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“Arenae all men once they have a bride on their arm?”
“I’m sorry ye think so,” Gabriel answered as he lowered Elena into a dip. She gasped and stared at him. The surprise in her eyes was unexpected.
“I’m nae, ye ken,” he said softly. “I’ll never be.”
“Doubt that,” Elena said as he pulled her back to his chest.
“Ye think ye ken me, but ye daenae. Ye’ll be surprised there is a lot about me ye daenae ken.”
“I daenae want to ken,” Elena said.
“Is that how our marriage is goin’ to go then? Ye ignorin’ me for the rest of yer life?”
“Wouldnae it be best?” she asked as her voice softened. Gabriel wasn’t sure how to answer her. A part of him wanted to give her the world, and everything she desired. If that meant giving her space, he’d do it.
With a twinkle in his eyes, he spun her about until her hair came undone. The twirl left her gasping for air. But a sound he wasn’t expecting escaped her lips. The sound of her laughter filled him with such hope, that he was overcome with emotions.
Pulling her to him, he laughed with her. He couldn’t remember the last time she looked so free. Cupping his hand to her face, he caught her eye.
Gabriel pulled in a shallow breath and leaned forward. His lips itched to brush against hers. The onslaught of desire suppressed all rational thoughts. A hunger grew deep inside as he closed in on her.
Please, will ye nae open yerself to me? Just once. I promise I can make ye happy.
Chapter 3
Elena’s heartfluttered as she stared at Gabriel. Her mind pranced around the edges of her anger. Here he was, closing in on her. A small lingering part of her being wanted to reach back and slap him for making such an attempt. Yet, uncertain if his charms were getting to her or the mead, she found her anger draining from her.
Swallowing hard, Elena shifted her head just as Gabriel’s lips came down on her. He missed her mouth completely, crushing his lips on her cheek. Suddenly the world seemed as if it were spinning around her. She spied her sisters staring at her with wide, judgmental gazes.
“I need some air,” she mumbled, patting Gabriel on the shoulder as she stepped back from him. Every nerve in her body sparked like fireflies dancing through the forests.
Elena rushed off the dance floor trying to understand why heat flooded her face. She pressed her fingertips to her cheeks. Her skin felt as if she’d been outside in the blazing sun all day. The coolness of her fingers eased the heat for a moment as she made her way to Anna’s table.
“Ye alright? Yer lookin’ a bit flustered there,” Anna said with a wicked little grin. “Perhaps marriage agrees wit’ ye after all?” Anna said with a wink.
“I’m fine,” Elena said reaching for the goblet of mead on the table. She needed something to ease the rattling of her nerves. Elena felt like a frayed cloth drifting in the wind. No matter what she did to ease the butterflies in her stomach, it continued to twist into knots.
Confusion pricked her. Uncertain of why she felt anything other than irritation with Gabriel, she drew in a long deep breath.
Tis the mead. That’s what is causin’ my head to spin in such a way.
Elena shifted her head, stealing a glimpse of Gabriel. He stood amid the crowd, but his eyes remained locked on her. There was an intensity about his gaze that caused Elena’s body to tremble. It was almost as if Gabriel could read her thoughts and see through to her very soul.
Refusing to allow herself any hint of ease, she twisted her head back around and focused on Anna’s face. If there was one person in the whole room that understood her best, it was her older sister.
“I’m sorry,” Anna whispered as her children rushed back to the table before darting off again. “I ken this wasnae the weddin’ ye were hopin’ for. But at least Gabriel is yer age. And he seems as if he will be a good husband to ye.”
“Ye cannae be serious?” Elena gasped. “Do ye nae remember all the horrible things he did to me when we were younger? Gabriel cannae be trusted.”
Elena took a long gulp from the drink in her hand. The mead washed down her throat and fogged her mind a bit more. But at least it was numbing the reality that she was married.
“And ye need to tell him it was ye who caused his horse to go lame all those years ago. The man has it in his head I was the one who did it,” Elena said, slamming the cup down.
“What are ye talkin’ about?” Anna sat straighter in her chair as her eyes narrowed. Elena could see her sister’s struggle with the memory. And in a single flash of remembrance, Anna laughed.
“He thinks ye stole his pony?” Anna’s laughter filled the nook of the hall making Elena purse her lips tighter.
“Aye, he does. Was the reason he chopped my hair off,” Elena said.
