Berg opened the door to her quarters. She nodded to him and then went inside. Angus was sitting on the sofa. He’d been staring at a wall until she’d come through the door.

“Ya didn’t come to work today,” she said.

“No. I needed time to think. I’m sorry if I worried ya.”

Erin walked to where he was and sank down on the sofa next to him. “Ya didn’t miss anything. I spent the day staring out the window.”

“Ya left without waking me up this morning,” Angus said. “I’d like to know why, especially after I was a gentleman all night long. I don’t even think I farted once.”

His protesting charmed a weary laugh out of her. “Ya didn’t. If ya had, ya would have been on the floor two seconds after doing it.”

“Then that would be something you and Mary had in common,” Angus declared.

Still laughing at his crude joke, Erin smiled, but reluctantly. “About last night… parts of ya were being a gentleman, Angus. Other parts weren’t. I couldn’t decide which irritated me more, so I figured it was best if I left. Waking up in yer arms for the first time was like a fantasy coming true at last. My feelings for ya embarrass me, especially when I know ya don’t return them the same way. I’ll not waste that level of wonder on a man who doesn’t appreciate it.”

“Well, I’m starting to appreciate it,” Angus said softly.

Erin’s gaze swung to his. “Are ya really? Does sleeping beside me still remind ya of her?”

“Ya are tempting me to lie with those kinds of questions,” Angus warned.

“See? That’s answer enough,” Erin said, leaning back her head. “I know I’m being selfish in wanting a man all my own at my age. Every decent man is either married or has been before the age of 35. But damn it, Angus. I wasn’t even 30 when I started feeling this way about ya. I was still fairly new and shiny despite my losses. So was my adoration for ya. Nine years of arguing and yer attempted murder of yerself wore that shine away. Now I’m old and my affection for ya is all rusty.”

Angus leaned away to look at her face. “Ya are being awfully negative. Maybe ya are looking at our unique relationship the wrong way.”

Erin snorted and rolled her face to look at him. “I’m sure ya are going to enlighten me with some story that will change everything and make me optimistic again. Let me guess… ya had a meaningful conversation with yer cock while I was gone, didn’t ya? I bet that bugger informed ya to make peace with me anyway ya could.”

“Ya are a jaded woman, Erin O’Shea. And I’ll have ya know my cock’s not even twitched today. He’s still mad about us being alone when we woke this morning. He’s not speaking to me at all at the moment. I think he’s brooding.”

Erin snorted. “I’m sure he is.”

Angus narrowed his eyes. “What I was going to say is that Nate took nearly all those years I was with Mary away from me. Even if I went back to the past now, I might be younger in body than two of my children. If ya believe they live to be 300 here, then we’ve barely started growing up. Technically, Nate is the old man at 124. I think ya should tell him I said that next time ya see him.”

Erin laughed. “I like Nate, but his prying is becoming annoying. I may just do that to irritate him.”

Angus let go a breath. “Nate’s more than what he seems. I imagine we’re going to eventually find out all kinds of things about him we will wish we hadn’t.”

Erin looked away and nodded. “I know. Some of the women told me some things already. Nate’s an admiral of this airship. The women said he interviewed them and he was the person who approved their acceptance in the program. They never see him again though unless they get sick. Apparently, he really is the head doctor here too.”

There was a knock on the door signaling their evening meal had arrived. Angus pushed her back when she started to rise. “No. Just sit. I’ll take a turn rolling the cart. Ya worked hard all day staring out the window.”

Erin was chuckling as Angus strode to the door. The food server looked alarmed at the sight of Angus. That lasted for several moments before fecking Angus charmed him too. He looked ridiculous bowing to the man with his hands pressed together.

“Evening, Darcone,” Angus said, letting the food server out. “Yes, arrggh to ya too.”

He looked so damn pleased rolling the food cart across the room, Erin lifted her hand to cover her smile. She was such a flipping idiot about him. So long as he breathed, she was going to want to be with him.

She rose to head to the table. Angus had already set two places. He disappeared into the kitchen and came back with two mugs.

“This drink is cold, so mind yerself. I couldn’t find glasses for it. Maybe Carleton will loan us a few next time we visit.”

Erin picked it up and sipped. “It’s pretty good. What is it?”

“Something I found in the kitchen,” Angus said, purposely leaving out it was the kitchen in the alien common room.

Shrugging, Erin set her drink back down and lifted her fork. “My answer to yer question is no,” she said.

“I don’t remember asking ya anything, but alright,” Angus answered.

Erin grinned and met his gaze. There was a lot to be said for a man who stayed in a good humor most of the time.

“Ya asked me last night if I honestly believed ya were replaceable. The answer is no. Angus 1 was charming, but he wasn’t ya. I imagine I’d find the same to be true of any other they kidnapped. We might all have alternates running around in other universes, but I figure it must work the same as having children. Ya can make another person who looks just like ya. That doesn’t mean anything real because what a makes a person is the total of their life. I believe ya are one of a kind, Angus MacNamara.”

Angus rubbed his chest. “I’ve got indigestion and I haven’t even eaten.”

“That’s not indigestion, Angus. That’s panic because ya are afraid ya won’t live up to my compliment. But ya can relax because ya already do. Now eat yer food before it gets cold. This stuff is okay when it’s hot, but I sure wish I had some of Elsa’s fresh biscuits for dessert. They’d go real good with this new drink ya discovered in our pathetic little kitchen.”

* * *

After they finished eating, Erin stood to clear the table, only to immediately sit again.

“Wow. The drink was good, but I guess I shouldn’t have had that top off. That last little bit heated me up. Good thing I didn’t find that stuff the first few days. I would have drowned my worries every night and blissfully forgotten my own name.”

Angus laughed at Erin’s tipsy babbling. “Darcone makes adjustments on the panel just inside the door. I’ll get him to lower our temperature in here a bit if ya think it would help cool ya down.”

Erin put her hand over her mouth and giggled. “That’s not the kind of heated up I am.”

Angus stood and pulled Erin to her feet, hugging her close. “Then it’s probably time for ya to call it a day.”

Erin ran her hands over Angus’s shoulders. “I guess it is. Ya know… ya didn’t snore at all last night, Mr. MacNamara. If ya want, ya are welcome to sleep with me again.”

“I think ya might be a tad too inebriated to be making such an offer, Miss O’Shea.”

Erin stuck out her bottom lip to pout. “Well, my head’s a little fuzzy, but other than that, I believe I’m right as rain.”

“Are ya now?” Angus asked and tilted her back a little in his arms so he could investigate her eyes. “I suppose I could make ya a cup of tea to balance this out.”

“No, Angus,” Erin pleaded, grabbing hold of his shirt. “This is a lovely little buzz I have. Don’t sober me up. There’s too much reality here as it is. Let me float away from my troubles a little longer. Then tomorrow I want ya to show me which drink did this magic to me.”

Laughing, Angus touched his forehead to hers. “Och… I am such a wicked man.”

“Yes, ya are, but truth be told that’s most of yer charm for me.” Erin let her hands run over his chest. “That… and I want ya fiercely too. I feel yer chest beneath my fingers, but I still have a hard time believing all we’ve been through is real. And yer muscles, Angus… ya are as well done as any shirtless alien running around here.”

His body hardened at her praise, or maybe it was the combination of Erin’s words and her wandering fingertips. “I want ya something fierce too,” he said.

Erin nodded. “Yes, I know. Ya said that to me before. Is fierce want all ya have for me?”

Angus shook his head. “No. I like yer bravery and how it follows yer good heart. It is a combination that keeps me on my toes. I also like the way ya always smell like flowers. And I like the way ya describe beady-eyed Darcone like he’s just simply a misunderstood man, which means ya think ya can do what our originals didn’t. Ya carry buckets of confidence in yer character, Erin. Such a woman is highly appealing to an arrogant man.”

“I’m even more confident than I let on.” Erin snickered and pulled his hands from her backside to her front and slid them up to her chest. “Do ya feel these Angus? These are not only the breasts of the Best Matchmaker in Lisdoonvarna, they’re the breasts of the Best Fecking Matchmaker That Ever Lived In Any Universe. How’s that for confidence?”

“Well, they are magnificent breasts. I’d probably brag about them too,” Angus agreed, smiling when Erin collapsed in his arms and giggled uncontrollably. “I think I’d like to start over with ya now that I’m feeling like I do. If I come to yer bed tonight, will ya pretend with me that this is our first time?”

“First time?” Erin belly laughed. That was the funniest thing she’d ever heard. Of course, everything was funny tonight. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so light of heart. “Are we to never have a second time? Or a third, Angus? Ya will never convince me yer cock isn’t up for as many times as he can get.”

Angus scooped her up in his arms and startled her. Her surprise just made him smile. “If ya do it right, and ya value it properly, every time with a lover can be like a first time. Lucky you… I’m a man who believes in doing it right.”

Erin bent her face to his neck and laughed. “Will doing it right consist of making it last more than ten seconds? Not that ya left me wanting before, cause ya didn’t, and I would never lie about something like that. I’d just like to savor yer lovemaking once. It’s a woman’s dream, ya know.”

Angus chuckled at her polite honesty. “Ya are such a demanding woman, Erin O’Shea. Luckily I like that in a bed partner. Now I wish I could promise ya my cock could go all night, but it can’t. What I can promise ya is to get ya there a few times with my cleverness. Will that do for ya?”

A soft snore against his throat had him gently rolling her until he could see her face.

“Bollocks,” Angus whispered, laughing and kissing Erin’s forehead. “Ya are no better at handling the alien ale than I am. But at least we had a couple laughs before ya passed out, eh?”

He lay her partially on the bed, pulled back the bed cover, and then put Erin under it. Afterward, he shucked his own clothes and climbed in too. Leaving her clothed while he was naked would hopefully reassure her come morning, that nothing happened without her consent.

Erin had wanted him, though. He’d felt it in her touch and saw it in her eyes. It was the look every man wished to see on his woman’s face when they were headed to bed.

He pushed Erin’s hair from her face and stroked her cheek. “Maybe they can take us from our pasts and plant us in other people’s lives, but they can’t take our real pasts from us without changing the reason they brought us here. I’ve decided all we can do is go for the best future we can have in this strange place and I’ve decided I want that future with you. I’m sorry about the ale. I wish you were awake so I could tell ya.”

One arm slid across his chest and one leg lifted over his thighs. It made him think maybe some part of her had heard his contrite words. Snugly held by Erin now, Angus counted his blessings, the biggest of which was softly snoring in his ear. It was a level of contentment he hadn’t felt in a very long time.

“Thanks for reminding me of what falling in love feels like, Erin O’Shea. Maybe I can make at least a few of those dreams of yers come true.”