Page 66 of Wedded to the Devilish Highlander
“I dinnae ken yet. From what I heard, they found him in the woods nae far from where they were stationed. They brought him straight back here under the cover of night.”
“Who else kens?” he asked.
“The scouts who brought him back, one guard at the front gates, the healer, and now yerself.”
“Mack?” Archer prompted.
“Nothin’ from him since the feast. He hasnae spoken to anyone he shouldnae, and he’s in his bed as we speak. I had someone double-check that he didnae see Reid bein’ brought into the castle. We dinnae want to tip our hand if we can help it.”
“Aye, very wise,” Archer whispered. “The fewer people who ken, the better. I want ye to talk with the scouts and the guard. Nay one is to mention the name Reid Kilmatin until we find out what happened to him. If he’s in rough shape, maybe he escaped O’Gunn, and we dinnae want the bastard to ken that we have him just yet. And keep eyes on Mack, just in case.”
“It’ll be done,” Calum said. “What of the lass?”
“I’ll wake her,” Archer murmured. “If I let her sleep until the mornin’ and then tell her that her braither arrived durin’ the night, I’ll never hear the end of it.”
Calum nodded. “Might I suggest, Me Laird, that ye get dressed afore comin’ down?”
“Well, now, that’s me decision, is it nae?” Archer gave a cheeky smile.
“Aye, that’s true, but Reid Kilmartin is already in rough shape. Perhaps he doesnae need any more surprises.”
“Aye, might be best to talk to him fully clothed,” Archer relented.
“Ye’re a wise man, Archer.”
Archer chuckled as he went back into the room and Calum strode off down the hallway. He placed his dirk on the bedside table and knelt on the edge of the bed, his other blade softening—there were other things to deal with.
“Mmm,” Eileen moaned as she rolled over, half-awake. “Were ye talkin’ to someone?”
“They found him,” Archer told her. “Yer braither is back.”
“What!” Eileen was suddenly awake. She sat up in bed, the blankets having fallen away to reveal her plump bosom. “Reid’s back? Here in the castle?”
“Aye,” Archer confirmed, finding it hard to concentrate when her breasts looked divine in the moonlight.
Eileen threw her arms around him. “I believed ye would find him for me. Thank ye, Archer. Ye have nay idea how much this means to me.”
“I’m startin’ to,” Archer admitted.
Eileen didn’t slow down. She kissed his cheeks, mouth, and neck, then mouth again, and they fell into a kiss, slow and deliberate this time. A kiss filled with gratitude and emotion.
Archer groaned as he felt his member stiffen again. He wrapped his arms around her warm body, longing to keep her in bed when he knew she would spring up at any moment, needing to visit her brother.
They broke apart, but Eileen remained dangerously close to him. He looked into her eyes, large like the moon, wet like she’d been hours ago.
“Thank ye,” she whispered.
She put a hand on his cheek, soft against his rough stubble. She held it there, gazing into his eyes, overcome by the emotion of getting her brother back.
“I made a promise to ye,” Archer murmured.
“Aye, ye did.”
Still, her hand remained on his cheek. Her breathing was soft and slow, her chest rising and falling gently. She leaned forward and pecked his lips softly before the tears began to flow.
“It’s goin’ to be all right,” he soothed, wrapping her arm around her.
Eileen leaped from the bed and out of his grip, just as he’d expected.
