He chuckled to himself, turning to look out the window as they finally arrived at Castle McGregor.
Giving Emilie the time she needed to say goodbye at the abbey, especially since she knew it would be the last time she ever saw most of them, had taken quite a while. And the ride itself had taken even longer.
Night had fallen nearly an hour ago, and the lights in the windows flickered, small bubbles of warmth against the dark of the starry sky.
“The bairns will be in bed already when we get there,” he explained. “But they’ll be happy to see ye in the mornin’.”
Emilie nodded, and when Archer turned to look at her, he saw her throat bob as she gulped.
“We’ll be headin’ straight to our chambers then?” she asked, her voice thick and husky.
Archer allowed one corner of his mouth to tick up in a smirk.
“Aye, lass,” he growled. “We’ll be headin’ directly to our chambers.”
Emilie giggled despite herself, dipping her head as she buried it in her husband’s chest. He was carrying her toward their rooms, and from the look of the corridor, she knew they were getting close.
“I’m capable of walkin’, ye ken,” she said, but there was no bite to her words.
She didn’t want him to put her down. Not now, not ever.
They reached their room, and Archer paused just long enough to push it open. The sound of it squeaking elicited a tug in Emilie’s belly.
She did not know exactly what was going to happen once they walked into that room, but she knew that she could not wait to find out.
The moment they stepped through it, Archer set her back on her feet, closing the door behind them. Someone had come in and made a fire in their hearth, and it crackled in a merry, warm welcome.
The warmth of the fire washed over her skin, making everything feel too warm, too alive. It made Emilie suddenly very aware of all the fabric that made up the gown she was wearing.
“What do ye say, wife?” Archer growled, his eyes seeming to almost glow in the dim, flickering light. “Do ye want me to take ye to bed?”
Emilie smiled up at him, her heart feeling light as a feather.
“I demand that ye take me to bed,” she purred.
Archer’s eyes darkened, and he prowled forward, one of his hands coming up to rest on either of her hips. She leaned up on her tiptoes, pressing her mouth against his.
The kiss nearly stole her breath. Even though they had only kissed a few times, the kiss still felt deliciously familiar.
Her stomach began to flutter, and for the first time since getting married, Emilie gave herself over to the sensation of the moment entirely.
Archer took a step forward, not breaking their kiss as he led Emilie backwards, directing her toward their bed. She felt it press against the back of her thighs, but Archer paused just shy of pushing her down onto it.
“Let’s get ye out of this dress,” he purred, his deep voice sending chills skittering over her flesh.
Emilie just nodded, knowing that if she tried to speak in that moment, her words would fail her.
Archer reached behind her back, working the laces of the bodice of her gown over with deft, practiced fingers. Emilie felt it the moment the gown loosened, and she shrugged her shoulders, helping to push the arms of the gown down.
The air of the room rushed in to kiss her skin, and as her dress fell to the floor, leaving her in only her chemise, Emilie felt her nipples begin to pebble.
“If I have to get out of me clothes,” she murmured, stepping back a little to eye her husband hungrily. “Then I think ye should be out of yers as well.”
Archer grinned, and he began to move, lifting the bottom of his tunic and throwing it over his head. Eager to get her hands on her husband, Emilie threw off her chemise and climbed back onto the bed, watching as her husband dropped his kilt.
Her eyes went wide when she was able to take in all of him. She eyed him hungrily, her stomach clenching at the sight of him.
Emilie leaned back on the bed, watching through desire-lidded eyes as Archer prowled forward. He descended upon her, his mouth claiming hers in a flash. And Emilie returned the kiss with a fierce hungriness that she didn’t know she had.