by Lexi Post
“Thank you.” She grinned. “I’ve always wondered how it would feel for a man. Did it feel okay to you?”
His grin turned devilish just before he ground his pelvis against her, sending sparks of excitement thrumming through her as he rubbed the little barbell against her nub. “It definitely adds something, but I think I need to test it more to be sure.”
Sugar. He was more than just handsome, hard, and oh so heavenly. “Test it?” Her voice came out in a squeak.
His lids lowered as his eyes darkened again. “Aye. At my cottage. I have things I’d like to do to you there.”
He hadn’t moved an inch, but his words, along with his look, had her sheath tightening again. Was he getting hard already?
“Ah, lass, I canna take ye there yet.”
She swore every muscle in her body melted into the ether at his brogue. It took her a moment to swallow against her suddenly dry throat. “No, you can’t. We have work to do.”
He shifted up, his cock still deep inside, but now his gaze rested on her breasts. “That can wait. Our time is our own.”
She was about to argue that they had just shocked Holly and needed to follow-up on that, but his mouth came down on her breast and she forgot why that was important. Instead, she arched as he sucked hard, tonguing her nipple as she grasped the bedspread in her hands.
She was panting by time he released her hard nub, only to suck in her breath as he took her other between his teeth and tugged upward.
He finally let her other nipple go. “You were made for sex, Joy.”
She heard his words and though her body reacted, her mind flinched. She tried to figure out why, but Malcolm had maneuvered his knees beneath her thighs without separating them and lifted her legs so her feet rested against his shoulders.
His hands ran from her ankles to her thighs before squeezing her legs against his chest. “Ye are bonnie fer sure, an’ I’m needin’ to feel ye against me.” He phased. “Disrobe me.” In an instance, his clothes disappeared and he was solid again.
She was left staring at a massively hard chest, broad shoulders and forearms larger than her biceps. “Oh, sugar.”
He grinned. “Aye.”
She took a deep breath, her whole body tingling just at the sight of him. “I never imagined you to be quite as large in person.”
His grin froze and he glanced toward her other nightstand, or was he just looking away. He couldn’t know about her photo of him, could he? She’d be mortified.
“I never imagined you to be so lively in bed.”
She flushed, not entirely comfortable with a man discovering exactly how much she liked sex.
“Don’t tell me you’re embarrassed.” His brow creased just slightly.
She reached up and tucked the stray hair that had fallen on her cheek back behind her ear. “It’s been my very personal secret.”
This time his grin turned devilish. “And glad I am ye shared with me. I wouldn’t want ye any other way.” He winked.
Her breath hitched as his cock inside her thickened even more.
Malcolm held out his hand. “Nipple clamps.” A pair of gold nipple clamps connected by a heavy chain appeared in his hands. He held them for her to see. “I look forward to showing you the ones I have.”
Her sheath tightened around him, and he lost his grin as his nostrils flared. Excitement skittered through her belly at his look.
Without a word, he attached a clamp to one breast and then the other, causing her heart to race. Then he tightened one until she moaned with arousal. Satisfied, he moved to the other, tightening it until once again she voiced her pleasure aloud.
He tugged on the heavy chain, and she closed her eyes as shocks traveled from her nipples to her core. “Nay lass, open yer eyes.”
It was more the loosening of the tug on her nipples than his words that had her lifting her lids.
“That’s better.” He wrapped the chain around one of his large fingers and moved his hand above her chest before pulling upward.
“Yes. More.” Her sheath tightened as he tugged her nipples higher, pleasure raging like a desert wash after a storm through her body. She arched her back, her elbows digging into the mattress, wanting even more.
He held her there, her body titillated more than any of her fantasies.
Then he started to move.
In her position, she could do no more than grab onto the sheets as he pulled his hips away before gliding back into her wet sheath. In this position, her barbell was exposed, but his cock didn’t hit it and for that she was glad because one more stimuli and she’d come.
Malcolm pushed into her again, his movements deliberate, not frantic like the first time. His control now had her panting.
He set a tame rhythm, punctuating each slow thrust with a slight lift on the nipple chain. He played her like an instrument, as if he knew the shock from her nipples hit her core at the exact time his cock hit her cervix, creating a double spike in her need.
He held her there, gliding in and out, tugging and relaxing just a bit on the chain, watching her.
She dared not close her eyes, her instinct telling her this wasn’t all he had for her.
When his free hand ran down one leg to the crease of her thigh, her stomach tensed. He tugged on the chain, arching her higher then his fingers moved across her belly and pressed as his cock sunk to its hilt. He slid back out and moved in again, only now his fingers pressed on her mons as he touched her cervix.
He glided out once more only to move back in as he tugged on the chain and his fingers pressed on her barbell.
She screeched with pleasure, her body wound up for her orgasm. This time the chain did not let up at all as he pulled away. She arched into the fingers against her clit, and they started to move in a circle just as his cock slid in with more force.
Her body burst into a million pieces like fireworks, the ecstasy bouncing throughout her like a pinball on steroids. She screamed, the pleasure needing a release.
Suddenly, the chain and nipple clamps disappeared and Malcolm was leaning over her, her knees against her chest and his cock pumping into her until he stilled, a low growl issuing from deep in his chest. As he flooded her sheath, her satisfaction was complete.
When he opened his eyes and looked down at her, he gave her a cocky grin. “You definitely need to come to my cottage.”
Once again, it wasn’t exactly what she was hoping to hear, but at least he was thinking of a future time for them…if he had a future. The sobering thought brought her focus back to their assignment.
She had to figure out a way to mitigate what he’d done to Holly or there would be no next time for them.
“You don’t seem excited by that prospect.” Malcolm’s voice brought her gaze back to his, and he didn’t seem too happy.
“Yes, I’d like that. I was just wondering how much time we have.”
He gave her a skeptical sideways glance. “All the time we want.”
She laid her hand against his cheek, and he jerked away. That was odd. She let her hand fall to his arm. “I mean after the way you treated Holly, I’m not sure how much time you have.”
“It’s not about my time.” He looked away as he pulled his hips from hers and backed off the bed. “This is about our assignment. If what I did is what it takes to get Holly to face the facts, then that’s what needs to be done.” He stood at the foot of the bed and pointed to the left. “Your shower?”
She nodded, dumfounded by his statement.
He walked into the other room, his tight butt cheeks a continuation of the moving muscle in his thighs. His stride was purposeful, determined, and a shiver raced up her spine.
There was something about his attitude that reminded her of the military. She wished she could look at his life file. She held out her hand. “Show me Malcolm MacLachlan’s life file.” Once again, as expected, nothing happened.
She sat up and threw her legs over the side of the bed. Quickly, she padded out to her guest bathroo
m. She should be happier than an arch angel at having her fantasies about Malcolm fulfilled and then some, but instead, a feeling of dread hovered over her.
Malcolm finished his shower, ignoring the peppermint scented soap and calling for his own preferred evergreen. It was bad enough Joy’s scent permeated his nostrils. After drying off, he dressed and headed out through the ether.
Everything about having sex with Joy had been a surprise, from her passion to the emotions she caused inside him. Watchmen couldn’t afford emotions. He needed to look at her objectively.
Too late for that to happen. If he wasn’t careful she’d be making him think all was marshmallows and puppies. At least with their assignment that couldn’t happen, at least not for Holly unless she made some serious changes.
What he’d said to Holly about her family in America was necessary. It was how he’d been trained to force change in others. What Cameron hoped to accomplish with their visit was riding on them making her see and feel again for other people beyond simple meddling.
He actually liked Holly, except for the blinders she wore when it came to her husband. If she thought seeing her adopted father being shot was hard, she was in for a rough ride.
He grinned. The woman did have back bone at least.
And Joy? He didn’t like where they were headed. He thought he knew her type, the Pollyanna do-gooder who used to get in his way. Then she turned into a passionate vixen in bed just after claiming to protect him.
Maybe a visit to his cottage wasn’t such a wise move.
The ether dissipated, and he found Joy already on the roof with Holly. She couldn’t have arrived more than a few seconds before him.
As he floated toward them, he grimaced at Joy’s words.
“Malcolm just wanted you to understand the true meaning behind this visit.”
Holly pulled out of Joy’s arms and nodded. “I do understand. While I’m in Deervale, I just assume that everything is okay back at home.” She looked at him. “Am I supposed to move back to America?”
He shook his head. “You aren’t supposed to do anything except learn from your visits.”
Holly wiped her face with the sleeve of her sweater. “Can you at least tell me if they catch the thieves? Do they pay for their crimes?”
He looked at Joy, refusing to answer.
Joy frowned at him before responding. “I’m afraid not.”
“What? People’s lives are shattered and no one pays?” She crossed her arms. “How is that fair?”
“It’s not.” He grinned. “One reason I went rogue.”
Holly’s eyes lit with interest. “Rogue? What do you mean? Are you a rogue spirit?”
He laughed. “Hadn’t thought about myself in quite that way, but maybe.”
Joy was studying him far too intently.
He took Holly’s hand. “I think we’ve spent enough time here.”
Holly titled her head back to look at him. “Right now, the future is looking pretty bleak. Any chance there’s something a little happier planned.”
He waved his free hand toward Joy. “That’s her department.”
Joy didn’t miss a beat as she floated to the other side of Holly and took her hand. “I think we can find more than one event in your future that will make you happy.”
“Really? Excellent.”
Joy whisked them upward and back toward Scotland.
As Joy led them on, her mind kept going back to Malcolm’s strange pronouncement. Parts of his background were slowly coming together. She’d bet her entire cactus garden that he’d been in law enforcement simply by the way he’d viewed the bank robbery so dispassionately. It was far more than his gender that had him watching as if he were looking for clues.
He was either part of the Police Services of Scotland or from city law enforcement. Maybe detective or even forensics. That’s what made his statement about going rogue so concerning, but if he was truly dangerous, he wouldn’t be a spirit guide.
“Where are we going?” Holly’s question brought her back to their trip, and she angled them a bit north.
“We’re headed to the city of Inverness.”
“Why?”
“There’s someone you need to see there.”
Holly’s brow furrowed. “I don’t know anyone in Inverness. Is this far in the future?”
“Not that far.” She smiled. “We’re going to a Christmas day gathering.”
Malcolm, who’d been silent since leaving the bank, chose that moment to interject. “When was the last time you were at a Christmas day gathering?”
Holly looked away. “A few years ago, but last year I went to a Christmas Eve party that lasted all night.”
Joy couldn’t let the statement pass. After all, Cameron said not to be subtle. “But you left long before midnight.”
“Well, yes. But that was because Cam had promised to come back and see me.”
She caught Malcolm’s raised eyebrows. Cameron visited Holly before and after Holly’s time with her spirit guides? That was unusual. Joy was beginning to feel more confident in Malcolm’s belief that they were all being used, but for what purpose? And what was her role supposed to be? If it was opposite of her usual role then she had no idea how to proceed, so until they figured it all out, she would stay the course.
She flew them along beautiful Loch Ness as it wound through the stone city. She loved the old feeling of it. Why had she never visited Scotland while she was alive?
Bringing them down to a two-story house in the middle of a row of them lined up along the street, she pulled them into the downstairs front parlor.
“Wow, you weren’t kidding about this being a gathering. Look at all these people.” Holly let go of their hands and floated to a corner of the room. “It’s beautifully decorated. The tree in the front window has so many handmade ornaments.” She laughed. “One of which is about to go into that toddler’s mouth.”
A young woman scooped up said baby and retrieved the ornament before it made it there. “Archie, I told you to move all the ornaments up on the tree,” the woman yelled into the next room as she headed there.
Two young boys played with an electronic ball game in the middle of the floor, while three young teenage girls chatted in the corner. An old woman sat in the middle of a large comfy couch with a somewhat younger man on one side and another man about Holly’s age on the other.
A woman a bit older than Holly entered the melee with a tray of cookies. “Granny, would you like some sweets to go with your tea?”
Malcolm floated between the young boys. “Do you see anyone you recognize?”
“Here?” Holly looked over each face then her gaze returned to the woman with the tray. “She looks familiar for some reason, but I don’t know anyone this far north.”
Joy cocked her head. “But you know people who live just west of here, right?”
Holly looked at her blankly for a moment before she remembered. “Cam’s aunt and uncle. I can’t believe I forgot about them. They raised him.”
Malcolm drifted closer. “And the last time you visited with them?”
“You really have to spoil everything, don’t you?” Her lower lip came out as she stared at him. Finally, she answered. “I visited them for Guy Fawkes night.”
“What year?” Malcolm wasn’t letting anything slide and in this instance, Joy agreed.
“Fine, it was a few years ago, with Cam. But I saw them at the funeral and that was only three years ago.”
“Only?” Malcolm let his question hang in the air.
A sulking Holly wouldn’t help anything, so Joy redirected her attention. “Who does the woman with the tray remind you of?”
Holly floated closer and stared. “Holy crap, she looks like Cam. Is this his half-sister?”
Holly’s excitement was catching. “Yes!”
“All these people are part of her family and kind of related to Cam?”
Joy nodded.
Holly’s awe turned into a giant smile. “I ha
ve to come visit.”
“Not so fast.” Malcolm’s interjection caused Holly to roll her eyes.
Joy laughed. She much preferred guiding Holly with positive experiences rather than negative ones.
Malcolm had to be thick-skinned because he ignored both Holly’s expression and her own laugh. “Why do you think Cameron’s sister came to find you and then never knocked on your door?”
“You know about that?”
He nodded.
“I thought it might be bad news.” Holly looked at Malcolm to see if she was right.
He shook his head. “No.”
Holly grinned. “That’s the happiest news you’ve given me since you showed up.”
Joy bit her cheek to keep from laughing again.
Malcolm sighed before pointing to the man next to the grandmother. “That’s the reason Lorna didn’t knock on your door.”
“Lorna.” Holly said the name as if she were trying on a new pair of shoes. “Lorna. That’s pretty. I like it.” She pointed. “Who is that and why did he stop her from visiting me?” Holly floated closer to have a good look at the man.
“He’s Lorna’s father.” Malcolm paused then quirked his lip. “Not to give you more bad news, but he doesn’t want Lorna to have anything to do with her biological mother’s side of the family.”
Holly spun at that. “Why not?”
Malcolm didn’t say anything else, so Joy stepped in. “I imagine part of that is due to his current wife and part has something to do with his relationship with Cameron’s mother, but any more than that, I can’t tell you because I don’t know.”
Holly studied the man. He had orangey-red wavy hair that was sprinkled with a significant bit of white and thinning as well. His eyes were a grayish-blue and he sported a goatee that was all white.
Joy couldn’t help but comment on Lorna’s looks. “She has her father’s coloring, but her mother’s facial features and body.”
“You know what Cam’s mom looked like?” Holly floated higher to avoid being walked through as Cam’s sister offered cookies to everyone.
Joy widened her eyes. “Don’t you?”
Holly shook her head. “Cam didn’t talk much about her because he was so young when she died. I don’t think there are any photos of her.”
