Seonaid stared at him as those words echoed in her head. Between the two of them. Together they would see she was happy. As a couple, as husband and wife, as a team. They were two parts of one whole now, everything they did affecting the other. She had found her place, she realized. It seemed to Seonaid that she had spent the whole of her life trying to find a place for herself, trying to fit in, trying to earn the love of those around her. But Blake was saying that he wanted her as she was, softness and hardness. She did not have to change for him.
"Seonaid?" he asked with concern. "Are you well?"
Well? The question rattled in her brain and she almost laughed. Well? Aye, she was well. She was so full of joy it was almost bursting from her. Beaming a smile at him, Seonaid threw herself at his chest, hugging him so tightly she surprised a grunt from him. She then pressed a quick, hard kiss to his lips before pulling back and saying, "Aye, husband. I am verra well." She kissed him again, more gently this time, then pulled back solemnly. "I wish ye to ken, it goes for me too. If someone hurts ye, or ye feel afraid, or ye want somethin', ye must tell me, and together we two shall make sure yer also happy."
Blake grinned and hugged her to his chest, rocking her gently back and forth as he cupped the back of her head with one hand. After a moment the rocking slowed, and he pulled back to announce, "I want something."
"Already?" Seonaid exclaimed in surprise, then she nodded. "Tell me."
"I want to make love to you till neither of us can stand any more."
Seonaid blinked. "Ye ... ?"
"I want to make love to you till neither of us can stand any more."
"Ah." Seonaid bit her lip to keep from grinning; then she hooked one foot behind his ankle and gave him a push that sent him tumbling backward to the blanket. In the next moment, she had swung one leg over him and sunk to straddle him. "I think between the two o' us we can manage that."
"Do you?" Blake asked with amusement, catching several strands of her long hair and winding them around his hand to draw her down toward him.
"Aye," she answered, then she smiled and said, "Husband?"
"Aye?" he asked, his gaze focused on her lips.
"I think I am going to like this marriage business after all."
Blake's gaze shifted to her eyes with surprise; then he gave her a slow smile and said equally solemnly, "I think I will too, my love," before finally kissing her.