like most men. Not of her own time or his. “Thank you. And I hope you, too, can forgive my mouth, which at times has a tendency to blurt out words before they’ve been properly thought through.”
He laughed and gestured to the servants to commence the second course. “Your mouth is one of the things I love best about ye. I’d never wish to silence it. Always speak the truth to me, lass. Promise me you’ll never lie.”
“I promise.” Forgetting where they were, Abby leaned up and kissed him. He didn’t shy away. In fact, he clasped the nape of her neck and deepened the kiss.
Gasps, clapping, and laugher sounded around them, but she didn’t care. As long as he continued to kiss her as he was now, like there was no ending in sight, that forever and a day this was all he wished to do, she’d be one content woman.
Like all their kisses, this one sent a fiery need to burn through her soul. And by the demanding, hungry touch from Aedan, he, too, didn’t seem to care where they were or who they were in front of.
“Are ye trying to outshine your sister’s day of days, brother? Very bad taste, if I do say so myself.”
Aedan laughed as he pulled away, swiping his thumb over Abby’s bottom lip. Every inch of her skin responded, craved for his touch. Her well-kissed lips were swollen, and she grinned.
“I would never try to do so, Gwen,” Aedan said, winking.
Abby flopped back into her chair, marveling at how, while her body was going crazy with unsated need, Aedan went back to eating his meal, as if nothing was amiss. The thought of dragging him up to her room and having her wicked way with him crossed her mind more than once as his strong arms reached out for his mug of ale, or to place more food on his plate. He was so devilishly handsome, so sweet, that her teeth ached.
His lips quirked into a grin.
“What are you thinking?” she asked, wanting to know what was going on in his mind.
He leaned back in his chair, eyeing her over the top of his cup. “That you’re the most interesting, consuming, beautiful woman I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, and how thankful I am that Gwen found ye and brought you back.”
Warmth flowed through her, making her a big pile of love. “Really?” she asked, not sure she’d heard right. He clasped her hand and kissed it, nodding.
Gwen leaned over to them, smirking. “And yet I’m still waiting for my apology from ye, brother. Calling me an interfering so-and-so all those weeks ago. As far as I can see, you’ll never be able to repay such a boon.”
“Apologies, Gwendolyn. I hope you’ll forgive my extreme reaction to ye meddling with the Abigail lass.”
His sister snorted. “Aye, that’ll do. It’s probably the best I’ll get from ye, in any case. Now, dear brother, signal the minstrels. I want to dance with my husband.”
Aedan looked up at the minstrel’s gallery and gestured for the music to commence. The guests helped the servants push the tables to the side of the room, making plenty of space for the dancing. Gwen and Braxton started off with a reel that soon had everyone joining in.
The bagpipes sounded clear and strong, and mixed with drums, harps, and flutes made the music come to life. The haunting sound washed over Abby and she sat there for a moment and watched this medieval life at play. Within the castle this night, there was nothing but enjoyment, high spirits, and merriment. Gwen couldn’t have had a better wedding reception no matter what century she was in.
“Do ye want to dance, lass?”
She took Aedan’s hand and held it in her lap. “No. I want to sit here with you.” And she did. Just being near Aedan left her feeling a contentment she hadn’t known before. Even in the twenty-first century something had never sat quite right within her, like a part of her was missing, or she was missing something from her life. Now she knew what that was.
Her soul mate.
“Do ye miss your home?”
Abby looked out over the wedding celebrations, the clan that had welcomed her as one of their own, of the man beside her who loved her beyond any doubt. “No, I don’t. Not really.”
“Not really?”
She laughed, knowing she missed one thing at least. “I suppose I miss toilet paper. I can’t quite get used to the leaves