Coming Home (Sequel to This Time Around)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

The ballroom was awash in fairy lights, with bunting of black, green, and gold draped along the walls. Despite her apprehension, she couldn’t help but smile. All of this was in Loki's honor. It was about time.

Without thinking, McKenna tightened her fingers on Loki's arm. His sleeve was intricate woven bands of soft, supple leather but she could still feel the cords of muscle along his forearm. She still couldn’t help touching him, reassuring herself once more that this was all real.

From the corner of her eye, she gazed up at him. He looked so at ease, so comfortable, and when he glanced down, she tried to avert her eyes, but she wasn’t quite fast enough. He leaned closer, whispering, “What’s the matter?”

“Remember what I said about seeing you and falling head over heels all over again?”

“Yes.”

“It just happened again.”

He stopped and turned to her. Catching her chin, he tilted her face to his and said, “Now you know how it feels to be me, darling girl,” just before his lips came down onto hers.

“Ew, Mommy… Daddy… stop….”

McKenna chuckled as she and Loki pulled away from one another and both turned to see Selig and Aislinn frowning at them. Selig turned to his sister. “We’re going to have another baby brother or sister, I bet.”

“How?” Aislinn asked, her eyes wide. “Does kissing make that happen?”

“That’s a discussion for another time, little bit,” Loki said, bending to scoop Aislinn into his arms. “Where are Tyra and Kirsten?”

“Over there, with Bestefar and Unca Thor,” Selig pointed across the room, to the raised dais where they would all be sitting. “Nicholas was fussing.”

“I should probably go see why,” McKenna said, easing her arm from Loki's.

“We should probably all go up there as it is,” he said, gesturing with his hand for Selig to head that way.

They made their way to the dais, where Nicholas was, indeed, fussing, while Kyra dozed in her carrier. McKenna lifted him into her arms. “What’s the matter, little? Are you feeling ignored?”

“I tried to give him a bottle, Your Highness, but he refuses it.”

“It’s okay, Kirsten, he’s probably teething. Selig and Aislinn both were just as fussy when they started.” McKenna nuzzled Nicholas, murmuring, “Are your gums sore, little one?”

Loki set Aislinn down and moved over to the double stroller, at the back of the dais, and dug about in the diaper bag. “Eir should have put—ah, here it is.”

He stood and walked over with a small bottle. McKenna didn’t know exactly what sort of Asgardian salve it was, but it always did the trick when it came to teething and tonight was no exception. Nicholas quieted down and smiled as McKenna wrinkled her nose at him. Then, a silvery laugh rang out across the ballroom as Nicholas’ one laugh morphed into adorable baby giggles.

Aislinn leaned over to make faces at him and his giggles became a full-blown belly laugh that had everyone in earshot laughing as well. Everyone except Kyra, that is, who began crying.

“Oh, so sorry, little one,” Loki said, unbuckling her to lift her from her carrier. “Are we ignoring you, princess?”

Kyra screamed in response, to which Loki replied, “I’ll take that as a yes. Well, here… maybe this will help.”