Coming Home (Sequel to This Time Around)

Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR

One of the perks of being a princess was a seemingly endless wardrobe of things to wear. And although she still, after five years, had a difficult time seeing herself as a princess, McKenna certainly didn’t mind that wardrobe one bit. It was a far cry from her days as a bartender, where she perfected the art of coupons and Old Navy was her favorite store. Actually, Old Navy was still her favorite store and tucked in among beautiful gowns of real silk and lush velvet and the finest of wools and linen, were at least a dozen pair of Old Navy jeans.

Not to mention, that ‘wardrobe’ was actually a walk-in closet that was probably the same size as her entire apartment back in Brunswick. It was divided into sections depending on the formality of the garment, and her shoes were organized by color and season. A full-length mirror in a gleaming mahogany stand stood in one corner and in the middle of the room there was a bench upholstered in emerald green velvet. Sweaters, shirts, and underwear were tucked away in drawers boasting gold pulls, while everything else hung on padded satin hangers. Definitely a far cry, indeed.

Now, McKenna stood before a rack of dresses, forefinger pressed to her lips, as she tried to decide what to wear. The presentation was a formality, and Loki would no doubt be in his formal armor, as he called it (and he had yet to explain just what constituted casual armor) but she would be forgiven if she chose comfort over formality. After all, she did just give birth to twins. Not to mention the Asgardians, for the most part, held her in high regard. Once, she took Selig and Aislinn to the park dressed in jeans and a black tee shirt that read Scott’s Tavern across the front in white Old English script, which was part of her old work wardrobe. Two days later, she saw at least seven women wearing the same shirt.

But at the same time, she didn’t want to look completely frumpy, either. Another perk? Everything had been custom sewn for her. And if something didn’t look completely right, Loki could fix it with just a flick of his fingers.

“Are you coming, love?” Speak of the devil.

She turned to see him in the doorway, leaning up against the jamb. As she suspected, he had chosen his formal armor—black and green leather, with heavy gold accents. It was what he wore the night he appeared in her apartment and he looked every bit as handsome in it now as he had then, only then he had a bit of a dazed look about him. He had, after all, just crashed to Midgard.

“I don’t know what to wear.” She flipped through several hangers. “Everything is too pretty.”

“And this is a problem?” He pushed up from the doorway and stepped into the closet. Under one arm he held his helmet—gold with long, swooping horns.

“Well, yes and no. What about this?” She tugged one hanger and pulled out a long, flowing gown of midnight blue silk. It was sewn in the Grecian style, with long sleeves that were open from shoulder to wrist. “It’s too formal, don’t you think?”

“I think you’re worrying about it too much.” He set the helmet on the bench and came up to slip his arms about her waist and pull her back against his chest. “You had two babies not quite twenty-four hours ago, love. Why not dress for comfort? Besides, you could go out there in a plastic bag and next week, every woman in Asgard will be wearing plastic bags.”

She smiled at him over one shoulder. “I don’t think I’ve got quite that much influence.”

“You’d be amazed.”

“I don’t want to embarrass you or the Allfather. Besides, I like to look nice.”

“You wouldn’t embarrass anyone. And you do look nice. You look nice like this.”