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She was mildly stunned to discover that autumn had painted the hills with the inspiration of a master; leaves in brilliant shades of pumpkin, bloodwine, and buttery amber rustled crisply beneath the horse’s hooves as they rode beneath boughs of harvest gold Squirrels chirped and skittered through the trees with gravity-defying leaps Scotland in all her ifts of nature into a tapestry of miracles Adrienne had never realized the world was such a wonderful place

She would remember the leisurely return journey to Dalkeith as her honey A ti Quite simply, the happiest days of her life

Late on the second day, as they lay on a Douglas tartan of blues and grays, an unaddressed hurt surfaced to poke at Adrienne and she couldn’t stay her tongue Gripping the Hawk’s face between her hands, she kissed hi, then pulled back and said, "If you ever forbid ain, my husband, I will tear down the walls of Dalkeith, stone by stone, to get to you"

The Hawk shook his head, his thoughts co kiss and further bewildered by her words He clai, equally fierce kiss, and when she lay panting softly beneath hi after being wounded, I will add a stone tower onto Dalkeith and lock you in there, ain"

It was her turn to study him with a bewildered expression, her lips full and rosy from the heat of his kiss "If you mean after you were injured by the arrow, I tried to see you Griaze battled with hers "Gri soundly in the Peacock Rooht a worry in your mind, save how soon I would die and leave you free"

Adrienne gasped "Never! I was right outside your door Arguing and fighting with him Still, he swore you refused me entrance!"

"I have never refused you entrance Nay, I openedht, and Griiven orders that you were to be refused?"

Adrienne nodded, wide-eyed

Dark fury flitted across the Hawk’s face as he recalled the agony he’d endured, believing she’d not cared enough to see if he still lived and breathed Suddenly he understood his friend’s stiff behavior that night The way Griaze had not seemed quite steady The nervous way he’d built up the already blazing fire and had poked ais "Grimm, what mischief do you play?" he murmured Could Gri to protect hiardless, his actions were unacceptable Notheir friendship, lies were never tolerable And Grie that had sent the Hawk rushing off to Uster What if he hadn’t returned for Adrienne? How far ht Griht Adam have done to his wife if he hadn’t returned for her?

The Hawk’s ainst his cheek and said softly, "Hawk, I don’t think heto protect you He said I had brought you nothing but pain, and that it was all his fault"

"His fault?"

"For wishing on a star"

The Hawk snorted "Wishes on stars don’t come true, lass Any addlebrained bairn knows that"

Adrienne cocked a mischievous brow at him "But he did say he wished for the perfect woman" She preened "And I do fit the bill," she teased

"Aye, that you do," the Hawk growled With a wicked smile, he cupped one of her perfect breasts in his hand and pushed her back upon the tartan as their passion began once again His last coherent thought before he lost himself in the beauty and wonder that was his wife, was that Griy And, if he had to ad stars did cos had happened of late

On the last day, Hawk rode as if hell-bent Stole three days, hehis wife to his chest in his possessive e her silky hair

In the woods he had felt safe, that whatever enemy threatened her didn’t knohere she was at that ed it and spun it out tonothing to spoil her pleasure