“Aye, I can see that.” He stepped into her space, bringing them almost nose to nose. The horse beside them ensured a little privacy, but not a lot. “Let me know if ye need any help feeling better.”
Her breathing increased, her stomach doing a little flip. What she wouldn’t do to be able to take him up on such an offer, to lean into him, touch him, allow him to rub her sore bottom until it felt better. Instead she patted him, trying to ignore how her hand wanted to run up his chest and curve about his nape to pull him down for a kiss. “Thanks for the offer, but I’ll be okay. A short break from the horse is all I need.”
He reached around and patted her ass and she gasped. “Let me know if ye change your mind.”
Abby felt her mouth open as he winked at her and walked off to join a group of men. Had the stiff-upper-lip Aedan just smacked her on the ass? And why would he, when only last night all through dinner he’d sat at the dais glowering at her and flirting with Aline?
Not that she didn’t deserve his daggers. She’d purposely teased him, laughed at everything his friend Black Ben had said, and had pretended she was enjoying herself immensely. What she’d been feeling inside was another matter entirely. She hated seeing the snobbish, spoiled little Aline seated beside him—looking up at him with doe eyes and wandering hands. Aedan had placed her at the table before the dais, practically putting her in her place, and she’d done everything in her power to make him regret that choice.
Never in her life had Abby been so jealous of another. Aedan MacLeod was turning her into a deranged little green monster. Her behavior was shameful, and regret pierced her with its jagged edge. Aedan wasn’t for her, how many times did she need to repeat that mantra before she understood it? Believed it, even.
She followed him and sat beside Mae. The women were talking of the games that would continue tomorrow and what the competition would be. Eating a piece of bread, she listened with only half interest when she noticed Gwen wasn’t anywhere to be seen.
She caught Aedan looking about as well. He seemed to have noticed the same.
And then Gwen walked from behind some trees, and she chuckled at Aedan’s glower at his sister. Well, at least she wasn’t the only one getting in trouble by the man. It made a nice change.
“Who do ye think will win the caber toss tomorrow, Gwen? Ye know, your brother holds the record for the longest throw,” Aline said, smiling.
“Aye, I did know that,” Gwen said, as she rejoined the group and sat down.
Abby desperately tried to think of what sort of competition caber toss was before the conversation went any further, but failed. “Can I ask what the caber toss actually is?”
Aline snorted, but didn’t answer.
“’Tis where the men toss a large tapered caber or pole and see how far they can throw it,” Gwen said, handing her a cup of mulled wine.
“Aye. No doubt the men will be sporting a few splinters tomorrow eve,” Aline said, sighing for dramatic effect that only brought out the bitch within Abby.
“Lucky the men have you to see to their wounds, Aline.” Abby took a slice of ham and added it to her bread, ignoring the girl’s glare. She looked at the food that’d been packaged for them and would’ve given anything for a jar of mayonnaise to be included. “Does tomorrow’s contest earn prize money as well?”
Gwen grinned, her lips a lot redder than they had been when they’d arrived. “Whatever man wins gets a kiss from a lucky fair maiden. It’s all very proper, don’t look so scandalized, Abigail.”
Abby’s eyes widened. “Is that allowed? It’s one thing for a kiss to occur in private, but in front of everyone. Won’t the fathers of these girls be outraged?”
Aline chuckled, the high timbre of her voice grating on Abby’s nerves. “Why would they? It’s only a small kiss, like you’d give a family member.”
Mae scoffed. “Well, I’ll not be putting my name down as a possible candidate.”
Since the woman was already in love Abby understood why. Mae would never betray the man she intended to marry, no matter what her brother said. Abby hoped the woman received her wish.
“I will be,” Aline said, throwing a heated gaze toward Aedan. “I have high hopes as to