Quinn

Saturday evening arrived, along with the banquet. Since it was our first celebration, the women—Elizabeth, Maria, Frances, Eden, and Sara, and I—decided to get ready together in the penthouse. Maria and I, along with the maids, ended up helping Frances, Eden, and Sara with their makeup, and when they were done, I had to pat myself on the back because, boy, they looked beautiful. Their husbands were going to flip for sure.

It was six when Aldric came in, and when he saw his sisters and sister-in-law in their flowing gowns, pretty faces, and elegant hairdos, he, naturally, didn't react, which was as I expected.

Sailing toward him, I stood on my tippy-toes and planted a kiss on his lips. When I moved back, I said, "Are you here to get ready?"

"Mm-hmm." He nodded.

"Then allow me to help you dress once you've showered, all right?"

He nodded again and then headed upstairs into the master suite.

Eden said, "I know I'll never get any reaction from Aldric, but even with this drastic change, he still doesn't seem... shocked."

I patted her on the shoulder. "Don't worry about Aldric; as you know, he's a stoic. However, I'm sure Miles will be pleased to see you looking so divine."

Eden blushed. "Thank you, Quinn." She flung her arms around me and squeezed my petite frame tightly, expelling air out of my lungs in the process. "I never thought I'd get to look like this."

"You're welcome," I said, nudging her to loosen her embrace.

Frances, wearing contact lenses tonight instead of glasses, said, "I think we look even more grand than the ladies in the capital."

Sara said, "I'd say even more than the royalty."

Eden finally let me go, thank goodness, and moved back. Suddenly, she started tearing up, and I said, "No, don't cry. You'll mess up your makeup."

Eden did the only thing any woman knew to do at this moment; she started fanning her face with her hands as she forced herself to stop tearing up.

While everyone laughed, clearly very amused, Maria rushed over and started dabbing a tissue on Eden's cheeks before the tears could ruin the makeup. When the women left moments later, I headed up the stairs to see that Aldric had finished showering.

Blond mane wet, face clean-shaven and gorgeous, and ripped body naked with only a towel wrapped around the lower half, Aldric was a dream. I started drooling again, figuratively speaking, and thought I'd never get tired of looking at him.

I walked toward him, and standing on tiptoe, I circled my arms around his neck. "Sit down, please, so I can dry your hair for you."

Aldric obediently sat on the side of the bed, and grabbing another towel, I started fluffing his hair dry. When I was done, I lovingly ran my fingers through the strands, liking the softness of them against my skin. "Mmmm..." I inhaled the scent of his hair. "You smell great."

His eyes, I noticed, were glued on me the whole time, and feeling mischievous, I teasingly lowered my face until we were nose to nose and lips to lips. Then, cupping his face in my hands, I kissed him on the lips—slowly and gently and seductively.

It felt amazing, his lips against mine, and just to tease him even more, I stuck my tongue out and licked his lips erotically. I liked doing that because of his reaction last time. I was rewarded with the same this time, which pleased me mightily.

I felt him shuddering and sucking in his breath as he tightened his arms around my waist. Suddenly, as if he couldn't control himself, he roughly pulled me close, and with one hand at the back of my head, he eagerly claimed my lips, plunging his tongue right in, invading me with a heat of passion so strong, I found it overwhelming.

His tongue intertwined with mine as our lips locked and our breaths mingled, and I felt my head going dazed, wanting more. I leaned against him, wanting to feel all of him against me as I tightened my arms around him, responding to his demanding lips and tongue. When he moved back and I could breathe properly again, he said, "Quinn, I love you."

The confession came out of nowhere, and it struck me to the core with a lot of emotions, because really, up until he uttered those three words, I had been unsure of his feelings for me, despite our intense, passionate kiss yesterday evening. After all, he had been rather hot and cold, close and distant, intimate and loving and then aloof all week, which confused the bejesus out of me. But now, there was no more confusion, no more questioning because of those three words, and I felt so damn delighted and pleased, and very, very relieved that I could burst into tears. Finally, the stoic husband said he loved me, proving to me that he indeed had feelings for me.

Our lips still close, I whispered, my voice shaky with emotions, "I love you, too, Aldric."

He smiled, his eyes taking on this soft look that made my heart glow with love. He moved in, and I knew he wanted another passionate kiss. I wanted that, too, desperately so. In fact, I wanted him to throw me onto the bed, strip me of my silk robe and... But I knew now was not the time.

I placed my fingers against his lips and said, "I swear if we kiss again, it'd be a path of no return for me. We have people waiting downstairs, no doubt very hungry."

Though he looked disappointed, he nodded his head, nonetheless. Duty came first as the lord of the land.

I said softly, "Tonight, all right?"

Understanding the meaning behind my words, he inhaled a shaky breath and then, hesitantly, he nodded. "Tonight," he said, and it was a promise.

Moments later, I buttoned up his suit jacket and then stood back, marveling at the hunky man who was my husband. Damn, but he looked divine in a three-piece suit, the design a mixture of this world and Earthly modernism. After kissing him on the lips, I said, "I won't be long. You go down first and make sure our people are entertained."

He nodded and then left.

Alone, I took a quick shower and then got myself ready, too. Half an hour later, I was done, donning an elegant flowing tulle appliqued gown and four-inch heels. My face was made up flawlessly and beautifully, with the cat eyeliner to enhance my green eyes, and a ruby-red lipstick to showcase my lips. With a pair of dangling ruby earrings to go with the ruby-red-colored dress, I was ready. Hence, I headed downstairs for the banquet.

The moment the elevator door dinged open and I stepped out into the dining hall, silence descended. I glanced around, noticing that eyes were on me. Everyone was in their formal attire, the men in their suits, the women in their gowns, the little boys in their cute tuxedos, and the little girls in their adorable princess dresses.

Abi and Alex rushed over to me.

"Pretty..." Abi said. "A princess."

"Pretty," Alex said. "Mama is pretty."

I dropped my mouth open. Did Alex just call me Mama? I did not expect that, and it made my heart melt.

"Mama is pretty," Abi said.

Oh damn! Abi, too? Now my eyes were brewing with emotional tears. Who let out a horde of onion ninjas?

Get yourself together, Quinn! I told myself and worked on recovering my dignity. Tearing up in front of the people was not a ladylike thing to do, let alone when one was the lady of the land.

I shifted my eyes to the other side where Aldric was, and I saw him gazing at me, looking stunned. Wow! He really showed his emotions. I supposed he liked my look tonight. Of course, this pleased me.

Abi grabbed my hand and then led me toward him. Close, I leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, and he said, "You look... enchanting."

Grinning, I said, "Why, thank you."

Once we had taken our seats, chattering erupted again, and Uncle Colt said, his loud, commanding voice carrying across the entire room, "Silence, everyone. Lord Norsewood will make a speech now."

Aldric was going to make a speech? That was news to me.

I turned my attention to him, as did everyone else, and I watched him as he stood, wondering what he was going to say.

With all eyes on him, he began. "My friends and fellow Norsewood citizens, tonight we celebrate the disaster and adversity we have overcome; tonight we celebrate the beginning of a new chapter of Norsewood." He turned to look at me then and offered me his hand.

I gazed at him, unsure of what he wanted me to do, and when he nodded, that was when I realized he wanted me to stand with him.

I eagerly placed my hand in his, and he nudged me up. Standing side by side, Aldric turned to the audience once again and said, "Fellow friends and citizens, we are blessed to have Lady Quinn in our lives, for without her, we would still be living in the squalor of the destroyed manor and cottages, cold, starving, and possibly several of us dying. Without her, we wouldn't be here residing in this warmth and comfort with our bellies filled with fine food and warm drinks and our children content and smiling." He turned to me again, and with his eyes expressing so much gratitude and love, which made my heart melt, he said, "I'm blessed to have you in my life, Quinn."

"Lady Quinn!" a man shouted from the second floor. "We're blessed to have Lady Quinn."

"Lady Quinn," another shouted from the back.

"My lady Quinn," yet another voice echoed out.

"A speech from Lady Quinn," another said.

"Lady Quinn, please make a speech," yet another echoed.

I chuckled at the onslaught of requests and the cheers. I glanced at Aldric, and he nodded, encouraging me. Very well then.

I cleared my throat and said, "Thank you, everyone. I am also blessed to be here and have you all accepting me as the Lady of Norsewood. I'm not much of a speech person, and I won't bore you with it either. I know you're eager for the banquet to begin, so let's have a banquet. Please, everyone, thank Vicky for our feast tonight by giving her..." I smirked as everyone readied to close their eyes and start praying. "A thumbs-up."

There was an echo of confusion, which didn't surprise me.

"A thumbs-up?" Jonah, who was sitting next to Aldric, asked.

I said, "A thumbs-up is a sort of expression when one wants to tell someone that they're doing a good job, like this." I raised my hand in the air and did a thumbs-up. "Thank you, Vicky, for doing such a great job at looking after us."

Jonah raised his hand and copied me by doing a thumbs-up as well, and he said, "Thank you, Vicky."

Abi and Alex raised their cute little hands in the air and did a thumbs-up as well, both giggling. Soon, everyone had their hands in the air and did thumbs-up, along with chorus of thank you, Vicky and bless you, Vicky.

Aldric and I locked gazes, and I smiled. Returning my attention to everyone else, I then closed my eyes and summoned my magic. Instantly, small circles appeared on the tables and as the signs, symbols, and scripts moved like gears, oodles of delicious food dishes and bottles of non-alcoholic beverages materialized. On a long table to one side of the room, where about twenty servants in their sleek black-and-white uniforms stood, were bottles of alcoholic drinks.

Eyes were wide on the luxurious feast before them as the magic circle disappeared. Indeed, this was a Chinese feast. On the various platters were crispy roast chicken, crispy pork belly, roast pork, and roast duck. There were stir-fried noodles with meat and vegetables, seafood baskets, steamed and deep-fried fishes, sweet and sour pork, steamed rice, fried rice, chicken corn soup, steamed buns, spring rolls, deep-fried wontons, and more. Along with plates and bowls there were spoons, knives, and forks, and of course, Chinese spoons and chopsticks, if anyone was so inclined to use the latter two.

"Whoa! There's so much food," Jonah said. "And chopsticks!" He grinned in delight, knowing what that meant.

To the crowd, I said, "Let's enjoy the banquet. Oh, there is liquor on the other side. Please remember to drink responsibly and legally. Anyone under twenty-one is prohibited from drinking."

"As well as the soldier is prohibited from getting drunk," Uncle Colt reminded loudly. "A drink or two is fine, however."

There was disappointment from some of the young men, but that didn't last long because the feast had begun.