Finding Ellie (Complete)

Chapter 13

At first, Ellie couldn’t recognize what she was looking at. It was nearly nightfall. Soft lights were trained on the structure giving it an eerie glow, and then. It hit her like a violent memory with its beauty and grandeur, the lighting made it even more majestic if that was even possible.

“You brought me to Blarney?”

“I did” Aidan searched her face, now questioning whether he had done the right thing.

“But why?” She clasped her hands in front of her. She didn’t understand. He had been so adamant with his stance on tourist traps.

“When you told me seeing it had been a dream of yours,” he spoke, as they strolled slowly toward the castle. “Your face transformed. It was like I could see you as you were young, full of hopes and dreams.”

“That’s embarrassing.” Ellie placed her hands on her cheeks, touched that he would go to the trouble of getting her to the castle when no one would be around.

He pivoted so he was now walking backwards, facing her. “Then you said you had been disappointed and you looked like your dreams had been shattered.”

“They kind of were.” She looked around remembering the running kids and maddening crowds. Now it was only them. “How did you pull this off?”

“Liam is an old friend.” Aidan was beside her again. “I introduced him to his wife so he owed me.”

“Huh.” Ellie hid a smile.

“What does that mean?” He bumped her shoulder with his own.

“It just seems to me you believe in love more than you let on.” She peeked at him sideways.

“For others, yes. Not for myself,” he answered, matter-of-factly.

Somehow, she would have to convince him otherwise, for now she was content just being able to spend time with him. Now that she knew she was in love, everything was different. She had hoped it would happen eventually, once she learned to trust again. Never would she have imagined that it would happen so soon. But she felt like she could trust him. She didn’t know or understand how she knew this but she did.

They had one hour to view the castle unhindered, and so they did. The gardens, the stairs and infamous Blarney stone, the castle and its quiet and serene grounds. Her excited voice was infectious. He found interest in everything she relayed to him about Blarney even though he already knew all of it. It was amazing to see her come alive and he could easily see the person she claimed to have once been before meeting and marrying Chad.

“Thank you,” Ellie said, quietly when they were finally standing at the top of the keep.

“What for?”

“For bringing me here” She swept her arm out over the grounds.

“It was my pleasure and if it means seeing that beautiful smile of yours I’d gladly do it again.” He was being careless but at that moment he didn’t care. She had a beautiful smile and knowing he had been the one to put it there was enough for now.

They slowly made their way down a circular staircase and were finally standing on top of a small hill. They had a perfect view of the sprawling grounds and the lit up castle. Aidan allowed her another minute to take it all in before touching a hand to her shoulder.

“I’m afraid our hour is up, it’s time to go.”

On their way back Ellie was quiet. She had such a wonderful day, one she did not want to forget and she was not ready for it to end yet. She didn’t have to pretend with Aidan, she didn’t have to tiptoe around him. Not even when they had been angry with each other. Sure, they had attempted to avoid one another but neither of them felt the need to put on an act to be someone they weren’t. No matter what happened she would be grateful to have met him.

                                                                                                ***

It was getting late when Aidan pulled up to the B & B. He killed the engine and stepped out of the truck. He knew she was thinking the night was over but he had one last thing up his sleeve.

“Well, I had a lovely time.” Ellie extended her hand after he had opened the door for her.

Aidan looked at it curiously “What are you talking about? We’re not done yet.” He motioned her to follow him, leading them to a cottage a few houses down.

Without knocking, Aidan opened the door to a chorus of greetings and clapping hands. The music was lively and a space had been cleared out where people were dancing. Playing a fiddle, Carrick was joined by Colm on a squeeze box, a young woman with a flute and a man with a drum type instrument Ellie would later learn to be called a bodhran. Aidan, towing Ellie by the hand, carved a path to the kitchen where Aileen Murray was serving up some ale. She beamed at the pair of them, accepted a cheeky kiss from Aidan. The older woman gave a knowing wink to Patricia who was sitting at her table. They couldn’t wait to tell Constance who had made an appearance.

Back to where the music was, Aidan leaned against a wall, his arms folded over his chest. He watched Ellie take it all in, her smile lighting up the room.

“What do you think?” he inquired.

“I’ve never experienced anything like it.” Ellie turned her head to look up at him. She felt the familiar heat creeping up her neck and to her face. She hated that about herself. Why couldn’t she even be good at innocent flirting? Any other woman would have bat her eyelashes or bit her lip seductively. If she had attempted anything like that she would end up looking like an i***t.

“Well then.” Aidan pushed away from the wall when someone handed him a guitar. “Welcome to your first céilí.”

Dumbfounded, Ellie stood there listening to Aidan’s rendition of Galway Girl, his smoky voice filling the room. She could see only him while everyone else drank, danced and mingled. It shouldn’t have bothered her when Brenna sidled up to him, virtually sitting on his lap. It shouldn’t have bothered her when the leggy redhead stroked his thigh and it shouldn’t have bothered her when Brenna was beyond a doubt watching Ellie’s every single move while she was doing it.

The fact was it did bother her and so Ellie stepped out through a pair of French doors opening into the small private garden to get some air and figure out what to do about it. She managed to catch the satisfied smirk Brenna threw her way beforehand. The stone patio led to a small, fragrant, flower garden. Faerie lights were strung over trees, giving the backyard an ethereal glow.

She had never been the jealous type and she did not want to start now. Seeing Brenna with Aidan actually made her feel inadequate more than anything else. If a woman like Brenna had her sights on him what kind of chance did she have?

“Where did you run off to?”

            Aidan had noticed her walk out. When he finished the song he had handed the guitar back, much to everyone’s disappointment, and followed Ellie out. She was standing on the edge of the patio, looking out into the night.

            “I just needed some air.” Ellie said, quietly hugging herself. “Maybe I shouldn’t be here”

            “Why would you say that?” He stepped to her, took her shoulders in his hands and turned her gently so she now faced him. He was startled to see sadness in her eyes.

            “I don’t want to get in the way.” She jerked her head to the crowd.

            Realization dawned on his face. “Look at me.” And when she tried to avert her eyes he took her chin in his hand, forced her to look in to his face. “There is nothing happening between myself and Brenna. Not now, not ever.”

            “It’s okay Aidan it really is none of my business but I don’t think she knows that.” Ellie attempted to laugh it off, hated how it came out as weak and petty instead. She wrenched away from Aidan’s grasp to pace. “God, I sound like a jealous school girl and I’m not like that, I’m not that person and it’s not as if we’re....”

            “A couple,” Aidan finished for her. “I don’t know what we are. I know we started off on the wrong foot but we straightened that out. I know I kissed you and I can’t stop thinking about you. About your soft lips, about how you feel in my arms, how you smell of sweet honey and mostly about how I want to do it again.”

            “I know it scares you that you can’t stop thinking about it,” Ellie added, a small smile tugging at her lips. She stopped pacing and stood in front of him again.

            “I don’t know what we are,” he said, again. “But while you’re here, we can find comfort in each other.” He cupped the back of her neck with his fingers, drawing her closer until she was up on her toes a breath apart. “Aye, we’ll find comfort in each other.”

            With those last words he brushed his lips over hers ever so gently, savoring the taste of her. When she opened her mouth on a sigh he plundered, deepening the kiss step by slow delicious step. It was easy to get lost in her, a thought that worried him, but at the moment he only concentrated on how she felt in his arms.

            This kiss was nothing like the first one. That one had felt like an urgent need. This one was a slow, deliberate battering of the senses. Her head was spinning and her breath was coming out in quick gasps. She could only grab his wrist for support and hold on for dear life.

            The only similarity between this and the last was the briefness. A door slamming shut had them breaking apart, but Aidan kept Ellie close, touching his forehead to hers.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do about you.”