Never Seduce a Scot (The Montgomerys and Armstrongs, #1)

by Maya Banks

“… sweet lass. You’ve always been. You’re my heart, Eveline, and damn the king for taking my heart away from me.”

And then the most amazing thing happened. As she stood there gaping, nearly hidden behind her brothers, an odd vibration echoed through her ears. It was faint—so faint that she thought perhaps she’d imagined it. But no, there it was again. A deep timbre—a voice!

As soon as she made her presence known, the others looked her way, and it was then she saw that Graeme’s lips were moving. It was him she was hearing!

Christ’s bones, but the lass was beautiful. Breathtakingly beautiful. He hadn’t imagined—how could he have?—that his intended bride would be such a bonnie lass.

You are receiving a gift, Laird. Whether you choose to believe so or not, you are receiving something more precious than gold.”

She may not be a mighty warrior, but one thing she’d learned after observing her mother, was that if anything could fell a warrior, it was a determined woman.

She could feel the vibration, not only in her ears, but against her skin. She loved the sound and the feel of his voice. It made her long to be able to hear, so she could do nothing but listen to him speak. He had to have the most wonderful voice in the world. Why else would it feel so delicious in her ears?

“Can you understand me, Eveline? Do you understand what I’m saying to you?” She frowned and then nodded, as if she found the question ridiculous. His discovery floored him. All he could do was stare at her in utter amazement. “Dear God,” he whispered. “You can’t hear, can you?”

She called to him on a completely different level. She spoke to the very heart of him. Inspired feelings of protectiveness and fierce possessiveness that he wasn’t even sure he liked.

There would never be another woman for him. She was his. His wife. He loved her. The realization was startling and it overwhelmed him. Love. He loved Eveline Armstrong.

He was holding in his arms the woman meant for him. Nothing would ever feel this right if he lived to be a hundred.

Aye, but he could show her. He could show her what he didn’t yet have the words to describe. He might not be able to tell her what was in his heart, but he would show her in actions and deeds.

The very sight of her did odd things to his mood. Anyone who could look at Eveline and not smile was a harder man than he. She was … She was a ray of sunshine on the dreariest of days. She filled a hole he hadn’t even thought occupied his heart. He couldn’t let her go.

“The little fool,” Graeme bit out. “What would I do without her? I can’t lose her.”

But now she was his. And nothing or no one would ever come between them. Not her family. Not his clan. He wasn’t ever going to give her up without one hell of a fight.

“I love you, Eveline,” he whispered, though he knew she could not hear him. “Somehow, I’ll make you hear me and you’ll know that I love you as fiercely as it’s possible for a man to love a woman.”

“My love for her is stronger than my hatred of you. ’Tis why I’ll not raise arms against you today. Instead I ask your aid in the battle against the McHughs.”

“My lady, I don’t simply care for her. I love her. She is my entire life. Without her, I am nothing. I have nothing.”

She smiled, a more beautiful sight than Graeme had ever seen in his life. “I knew you’d come,” she whispered in a hoarse voice.