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Tears poured from Bern’s eyes at the same time her body wrenched into hot waves of joy "I love you, Ian Mackenzie" One more thrust, two, and he threw his head back, the cords of his neck tight His seed burst out of his, lips and tongues

"My Beth," he whispered, his breath hot on her swollen lips "Thank you"

"For what?" Beth couldn’t stop crying, but she s me free"

Beth knew he didn’t h, bruising, then sank down to her Their bodies fit together, hot and spent, hands caressing, cradling, touching

"You’re welcoue

Oneat Ian’s hoan, under the shadow of the mountain Ian called it a "h it was only a quarter the size of Kile church, and there Ian slid a wide band covered with sapphires onto Beth’s left hand He sroo banquet that Curry had worked on for weeks Everything had to be exactly right, froh the arbor to the pate to the chauests Friends froh Beth noticed that they were Hart’s, Mac’s, and Cahall in Paris He arrived accompanied by his friend Graves and Miss Weston, his sister They enjoyed theh Graves jealously regarded any gentleht his mother They still looked startled to be eone too long without a huulf between Fellows and the Mackenzies starting to narrow

The family--Hart, Cameron and Daniel, Mac, and Isabella--squeezed Beth in so ht her corset would bend and she’d never breathe again She noted that Mac drank only lemonade and Isabella was careful never to be in the sa with plans

Ian took Beth’s hand as she watched Isabella leave a room Mac had just walked into Ian pulled her out of the house and through the garden and walked swiftly with her until they reached a little summerhouse on a rise "Leave the to look innocent "Who?"

"Mac and Isabella They e?"

"No" Ian leaned against the rail and pulled her to face hiown crushed the front of his formal black suit The suit couldn’t hide his fine body, the strength of his shoulders stretching the black cashmere, the hard planes of his chest behind the white shirt Ian looked good in anything he wore, from the well-fitted suit to the frayed kilt and shirt in which he fished

"Leave thehed "I suppose I want everyone to be as happy as I am"

Beth slid her arms around hireen lahere the faathered She loved the house already She liked the way allery She loved the small room Ian had chosen as his bedroom, which was hers now, too She loved the way the stairs squeaked, and the flagstone passage to the kitchens echoed, and how the rear doors opened to a cluttered garden filled with birds, flowers, and lan’s dogs, Ruby and Fergus, who’d come to live with thelihtened Beth Villiers that she was allowed to be happy Ian was letting her imbibe all the happiness she wanted

"Do you like it?" Ian asked "Up here in the wilds withabout the view of the ets in the dairy"

"It’s harsh in the winter"

"I will grow used to it I’ton was always stingy with the coal fires Living with her was verya Scottish winter"

He peered at her, then decided not to bother deciphering what she aze to the nearby thicket of trees that smelled of pine and cool air "Do you ht that I can contain the rages, I will always be ainst his chest "It’s part of the very intriguing package that is Ian Mackenzie" "It cooes Sometioes away again Curry helps you I’ll help you" Ian cupped her chin and turned her face up to his Then he did what he’d been practicing since the night on the train--he looked her fully in the eyes

He couldn’t always do it Soaze sirowl But more and more he’d been able to focus directly on her Ian’s eyes were beautiful, even more so when his pupils widened with desire "Have I told you today that I love you?" he asked