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With his free hand, he grabbed Elena’s hand and opened her palm. Carefully, he placed the gift into her hand and sealed her fingers around it. “I’ve collected many of yer tears without even bein’ wit’ ye.”
Elena opened her hand. Her eyes widened as she caught the shimmer of the pearl necklace. Grabbing onto one of the strands, she pulled it up until the necklace was straightened.
“Where did ye get this?” she asked as Gabriel’s eyes bore into her.
“It was my maither’s,” he answered. “Ye were so fond of them as a lass, do ye remember?”
“These are the same ones?” she gasped as Gabriel plucked the strand of champagne pearls from her fingers and draped them around her neck.
“Aye, they are. And now ye never have to take them off, if ye daenae want to.”
“How is it ye remember so many good things and I’ve only carried the worst things?” she asked as she wound the necklace around her fingers.
“Suppose it all has to do wit’ perspective,” Gabriel answered. “I’ve been in love wit’ ye for so long that all I see, all I’ll ever see is ye.”
Elena’s lips trembled as she lunged for him. Throwing her arms around his neck, she pulled him closer to her. Gabriel squeezed her tightly, wishing with all his heart he would never have to see her so upset again. Although he knew her sadness was not his doing, he couldn’t bear hearing her so distraught today.
“Ye always ken exactly how to cheer me up, do ye ken that?”
“Well, yer easy to please,” he said with a chuckle. “When yer nae bein’ stubborn that is.”
“I’m nae that stubborn,” she said with a smile that touched her eyes. Gabriel leaned forward and pressed his forehead to hers. He pulled in a long deep breath, savoring the moment.
“Aye, but ye are,” he teased.
“I love ye, Gabriel McAllister. Do ye ken that?”
“I do now,” he said. Lowering his head, his lips brushed ever so slightly against hers as the clap of thunder rumbled over their heads. Gabriel’s head shot up. Big drops of water crashed against his face as Elena jumped to her feet.
“Of course it would,” he mumbled as the rain pelted them from the heavens.
“What are ye doin’? Yer goin’ to get all wet,” she squealed as she rushed from Gabriel. His hand darted out and snatched her by the wrist as a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky. The small candles he had streamed across the courtyard to be their stars were snuffed out one by one.
“Where are ye goin’?” he asked, drawing her back to him.
“We are gettin’ wet,” she huffed as he laughed.
“So be it,” he said as he curled his arm around her body and kissed her hard. Elena threw her hand around his neck, holding him there. He didn’t care it was raining and by the way her body molded to his, she didn’t either. Pulling away from her, he stared at her for a moment trying to let the image burn into his memory.
Gabriel found himself jealous of the way her hair clung to her neck and shoulders. Water streamed down her face and body, seeping into the fabric of her dress. The mere sight of her aroused him. He leaned forward and kissed her once again as the sound of the music stopped. In the corner of his eye, he noticed Matthew darting to the safety of the castle as the rain fell harder. With the wind kicking up around them, Gabriel heard the snapping of the tree branch.
“Quickly,” he said, whisking her from the courtyard. The moment they reached the entranceway, the branch fell from the tree and struck the table. All his preparation was destroyed.
“I’m so sorry,” Elena said, cupping her hands to her mouth as she stared at the devastation before her.
“I’m nae,” he said, tucking a wet strand of her hair behind her ear. “Any time I spend wit’ ye is worth it.”
“But dinner,” she said, looking absolutely defeated.
“Can be served in the dining room,” he said with a smile. “Not all is lost, my love.”
Elena opened her mouth to protest as her hand flew to the courtyard. Gabriel pressed his finger to her lips to silence her and shook his head.
“It is alright,” he promised. His eyes drifted from the top of her head to her toes making his smile stretch from ear to ear.
Elena’s glared at him for a moment as she planted her hands on her hips. “Ye planned this, dinnae ye?”
“Aye,” he said. “Because I have the power over such things. I tell the rain to come and it comes. I tell the sun to shine, and there ye have it.”
