by R. M. Walker
If that happened, they had eternity together.
He cleaned himself up enough to not be lewd, and headed to the shower.
Fortunately or otherwise, the crowded communal tent made another round of Kirby-induced masturbation a bad idea. He bathed quickly.
After he was dressed, he had enough time to make a phone call before his shift started.
Gwydion didn’t know how to find Starkad. The berserker moved in some interesting circles. Most of which were dedicated to stopping the gods from killing each other.
He called Min.
“Yes,” Min answered almost immediately. No one else had this number. He kept it specifically for this purpose.
“She’s here.”
“I’ll be there by this weekend.” Min disconnected. He knew where Gwydion was. On the front lines, where Kirby was most likely to appear if she was alive.
It was going to be difficult to work. Gwydion had a job to do, though, rediscovered lost love or not.
He slid into his morning, making his rounds, checking up on patients.
He was a half an hour into his shift when someone called his name. “Dr. Gibbons, you’ve got a patient in exam room one. Physical.”
“Who?” He didn’t have any appointments.
“The priest. Gregory is finishing up in surgery.”
Concern spiked through Starkad. Why was he wandering the floor if they didn’t have any patients? “Any casualties? How many injured?”
“Appendectomy.”
“Ah.” His heart rate could return to normal now. Any minute that would be fine. He grabbed Kirby’s chart and headed to the exam room. He knocked once, heard her call yeah, and pushed inside.
She sat on the table, cotton gown tied in the front and think blanket draped over her legs.
Yeah, his pulse wasn’t returning to normal anytime soon.
Chapter Four
Kirby’s mouth went dry and her mind blank when Gwydion walked into the exam room. She swallowed hard when he locked the door behind himself.
“Dr. Gregory is in surgery.” His tone was cool as he flipped through the folder in his hand. “You’re stuck with me this morning.”
“There are worse things.” Like just being in the same room as him, remembering the intensity that flowed between them last night, made need throb between her legs. It was a distinct reminder of how much she wasn’t wearing. She was going to leave a damp spot on the paper beneath her if she didn’t calm down.
“Looks like your past history is all right. Nothing abnormal. Your temperature, pulse, and blood pressure are good.” He still wasn’t looking at her.
She was grateful they’d checked her before she found out he was her doctor this morning. Otherwise they would have hospitalized her for her heart rate. “That’s good.” Brilliant response. Not.
He fitted the stethoscope into his ears and stepped up next to her. He was close enough the faint whisper of aftershave teased her. “Breath normally.”
She was trying. The device was cold through her thin robe.
He raised an eyebrow, and moved to another part of her chest.
This was killing her. She didn’t know what it was about this man. She didn’t know him. But all she could think about was how close he stood. How almost-naked she was. How incredible things were between them last night.
He finally met her gaze. “Your heart rate is elevated. Are you all right?”
How the fuck did he say that with a straight face?
“I have a confession.” She trailed her fingers along the edge of her gown, below the first set of ties. What was she doing? Sating an intense craving. “I have this naughty doctor fantasy.”
“Hm.” Gwydion’s tone didn’t change, but one corner of his mouth twitched up. He set the stethoscope aside. He tugged the top tie on her robe, and the bow slipped loose. The fabric fell to each side, exposing the middle of her chest, but still covering her breasts. “That could be problematic.”
“How so?”
He undid the next tie, and tugged her gown open further. “That’s the kind of distraction that makes it hard to focus on conducting a physical.”
“How hard?” She let the playfulness slide into her question.
He traveled his fingers along the inside of her arm, tickling the sensitive flesh, grabbed her wrist, and brought her hand down to cup his erection through his scrubs. “You tell me.”
“That’s pretty hard.” Kirby stroked him through fabric, reveling in his low groan. She was done with questions like what am I doing? She was looking for another high. That rush of passion and power and union they’d shared last night.
“Do you have any allergies?” His professional tone wasn’t so steady now. “Latex? Anything like that?”
Not the sexiest question. “No.”
Gwydion broke the contact between them.
Her disappointment mingled with swelling anticipation.
He tugged a pair of gloves from a box on the shelf, and snapped them on. “If you’re going to live the dirty doctor fantasy, you might as well do it right.”
He rested his hands on her thighs, heat searing through the thin sheet that covered her lap, and nudged her legs open, so he could step between. He tugged open one side of her gown, to expose her breast.
She couldn’t squeeze her legs together like this, which made it harder to ignore the throb between. The line about the fantasy had been a joke, a throwback to last night, but now the scorching hot taboo of being fucked on an exam table was all she could think about.
He dragged a latex-covered thumb over her pert, tender nipple. The texture was unique blend of smooth with a hint of stickiness.
She clamped her jaw shut to keep a groan from escaping. If they kept this up beyond today, their next time needed to be someplace she could be loud.
And if she had anything to say about it, they were definitely keeping this up.
Gwydion opened her gown wider, exposing her breasts. He cupped one, kneading, then rolling her nipple between his fingers. He moved to the other side, and repeated the gesture. His light touches were enough to light her senses up.
“Everything checks out.” Despite the clinical words, his voice was a throaty grown. He dipped his head and wrapped his lips around one swollen nub.
She swallowed a groan of pleasure and pressed into his mouth.
He sucked and nibbled and licked for several minutes, until she was sure she couldn’t take anymore, then he switched sides.
The pulse between her legs was insistent. She reached to soothe it, and he grabbed her wrist.
“I’d like to give you a closer look.” He nudged her shoulder and helped her lie back.
He glided his palms along her thighs, then lifted her legs, and settled her feet in the stirrups.
Her pulse screamed through her veins at how exposed this left her. The feeling was dangerously incredible.
He traced circles around her clit, drawing tighter then moving in a wider path. He drew away each time her breathing grew shallow, then honed back in the sensitive spot.
If she bit the inside of her cheek any harder, to keep silent, she was going to break the skin.
Still stroking her clit, he traveled his other hand lower, to dip his fingers inside her. She was so wet there was zero resistance.
He hooked his fingers up and pressed the tender spot inside. Holy hell he was good at that. A benefit to fucking a doctor.
Her pussy tightened around him, and orgasm spilled through her. She bit the side of her fist, barely smothering her screams.
Through the haze of bliss, she was vaguely aware of the sound of a zipper.
He nudged her opening with his cock, then thrust inside. At this angle, the sensations were unlike anything she’d ever experienced. And being held in this position was deliciously wicked. She was more exposed that just being naked. At his mercy. And her head was drowning in the haze of him gripping her thighs and pounding inside her.
He pulled her ass half off the table, pu
tting her in a precarious position, but he held her so tightly she wasn’t going anywhere. With each thrust, a new wave of pleasure rippled through her.
She wanted to watch his gorgeous face, screwed up with desire. But she was too lost in the sensations to focus on anything else.
Orgasm built more slowly this time. Holding her over a chasm. Promising amazing things below. And then she tumbled into climax. A night sky full of stars filled her thoughts. She was floating in a blissful sea.
Gwydion’s grunts grew to staccato bursts. She was fading away from her own peak, and the sensation of him sliding out of her was light.
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 ev
en 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, 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.”
