wanted to jump the gun and kiss him, and Evie smothered a hybrid laugh-cry. She looked over at Sam, who’d gone pale, and she wondered if he felt bad about wanting to just repeat the traditional vows.
“That was bloody beautiful,” he whispered. She nodded and squeezed his hand.
Piper’s voice was shaky when she started hers. “Lachlan, I never thought I’d get married. I never believed that love was real, because I’d never felt it until I met you. And now I’m so filled with love I sometimes think I might burst. After all we’ve been through and all you’ve done to stay by my side, I know we’re truly meant to be together. Your strength keeps me steady when I start to falter, you bring me shining moments when times seem dark. Your smile reminds me every day just how lucky I am.”
“I am the lucky one, my love,” Lachlan said. leaning down to gaze into her eyes.
“You’re both very lucky,” Father Branaghan said, getting them back on track with the rest of the ceremony.
Evie couldn’t help the small sob that slipped out when Piper said her ‘I will,’ and Piper quickly turned and smiled at her. At the kiss, even Sam sniffed and wiped his eyes. She squeezed his hand, feeling a flare of nerves as their turn approached. Not about finally getting married, but certain she’d muck it up somehow. They’d decided to do plain old traditional vows, since there were no words she could make up that worked better. All she had to do was not trip, and repeat what the priest said. And not wash away on a river of tears.
Sam dropped a kiss on the top of her head as they followed Lachlan and Piper back down the aisle to reboot for the next ceremony. At the holding area, they exchanged more hugs and handshakes, then Piper took Evie aside.
“You’re sure now? We can still make a run for it.”
Evie laughed, recalling a time that seemed like ages ago when she tried to get Piper to ditch everything— the spooky castle, the mad time traveling Highlander, the wonderful village and all its well-meaning inhabitants— and save herself while she had the chance. Thank goodness she had rejected that advice.
“Not for all your billions,” Evie assured her, looking over her shoulder at Sam, who spoke animatedly with Lachlan.
As if he knew she watched him, he turned and smiled a slow, knowing smile. A tremor of anticipation ran through her and she stepped forward, ready at last.
Chapter 11
Shane felt like a right perv, but he kept watching Mellie as she slept, curled in a tight ball the moment he eased out from under their blankets. A lock of hair drifted across her face and he wanted to move it away but kept still to let her rest a bit longer.
He’d found a few more twigs and some moss that wasn’t drenched, but couldn’t get a new fire started to save his life, so he was already irritated at himself, and when he couldn’t read the map because he didn’t have a clue where they were, he got downright angry. Looking at Mel’s face, so much sweeter without that prickly hard look she’d been pulling constantly since they started their adventure, he only wanted her to be comfortable.
He swallowed a laugh, thinking about how uncomfortable she’d been when he first lay down next to her. At the moment, he’d only been wanting to stay alive, but then he’d been surprised at how much he’d liked holding onto her. He couldn’t help himself, he moved the strands of hair off her cheek, letting his finger drag across her soft skin.
Her eye cracked open and small miracle, she smiled at him before burrowing deeper under the blankets.
“If ye want to try starting a fire, I found more kindling, and brought us some water,” he said, a new flash of disappointment in himself that he didn’t have a crackling blaze going for her already. “I’m going to climb a tree and figure out where we are.” He stomped outside before she could say anything to ruin the lovely sleeping image he had of her.
His spirits lifted when
“That was bloody beautiful,” he whispered. She nodded and squeezed his hand.
Piper’s voice was shaky when she started hers. “Lachlan, I never thought I’d get married. I never believed that love was real, because I’d never felt it until I met you. And now I’m so filled with love I sometimes think I might burst. After all we’ve been through and all you’ve done to stay by my side, I know we’re truly meant to be together. Your strength keeps me steady when I start to falter, you bring me shining moments when times seem dark. Your smile reminds me every day just how lucky I am.”
“I am the lucky one, my love,” Lachlan said. leaning down to gaze into her eyes.
“You’re both very lucky,” Father Branaghan said, getting them back on track with the rest of the ceremony.
Evie couldn’t help the small sob that slipped out when Piper said her ‘I will,’ and Piper quickly turned and smiled at her. At the kiss, even Sam sniffed and wiped his eyes. She squeezed his hand, feeling a flare of nerves as their turn approached. Not about finally getting married, but certain she’d muck it up somehow. They’d decided to do plain old traditional vows, since there were no words she could make up that worked better. All she had to do was not trip, and repeat what the priest said. And not wash away on a river of tears.
Sam dropped a kiss on the top of her head as they followed Lachlan and Piper back down the aisle to reboot for the next ceremony. At the holding area, they exchanged more hugs and handshakes, then Piper took Evie aside.
“You’re sure now? We can still make a run for it.”
Evie laughed, recalling a time that seemed like ages ago when she tried to get Piper to ditch everything— the spooky castle, the mad time traveling Highlander, the wonderful village and all its well-meaning inhabitants— and save herself while she had the chance. Thank goodness she had rejected that advice.
“Not for all your billions,” Evie assured her, looking over her shoulder at Sam, who spoke animatedly with Lachlan.
As if he knew she watched him, he turned and smiled a slow, knowing smile. A tremor of anticipation ran through her and she stepped forward, ready at last.
Chapter 11
Shane felt like a right perv, but he kept watching Mellie as she slept, curled in a tight ball the moment he eased out from under their blankets. A lock of hair drifted across her face and he wanted to move it away but kept still to let her rest a bit longer.
He’d found a few more twigs and some moss that wasn’t drenched, but couldn’t get a new fire started to save his life, so he was already irritated at himself, and when he couldn’t read the map because he didn’t have a clue where they were, he got downright angry. Looking at Mel’s face, so much sweeter without that prickly hard look she’d been pulling constantly since they started their adventure, he only wanted her to be comfortable.
He swallowed a laugh, thinking about how uncomfortable she’d been when he first lay down next to her. At the moment, he’d only been wanting to stay alive, but then he’d been surprised at how much he’d liked holding onto her. He couldn’t help himself, he moved the strands of hair off her cheek, letting his finger drag across her soft skin.
Her eye cracked open and small miracle, she smiled at him before burrowing deeper under the blankets.
“If ye want to try starting a fire, I found more kindling, and brought us some water,” he said, a new flash of disappointment in himself that he didn’t have a crackling blaze going for her already. “I’m going to climb a tree and figure out where we are.” He stomped outside before she could say anything to ruin the lovely sleeping image he had of her.
His spirits lifted when
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