Liam turned to Padriac. "You've just recently been ordained. Is this some kind of sick joke? So which is it? Married or not married?" Liam stepped up to his friend. Casey couldn't tell what emotions were flitting through his head.
"I'm not sure," Padriac said as he looked heavenward as if seeking some kind of divine intervention.
"Of all the…" Liam said. While his brother's face was ashen, she saw color flood his cheeks. He was angry, no doubt about it.
"It's true, all of it," Kelly rubbed the back of his neck. "We wed this morning, said our vows with Padriac blessing our union. True, we didn't do this all proper but the marriage is legal. The certificate is at home in my bible."
"Have you slept together?" Patrick asked. He appeared ready to renew the fighting. For some strange reason he held back.
"That is none of your business," Kelly said. Casey moved closer to Kelly's side. Protectively, he circled his arm around her.
"Who was the witness?" Patrick asked, seeming to search for a way to annul this marriage. "I will have this undone. I promise."
"Fallon."
"Congratulations then," Liam stepped forward to give Kelly a pat on the back.
~ * ~
"Oh my, oh my," Moya fluttered above the group dropping faerie dust as if it were water. "How did we miss a wedding? How could that happen? I've barely left her side, haven't slept in weeks and eating--that hasn't happened. I'm wasting away." She turned to Oran. "What about you? I thought we had our schedules mapped out."
"How indeed?" Oran said, sounding puzzled but not overly surprised. "I went with some friend to the pub this afternoon. They weren't even together. I don't have a clue but we can't be anything but pleased."
"Did you know?" Moya demanded an answer. "Did you know and is that why you left? We would have had to alert someone. They shouldn't have done it this way." She would never have missed the wedding day. She's had great hopes of attending the huge event Casey's parents would have insisted having.
"Well, I don't like the way this is playing out," Cary said with a disgusted sigh. "I guess our job is done before it even began." She rose above the crowd, staring down at them and fluttered her wings. "I'm leaving." But she hovered in the air as if she still didn't want to miss any new developments.
"No way," Conn said. "These two will never be happy. If this is true, they've gone against their families." He joined Cary, hovering in the heavens and watching as the scene still unfolded. "There still might be a fight. I'm ready for a jolly good one. Bloody eyes, but they stopped too soon for my liking."
"We will find a way to make it right," Moya said, flying up to Conn and shaking her little fist in his face. "They will have a proper wedding and the blessing of their families. You just wait and see."
Cary let go a devilish laugh, "Time will tell." She did a little back flip in the air, followed by a cartwheel, laughing all the while.
"I wish you away from here," Moya said vehemently. "You are the devil's spawn and I cannot abide your evil treachery."
"Never," Cary stopped her antics and grinned at Moya. "Never, not until all this is finished and the happy couple is no longer so jubilant."
~ * ~
"Congratulations… Bloody hell!" Patrick swung at Liam, his fist hitting the man squarely in the jaw.
"Bloody…" Liam tackled Patrick around the waist. They went down, tumbling on the grass, grappling to get the upper hand and grunting with the exertion needed to accomplish just that.
The friends joined in the ruckus. Fists flew, groans resounded in the night air. An owl swooped from the trees and gave a loud "hoot" in approval or disapproval before flying into the darkened night.
"Kelly, stop them," Casey said, clutching his arm, her fingers biting into him. "They can't fight, not on our wedding day."
"Leave them be, they are letting off steam. It's good for them and us. Let's go." He slipped her hand into his and gently tugged. "Come on, they'll get the frustration from their systems and meet us at the pub for a pint of ale. At least we will see Liam there. He always ends a fight with a few drinks."
Kelly gave one last look at the ruckus in front of him, swept Casey into his arms, and trotted toward the pub. The joy he felt spiraled soul deep. He looked at his wife of a couple of hours and grinned. Anticipation swept through him.
"Put me down."
"Not on your life." He always wanted to hold her close to his heart. A heart that raced while his blood pounded within.
"You'll drop me."
"There is more of a chance if I put you down, you will trip over one or the other foot." He groaned at his words. He never wanted to reinforce her notion of clumsiness.
"That was not nice."
"But..." About to say true, he stopped himself mid-thought. No, she didn't need anyone's protection. She was an incredibly strong woman and he liked her that way. She had a penchant for accidents but that was because she challenged her physical limitations and didn't always emerge the winner.
Casey sighed, not seeming to have anything else to say and rested her head against his chest. He inwardly smiled as his heart beat hard and fast in eagerness to consummate their marriage. He wasn't sure how this would all play out, but he meant to have her in his arms and his bed before the night ended. They were married and he needed to make sure there was no way her parents could annul the marriage.
A warm glow from the pub beckoned the lovers. Laughter and talk flowed from the Black Goat, a place that was known for the best ale in these parts. The scent of sizzling meat floated on the spring breeze.
Kelly set Casey down inside the pub. His mother stood behind the bar waving cheerily. She bent over and placed a quick kiss on Kelly's cheek. "Now who is this?" she asked, a motherly twinkle in her eyes.
"Casey O'Connell." The hesitancy in Kelly's voice sent a chill down his spine, stopping his heart for a brief moment. He cleared his throat, his gaze on Casey. "My wife." His mother backed away, a strange expression on her face.
She cocked her head sideways as if assessing her son's betrothed. "Hmm… You be jokin' now…"
"No," Kelly sighed inwardly, running his hands through his hair while he searched for the right words. "We were wed this afternoon. Padriac--did the ceremony--gave his blessing." Wholeheartedly he wanted his mother's approval as well as his father's.
"Why, Kelly Shaunasey," his mother's hands rested on her hips, her lips thinned. "What was the hurry? Why couldn't you wait and have family attend? And my gosh, is this Casey O'Connell one of the…"
"O'Connell's who we are feuding with? Yes, the very same. Now would you be carin' to share the tale as to what this disagreement is all about? We don't believe the feud should stand in our way of happiness." He held onto Casey's hand, giving it a small squeeze to reassure. Although he needed the reassurance as much or more than he thought Casey did.
"I don't know why we hate each other." Kelly's mother poured two pints. She paused. "Never really thought about the feud--never had a reason."
"At this moment, I don't hate any O'Connell and with all my heart I love Casey." Kelly's words and voice dared anyone to refute him.
"You two are talking around me. It's as if I don't exist." Casey punched Kelly on the arm. "We love each other and didn't expect our families to bless our union. Yet…" She looked at him, her eyes shining with what he thought was love.
"Enough," Dorinda said. "I am glad you are now a Shaunasey." She set a pint of ale in front of her and gave Kelly one too. "Are you wantin' a wee bit of privacy tonight? I have an open room upstairs the two of you can enjoy, this being your wedding night and all." She wiped down the counter and put the rag in the sink.
Kelly nodded, watching the blush stain Casey's cheeks. She sipped the ale, looking into her glass. His heart expanded with such joy he'd never known before. "What do you say, Casey? Do you want to take Mother up on the room?" Lord, but he prayed she would say, yes. This was, after all, their wedding night. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, smelling roses as he
did so.
She sipped again. "I suppose." Her voice squeaked yet she said, yes, sort of. He wondered at the lack of eagerness or was it fear?
"That doesn't sound very enthusiastic," he said, trying to understand her innocence. Compassion filled him. He felt sure she was apprehensive. She'd had no one to speak with her about lovemaking. The wedding had been so spontaneous. Usually the mother would tell the daughters what to expect. She'd had no one.
She swallowed a large portion of the ale. "I," she moistened her lips, "feel a wee bit fuzzy." She smoothed her skirts.
Kelly laughed. "It's the ale speaking. I'm not too sure you should drink any more. Have you ever…"
"No," she said with a crooked smile. "I like it though." She finished the glass, setting it on the counter and looking to Kelly's mother as if for another pint.
Dorinda set another in front of her. "It will ease the wedding night jitters," she said. "If you have any questions…"
"I think I'd like her awake, though." Kelly tossed back the rest of his pint, knowing his mother was giving him a bad time.
Dorinda laughed, the wink that followed surprised Kelly. What was she thinking? His mother seemed eager to get the two of them in bed. Were mothers supposed to think that way? Well, she couldn't be as eager as he was to hold her in his arms, kiss her, make love. Lord, he closed his eyes trying desperately to stifle the groan that threatened to rumble from deep within. His imagination overpowering his constraint.
"I'm awake." Her words slurred together in a charming way. Kelly knew he'd never forget this picture.
"Room?" Kelly asked his mother.
"Upstairs, the one at the end of the hallway."
"Come on." Kelly scooped Casey into his arms and with high hopes he walked up the stairs to his fantasy suite. Casey melted into his arms, kissing him lightly on the neck and snuggling deeper into his embrace. Ah, lord, she was his and he was about to make love to her. He'd dreamt of this night since that Sunday on the knoll when she'd tried to stop the weekly fight.
He set her on the bed and turned to disrobe. Hesitant, because he wasn't sure how fast or how slow he would need to proceed. He shucked from his shirt and set it on a chair near the bed, his heart racing.
She lay on the bed, her hair in glorious disarray around her, her breasts rising slowly with each breath. He laughed softly. Her cheeks, rosy from the ale, made her peaches and cream complexion irresistible. Sitting beside her he stroked her cheek, traced her jaw line then farther to run his finger across the visible flesh above the bodice of her gown. Her lips parted, beckoning his attention.
"Casey."
She opened her eyes for a brief moment. One hand rested on his forearm. "I'm so sleepy."
Kelly stretched out beside her, kissing her softly on the lips. Startled, he backed away, frustration mounting.
"Casey?"
~ * ~
Oran tugged on Moya's arm. "Darn bless it, female, we have to leave. Right now."
Moya brushed Oran's hands away. "I know. But we have to make sure everything goes right. And we have to make sure Conn and Cary don't show up to make trouble."
A malicious laughed echoed in Moya ears. "Too late, too late you are. I dinna believe they will consummate the marriage tonight." Cary continued to chant.
"Get out!" Moya was beside herself with anger. Her wings fluttered to gold and faerie dust flew. "What have you done?"
"Prolonged the inevitable," Oran said. He flew circles around Conn as if he tried to push him out the window.
"Hey," Conn said as he found himself flat against cold night air. "I'll go. Don't want to see adults cry, you know."
Moya watched then decided to try the same tactic on Cary. She swirled and somersaulted, dodging Moya's futile attempt, laughing as her antics kept her within the room.
"Go on, leave with your evil friend, Cary. No one be wantin' you here."
"You going to stay and watch the pair sleep?" Cary taunted.
"I'll stay as long as they are asleep, but you won't be here," Moya said.
"We haven't seen the last of those two," Oran said.
Chapter Nine
Warm sunshine filtered through the lace curtains. For a moment Casey wasn't sure where she was, but yesterday's adventures crashed in on her sending her mind swirling. She smiled, reveling in the moment. She was married and at this moment, she felt Kelly's warm body next to hers, his arms wrapped protectively around her. She snuggled against him, knowing she would remember this feeling for the rest of her life.
"Casey," his voice ruffled the hair on the back of her neck, sending goose bumps down her arms and warmth into her heart.
"Hmm…" she said, feeling dreamy and not wanting to move one muscle.
His hands roamed the length or her back, settling on her hips as he turned her then brushed the hair from her eyes. Their bodies brushed against each other. Oh my… Her heart raced, knowing what she could expect.
His kiss was soft, long, slow, and passionate. At first he was gentle, running his tongue along her lips almost as if asking her to open for him. When she inhaled slightly, his tongue strayed inside. She settled her hands behind his head, threading her fingers in his hair and moving enticingly against him.
"Tell me if I do anything you don't like," he spoke softly in that raspy voice she heard when he kissed her.
"I--" She really couldn't talk. Her heart pounded against her chest and the heat sweeping through her raised an inferno within. She loved everything, even some of the more startling and new feelings. His hand cupped her breast, pushing aside fabric until he touched her nipple. "Oh, my…" Oh my…
He rose above her and watched her. "Oh my, indeed."
Suddenly his mouth was on one nipple, his fingers teasing the other. She moaned and arched as if she could make him take more of her into his mouth. Her fingers tightened on his shoulders, her nails, she was sure would leave marks.
He kissed her belly then lower, spreading her legs, touching her there, everywhere. She clung to his hair, running her hands through it. She smoothed her hands across the broad expanse of his back.
"Kelly, I--I've never felt this way…"
"Good," he said smiling at her.
"Do you think you should do that?" she asked, knowing how stupid a question that was. She wanted this more than anything. She just didn't quite understand.
"Easy now," he whispered close to her ear.
She cried out at the pain then there was nothing but pleasure as time spun and he brought her to a place she had never known existed.
"Casey?"
"I--"
"Tongue tied?" he asked, laughing. "Are you all right?" Kelly pulled her close. Once again she delighted in the feelings, his protectiveness, and the safety. Everything in her world was right and nothing could change that.
She reveled in the moment, closing her eyes and resting her head on his chest. "I'm fine." For a brief moment the earth stood still and nothing but Kelly mattered.
"Casey! Casey! You better not be in there!"
The door crashed in. Kelly pulled her close as he drew the covers over her.
"Father…"
"Let her go. Casey, you are coming with me," her father said.
"No." Kelly's one word echoed in the crowded room as he pushed Casey behind him.
"Father, we are married. You cannot be here, I--" she said peeking around Kelly's broad shoulders at her father.
"I will have the marriage annulled."
"This marriage is valid and consummated. It cannot be annulled. Now, my wife and I demand you leave."
Dorinda arrived and jumped in to help the newlyweds by escorting Casey's father and mother from the room. "Let the children dress. They will join us downstairs as soon as they can." She looked to her son.
"Thank you," he said and nodded.
Casey was thankful too. She was sure if Dorinda had not intervened, both her parents would still be arguing, mindless of their state of dishabille. When the door closed, Casey sat back against the he
adboard and closed her eyes.
"Did we do the right thing?" she asked.
Kelly kissed her lightly on a cheek. "Yes, they would have never allowed a marriage. This way they will learn to accept it. My mother has."
"Your mother, yes, she seems to have accepted. Do you think it is easier with a son than a daughter?"
"I don't know. Come on, let's dress less we be invaded again." His laughter echoed around the room.
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