Epilogue
Mary covered a giggle with the back of her hand as she watched Gabe cooking in the Winning estate’s kitchens. He wore only an apron to protect hisman-bitsfrom the hot stove, the string from the loose knot dangling down the crevice of his finely rounded bottom.
“I can scarcely believe that a month has passed since that night…” Mary mused, staring at Gabe’s bottom.
Gabe grunted. “Indeed.”
“Thank you for bringing me to the Winning estate with you.”
“Yer welcome!” Gabe laughed. “’Constant meetings with the family’s solicitors is verra riveting, I’m certain. I’m just pleased tha’ ye were able te get some time away from the theatre, te spend with me.”
Mary leaned her back against the edge of the table and shifted her seat on the wooden bench that sat in the corner of the kitchens. It was ordinarily where the staff would sit to eat their meals, but the moment Gabe had entered the estate, he had relieved the staff of their duties. He was determined to remove everyone within the home that had been unkind to his mother when he was a boy.
Clearing her throat, Mary returned to the moment. “My still-obvious injuries prevented me from keeping my part in the next play, but I confess I do not miss it one jot. There will always be another opportunity. And I quite like being here with you, meetings and all.”
Mary stood and strode toward him, then raked her fingernails gently over his back as she pressed a kiss to his shoulder.
“Ayaah!” Gabe exclaimed, waving his hand in the air. “Ach, yer distracting me, love.”
With a laugh, Mary returned to the table. She chose the opposite side, sliding her feet out beneath the table.
“Ye may giggle, my heart, but I believe ye’ll be verra pleased with these eggs.”
“I love to watch your bum move when you walk about…”
Gabe laughed. “Naughty lass.”
The smell of Gabe’s cooking filled her senses; the eggs crackled in the hot pan over the fire and the scent swirled its way alluringly to her nose. Her stomach grumbled in response.
Mary placed her elbows upon the tabletop and smiled dreamily at him. Her love grew for him with each passing hour…particularly when he strode about nude.
“I would like to bemorenaughty, if you would join me at the table…”
His head swung around, his eyelids heavy with desire as he stared at her partially hidden nude form.
“Donnae tempt me, Mary. Ye’ll make me burn yer eggs.”
She rose from her seat on the bench to sprawl herself across the table’s top. “I would not mind burned eggs,” she purred.
His throat bobbed, but he turned back to his eggs, hissing a breath through his teeth. “Ye’ll make me burn off me manhood, love!”
She laughed again.
Their journey north had been a wonderful one, indeed. While they’d not spent a single night in an inn, but posted through each night, she had slept wonderfully within the circle of Gabe’s arms to the gentle rocking of their carriage.
“There we are.” He turned to the worktop and carefully divided the eggs onto two plates, then removed his apron.
He added a green garnish of parsley and sprinkled the plates with a red spice before bringing them toward the table.
Mary watched hismanhoodstanding proudly erect as he walked, her gaze riveted on the sleekness of him, and her body heated wantonly in response. His injuries were healing wonderfully, the still-red scars on his chest and thigh fading away, and the bruises on his face were all but entirely gone.
Gabe slid the plates on the table, one before her breasts and one in front of him, closest to her hip.
Teasingly, Mary lifted a hot piece of egg with her fingers and placed it between her lips. Her mouth exploded with flavour. Some salt, some sweet, some heat, and a new divine sensation in the combination of the three.
“Oh my! Oh, Gabe these are delicious.”
She lifted her body up to prop her elbow beneath her, then picked up another piece of egg, and another, each tasting just as delightful as the last.
