The Laird's Future Bride (22 page)

Magan had sought her out after the nooning meal to tell her the argument with Duncan had to be sorted out before it was too late. Holly was just explaining her problem and that she wanted to do just that when Duncan came in with a boy who stated King James would arrive within hours, and he was eager to meet Holly.

Holly was terrified of meeting one of the most famous kings. She was scared that she would slip up and say something she shouldn’t, or tell him about something that hadn’t happened yet. Magan helped her put on the elaborate dress she’d worn on her wedding day, and tried to calm her.

Callam knocked on the door and, without waiting to be told he could come in, he strolled straight to Holly and pulled her into a hug. “Ye look more beautiful than I remember.” He let her go and turned to his mother. “Hello, Mother. Good to see ye. I believe father is on the lookout for ye. Why dinna ye go find him, and I’ll help Holly finish getting ready to meet James.”

Magan glared at her son. “Yer father can wait. I dinna ken if I should leave ye with Holly.”

Holly sighed. She could handle Callam. “Go, Magan. I’ll be fine.”

Magan seemed to debate if she should go or not for a moment, before shooting another glare at her son and leaving.

“I heard ye ended a feud, but started one between ye and Duncan.”

“Yes. I stopped a silly feud. Duncan and I are just having a disagreement.” Holly could feel tears sliding down her face, and a sob escaped her. “I am going to apologize. I shouldn’t have ridden into danger. I should have listened to him. I know he was worried about me. I couldn’t let the child stay in the dungeon another night. I couldn’t stop thinking of what if he was my child. Then he was so angry, and I didn’t tell him about the baby and he…I just…I… He just…hasn’t touched me and is so angry. I got upset again and now it’s all a mess.”

Holly broke down and wept. She missed Duncan and the argument had gone too far. They’d both let things fester for too long, and now Holly was worried that Duncan didn’t want her anymore. Holly couldn’t leave, she loved it here. She had wonderful friends, and she loved being needed and felt like she made a difference. Holly couldn’t go back to her other life. She loved it here, and she loved Duncan.

Callam wiped her tears away and wrapped his arms around her. “Me brother is an idiot and nay deserves ye.” He cupped her face. “King James could give ye an annulment. I would treat ye better.”

Holly moved out of Callam’s hold, and in that instant, everything became clear. She became sure of whose soul mate she was. “I don’t want an annulment. I love Duncan. I think I have loved him from the moment I slammed into him, and his arms wrapped around me. Duncan is my soul mate.” Holly placed her hand over her stomach. “I’m having his baby. Before this argument, I was happy. I love this baby already, because he is a part of the man I love with all my heart. I can’t return what you feel for me, Callam. I never will. You are and always will be my brother-in-law.” She smiled at him and held his hands. “Duncan and I may fight and we may not talk for a week, but no matter what, I will always love him.” She winked. “Even when he is being an arsehole. I suppose no one is perfect.” Callam’s lips curled up, and she saw he understood. “I hope one day you find what I have with Duncan.”

“If the woman is anything like ye, I will be happy. Come on. We best go down and greet the king. He should arrive soon.” Callam put his arm out for her to take.

Holly nodded and linked her arm with his. Together, they left her rooms and went down and waited on the steps for King James to arrive.

Holly was so nervous. She promised as soon as she got the chance she would apologize to Duncan. She missed him, and right now she could really use his strength.

The king arrived, and Duncan stood on the steps of the keep next to Holly, who wore the gold dress she had worn when they were married. He reached for her hand, and relief washed over him when she held it tight. The king came to a halt and got off his horse, and Duncan let go of Holly’s hand to greet him and his other guests. He bowed. “Welcome, King James. I hope yer journey was uneventful.”

“Aye, it was. Yer brother arrived at court, only to leave with me the next day. I have visited many of me men, checking in on them. Callam has told me much about Lady Holly, and I did have the pleasure of meeting some Fergussons who told me more about yer wife, and have left me even more eager to meet her.”

Duncan nodded. “She is eager to meet ye too.” He focused on the king and walked with him to the keep stairs where Holly and his mother came down, smiling in greeting. Duncan gritted his teeth because as soon as King James saw his mother, he saw Holly, and his eyes widened and a smile that sent a chill down Duncan’s back spread over James’s face. Duncan had never seen King James appraise someone as he did Holly.

“Robert, it is good to see ye got home safely and in time to enjoy a new daughter.” Duncan’s father nodded as he straightened from his bow. “Hello, Lady Magan. It is a pleasure to see ye again. It has been a while.” His mother curtsied and King James helped her rise. He then turned to Holly, who looked stunningly beautiful. Her face glowed, and her eyes shone bright as she stared in wonder at King James.

Duncan cleared his throat and gathered Holly to him. “Ye Highness, I’d like ye to meet me wife, Lady Holly MacLeod.”

Holly eased from his arms and curtsied. “King James, it is a pleasure to meet you.”

King James brought her up and placed her hand on the crook of his arm. “The pleasure is mine. I’ve heard a lot about ye.”

Holly blushed a pretty pink, and Duncan watched as they entered the keep, ignoring him. Unease seeped into Duncan, and he turned to his men, mother, and father. “Can ye help get everyone organized?”

“Aye. Ye go help yer wife. King James looks smitten with her,” his father said.

He walked into the keep to see King James sitting in his chair with his wife next to him and his brother on the other side.

“I’m sure the reason we are not on the way to visit you at court is because I’m pregnant, and my husband does worry about me.” Duncan smiled because he could hear the bite in Holly’s voice.

King James heard it too, and chuckled. “Well, it is good I have come to ye. I have heard ye have some silly notion that women should go to university too.”

Duncan groaned and kenned it was going to be a long night.

Holly was exhausted when she went to bed. She took her clothes off and fell on the mattress. She didn’t even care that she was naked and back in Duncan’s rooms. King James was leaving tomorrow. He’d stayed with them for two days. Tonight though, Holly was wound up tight. She would swear the king had been saying things deliberately to goad her into anger. She had overheard him saying he wanted to see her famous temper. Holly was grateful for Duncan, Callam, and even Duncan’s father, as they came to her rescue several times tonight.

“I’m sorry.” Duncan’s lips on her cheek had her turning into him.

Holly knew what he was apologizing for. They hadn’t spoken much, just in the king’s presence. Holly missed him so much. The last couple of nights since the king arrived, she’d been sleeping peacefully again, wrapped in Duncan’s arms, but each morning she woke to a cold bed, and she didn’t want that anymore. “No, I shouldn’t have put myself and our baby in danger like I did. I’m the one who is sorry.”

Duncan’s hands moved down to rest on her stomach. “Why have ye been hiding away from me?”

“I was angry and hurt with how you treated me when you found out I was pregnant. I didn’t like how ye treated me in front of the Fergussons.” She sighed and took a deep breath, filling her lungs with his scent. “Are you not happy that I’m having your baby?”

He trailed his fingers up her body to cup her face. “I should nay have acted the way I did, but I was furious that ye put yourself and our bairn in danger. I was so scared when I kenned what ye’d done, but when I found out ye’d done it kenning that ye was with child, me anger came back with a vengeance. I couldn’t believe ye’d put our child in danger, and that ye had nay even told me ye carried me bairn. I stayed away at first so I dinna say something I’d regret. I was hurt, Holly, because I love ye so much. I could nay bear it if anything happened to ye.”

Holly sat up and stared at down at Duncan. “You love me?”

“Aye. How could I not? Ye’ve brought laughter, pleasure, fun, and love into me life. Ye're the only woman besides me mother who is nay afraid to speak her mind to me. Ye ken I’d never hurt ye. I dinna realize before ye came, what a barren life I was leading. Ye brought light into it.”

Holly’s heart soared at Duncan’s words. She straddled Duncan and leaned down. Capturing his mouth with hers, she put everything she had into the kiss, showing him how she felt for him. “I love you. I can’t imagine my life without you. You and…” Holly placed his hands on her stomach, “our baby are my world. I could never have imagined the wonderful life you have given me. You have given me a place and a family. Thank you. I can’t thank you enough for the way you have taken care of me and always make sure I’m safe. You have made me so happy. I never thought I’d get lucky enough to find my soul mate. To find a man that makes me fall in love more each day.”

Duncan’s arms moved around her and pulled her down to him. “I only ever want ye happy. I’m proud of ye. Ye did me and my clan proud today. King James put ye through his little tests and ye passed them, every one. I even think ye have become a favorite.”

“I thought by the end of the day he was saying things just to goad me.”

“Aye, he was. Ye did good to keep yer temper in check.”

She nodded and hugged Duncan tight. “Make love to me. Show me how much you love me.”

His lips captured hers, and she felt his hands trail down her back and grip her bare arse. His mouth broke from hers, and they both lay panting for a moment before Duncan rolled so he towered over her. His hands moved from her arse and his fingers rubbed her clit.

Holly ran her hands up and down his muscular chest, loving the tight, toned feel. He rubbed her clit faster and she leaned up and kissed him. “I want you inside me. Please, Duncan. I need you there.

His blue eyes studied her and he nodded, lined his cock up with her entrance and pushed home. She moaned in pleasure as he filled her.

Duncan's mouth and body devoured her. His lips left hers, and he whispered against her ear, “I’ve missed ye.”

Holly wrapped her arms around him. “I missed you, too. I can’t sleep without you now. I need your smell, heat, and love surrounding me.”

Duncan grinned and took her lips to his. He broke away and rested his forehead against hers. “Promise me next time we argue ye won’t stay away? I dinna like being without ye.”

“I promise. I know we won’t always agree and get along, but I promise I will not sleep elsewhere when we fight. My place, no matter what, is in your arms.”

“Aye, it is.”

Duncan took his time, keeping an easy pace, savoring their union to the point she was begging for him to pick up his speed and help her come. His growls and grunts of pleasure had her close to the ecstasy she knew was just beyond her reach. Moving her hips, she helped him go deeper. He trailed feather-light kisses down her cheek and nibbled on her neck before he sucked at the sensitive spot just below her ear. She screamed her release and ran her fingers down his back and gripped his butt as an anchor, as the euphoria drifted over her.

Duncan pounded into her, and she reveled in it. He thrust deep, tearing his mouth from her body to roar his release and settle over her. She enjoyed his weight and his warmth for a moment.