MURRAY
There was a small part of me that was envious watching Taran walk down the aisle toward Quinn. Seeing him surreptitiously wipe the tears from the corner of his eyes at his bride’s approach, I felt a pang of regret that I didn’t experience that moment with London.
My gaze moved to my wife who stood at the edge of the altar with Tierney, Cammie, and Quinn’s daughter Heather. London looked stunning in a pale green dress, her hair pinned up in pretty curls and braids like a princess. She must have felt my stare because our eyes connected as Taran drew to a stop across from Quinn.
I shifted restlessly beside Kelly, wishing London were down here with us. Mum was on Kelly’s other side. The old castle’s ballroom was filled with seats and fairy lights and florals and all that wedding stuff. But thick stone walls and a lack of air-con made it stuffy, especially when you were wearing wool. It wasn’t so much my kilt that bothered me but the wool Argyll jacket and matching waistcoat. I was dying to rip the damn things off.
Trying to ignore my discomfort, I somehow managed to drag my eyes off my sexy wife and concentrate on the ceremony.Taran’s and Quinn’s vows were unsurprisingly emotional, considering the many years they’d spent apart. Only now that I had experienced that kind of love with London did I fully appreciate how fucking awful it must have been for my friend to be without the woman he loved for all that time.
I’d never been happier for him.
A sniffle beside me brought my attention to Kelly and Mum. Kelly was blinking rapidly, trying to hold back tears while Mum dabbed at her nose and eyes with a handkerchief. Tender amusement filled me and a quick look around at the guests revealed they were not the only ones succumbing to tears. Even Forde was uncharacteristically misty-eyed as he stood at Quinn’s side as his best man.
When the officiant pronounced Taran and Quinn husband and wife, the cheer from the guests was uproarious. We stood to watch them walk down the aisle together, Forde following along with Heather at his side. Cammie, Tierney, and London moved behind them. My wife smiled at me as she passed, and I curbed the urge to reach out for her.
“She looks so beautiful,” Mum murmured, patting my arm.
“Aye, she does that.”
“I’m going over to speak to Anna, is that okay?” Kelly asked as we gathered in one of the drawing rooms, waiting for the ballroom to be reconfigured into the reception hall. Servers moved around the guests, handing out glasses of champagne, orange juice, and wee canapés that did nothing to abate my grumbling stomach.
I’d recovered my wife and greeted the bride and groom before they moved on to speak with more guests, trying to make their way around everyone. Taran and Quinn were practicallybursting with their joy, and it was a wee bit contagious. Mum was off talking to a friend. It seemed almost everyone in Leth Sholas had been invited to this shindig.
“Aye, of course,” I answered Kelly’s request.
She was gone without another word.
London giggled and moved closer into my side. “Have I told you lately how sexy you are in that kilt?”
I quirked an eyebrow, fucking delighted. “Really?”
“Mmm.” She leaned in, lowering her voice. “I might have had a fantasy or two about you after seeing you play in the band wearing a kilt. But the whole regalia ishot.”
“Are you trying to torment me by saying these things wearing that dress when I can’t respond appropriately because ironically my appropriate response would be quite inappropriate in public?”
London laughed, her eyes sparkling, cheeks flushed.
The last few weeks had been better. Not easy, but definitely better as the three of us healed together rather than shoving all our fears and worries out of sight. Kelly was back at school, and I think it was a good thing, getting her back into routine, busy with schoolwork and friends. Tierney had found a new chef for the B and B, and London and I had begun discussing plans for her culinary school. She’d agreed to take over one of the holiday lets I’d suggested but insisted on paying for the renovations herself.
It was a good compromise.
Seeing her now, her whole demeanor lighter, happier … it was more than I could have hoped for after the summer we’d had. I’d never experienced anything like the last few months. It never occurred to me that some of the most exhilarating, blissful moments could be entangled with some of the darkest.
I aimed to leave the darkness behind.
London reached up, fiddling with a button on my waistcoat. “It’s probably a good thing Kelly is spending the night at Anna’s.”
Arousal was swift and hot as my gaze dropped to my wife’s cleavage. Her boobs looked amazing in her bridesmaid dress. “I thought bridesmaid dresses were supposed to be ugly,” I murmured gruffly.
“Taran would never.” She leaned closer. “You like it, then?”
An image of burying my face in her luscious tits filled my mind and I flushed, clearing my throat. “It’s very nice,” I croaked, taking a sip of champagne.
“So, you want me to leave it on or take it off later? Because I want you to leave the kilt on while I ride you.”
I choked on the alcohol, coughing and spluttering as London’s shoulders shook with laughter and guests turned to stare at us. Glowering at her as I took the napkin she handed me, I was only pretend outraged. The wicked wee temptress excited the hell out of me.
“Sorry. That was poorly timed.”