She wet her lips, thinking of that day in the bridal shop, mouth curving at the memory of those popsicles. Reminding herself to go slow, she let her tongue dart out and taste him. His body jerked, and she pulled back warily.
“Sorry,” he groaned. “It’s just, Christ, what you do to me.”
“I haven’t even gotten started.” She laughed, looking up at him.
The lamp he’d hung on a rafter lit Theo from behind, casting his face in shadows. She caught the curve of his cheek as he grinned and sensed more than saw those dimples. Dropping her gaze, she gripped his waist, thumbs pressing into the muscles stretched along his hip bones. She bent her head and placed her mouth on him again. This time, he held still for her, the sound of his ragged breaths sawing the air blending with the howling wind outside.
She licked him, the tip of her tongue circling the head of his cock before exploring his length. Teasing and tasting, she started with the lessons from her friends, but with each stroke she learned something new on her own—his groans of pleasure, the way his hands fisted in her hair—teaching her what he liked.
Ready for the next step, she opened her mouth and took him inside, sucking him slowly. In and out, little by little, she retreated and advanced, working her way down his shaft. His groans became guttural, his fingers digging into her shoulders.
The awareness of what she was doing to him, of how she could make him feel, filled Bonnie with a desperate need. Forgetting her fears, she sucked him harder, pulled him deeper into her mouth, wanting him deep, deeper, as deep as he could go. His hips jerked, but her hands held him tight, and she maintained control, dictating their pace.
“I can’t wait, oh sweet bloody hell,” Theo moaned. “Please, Bonnie, I can’t hold on any longer.” His hips surged forward, and she was ready. Not wanting to press her luck, she pulled back, releasing him from her mouth. She wrapped both hands around him, pumping him with hard fast strokes that took him right over the edge. He cried out, his body shuddering.
Theo collapsed, crumpling to his knees and pulling her close, the sharp rasp of his breath warm on her neck. “Thank you,” he whispered.
She laughed.
“Again, with the laughing.” He pulled back to study her, gaze narrowing in the dim light. “What’s so bloody funny?”
“Your manners.” She giggled.
His eyed widened. “What’s wrong with my manners?”
“It’s just”—she paused, holding back another giggle—“you always say ‘thank you’ after, well, you know.”
“Would you rather I say something like, ‘okay, babe, that was great, now please go make me a sammich’?”
She snorted with laughter.
“What did I say this time?”
He was so adorable, it was ridiculous, especially because he didn’t even realize it. “Please,” she answered him. “You said, ‘please make me a sammich.’” She giggled again. “And was that your attempt at an American accent?”
“Maybe.” He reached for her. “And yes, I have manners. Now,” he began, hands stroking down her back, “may I please—”
“Touch my bum?” she asked. “You may.”
“That’s not what I was going to ask.” Theo pressed her down to the floor, and she lay back, cushioned by the crumpled pile of their discarded clothes.
Her desire, banked while teasing him, roared back to life as he crawled on all fours, hovering over her.
“I was going to ask,” he continued, crouching low, his breath tickling her belly, “may I please—”
“Yes,” Bonnie said, “definitely, yes.” And soon, she was the one thanking him.
CHAPTER 28
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 fa
nkle.” 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.”
CHAPTER 29
TWENTY-FOUR HOURS HAD never flown by so fast. From the time they packed up in Scotland, checking and double-checking to make sure they had everything and everyone, until the moment Logan’s sister told him he “may kiss the bride,” Bonnie had been a bundle of nerves. But they’d done it. The whole thing had come off without a hitch, and now her best friend was hitched.
Bonnie stood next to Theo, watching as their two best friends moved to the center of the ballroom for their first official dance as husband and wife. She laid her head on Theo’s shoulder, giddy with relief and so very grateful he’d said yes to helping them out. “Thank you.”
“It was mostly Tabitha,” Theo said.
True, Theo’s sister had been a whirlwind of activity, taking charge and putting together a wedding worthy of a spread in a posh bridal magazine.
“And my mother.” Theo shook his head, disbelief ringing in his voice. “I can’t believe she agreed to all of this.” He glanced around the ballroom. “More than half this crush are people she invited.”
“Everybody likes a wedding.” Bonnie smiled.
“I suppose.”
The song ended, a few onlookers whooping and whistling as Logan dipped Cassie for a kiss.
“The Mermaids are actually pretty good,” Bonnie said, waving at the drummer.
“They’re not bad.” Theo glanced at the band set up in one corner of the ballroom. “Give me a moment,” he told Bonnie.
Curious, she watched him cross the room and speak to the band. A moment later, he returned, kilt swinging. “Have I told you how much I like you in a kilt?” Bonnie asked, mouth twitching.
“Too many times,” Theo muttered. “Look your fill now because I’m never wearing one of these wretched things again.”
She glanced back toward the band. “What were you up to, anyway?”
“It’s a surprise.” He winked.
She rolled her eyes and didn’t bother asking for a hint; she knew better. Luckily, she didn’t have to wait long to find out. A moment later, the lead singer got on the mic and announced, “This next song is a dedication from the best man to the maid of honor. Theo and Bonnie, the floor is yours!”
“Shall we?” Theo asked, offering her his hand.
Joy spread its wings inside her, fluttering through her middle. Taking Theo’s hand, she allowed him to lead her to the dance floor. He wrapped his arms around her as the first strains of guitar began. Bonnie rested her hands on his shoulders, trying to place the familiar notes. “Wait. You requested ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’?”
He smiled down at her, dimples winking. “You should know, Guns N’ Roses is my favorite band.”
Bonnie shook her head, grinning. “Not what I’d expect from a duke, or for a dance at a wedding.”
“It’s the perfect song,” he argued. “Perfect for you.” His hands warm on her waist, he swayed to the music with her.
Unlike the original, the Mermaid’s version was sweeter, more tender, the female vocals of the lead singer adding an almost ethereal feel to the song. “You’re right,” she agreed. “I like it.”
And when Theo began to sing along, quietly whispering the lyrics to her, lips brushing against her hair, her ear, her neck, Bonnie liked it even more. The entire world disappeared, drifting away as she and Theo swayed to the music together, dancing in their own private bubble. She rested her head against his chest, drawn to the rhythm of his heartbeat.
Tonight, her best friend had gotten married, had promised to share the rest of her life with a man she’d known for only a year. Again, Bonnie marveled at it. But this time, she didn’t question it. There was no doubting the
feelings Logan and Cassie shared.
Just as there was no doubting her own feelings for the man holding her in his arms.
She’d thought she hadn’t known Theo long enough to fall in love with him. Had tried to convince herself that friends with benefits was all they could ever be in the short time they’d been together. Now, she realized how wrong she’d been. She loved the Brit, more than she ever thought possible.
The real problem was figuring out what the hell to do about it.
All too soon the song was over, and the bubble popped.
Theo began to lead her from the floor when a vaguely familiar voice floated over the speakers. “Hey, maid of honor! Don’t go anywhere just yet.”
Curious, Bonnie glanced back toward the band. Clara was on the mic. The drummer caught Bonnie’s eye, tipping a drum stick cheekily in her direction. “This one’s for you,” she called out, right before the band launched into a Spice Girls song.
Bursting into laughter, Bonnie joined her friends in a circle on the dance floor and let loose. Even Cassie detached herself from her groom to get in on the action. After dancing to several fast-paced favorites, Bonnie was sweaty and winded and needed a break. She looked around for Theo but didn’t see him, so she slipped out of the ballroom, heading for a pair of doors at the end of the hall.
Outside, the soft summer breeze lifted the heavy curls clinging to her neck and cooled her cheeks. Not ready to go back in yet, Bonnie strolled toward the nearby garden. The moon was high, lighting the white stone of the crushed gravel path, making it glow, and the air was heavy with the scent of honeysuckle and lilac.
Is there a felicity in the world superior to this?
Maybe it was okay to be like Marianne, at least sometimes. Bonnie paused at the flowered archway leading to the walled portion of the garden. Heart full, she made a decision. She would turn around, go back to the house, and tell Theo exactly how she felt.
As she spun on her heel to head back up the path, the sound of voices caught her ear.
Smitten by the Brit--A Sometimes in Love Novel Page 31