Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 126485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 632(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 632(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
“You may kiss the bride.”
Lorcan tugged me toward his body by our still tied hands, and I peered up at him. He was devilishly handsome and devilishly cruel. His lips found mine, soft and chaste, a show before church. Despite everything that had happened after the auction, it was our first kiss, a testament to our twisted bond. Lorcan smelled good, like fresh sawdust and something crisp and herbal. I couldn’t help but wonder what a real kiss from Lorcan would be like.
Applause filled the church and Lorcan’s brothers began to ring small bells to ward off evil spirits while Gulliver untied the rope. The bond that our vows represented was stronger than any rope, so it could be removed. Balor stepped forward with a green cushion. Two white gold rings with Celtic engravings and emerald stones sat atop of it.
After we’d exchanged the rings, we quickly accepted the congratulations before we moved on to an Irish pub for the festivities. When imagining my wedding, I never considered a splendid feast but a pub was definitely underwhelming.
Once all of the guests had filtered into the two big rooms of the pub, it was crammed. The scent of meaty comfort food saturated the air. The tables were decorated with real horseshoes, golden clover leaves, and a small rustic bell sat atop each plate. In the center of each table was a flower arrangement with moss, daisies, baby’s breath, and handcrafted white candles with bottles as holders.
“Do you like it?” Maeve asked as she took, to my surprise, her seat beside me.
“Yes, it’s lovely. Did you handle it?”
She nodded. Lorcan sank down beside me and grasped my hand again, which he’d only briefly released for a conversation with the pub owner. The noise level was extreme, not the hushed murmurs you’d expect before dinner at a wedding.
Seamus sat down beside Maeve and the rest of the table was occupied by Lorcan’s brothers and a middle-aged man and his wife that I’d seen in church before. The food and drinks were rustic, tasty but simple.
Still, I enjoyed the taste of Ireland, especially the Guinness and steak-and-ale-pie. Through conversations, I soon found out that several of his men were cousins, second cousins or nephews, but the inner circle of the Devaney clan all lived in Ireland.
I wondered what Lorcan’s father thought about the marriage. Was he absent because he didn’t approve of it? Or maybe he saw it as a way to torment me as part of our family’s punishment. I wished I could say Gulliver would never aid Lorcan in such a quest, but he was more a man of the church and mob than a part of our family.
We were halfway through dinner when Aran turned to me. “What made you say yes to my brother?”
I slanted a look at Lorcan, wondering if his brother was taunting me or if Lorcan had actually made up some kind of ridiculous love story that I shouldn’t contradict.
“I’m difficult to resist,” Lorcan said, leaning back in his chair so his pecs flexed under his white shirt. He’d discarded his jacket over the backrest after the starter of ham and pea soup, which was served with crusty soda bread.
“You’re difficult, I’ll give you that,” Aran said dryly.
Balor hadn’t said much, and when he had, it was in a hushed voice about business to Seamus and Timothy.
Soon, the party got boisterous. Men stripped down to their bare chests, dancing with bottles of liquor in hand and singing along to Irish tunes that made my heart feel heavy with homesickness.
“We should join in the fun,” Lorcan said, holding out his hand. He still wore his shirt with suspenders, but the top buttons were open, revealing his dark chest hair and an ancient cross that almost made me roll my eyes. I forced a smile, playing my part. The moment we hit the dancefloor, everyone gathered in a circle around us and began stomping their feet and clapping.
I allowed the music to ring in my bones, and moved my limbs instinctively. Lorcan moved surprisingly well for someone so tall and muscular. Like a hunter with his eyes set on his prey, Lorcan’s gaze never left my body as I danced.
“On the table!” someone shouted, and Lorcan lifted me onto a long table before leaping up to join me. The table vibrated under our feet as we jumped and twirled to the quickening beat of the music. Soon, more people joined us on the table, even Maeve and Seamus. Seamus pulled Maeve against him for a passionate kiss as he squeezed her ass. When they pulled apart, Maeve’s skin was beet red. She playfully swatted at her husband.
“Can’t let them steal the show,” Lorcan chuckled, as he grabbed me by the neck and jerked me toward him. His lips crashed down on mine and swallowed my gasp, which soon turned into a choked moan when his tongue teased me masterfully while his hand massaged my ass. My head was spinning as I returned the kiss, trying to match Lorcan’s fervor even as I became dizzy from lack of air and the overwhelming pulsing between my legs. I’d never had a kiss like this, not with Patrick and not with my first crush before Patrick. When Lorcan released me, I swayed, breathless and disoriented. The cheers and applause of the crowd around us brought me back to the present.