his – she nestled in his arms and closed her eyes while he skimmed his hand softly along the length of her body. “I have something to tell ye, Taffy.”
She kissed his chest. “What is it, my love?”
“Mr. Barrow sent me his report.”
“About my parents?” She turned in his arms to look at him. “Did he find them? Does he know who they are?”
But she could tell by the protective way Gavin held her that the news would not be to her liking. She wanted to tell him it no longer mattered. She did not need to hear the rest of it, but knew it troubled him because he loved her and thought the news would break her heart. “What did he say, Gavin?”
“He could no’ find out who they are. All leads proved to be dead ends. We knew it was improbable given the amount of time and how little information we had to go on.”
“I know.” She buried her head against his shoulder, surprised by her sudden urge to cry. She wasn’t sad. She did not need them, really. She had so much love from Gavin and young Rafe. Even from the Duke of Inverness who’d accepted her as though she were his own daughter. Gavin’s brothers had been just as kind. Even Vera’s father had welcomed her, and it could not have been an easy thing for him to do, for this happiness is what he’d hoped for his own daughter.
“Love, they aren’t worth the heartache.”
“I know. I am not heartbroken. But it seems my body needs to mourn them. Just give me a moment to shed my tears. I will admit to being curious about my real name, assuming they’d ever bothered to give me one. Something more refined than Taffy.”
He kissed her on the forehead. “There’s nothing wrong yer name, lass. Ye’re the sweetest, most tempting Taffy I’ve ever been privileged to know.”
She laid her hand upon his chest. His skin always felt so warm. “I’m the only one you know.”
He shrugged and wrapped his big arms around her body to draw her closer. “They could have called ye Lars, for all I care. It isn’t yer name I love…it’s yer big, round breasts.”
She swatted him on the shoulder. “Don’t make me laugh when I am determined to sulk.”
“Verra well.” He kissed her softly on the mouth. “Then I shall simply tell ye I love ye, my tempting Taffy. And I’ll keep telling ye that until I take my last breath.”
“Thank you, my love. I think that’s a fine idea.”
“Fine enough to earn me points?”
She laughed, giving up on the idea of feeling morose. Her husband was not going to allow it. Nor did she really want to be unhappy. How could she be when she was in the arms of the most wonderful man in the world? “I hereby award you a hundred points.”
“Blessed saints, a hundred points. Ye must love me. How many does Rafe have?”
She couldn’t help but laugh again. “Oh, I believe he’s up to about a thousand now.”
“What? That many? Has he used any of them up?”
“No, not a one.” They were both laughing now. “He just likes to collect them. I don’t know why.”
Gavin caressed her cheek. “I do, lass.”
“You do? Then tell me why? What use are they if he won’t trade them in for anything?”
“They represent his happiness, a feeling he never experienced