Zeke got the hint and backing her up against the door, he moved her hair out of his way and slowly teased her neck with kisses, working his way up to her jawline and then to her lips, which were parted and waiting. He loved to kiss her. For a woman with little experience, she could set him on fire with those lips and that tongue. At this rate, they’d never make it downstairs. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he pulled her closer, feeling every inch of her pressed up against himself.
A knock on the door at Brenna’s back, froze them mid-kiss. “Yes,” Zeke said.
“Are you coming downstairs or what?” Sara asked.
Brenna wrinkled her nose and moved away from the door. He opened it just a crack, waiting for the evidence of what had just taken place to return to normal. “Sara, did anyone ever tell you you’ve got the worst timing?”
“Oops! Sorry,” she said, looking and sounding not the least bit sorry.
Brenna slipped past Zeke and opened the door further so she could leave the room.
“I’ll be there in a minute,” Zeke said, remembering just how difficult Sara had made his life when they were younger when he’d try to sneak a girl up to his room.
“Okay. See you downstairs,” she said, giggling like the little trouble maker she’d always been.
Zeke took a moment to gather himself and the body part that seemed to have a mind of its own. Payback was going to be sweet. Unfortunately, he wasn’t quite as good at causing troubleas Sara was. Closing the door behind him he went downstairs thinking of ways he might get back at his baby sister.
Chapter 20
The women were gathered in Jenna’s chamber. The bairns were sleeping and it was a perfect time to get together for tea, sweet cakes and a little gossip.
“Laird Munro and his men are long gone now,” Ashley said.
“Robert sent some of his best men to escort them,” Irene added.
“I’m worried he’ll be back,” Brenna said, chewing on her lip.
“’Tis possible. I dinnae believe he’d present himself at the castle. He’d more likely sneak in,” Irene said.
Brenna couldn’t help it, but she shuddered at this prospect.
“I’m sorry Brenna, I dinnae mean to frighten ye.” Irene reached out to touch her hand. “But ’tis best to be aware of all that could occur.”
“How long will this go on for? Me Da was a fool to make an agreement with him if he didnae intend to follow through with it.”
“You’re here with us now,” Jenna said.
“Aye. Dougall willnae allow anything to happen to ye,” Helene assured her.
“I ken it,” Brenna said. This wasn’t what she wished to speak of today. “I hope ye dinnae mind if we speak of something else. All this talk of Nevil Munro doesnae sit well with me. I was hoping that ye might tell me what ’tis like to live in the future.” She directed this last statement to Ashley.
“We’d love to,” Ashley said. She got up to check on the bairns, who were still sleeping soundly and then returned to her seat. “What do you want to know?”
“If the future is such a wonderful place, why did ye wish to stay here?”
“It is a wonderful place, but our husbands are here and Jenna and I gained a family when we came. We’ve got Irene, Helene, our husbands and now our children. I can’t speak for Jenna, but I know I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, but if you took away all those people and I was here alone, I don’t think I would have stayed.”
“I’d have to agree with Ashley. Love, family - those are the most important things in our lives,” Jenna said.
“In the future, this whole thing between your father and Laird Munro, would be handled completely differently. Most importantly, you’d have a say in what was going to happen to you. You would be your own woman. Independent and able to take care of yourself. You wouldn’t need a man, unless you wanted one.”
“You could even live by yourself if you wanted to,” Sara chimed in. “Like I did.”
“You lived alone?” Brenna was shocked by this announcement. She simply couldn’t imagine living all by herself without a castle full of people. “Were ye afraid?”
“No. Not at all.” Sara looked around at the other women for support.
“Jenna and I both lived on our own. It’s not at all uncommon where we’re from. Women have friends and careers. They don’t feel the need to get married right away.”
