Hearts in the Sand

by Allyson Lindt

  Something warm and fluid hit her stomach and mons. She lifted her head enough to see him fisting his cock as he came on her exposed skin. His groans were as delicious as seeing him lost in the moment.

  He finished with a breathless pause, resting his forehead lightly against her leg.

  “Fluid spill in exam room one,” Kirby teased.

  Gwydion laughed. “Don’t move.”

  She wasn’t sure she could. Not easily, anyway. The strain of her pose, combined with the pleasure he’d administered, pulsed in her thighs. Not that she minded the pending wobbliness.

  He used wipes to clean her. The cool touch made her gasp, but his tender ministrations were their own flavor of erotic. He eased her feet from the stirrups, helped her sit, and pulled her gown closed together in the front. “There. All proper again.”

  “Nothing about that was proper.” She was smiling. The happy sparks that danced through her would linger for a while.

  Gwydion pressed between her legs and hooked his hands at the small of her back. “If we’re going to do more of this, I should at least buy you dinner.”

  She shouldn’t, even though she’d already decided otherwise. Mostly because she didn’t know why her body and head reacted to him this way. Then there were the rumors, and the rules... Did she care about either? “As in, an actual date?”

  “As in.”

  Underneath all her other concerns, there was a thread of fear. Not of him. Of something she couldn’t name beyond the ridiculous label of impending doom. And it was as intense and irrational as her attraction to Gwydion.

  “Dinner sounds wonderful.” And maybe in public, they could keep from tearing each other's clothes off long enough to have an actual conversation.

  Chapter Five

  Gwydion didn’t know how he made it through the next couple of days. His thoughts drifted toward Kirby a dangerous number of times. He managed to keep his attention on work when needed, but it was fortunate the need was infrequent.

  So many thoughts played through his mind. There was the question he always asked himself—what was the best way to tell her I’ve loved you in so many past lives. Does that make my infatuation with you any less creepy?

  It didn’t matter he’d had several chances at that moment. He’d never quite figured it out. Once again, he’d play things by ear.

  And then there was the explosion that she and everyone around her lived through. That had been her doing—he had no doubt. As a Valkyrie, she didn’t just escort warriors to Valhalla, but she decided who lived and died in battle.

  She hadn’t wanted those innocent people to die, and part of her knew how to prevent it. She was getting closer to realizing who she was.

  If she hit that point without being mentally prepared, it would be horrible for her. It wasn’t a great experience anyway. He’d witnessed it twice. All of her memories, from all of her past lives rushed back. Including each and every time she died.

  She’d be forced to relive that, and if she was this close to the discovery, he wanted to prepare her.

  The evening of their date rolled around. They’d picked a night where they could both request a little free time the next day. They tried to choose when several soldiers were heading into Kuwait, but not so many that they’d leave stations unattended.

  She would meet him there, to draw less attention than them riding into town together.

  During the last hour long stretch before he saw her, he fidgeted like a schoolboy. He arrived early at the restaurant another doctor recommended, unable to wait any longer.

  Kirby was already there. She wore a loose cotton blouse that covered her arms, and beige slacks. There wasn’t an official dress code in the city, but they’d been asked to be respectful of the local culture.

  It didn’t matter that her clothing hid her figure. She was captivating.

  “Shall we?” He nodded toward the entrance.

  She joined him inside.

  The lighting was dimmer in here, with shades covering the windows, and dark wood adorning the dining room. He told the host they had a reservation, and they were seated immediately.

  Most of the cloth covered tables were empty. Even in the nicer parts of town, businesses suffered from the war.

  “You speak Arabic?” Awe filled Kirby’s question.

  “You thought my tongue was only good for one thing?”

  “I figured it had other uses... But bilingual.”

  “And then some.” He’d lost count of how many languages he spoke. He itched to reach across the table and touch her. Hold her hand. Run a foot up the inside of her leg. He should really let his dick stop thinking for him, and use this opportunity to get to know her again. “Is this public meeting place your nefarious plan to get me to keep my hands to myself?”

  She looked at ease here. All easy smiles and light laughs. “Nefarious? If we’re pretending you didn’t suggest the restaurant, then yes that’s exactly my plan. But I have to admit... I’m getting worried.”

  The waiter interrupted with two bottles of sparkling water, and to explain the specials.

  It was tempting to send the man away, so Gwydion and Kirby could keep talking. On a more practical note, the sooner they finished their meal, the sooner they could walk across the street to the hotel.

  Waiting fifty or more years between each meeting hadn’t taught him any patience. He looked at Kirby, who watched him with a lost look. “Do you like spicy?” he asked.

  “Innuendo aside? Yes.”

  “May I order for you?”

  She furrowed her brow, and then nodded. “Please.”

  Gwydion told the waiter they’d like the kebabs and biryanis, and the man left them again.

  “Worried about what?” Gwydion gave Kirby his full attention again.

  “That my plan to keep your hands off me might actually work.”

  He chuckled. “Would you be less concerned if I told you I have a reservation across the street?”

  “In the stunning five-star hotel?”

  “That’s the one.” He didn’t care about the luxury for himself, but she deserved the best.

  She raised her eyebrows. “On an Army salary?”

  “I come from money.” His own.

  “Noted and I’m coming back to that. As for the hotel, presumptuous much?” Her tone was playful.

  “Always, but especially after the conversation where we agreed Let’s pick a day where we no one will miss us if we don’t come back the next morning.”

  “So many assumptions.” Her smile grew.

  “The way I see it, we’ve only hit the tip of the iceberg for fantasies, and we’ve got all weekend to tick a couple more items off.”

  “How long is your list?”

  Growing longer with each second I talk to you. We’ve got preacher’s daughter... Taboo workplace hookup...” He ticked each one off on a finger.

  Her laughter, light and carefree, sang to his soul.

  “Excuse me. So sorry to interrupt, my huntress. Gwydion, it’s been a long time.”

  Ambivalence washed over Gwydion at the familiar voice. He knew exactly who he’d see when he looked up. He turned to the new arrival. Talk about shitty timing. Not the worst, but close enough.

  “Min. Wonderful to see you again.” He forced himself to sound sincere.

  MIN TASTED THE PASSION and sex in the air before he even walked in the restaurant. One of the gifts that came with being a god of pleasure. He didn’t need to see Kirby to know exactly where she sat.

  He strode past the host without pause, toward his huntress. Kirby watched Gwydion with adoration, unaware of Min’s approach. The two had already slept together at least once.

  Gwydion hadn’t wasted any time. Not that Min blamed him. His huntress could love whomever she wanted, as long as he and she were side-by-side. A woman as fierce as Kirby should never be bound without her permission.

  When he interrupted, he didn’t miss the ghost of irritation that passed over Gwydion’s face. This wasn’t a
dinner between colleagues; it was a date.

  The way she watched Min stole his thoughts. It had been too long since he’d seen her stunning face in person. Tasted those full lips. Heard that melodic voice.

  He pulled out a chair. “I’ll only join you for a moment, and then I’ll leave you two to your evening.”

  Gwydion clenched his jaw.

  Kirby furrowed her brow. If she said no, Min would leave.

  He very much wanted her to accept his self-invitation.

  KIRBY DIDN’T KNOW WHO this arrogant man was. This gorgeous, sultry-voiced, arrogant man. His ebony skin was a stark contrast to his white suit, and if she stood, he’d still tower over her by at least six inches.

  He’d interrupted their evening. He showed no remorse. And Gwydion hadn’t told him to fuck off yet. Then again, the men appeared to be friends, and until Kirby got to know Gwydion better, she was a fuck buddy at best.

  Given all that, why couldn’t she stop staring at this Min? Her body was reacting the same way it had to Gwydion, with desire pulsing under her skin, and an irresistible pull that made her wonder if what they said about men with big feet was true.

  “It sounds like you two need to catch up,” she heard herself say. What was she doing?

  “Only if you stay.” Gwydion grabbed her wrist.

  She sucked in a sharp breath at his grip. It wasn’t a request on his part, but she hadn’t planned on leaving anyway. “Of course. We’ve got that list to go through.”

  Gwydion smirked.

  Min raised an eyebrow, but didn’t look bothered otherwise. He settled into his seat, waved the waiter over, and ordered himself a sparkling water. Then he turned to her. “I’m Min.” He grasped her fingers and kissed the back of her knuckles.

  “Kirby.” She was just put off enough by his assumption that she was able to ignore the twittery, swoony voice in her head.

  “A stunning name for a fierce huntress.” It was the second time he’d called her that.

  The way he studied her with eyes so dark they were almost black, sent delicious images dancing through her mind. Things she’d never tried. Never enjoyed the thought of—of him binding her. Spanking her?

  She could almost feel the sting of his palm on her ass, and the phantom sensation reverberated along her skin.

  She found the willpower to tug her hand away. “I’ve never hunted anything except the perfect slice of mall pizza.”

  His lips curled into a hungry smile. “There’s time.”

  Kirby’s senses were frazzled. She didn’t want to be interrupted. She wanted this weekend to get to know Gwydion, and find out what this pull was. She wanted Min to stick around so she could figure out what the fuck was going on there...

  Despite Gwydion and Min’s familiarity, neither of them spoke.

  The silence spurred her mind to bounce from one idea to the next. She drifted back to the simple first—wrapping her legs around Gwydion’s waist as he pinned her to the wall and drove inside her.

  The imprint of brick ghosted on her back, but was washed away by the thought of Min blindfolding her. Stealing her sight so his smooth, seductive voice drilled deeper into her thoughts. Making the lack of touch as enticing as those sharp sparks where he licked along her neck, or took a belt to her backside.

  She mentally cleared her throat. “How did the two of you meet?” She needed someone to talk, or she’d tumble into lust and never climb out.

  If they joined her, that might not be a bad thing.

  The men exchanged a glance she couldn’t interpret.

  “That bar in... Where was it?” Gwydion said.

  Min didn’t blink. “Belfast.”

  “Right. It seems like centuries ago.”

  “It was.”

  They almost sounded like they believed that. For two people who had so much past, they didn’t seem to have a lot to say to each other. Maybe they’d already both said it all.

  From the glances they swapped every few seconds, she doubted it.

  Chapter Six

  Min didn’t care for this place, surrounded by these rules and people who suppressed his ideals. But it seemed the most likely spot to introduce himself into Kirby’s life again.

  The way she studied him, gaze intense and skeptical curiosity dotting her features, was enthralling. “The two of you know each other, but you’re not friends. Not best buddy dudes.” The turning gears in her head were almost audible. “Was it for business reasons?”

  He loved her analytical mind as much as he did the rest of her. “Do I look like military to you?”

  “No. You look like a wealthy businessman who’s used to getting his way regardless of the situation.” As direct as always. Stunning. “But he mentioned he comes from money, and his past haunts him, so there’s more to him than being an Army surgeon.”

  “You assume,” Min said.

  Her smile was dry. “I do. But I was hoping to confirm over the next couple of days. It was a woman, wasn’t it?”

  “What was?” Gwydion asked.

  “The thing that you have in common. How you two know each other. I bet it was a rivalry.”

  Min was captivated by the conclusions she was drawing. In a way, they were logical, but they also took overlooking several other possibilities. Did he dare hope she was close to remembering? “It was a woman, but it wasn’t a rivalry.”

  “She doesn’t want to hear about your past conquests.” Gwydion didn’t seem to be enjoying this as much.

  Of course he wasn’t. He’d had the Valkyrie to himself.

  Kirby reached across the table to brush her fingers over Gwydion’s arm. “You don’t speak for me.”

  Sparks. Delicious.

  She looked at Min again. “What was it, then?”

  “We loved her, and she loved us.” He didn’t care for speaking of this in the past tense, but some concessions had to be made.

  Kirby’s lips parted slightly, and it was a moment before spoke. “At the same time? Are you like... reverse Mormons?”

  Min swallowed his chuckle. What he represented was older than any other faith, ancient or modern. “The only worship—the only loyalty—we gave was to each other. Our universes revolved around her, and hers, us.”

  “At the same time?” A flush crept over her skin, and her pulse raced.

  He heard it from where he sat. He smelled the desire spilling from her. “Frequently.”

  It was surprising Gwydion was quiet during this exchange. However, they had similar goals—Kirby becoming—and this seemed to be getting them closer.

  Kirby licked her lips, leaving a tantalizing shine behind. “To be clear, we’re talking about sex, am I right? Both of you, plus this amazing woman from the past?”

  “We’re talking about so much more.” Min traced a finger along her bottom lip, pulling it into a pout before releasing her. Her quiet gasp flooded him like a fine wine.

  “But yes, sex is on the list,” Gwydion said.

  The man never had been a poet. However, Kirby loved every time she met him, and Min had nothing but respect for him.

  Kirby glanced at Gwydion, then back. Her mouth was quirked in disbelief, but lust and discovery still radiated from her. “Men don’t share. There’s no way that works. No wonder you hate each other.”

  “We don’t hate each other.” Gwydion’s sincere denial came quickly.

  Min nodded. “No, we don’t. You obviously haven’t met the right men. I’m not talking about jealousy or trying to possess another soul. I’m talking about union. Joy. Wonder. Singing your praises. Each of us tasting your skin. Drinking your honey. Setting you on a pedestal so the world knows you belong to no one.

  “I’m talking about endless nights and countless days of discovery. Diving into your depths. Coaxing you toward pleasure until you sing the most beautiful songs. Then sliding into security, to begin the process anew when we’re rested.” So much for keeping things in the past tense.

  Kirby’s pupils were wide. Her breathing shallow and her lips f
lushed. “Who are you?”

  Min covered her hand and leaned in. He held her gaze. “I’m Min. I’m an ancient, powerful god of lust and sexuality. I’ve been worshipped by more people in my existence than currently walk the earth. I can make my lovers quiver with a single touch or whisper. And none of that matters unless I have you ruling by my side.”

  Gwydion coughed.

  Kirby stared back, unblinking. Would she laugh in his face? Call him insane and walk away?

  KIRBY’S HEART HAMMERED against her ribs, and she was pretty sure Min could hear it.

  The flowery words were pretty, but the man was fucking insane. A god? He wasn’t just saying it. He believed it.

  And she was scared. Not of him. Not the way she should be, if she were any sort of rational. There were two branches of fear inside. The first was that same sense of dread she had around Gwydion, but Min amplified it. It wasn’t because of them, but it related to them being in her life.

  The second was more immediate and tangible. The longer the three of them sat here, the stronger her impulse became to surrender to this stranger. To believe him when he said he was a god. To beg him to bring his words to life, using her as a canvas. To bow down and give him anything he demanded.

  The impulse thrummed in her thoughts. Each time he spoke, his meaning splashed across her skin like a memory. As if she were this woman he described.

  That fucking terrified her.

  No one could have her surrender. Especially not an arrogant stranger in a random restaurant in Kuwait.

  She turned to Gwydion. “I don’t think I’m hungry. I’d like to go.” She shouldn’t have a problem keeping her tone firm, but Min had thrown her so off balance, she wanted to pat herself for her voice not cracking on the request.

  “Of course.” He already had his wallet out, to set a short stack of bills on the table. He stood and extended his hand.

  She wouldn’t look back at Min. She couldn’t. He’d unravel her in with a glance.

  She took Gwydion’s hand, gripping tighter than she intended, and strolled with him onto the street.