BONNIE DRIFTED IN and out of consciousness. After Theo had earned not one, but two very ecstatic thank-yous from her, he’d dug through the boxes in the shed and managed to scrounge up several picnic blankets. They’d laid them out, making a fort of sorts, and snuggled up together, warm and cozy as the storm continued to rage outside. Eyes fluttering open, she idly watched dust motes float in the swath of morning sunlight streaming through the little window. The storm had finally passed.
“Bonnie,” Theo murmured, his voice the deep, low timbre of a man just waking up, “are you still asleep?”
“Yes.” She sighed dreamily and closed her eyes, perfectly content to spend the rest of her life on this floor.
He chuckled, the sound rumbling in his chest, vibrating against her. He shifted, and the featherlight touch of his hand roved over her shoulder and back. “I love your freckles.”
“Good, because I have a lot of them,” she muttered, heart flip-flopping in her chest. He loved her freckles? What else might he love?
“You certainly do,” he agreed, his fingers trailing spiral patterns on her skin. “I’ve never seen so many.”
“Are you counting them?” Bonnie rolled over, turning to face him. “That’s going to take you forever. I have them everywhere.”
“Not everywhere.” He gave her a sleepy sexy grin, propping himself up on an elbow to gaze down at her. “Not here.” He ran a hand along the patch of creamy skin under her arm, then down to her breasts. “Or here.” His hand drifted lower, over her belly. “No freckles here either.” His long black lashes hid his eyes from her as he dropped his gaze, tracking the movement of his hand between her legs, brushing his fingers over the soft pale tops of her thighs. “It’s like these are special places, hidden away.” He looked up at her again. “Only for me.”
“Like your eyes,” she said, staring into the deep blue of his gaze, the burst of indigo vibrant in the morning sun. At his curious look, she explained, “There’s a darker starburst of color around your pupils. The first time I noticed it, I felt like I’d learned something secret about you.”
His grin turned tender, and he bent his head and pressed his lips to hers in a sweet, gentle kiss. “I’ve missed you,” he whispered against her neck. Burrowing his face into her shoulder, he continued, “I’m sorry about these past few weeks. I should have come to see you … at least called.”
“Why didn’t you?”
He hesitated. “There were some things I needed to figure out.”
“Have you figured them out yet?” she asked, sensing the tension lacing his body, not sure if she was ready for the answer.
“Honestly?” He lifted his head, meeting her gaze again. “I wasn’t sure,” he admitted. He swallowed hard, Adam’s apple bobbing. “But I think maybe I am now.”
Breath caught in her throat, she waited for him to say more.
Instead, he rolled over and reached for his clothes. “We should get back. Everyone will wonder what happened to us.”
Bonnie nodded, heart slipping sideways. Tamping down her disappointment, she sat up. Outside the window, a rainbow spread across the endless Scottish sky. The breath she’d been holding escaped on a sigh. Unable to resist, she gave in to the soul-deep need and made a wish.
Theo saw Bonnie to her room and then headed for his own. He’d barely had time to kick off his boots and remove his shirt when a knock sounded on the door. “Yes?”
“It’s Logan, open up.”
Groaning, Theo moved to open the door. “What?” he barked.
“Is that any way to talk to a man on his wedding day?” Logan asked. The Scot’s eyes widened as he took in Theo’s disheveled appearance. “And what the hell happened to you?”
Theo followed his friend’s gaze, noticing for the first time the streaks of mud running down his abdomen, dirty handprints marking his chest. He cleared his throat, the back of his neck on fire with embarrassment. “The storm. There was … an incident.”
Logan arched a brow. “An incident, aye?” He pushed past Theo, inviting himself inside. “Well, that’s what I’ve come to speak with you about.”
Heart pounding, Theo stared at his friend. Did he know about what had happened with Bonnie? But why would Logan need to talk to him about it? “Sorry?”
“The storm, man. It’s put us in a wee fankle.” Logan paced the small apartment. “We got a call from the wedding coordinator over at the castle, part of the bridge washed out.”
“Bloody hell.” On a small island, Eilean Donan was connected to the mainland by a long narrow stone bridge. “Boat?”
“I’ve thought about that already, aye.” Logan ran a hand through his hair. “But have kindly been informed it’s not an option.”
“What are your options, then?
“I doona ken,” Logan admitted, frustration thickening his brogue. “I thought we could move the wedding to town, but unless we want to have it at the fishery, it’s a nonstarter. Everything is booked; Cassie checked.”
“How is she doing with the news?” Theo could only imagine how one of his sisters would react if she’d been told her wedding was in danger of being canceled. Or taking place at a fish-processing warehouse.
“As well as to be expected.” Logan rubbed his temples.
“Well, you two technically got married in the States, right?” Theo asked, taking the pragmatic approach. “Maybe you don’t need a wedding.”
“Doona need a wedding?” the Scot’s voice rose in disbelief. “Will ye be the one to tell my bride that?”
“Uh, no,” Theo admitted. “I’d rather not.”
“She’s a romantic, aye?” Logan raised his arms and waved them in a circle. “We need something g-r-r-rand,” he insisted, panic thickening his brogue more than ever.
Oh yeah, his mate was on the brink of losing his shit. “Let me think on it,” Theo suggested. “Give me an hour to get cleaned up, and I’ll meet you downstairs. We’ll figure it out.”
Precisely an hour later, Theo found Logan and most of the bridal party gathered in the rental unit’s common room. The mood was more jovial than he’d expected.
“Theo!” Logan waved him over to where he was sitting with Cassie and her friends.
Including Bonnie.
As always, her red curls grabbed his attention, and for a moment, his gut tightened as he recalled tangling his fingers in those curls, gazing down upon her as she took him in her mouth and … not now, you bugger.
He joined them, taking the open seat, which was, of course, next to the source of his current state of arousal.
Oblivious to his distress, Bonnie beamed up at him. “I think I have a solution,” she said, “but we’re going to need your help.”
“Anything,” Theo offered.
“What if we moved the wedding to the Abbey?”
Anything but that. His mother would have a conniption. Besides, it was too far away. They’d no time to plan; it was a ludicrous idea.
“I know it sounds impossible,” Bonnie said, giving voice to his opinion, “but I think we can pull it off. We’d have to move the wedding to tomorrow—”
“Which I’m perfectly happy to do,” Cassie added.
“And arrange to get everyone on a train this evening,” Bonnie continued.
“I’ve already confirmed with the night train; if we leave from the Fort William station, they’ve enough berths for the whole party,” Sadie chimed in.
“And I’ll help Logan’s mom box up the cake for transport,” Ana added.
“Nettie says Sunday is no problem for her; so my sister can still officiate.” Logan wrapped an arm around Cassie’s shoulders. “Clara said the band is happy to tag along too.”
“And the location would be perfect. There’s so much space at the Abbey. It won’t be hard to set something up on short notice. I bet Tabitha could plan a wedding in her sleep.” Bonnie finished stating her case, watching him intently. “What do you think?”
“I think…” Theo paused. He should say no, tell her it was bloody absurd, but he couldn’t look away from Bonnie, couldn’t break the contact of her gaze. Right now, when she was looking at him like that, with her heart in her eyes, Theo would give her anything she asked. Rearrange the bloody moon and stars if she so desired. Compared to that, moving a wedding to his home seemed easy. “Yes. Why not.”
Everyone cheered.
“Oh, good.” Bonnie breathed a sigh of relief. “Because I already called your sister.”
“Sorry?” Theo blinked.
“That’s my fault, mate.” Logan clapped a hand on his shoulder. “I told her you wouldn’t be able to resist the opportunity to play hero.”