Their Highland Beginning

Genres: Erotic & Steamy Romance; Historical Romance; Ancient World Romance; Scottish & Highlander; Medieval Romance; Tudor Romance

Synopsis

Discover how it all began... 

If you enjoy Keira Montclair, Eliza Knight, Emma Prince, and Cecelia Mecca, meet The Clan Sinclair. 

A failed first impression...

Liam Sinclair is less than thrilled to be entering into an arranged marriage even if it will end a feud between his clan and the Sutherlands.  When his father announces Liam's betrothal to their enemy's daughter, Liam cannot imagine how the marriage can go well.  Liam fails to make a good first impression when his temper and tongue get away from him.  He may have destroyed his chance for wedded bliss.  

Can Liam redeem himself in time to convince his bride to go through with the wedding?

An unassuming beauty...

Kyla Sutherland is not sure what to think of this man when she interrupts his less than flattering description of his unseen bride. Tempted to return to a family where she is the only woman and the unwanted daughter, Kyla must decide whether she can trust a man who does not seem to want her.

Will Kyla come to trust Liam and see past his early faults to find a love match for the ages?

An arranged marriage that creates a family which endures through love, loyalty, and honor.

Brought together in a betrothal made by their fathers, Liam and Kyla find love grows as they get to know one another. However, when a jealous family member tries to tear them apart, Liam proves that he will do anything to protect Their Highland Beginning.

This latest installment takes us back to introduce Liam and Kyla, the patriarch and matriarch of The Clan Sinclair, a five full-length book series.

Release date: December 11, 2020

Publisher: Oliver Heber Books

Print pages: 106

Sample

Prologue

 

Laird Liam Sinclair sat before the roaring fire in the Great Hall listening to his children chatter. His four sons and one daughter were adults now, and he had a more extended family than he could have wished for.

The chatter and banter, along with the wails and squeals from a few babes, drifted to the back of his mind as he thought of his deceased wife.

Bonnie Kyla, if only ye could be here to see how our children have grown. Ye'd be mighty proud of them, but I suppose ye are watching and guiding them. I believe we've received more than one divine intervention, and I've felt yer hand in all of them. How I miss everything about ye. Hagatha keeps the fresh flowers in the chamber ye and I shared for too short a time. The scent of violets will most likely always be there. If nae from a vase, then in ma memory and ma heart. The chamber seems so large now for only me. It's been a lonely life without ye, even with our children. I ken ye told me to move on, but I couldnae and canna stomach the idea of someone other than ye, mo chridhe. There's never been anyone else since that first day in the Great Hall. Do ye remember, mo ghaol?

 

Chapter One

 

“Da, it's nae too late to call this off. I dinna have to marry some Sutherland chit to end the feud. We cede them that rocky patch near the border Grandfather won from the Gunns. They gain the plot, and we call it a day. Or better yet, we call Dugan home from fostering, and ma baby brother can marry her."

"Ye ken the contracts have been signed by both me and the lass's father. Laird Sutherland wouldnae stand for ye setting her aside, and I willna either. I dinna understand yer objection. Ye're of an age to wed, and ye must have heirs the same as I did. She may vera well surprise ye. Yer mother did."

"Ye and Mama were a love match. It wasna a surprise to anyone when ye wed. Or that I arrived nearly nine moons later to the day."

"Dinna be cheeky. Ye're nae too auld or too big for me to skelp yer arse. " 

That should have been enough of a warning for Liam Sinclair, heir to his father, Laird Donnell Sinclair. But on this day, he had his dander up. His father announced his betrothal a moon ago, and the woman was set to arrive at any minute.

"How auld is she anyway?"

"She's close in age to yer four-and-twenty summers. She's two-and-twenty."

"More than a score, and she isnae wed yet? What's wrong with her? Does she have warts and claws? Mayhap missing a few teeth? She certainly sounds a bit long in the tooth. Da, look at me. I am vera serious. Mayhap she—”

A very soft and very decidedly feminine clearing of the throat came from behind him. Liam froze before taking a deep breath and turning around. The sight that greeted him made the air whoosh from him, and he felt as if he’d been pole-axed in the gut. The woman who stood before him was more than bonnie, she was beautiful. Liam took in the jet-black hair and bright lapis lazuli blue eyes. There was a faint dimple in her left cheek, and her eyebrows looked like they were sketched by a master artisan. Her nose was short and soft at the end. She wasn’t very tall, and Liam was sure she would barely come to the center of his chest when he held her.

Hold her. Where the bluidy hell did that come from? A moment ago, I was ready to flee into the hills and live the life of a hermit.

Liam noticed her ample curves. She was slightly broader in the hips than was considered the standard among noblewomen, but Liam found he rather liked the fact that while petite, she looked sturdy. At only four-and-twenty, he was already a large man standing at nearly six and a half feet. He knew his shoulders hadn’t stopped broadening, even though he had to nearly turn sideways to pass through many doorways.

"Shut yer gob, son. Ye're catching flies," came the none too quiet whisper from behind. Liam could hear the laughter in his father's voice, but it didn’t bother him.

He reached out his hand, and when she placed her tiny one above it, he bowed and kissed the back of her hand. He felt more than heard the tiny gasp when his lips actually pressed against her satiny skin. Liam registered her palms and fingertips were rough and calloused, but he was at least well-mannered enough not to bring his observation to anyone's notice.

 "Lady Kyla, welcome to Castle Dunbeath." Liam could think of nothing more to say without it sounding like a lie after being caught saying such unfavorable things.

"Thank ye, Liam. I see ye are a giant as I was told, but ye dinna seem quite as fierce as I was warned. More like a deerhound than a bear," Kyla said in the demurest voice she could muster.

Liam stood wide-eyed for a moment as her comment fully sunk in. As a warrior and as heir to a clan as large as the Sinclairs, his reputation and the safety of his clan depended upon him being fierce. However, the politely stated insult was precisely what he deserved, and he knew it. Liam tilted his head back and roared with laughter before looking down at his very bonnie and very spunky bride.

Bride. I'm already thinking of her as such. Ma goose is cooked.

"Liam," Lady Kyla loudly whispered, "I dinna think ye should laugh quite so much. Ye sound like a stuck bore. Ye may have the healer called."

That only made Liam laugh all the harder. When he looked down at her, as he finally caught his breath, he saw her sly grin.

"Ye have pluck. I'll give ye that. Ye will fit in vera well here, and I deserved that in spades." Liam became serious as he gazed into the depths of her blue eyes. "Ye dinna deserve to be insulted in such a way whether ye were present to hear it or nae. Ma foul temper shouldnae hurt ye. I'm vera sorry, ma lady."

Kyla’s eyes opened wide for only a passing moment before she cocked her head slightly and nodded. “Thank ye for yer apology. It is appreciated and accepted.”

Kyla looked beyond Liam’s shoulder to see a bear of a man who was almost identical to Liam except for having grey hair instead of a rich chestnut like Liam’s. An elegant woman came to join them, and Liam’s father wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her to his side. Kyla immediately recognized them to be Liam’s parents, Laird Donnell and Lady Arabella Sinclair.

Kyla bowed her head and dropped into a graceful curtsy before her soon-to-be parents-by-marriage. She kept her head down as was expected until she was acknowledged. She wasn’t anticipating the large but gentle hand placed slightly behind her elbow or the soft pull that brought her upright. Her eyes flew to the man standing next to her. Kyla couldn’t help but stare into eyes so brown they looked like barrel-aged whisky. It was like the world floated away from her at that moment. She had moments ago been insulted and teased by this very man, but something in the way he touched her suddenly made her keenly aware of his masculinity and virility. Liam Sinclair was the singularly most handsome man she had ever seen. She swallowed twice before she looked back at Laird and Lady Sinclair.

Lady Sinclair had stepped forward, and Kyla hadn’t even noticed. Her cheeks pinkened as she realized this very elegant lady caught Kyla staring at her very handsome son.

“Welcome to Castle Dunbeath, Lady Kyla. I hope ye will feel welcome here, and I look forward to getting to ken ye better.” Kyla, nor Liam, missed Lady Arabella’s pointed comment about feeling welcome in the future as opposed to right now. Kyla nearly bit her lower lip, a nervous habit she had been trying to break herself of for years, but she thought better of it. She could see Liam with her peripheral vision and was overly aware of his physical presence as he still held her arm.

“Ye are vera kind, Lady Sinclair. I do feel welcome already. It is quite like being home with ma brothers. They tease me often and mercilessly.” As soon as Kyla finished speaking, she wanted to cringe. Liam dropped his hand the moment she compared him to her brothers. No bridegroom wanted to be told his bride considered him more of a brother than a husband. She turned her head to look at Liam. “I mean to say, a little goading feels familiar and makes arriving here a little less daunting.”

Liam offered her a tight smile. Kyla wanted to sink into the floor. While he failed to make a good first impression with her, she was now failing miserably in front of his parents, the leaders of the entire clan. She knew word of their conversation would soon be buzzing about the keep, if not the village she passed through on her arrival.

Lady Arabella stepped further forward and took both of Kyla’s hands in hers. Kyla immediately noticed how soft and smooth Lady Arabella’s hands were compared to hers. She wanted to pull them away and hide them in her skirts, but she knew that would make her even more conspicuous.

“First of all, ma dear, I amnae Lady Sinclair to anyone here. I am Lady Arabella, and since ye are to join ma family, I am simply Arabella to ye. Secondly, dinna fash over making a good impression. Ye already have. I heard what ye said to him, and ye putting him in his place every now and again willna hurt him. It might even make him a better mon.” Arabella grinned at her son as she waggled her eyebrows at him.

Arabella’s kindness charmed Kyla immediately, and Kyla suddenly became aware of an overwhelming desire to get to know her future mother-by-marriage better. She’d been without a mother for so long she almost forgot what it was like to be cared for by an older matron. Arabella squeezed her hands before letting them go. Kyla felt like all the warmth surrounding her suddenly drained away. She looked again at Liam, who watched his mother. He turned to look at her, and once more, she felt like she was drowning in his enigmatic eyes. She couldn’t read the look, and it made her feel shy and out of place after having been greeted so welcomingly.

“Lass, didna yer father accompany ye? I ken the documents have already been signed, but I would have thought he would come too.” Laird Sinclair looked directly at her, and she tried not to shrink away. She returned his gaze, but before she could answer, she felt more than saw Liam’s body shift toward her almost as though he was ready to protect her.

“Ma father was unable to escort me because of a raid on one of the villages just over a fortnight ago. It would seem we struggle to get along with our neighbors, the Rosses, too.” Kyla held her chin up and wouldn’t cower before this mountain of a man. She saw and heard his good-natured comments to his son, but she wasn’t entirely sure if he would welcome her as warmly now that he knew her father opted not to accompany her. She looked over her shoulder and searched the people within the Great Hall.

“Ma uncle accompanied me, but I dinna seem to see him yet. He may still be in the bailey making arrangements for our guardsmen and the horses.” Kyla knew it was a weak excuse, especially once they met him. More than likely, her uncle was already at the village tavern with a pint in one hand and a wench in the other. She tried not to grimace when she thought of him and how he behaved in front of her during their journey. She thanked all the angels and archangels that she was his niece, and therefore, held no interest to him.

"I amnae worried. I'm sure he will join us in time for the evening meal. I ken ye've had a long journey, lass, so would ye care to rest? Arabella has prepared a chamber for ye on the third floor. It's directly above the family chambers.” Laird Donnell smiled kindly at her, and she realized he was rather fatherly despite being a renowned warrior.

Mayhap the apple didna fall far from the tree. Mayhap father and son live up to their fierce reputations, but they both seem less intimidating than I expected.

“Laird Sinclair, if ye dinna mind, I would like to stretch ma legs for a bit. I have been sitting for several days, and while a soft bed is appealing after the hard ground for so many nights, I really would like to move aboot a bit.”

“It’s Donnell, lass,” he looked over at his wife who nodded her head, “I’m sure Arabella would be happy to take ye to the Lady’s garden.”

Before Arabella or Kyla could answer, Liam stepped forward and placed Kyla’s hand on his forearm. “Da, ye ken Mama has many responsibilities as chatelaine at this time of day. I can show Lady Kyla to the garden,” he looked down at Kyla and smiled, “and if she would like to, I can show her aboot the bailey too.”

Why does he seem shy of a sudden? Does he think I could possibly decline in front of his parents?

“That sounds like a fine idea, lad.” Donnell nodded to his son, then smiled down at Kyla. “Dinna hesitate to ask for aught ye need or want. This is yer home now.”

Kyla knew this was her new home, and she even liked it from what she saw, but to hear it spoken aloud was rather jarring. All she could do was smile in return.

“Come, lass,” Liam whispered in her ear.

 

Chapter Two

Liam and Kyla made their way out of the enormous double doors that led to the bailey. Kyla marveled at how wide they were but figured if all the Sinclair men were as wide and tall as the laird and his son, it was no small wonder they needed such massive doors. They were studded with metal rivets to reinforce them in case of attack, and a giant metal ring served as the handle. As they reached the steps leading to the ground, Liam covered the hand resting on his arm with his.

“They’re a might steep if ye arenae used to them,” Liam said by way of explanation for an action that might otherwise have been considered very forward. They might be betrothed, but they met only moments ago, and they were in public.

“Thank ye,” Kyla said as she lifted her skirts to keep from tripping. The steps were quite steep.

They walked in silence until they reached the gate to a large garden. Kyla could see this was the plot that helped feed the entire keep. There were various vegetables and herbs growing in tidy lines. She looked around and felt excited at the prospect of spending time planting, weeding, and harvesting from the spacious area.

“Ye enjoy gardening.” It was more of a statement than a question.

“Aye. How’d ye ken?”

“Yer eyes lit up when ye saw the plants, and I noticed yer hands are a bit rough. Dinna ye wear gloves?”

Kyla wasn’t prepared to offer an explanation. She wasn’t entirely sure she could trust Liam yet. He had been charming, once he knew she was there, and she was most assuredly very attracted to him, but his unkind words still lingered in the back of her mind.

“Nae always,” was all Kyla offered. She watched as her brief answer sunk in. It relieved her when Liam only nodded and pointed toward a smaller gate at the far end of the keep’s garden. When they arrived at it, he unlatched it and held it open. Kyla could not help her gasp as she stepped through into an oasis of flowers, blooming bushes, and trees laden with fruit.

“Do ye like it?” Kyla jumped. She hadn’t realized Liam stood so close that his warm breath brushed against her neck and ear. “I didna mean to startle ye, Kyla. May I call ye that, or do yer prefer Lady Kyla?”

“Ye didna startle me. I was a mite surprised to see such a beautiful garden tucked away in the corner.” Kyla wasn’t about to admit how his presence affected her. “And I dinna mind Kyla, Liam.” She looked back over her shoulder and was about to cock an eyebrow when she came nearly nose to chest with Liam.

“I like to hear ma name come from ye.” Liam said softly. They stood for a long moment gazing at one another. Kyla felt her mouth go dry, and she could think of nothing to say. She wondered if Liam might try to kiss her; they were standing so close.

Dear God, dinna let me make a fool of maself any more than I already have. I canna believe how petulant I sounded. I was being petulant. I hope Kyla doesnae thinks I’m spoiled, or worse cruel. I canna believe how beautiful she is. I can smell the scent of violets when I stand this close. She’s been traveling for days, and still smells like freshly cut flowers. I ken I should move away, but I dinna think I can.

St Columba’s bones, she has the reddest, fullest lips I have ever seen. I wonder how she tastes. What I wouldnae give for just a wee taste. Bluidy hell, Liam! Ye canna be kissing her in yer mother’s garden within an hour of meeting her. Ye are an arse.

Liam reined in his racing thoughts and the temptation coursing through him and stepped around Kyla. He extended his arm to gesture she precede him. He was trying to be gallant, but he worried his gesture came across as ungracious, almost as if he were shooing her along.

“Ye can look around, Lady—I mean—Kyla.”

Ye are mucking this up. This is a right mess. Ye’ll be lucky if she is even talking to ye by the evening meal. Ye are twice, nay thrice, an arse.

Kyla looked around for a moment and made her way to the corner farthest from the keep and the gate. She spotted a patch of violets that was her favorite. When she reached the stalks, she leaned over to take a sniff. Liam felt his cock harden at the sight of her round buttocks in the air. He fisted his hands to keep from reaching for her. He couldn’t stop his mind from picturing what it would feel like to take her from behind. He shook his head to try to dislodge the image. He turned his attention back to what she was saying. He was in time to notice she saw him shaking his head.

Oh nay. What is she saying? She’s looking at me as if I’ve insulted her again.

“—the violets if I canna have any. I’m sure I can make ma soap from something else.”

Christ on the cross! She thinks I’ve just refused her the use of the violets.

“Nay, it wasna that. I thought a fly landed on ma hair. Of course, ye can have as many violets as ye would like. Ye make yer own soap?” The words spilled out of Liam’s mouth as he tried to steer them in a safer direction.

“Aye. I’ve made ma own soap for years. Ever since ma mother passed away.”

“Do ye make aught else?”

“I make the candles, both tallow and beeswax, and I sew, as ye would expect,” Kyla bristled.

Liam reached out and took her hands into his larger ones. "Kyla, I dinna expect aught from ye. I'm confident ye are more than capable of running a household such as ours, but I dinna want ye to work because ye feel obligated. Ye dinna owe me, or this clan, aught. Ye will one day, God willing, be Lady Sinclair. That comes with more than enough responsibility. I want ye to only do the work ye enjoy nae be a servant."

Liam turned her hands over and ran his thumb over her palms. He lifted her palms to his mouth and brushed soft kisses across where her fingers met her palms and then each fingertip before kissing her palms.

“Kyla, how did yer hands get this way? This is more than only gardening or making candles and soap?” Liam asked softly.

Kyla felt a lump rise in her throat and tears pricked at the back of her eyelids. When she looked at Liam, she saw a man who cared enough to ask and not demand. She wasn’t sure she could speak let alone tell him the truth.

“I often help around the keep. Ma mother passed away several years ago, and I have been chatelaine since then. There is much to be done in a keep that large. I help where it is needed.”

Liam nodded his head, and Kyla thought her answer had been enough. “Do ye ken I have met yer brothers several times? And a few of those times were with their wives.”

Bluidy hell! How am I going to get around this? It doesnae take much to understand what he’s nae saying. Come up with something, Kyla!

“Lass, I amnae asking ye to tell me aught ye dinna want me to ken. Just ken I may figure it out on ma own. Ye may want to decide whether I learn yer version first or the one someone else tells me, or I come up with on ma own.” Liam let the matter rest when he let go of Kyla’s hands and turned toward the violets. He pulled a dirk from his belt and cut several stalks, which he handed to her. “Ye never need to ask if ye may have some. It is as much yers now as it is ma mama’s.”

Liam walked a few steps away before cutting a small bouquet of bluebells, lavender, and roses. He inspected each rose stem and cut away all the thorns before handing the flowers to her. “Would ye like me to show ye around the rest of the bailey? Or do ye wish to stay here a little longer? Is there aught else ye wish to do?”

Kyla sniffed her bouquet of flowers before she stood on her tiptoes. She could only barely reach Liam’s chin, so she waggled her finger to indicate she wanted him to come closer. When she could reach his cheek, she pressed a soft kiss to his warm and slightly prickly skin.

“Thank ye, Liam.”

Liam understood she referred to more than the flowers. “Always, Kyla.”

The two spent nearly an hour more in the garden as she explained various flowers and their medicinal powers. Liam never paid much attention to such things, even when his mother tried to explain them. Kyla pointed out one day he and his men might be in a battle too far away for a healer to reach them in time. A little knowledge about local flora might save his life. Liam was forced to admit that situation had already arose more than once in his young life.

Once they toured the Lady’s garden, they crossed back into the larger vegetable and herb garden. They paused there to watch as several women tended the soil. Kyla pointed out more herbs and even some vegetables that could be used to cure illnesses and ailments. Kyla’s vast knowledge surprised him. He wanted to ask where she learned so much, but he didn’t want to press her for any more information than she was willing to volunteer.

After they left the gardens, Liam showed her the various storerooms, the smithy, the distillery, and vintner’s sheds, and he pointed out the postern gate. As they passed the laundresses, Kyla paused. Liam noticed she often started to bite her lower lip but stopped before doing it.

“Lass, what is the matter? Ye’re trying nae to bite yer lip again. Something is bothering ye.”

Kyla’s eyes widened when she realized he already picked up on a habit she spent years unsuccessfully trying to break, and he understood when she did it. “It’s naught really. I just—Nay, it’s nae important.”

“Dinna fib, lass. If something is bothering ye, I dinna want ye to feel like ye canna tell me. Kyla, I dinna want a marriage with lies and secrets, so beginning our betrothal with any isnae a good start.”

Kyla could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. She could barely remember what made her pause to begin with. Now she felt her temper flare at Liam’s highhandedness. She grabbed the corner of his sleeve and tugged him out of earshot of those around them. Once she checked no one was watching them, she poked her finger into his chest.

“Dinna call me a liar. I may be quite a few things, but I dinna lie. I was concerned aboot the laundresses’ use of lye soap that hasnae any herbs steeped in warm water first. I can smell the difference. It isnae any great catastrophe, but over time, the raw lye soap will wear away the material faster than it should. It could cause holes or the material to weaken and rip. I wasna going to say aught now because ye arenae yer mother, ye arenae a laundress, and I didna think ye’d be interested in how yer leines are washed so long as they show up clean in yer chest. I was going to speak to yer mother at a more convenient time. But, nay, ye couldnae let sleeping dogs lie. Ye tell me ye dinna want secrets or lies between us. Well, I’ll tell ye I dinna want false accusations or needless suspicion in ma marriage, so it better nae begin with our betrothal. Ma thoughts are ma own until I decide to share them.”

By this point, Kyla’s face turned almost a shade of plum, her finger quivered as she continued to poke it into Liam’s chest, and she was out of breath when she finished. Liam had never seen a more glorious sight in all his life.

“Ye’re right, and I’m sorry.”

Before Kyla could respond, Liam leaned forward and kissed her. When she didn’t push him away, he slowly wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her to him. She knew she couldn’t possibly reach his neck, so she settled for fisting her hands into his leine. The kiss was tender and inquisitive. Liam didn’t try to force more upon her, and he could tell she was very inexperienced. He slid his tongue along the seam of her lips but didn’t press further.

When Liam tried to pull away, Kyla yanked on his leine to keep him close. He groaned as he pulled her even tighter. He used his thumb and forefinger to gently pull her jaw down, and he slid his tongue into her mouth. Her soft moan made his already stiff cock twitch. He wanted nothing more than to plunge into her and discover all the secrets her body held. She was hesitant for a moment about what to do, but she quickly caught on, and their tongues stroked one another.

Liam nibbled lightly on Kyla’s lower lip and was delighted when he felt her lips pull into a smile. He bent lower and moved to kiss her jaw, then down the side of her throat. He made his way back up and felt her hands cup his cheeks. She guided his mouth back to hers, then trailed her hands down his chest until she could wrap her arms around his ribs. The feeling of her running her hands over his back was nearly overwhelming. He walked them backward until her back pressed lightly against the bailey wall.

If I dinna stop this now, I’m going to be tossing her skirts and wrapping her legs around me as I tup her against the wall. This isnae right. She isnae some wench. She’s ma wife. Wife? Well, hell, the betrothal papers are signed, we are as good as wed. Which is even more reason I shouldnae be treating her like a whore.

Liam gently pulled back and looked down at Kyla’s swollen lips. Her passion filled eyes looked up at him with uncertainty. He pressed another quick kiss to her lips, then her nose, and her temple.

“If we dinna stop now, I will be compromising ye against a wall the first day ye’re here. I willna dishonor ye, Kyla. Nae ever. I dinna want to stop, but I ken we must.”

Kyla’s eyes slowly lost the dazed look, and she floated back down to Earth. “Aye, Liam,” she whispered. It was the most she could say.

“Are ye well, lass?”

“Quite.” Kyla looked past Liam and tried to focus on anything that would keep her from pulling him in for another kiss.

“Kyla, I didna mean to accuse ye earlier. That wasna ma intention, but I seem to be making a right mess of every conversation we have. I dinna seem to be able to think straight when I’m near ye, but I wanted ye to ken ye dinna have to hide aught from me. I dinna want ye to fear me or how I might react if ye bring something to ma attention. I dinna think ye are a liar either. Ye may think badly of me, and ye have every right to, but I dinna want ye to believe I think badly of ye.” Liam watched Kyla as she nodded but still seemed far away. “Kyla—”

“I’ve never been kissed before.” It was as though she were talking to herself and only realized she spoke aloud once she was done. She looked up at Liam as if she were surprised to find someone listening.

“I probably shouldnae say so, but that makes me incredibly happy to hear.”

Kyla’s brow furrowed as she looked up at Liam. “Did ye think me loose? That I kiss men I’ve only just met as a habit?” The dusky rose color that filled her cheeks drained to chalk white. Liam pulled her back against his chest and stroked her hair. Kyla relaxed when she heard the steady beat of his heart. She breathed in his scent, finding it calming and enticing all rolled into one.

“The thought never crossed ma mind. I kenned ye were inexperienced from the way the kiss started, but I was also thrilled to feel ye want ma kiss as much as I want yers. I am simply selfish, and I like kenning I have something nay one else ever has. I want it all for maself, and I am glad to ken I dinna have to share. I could strut around crowing like a rooster because I am the only mon to have kissed ye and the only mon who ever will. I dinna think of maself as a possessive mon, but I find I just might be a wee bit.”

Kyla took in everything Liam told her, and while a warm rush of emotions flowed through her, she felt a chill creep into her heart and mind when she realized she couldn’t say the same about him, there was probably nothing intimate she could claim as her own. She tried to take a step back, and Liam released her immediately. She turned her head to the side because she didn’t want him to see how much her thoughts bothered her. When his fingers gently tried to turn her head, she shook it.

“I told ye I amnae a liar, and I dinna intend to be deceitful, so I willna start now. I ken it shouldnae bother me, but I find I dinna care for kenning I will never be able to say the same aboot aught we do.”

“What do ye mean?”

Kyla looked back at Liam then as she felt her anger spike again. Was he mocking her or truly that dense?

“I may be a virgin, but I would be a fool to think ye are. This may be all new to me, but I am sure it isnae new to ye. It’s all the same to ye, as it has been before, when this is a first for me. I—”

Liam pulled her in for another kiss. This one was demanding and possessive. It gave no quarter and demanded none. Liam pressed his tongue against her lips, and when she opened them a crack, he pressed forward. His tongue swept the inside of her mouth, searching for any part it hadn’t yet found. He gripped her waist and lifted her, so she was eye level.

Kyla wrapped her arms around Liam’s neck and held on. As his tongue laved hers, she gently sucked on it. His responding growl fueled her to be more brazen, and she sucked harder. He wrapped one arm around her, so he could push his sporran out of the way. He pressed his hips into her, making sure she couldn’t doubt his attraction for her.

Kyla moaned as she pressed her hips forward to meet Liam’s. She could feel his stiff cock brushing against her lower belly, and it was creating a fire and ache that burned low in her core. Liam’s hand spread across one side of her buttocks to squeeze and knead. He groaned as he discovered how lush and soft her curves were. He was beyond pleased to learn one side of her bottom more than filled his large hand. His other hand slid down, so he could firmly hold both sides. This made it easier for Kyla to get the friction she yearned for. Her mind didn’t understand this craving, but her body did.

Liam couldn’t believe how close he was to climaxing. He had never spilled his seed without someone touching him. He rocked his hips and ground his cock against her. If he didn’t stop soon, he would spill his seed right then and there. When one of Kyla’s hands ran through his hair and held tightly while the other cupped his cheek, he was thoroughly lost.

There was something about the mix of tenderness and possessiveness of Kyla’s hold that made Liam surrender. He felt his seed spill from him, thankful he had his plaid to hide behind. Kyla’s soft moans were not only sounds of pleasure, but also ones of frustration. Liam gripped her buttocks tightly and pressed her hard against his still rigid staff. He rocked against her until he felt her go stiff in his arms for a moment, then grow limp. He slowly lowered her to the ground, cradling her head in his hand.

“Mo leannan, I havenae ever done that before.” Calling Kyla “my sweetheart” felt as natural as breathing.

“I dinna understand. How could ye nae have? Ye’ve been with plenty of other women.”

“I wouldnae say plenty, and I meant I have never spilled maself simply from being pressed up against a woman. Neither have I ever felt such overwhelming arousal and uncontrollable desire before either.” Liam leaned back, so he could look down at Kyla and found she was looking up at him. “I canna change ma past because it was before I even kenned ye existed, but I can swear to ye I havenae been with a woman since I found out about our betrothal, and I willna ever stray from ye. The Sinclair men are always faithful to their wives, and I can honestly say I dinna think I could ever find a woman I would desire enough to stray from ye. I wouldnae dishonor either of us in such a way, and I simply canna picture ever wanting anyone else. What we did, what I felt, is unlike aught I have ever felt or done before. I dinna make a habit of seducing women I’ve only just met, and I dinna make a habit of compromising virgins. Ye throw me off kilter, mo leannan. I think ye have woven a spell around me and bewitched me.”

“Liam,” Kyla’s voice was barely above a whisper. “I believe ye aboot yer honor, and so I believe ye think ye will always be faithful, but what if ye discover I amnae enough? What aboot when the novelty of bedding a virgin dims? Ye may believe and intend now to never stray, but ye canna predict the future any better than the next mon.”

“Och, Kyla, ma sweet, I dinna even ken where to start with that. I dinna want ye to ever, nae for even a moment, think ye arenae enough for me or for anyone. Do ye ken what I have learned aboot ye in the afternoon we’ve spent together? And I dinna mean any of the physical intimacies. I’ve learned ye have a sharp and wicked sense of humor. Ye can take pleasure in nature and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us. Ye are vera observant, and where I seem to utterly lack tact, ye give thought before ye speak. Ye have an ingrained sense of duty and responsibility, and yer hands prove ye arenae afraid of hard work. I love that ye have a temper, and ye arenae afraid to show me. I never want ye to fear me or feel ye must hide aught from me. While I want to ken more aboot yer life before coming here, I can respect ye maynae be ready to tell me. I dinna think ye are evasive but rather circumspect and cautious.”

Liam brushed hair away from Kyla’s face and tucked it behind her ears. His gaze was locked with hers, and he recognized her trepidation.

“I take ma role as ma father’s heir and future laird of this clan with utmost seriousness. It may have been a blessing of birth that I am the auldest and will inherit, but it’s by choice that I uphold ma clan’s values. One of those is faithfulness. It extends beyond ma duties to lead and protect ma clan. It extends to the person I pledge to share ma life with. I wouldnae disgrace maself, ma parents, ma wife, or ma clan by straying. I canna imagine doing something so dishonorable and shameful, and I wouldnae blame the clan for losing trust in me if I did. I wouldnae do that to any woman I marry, and I couldnae do it to ye.”

Liam paused to brush the back of his hand along her check before cupping her jaw.

“I speak the truth when I say I canna imagine ever meeting another woman who could make me feel the way ye have in barely one day. I dinna only mean desire, either. Kyla, ye have certainly bewitched me, and I wouldnae have it any differently.”

Liam didn’t intend to say so much; however, he found himself wanting to confess as much to reassure her that, not only would he be a devoted husband, he could already see what a fine woman she was.

“Ye see all of that in me? Already?” Kyla watched as Liam swallowed and nodded his head. “Do ye ken what I have learned about ye?”

Liam shook his head, and such a look of dread crossed his face, Kyla couldn’t help but laugh. She drew a fingertip between his brows and down to the bridge of his nose. “Dinna frown, it doesnae make ye any fiercer and will only give ye wrinkles.” Her soft peal of laughter had him pinching her waist. “Dinna make me laugh, or I willna be able to speak.”

Liam plastered the most serious expression on his face he could, and that only brought on gales of laughter from Kyla. She clapped both hands over her mouth and peered around his shoulders to be sure they had drawn no attention to themselves. When she was sure she could speak without being overcome, she moved her hands away.

“I have learned nae only can ye make jests at yer own expense, but ye also arenae afraid to be silly. Ye may take yer duties and responsibilities seriously, but ye dinna always take yerself too seriously. I ken ye can feel contrite and guilty when ye err, and ye arenae too prideful to admit to yer faults and ask forgiveness. I ken ye are protective and will use yer size to shield me, but I dinna think ye would ever use yer size against me. I dinna fear ye at all.”

Kyla paused to take a breath, once more drowning in Liam’s gaze.

“Just the opposite, despite being an arse when ye didna ken I could hear ye, ye have already proven ye are trustworthy. We are already betrothed, and many men would consider that as good as married, which would entitle them to bed me. Ye stopped us before we could go too far, nae once, but twice. Ye may desire me, and I might add, I clearly desire ye, even if I dinna fully understand it, but ye are still trying to protect me. Ye are just possessive enough to make me feel wanted, but ye dinna strike me as the type to be so possessive as to be controlling. Instead, I think ye respect me. I think ye respect me as ye would any woman ye were to marry, but I think ye also respect ma opinion and ma own honor. Ye may be the brawest mon I have ever met, nay, ever even seen, but ye are also proving to be one of the best.”

Liam leaned forward and rested his forehead against Kyla’s, the tips of their noses together. He breathed in the violet fragrance and knew that scent would forever onward only be associated with the woman he was rapidly falling for.

“Brawest, am I?” Liam said with a chuckle. “Do ye ken I’ve already realized ye are the bonniest woman I have ever laid eyes on? I kenned it the moment I saw ye, but now that I actually ken ye, I see yer outer beauty is a mere hint of yer inner beauty.”

Kyla pulled back and stepped away. “Liam, ye dinna have to exaggerate. I already believe ye. Dinna ruin this by gilding the lily and giving false compliments.”

“What false compliments? I havenae said aught that isnae true. What could I have made up?”

“I am nay great beauty. I never have been, nor do I think I will be any time soon. Ye dinna have to make things up to win me over. Quite the opposite.” Kyla wrapped her arms around her middle. Liam couldn’t imagine a more protective stance that didn’t involve a weapon.

“Kyla, now it is ma turn to nae understand. How can ye think ye arenae beautiful? Have ye never seen yer own reflection?”

“Of course, I have seen ma own reflection, and I ken I am too short, too broad about the hips, ma nose is too flat, and ma breasts are obscene for a noblewoman. I ken ma hair looks like a crow’s wing. And I ken it’s a blessing I’m strong enough to do ma fair share of work, or I wouldnae earn a place at the table.”

Liam stood with his mouth agape, then shut, then he opened it several more times before he could manage to string a coherent thought together enough to say anything. He looked at Kyla utterly dumbfounded. He finally shook his head to clear his mind before wrapping his massive hand around her very tiny wrist and dragged her out into the bailey.

Unlike Kyla, whose head was on a swivel to see who might notice they left a secluded spot together, Liam was singularly focused on his destination. He towed Kyla along until he reached the smithy. He pounded on the doorframe, but the noise of the fires and bellows was too loud. He practically dragged Kyla into the large workroom. He scanned the various pieces of metal lying around until he found a large piece of shiny, unshaped steel. He nearly yanked her arm out as he positioned her in front of him. He held the metal up in front of them.

“Look. Take a good, long look into this and tell me how ye can possibly think ye arenae the most beautiful woman in the Highlands, nay, all of Scotland, if nae the entire Christian world.” Liam shook his head. “Dinna be modest either. Tell me how ye canna see what is vera obvious to me.”

Kyla peered into the polished metal and saw what she always saw. She didn’t understand what Liam was talking about. She still found all the same flaws that had been pointed out to her time and again, year after year. She shook her head and pushed his hands away. She ducked under his arm and ran out of the smithy. She ran across the bailey and almost made it to the steps before Liam caught up to her.

“Kyla, wait. Christ’s bones, I should add fleet-footed to yer already long list of attributes. Why did ye run? I used to think I was a fairly bright and astute mon, but I have in the past day come to realize I’m dafter than a hound chasing its own tail.”

Eyes watering, Kyla could only shake her head. She walked up the steps to the keep’s doors and paused before entering. Liam watched as she straightened her spine and swept her sleeve across her eyes. She lifted her chin and reached for the door.

Liam ran a hand through his hair, making it stand on end, before putting his hands on his hips. He didn’t know if he should chase her again or give her some space. The highs and lows of the afternoon suddenly left him feeling exhausted. He knew Kyla hadn’t done anything wrong but only ever reacted to his words and actions.

He simply didn’t understand many of these reactions, but he did know there were things from Kyla’s past that clearly left deep, if not invisible wounds. Before her, there had never been a woman he cared enough about or been interested in enough to want to find the cause nor want to be the balm. He stared up at the doors she passed through wondering what he should do next.

Bluidy hell. I’ve mucked it up. Again. The lass deserves a reprieve from me, and I deserve a dunk in the bluidy cold loch.