She offered to get the broom. This left her alone with a still bleeding Thame who now had small shards collecting on his back. She sighed loudly. The kiss was so close. Her lips were nearly touching his and then it was raining glass.
She took a deep breath to keep from screaming out in frustration and went to her knees. So much for a kiss and some private time in her lonely bed. Now she’d be stuck cleaning up this mess, fixing his stitches, and trying to sleep a few hours before she had to get up early for the market.
It took nearly an hour and a half, which included cleaning and stitching because Thame did break the thread holding his jagged skin together. Then she put on appropriate clothes that didn’t show her sexually excited body. Then it was time for the salting.
Gran being so superstitious they constantly lined salt around the house to ward off the unwanted spirits or other such creatures. She just considered it keeping the salt company in business. They had also painted the door red and Breena glared at the eyesore as she finished with the salt. She was officially tired and had four hours before her alarm would blare. There were no graceful movements. She tore off her shirt and jeans then plopped onto the bed with a content sigh. Her eyes drifted shut and a small smile crept onto her face as she dreamt of the ‘almost kiss’.
****
Thame bit back a groan. All this blood loss was making him delusional. The fantasy of nearly kissing Breena was so strong in his head it intoxicated every pore. He was so sure it was real, but the moment was so tame.
Then there was the strange noise that nearly jolted him awake but he couldn’t find the strength to even open his eyes. Hell, if he had any strength whatsoever it would be used to satisfy this pulsing erection that plagued him. Instead, he laid there hard and sore, prey to whoever found him. He lay on his stomach with his dick plowing into the soft mattress.
From what he could hear, the house was empty, or maybe it was morning and the ladies were still asleep. He sat up with the utmost care, slow enough so his back wouldn’t nag with pain. In another few days, the stitches would pop and his wings would force their way to the surface. They’d start sprouting anew and he would eventually be able to fly. His ankle however would be the problem.
With a frown, he glanced down at the swollen joint and shook his head. It looked like he’d need their hospitality a while longer and that was a guilt trip in itself. His duty to king and queen should take precedence but he found himself thinking of Breena more than anything else.
He glanced at the window. The big glass pane that normally let the sun warm his skin was covered with wood. The outside view blocked. When had that happened? How had it happened?
The door handle jiggled and the woman of his fantasies sauntered in. She wore jeans again, tight enough to hug the sexy curves of her body and a low cut knit top that revealed the tops of her cleavage. A man could die with a giant smile on his face if suffocated there. Her midnight hair was once again tied up. How long were the dark locks? Thame had the sudden urge to see them down against her bare pale skin. There was some sort of tray in her hands. A salty, savory smell wafted from the steamy bowl, probably more broth or stew.
“Hello Breena.” He wanted to say her name every chance he could. Something about it made his heart clench in his chest.
Her gray eyes shot to his, widened and she stumbled with her next step. Did she honestly have no sense of balance? The woman was a walking disaster and once again, he found himself reaching out to catch her. His hand pressed again her hip, the other against the opposite leg to steady her balance. She blushed, nodded and quickly set the tray on the wooden chair beside his bed.
“Thanks,” she murmured then cleared her throat nervously.
“Are you always so...”
“Clumsy?” she provided dryly.
“Unbalanced.” He motioned for her to sit. With the older woman’s words in the back of his head he added, “Please, I’d like to get to know my savior.”
Breena snorted.
“You did save me.” He shifted, winced and reached out to touch her hand. The little touch of fingers to palm was enough to send the quilt over his hips to a tent. She gave no indication of noticing. Her eyes kept drifting to his bare chest and a proud feeling washed over him. He kept in shape and the way she licked her lips showed sexual interest, didn’t it? Blasted, he hadn’t been around human women in so long.
“Well, I have to go into the field, but well, I think, I mean, if you want, you could sit outside with me. Or well, you probably just want to sleep.”
“No, no, sunshine sounds perfect and possibly a shower if you’re up to helping me into it.”
She immediately looked away and her cheeks flushed. He was going to wash up when he made it to the bathroom last night but that alone had drained his energy fiercely. Besides, he needed to rub one out before he exploded and the shower would be the place. She stood quickly, and he wanted to join her, press into her personal space and see if fire lit her eyes as he approached. His blood boiled, his cock rock-like as she began to speak.
“Why don’t you put some clothes on and I’ll get you...um...you know, outside.”
She turned on her heels and walked to the door, glanced down his body before closing it with a soft click. He heard a soft thud and violent curse. She had landed on the floor again. It was rather amusing, as she seemed only to do it when he was around. The thought made him grin and eagerly reach for the clothes that lay neatly folded beside the bed.
Human clothing was not his strong suit. It took several minutes for him to figure out what went where and how to put on the human garment on while sitting down. Then came the zipper. He did not want to snap that medal thing anywhere near his dick. With a frown and steady hands, he cautiously locked the little medal teeth of the zipper together. There was a stupid grin on his face from the sheer triumph. That lasted all of eight seconds as the jeans began to constrain his erection. How did humans wear the blasted things? The shirt was scratchy against his skin and when it shifted over his sore back, he threw it across the room.
“Are you ready?” Breena’s voice sounded timidly from the other side of the door.
“Yes,” he mumbled and shifted so he faced her. She walked in with a small smile and stopped dead in her tracks. The way her eyes went wide and that red tongue swiped at her lower lip was mesmerizing. She seemed to focus on the way the jeans hung low on his fit frame and made a mental note to gather several pairs of human pants to wear when she was around.
Her body stiffened and her thighs squeezed together.
“Is everything alright?” Was it lust or something unrelated to the sexual tension that suddenly ignited the air around them? She nodded and stepped closer. The scent of fresh rain and a hint of desire filled his nostrils. He wanted to rub against her like a cat and sniff her skin until he was drunk with the fragrance.
Breena leaned forward and with some adjustment, he shifted some of his weight to her. Her smaller arms came around his body and she inhaled sharply when their skin pressed together. Thame was going to have a damn orgasm in his pants at this rate. It was a little rocky at first, but once they found a rhythm they traveled through his door and down the short corridor. The other door was now ajar and revealed a bedroom that had his erection straining even further against those metal teeth. He may even have permanent marks but to see Breena’s bedroom. It had to be hers with photos of Gran and the lacy bra sticking from a draw. At least, he really hoped it was hers. Her bed was a kick to his sexual appetite. The bed was made, pillows thrown randomly on top and books galore. A black cat shot out from under the bed and toward the open double doors.
They stumbled through that opening which revealed the beauty that made Inis Mór so unique. The house sat on a large plot of land with fields all around it. Rock walls littered the green landscape along with a few horses. The beach was visible along with a vast amount of the Irish Sea and the distant shore of Ireland. All of it was observed with Breena’s soft hands on him. Thame inhaled so deeply,
he coughed for several seconds. When he caught his breath, she stared at him with her brows knit in concern. “I’m well.” he ensured.
A long awning that kept the sun off his entire body covered the swing beside the door. He landed with a soft thump on the yellow cushions and shifted so his face was close to hers. Her hands still touched him, one at his back and one at his chest. Their breaths mingled in the fresh air. Her chest began to rise and fall quicker as their eyes locked. She seemed to lose that fiery strike, replaced with a look of unfound passion and innocence.
It was a moment in time he wanted to freeze, to remember and replay every second for the rest of his life. He leaned forward, his hand slowly stretching to her thigh but never landing. It hovered, his hand and his lips just over hers. Her gray eyes had become even wider and those pink lips parted. Thame wanted to devour her.
He shifted his aim and his lips pressed softly against her cheek. She gasped slightly, swallowed hard and her eyes shifted closed. He kissed the soft skin of her jaw and dragged his lips ever so slowly to her neck. That neck was a fantasy in itself. The pale skin taunt as she stretched her chin high to give him access. Did she even know what she was inviting him to do? He swiped his tongue at her pulse. It thumped wildly beneath the thin layer of skin and she jerked in surprise. Her eyes were once against watching him.
“You taste like sunshine,” he whispered.
Breena cheeks colored, a grin lighting her face. “How can someone taste like sunshine?”
There was a slight roll of her eyes but the grin turned to a full smile. She liked the compliment, well then; he planned to flatter her even more. Anything to bring out that smile. “If your neck tastes like sunshine I wonder what the rest of you tastes like...” his voice dipped low and his lips found their way to her ear lobe. He sucked the bare skin into his mouth and his hand landed on her thigh. When he pulled away, her eyes were once against closed, like she was absorbing every feeling, every movement with intensity.
He shifted to relieve some of the painful pressure and returned to her neck. He wanted to kiss her, but he wanted to linger on her throat, on her delicate pulse and watching her face was worth the wait. She fisted her hands against his skin and her breaths were deep, uneven jerks. He watched her, memorized her until her lids opened. Thame moved his lips above hers, parting them so their breaths were one and then his tongue swiped across her lower lip. She looked startled with her eyes wide, her breathing erratic and her rose cheeks. A slow fire began to burn in her eyes. Breena boldly tried it on him.
Her tongue was a sweet treat, a promise of things to come as she swiped it across his closed lips. She grinned afterward, her cheeks a gorgeous pink. Thame leaned forward. He couldn’t wait another moment to press his lips to hers.
“Iníon?”
Breena jerked from his grasp, she shot to her feet. “Yeah, outside.” Her breath was erratic, and she grabbed a woven basket just as Gran appeared in the doorway.
Thame was furious, he was so blasted close to kissing Breena and she had interrupted. He sent her a scowl as she glanced his way.
“You’re outside?”
Breena nodded and answered for him. “I figured some sun would help.”
The older woman’s frown deepened. “Make sure you pick the herbs. We need them for the market tomorrow.”
“I will,” she mumbled.
“I’ll be back in a few hours.” Then Gran’s voice lowered, “Remember about the wandering.”
Breena ground her teeth. From his position on the seat, he could see her fists clench and knuckles turn white. “Yes, Gran. See you soon.” She didn’t say anything else, even when they were finally, blissfully alone. She took the basket with her and went into the garden that rested left of the house. She wouldn’t even make eye contact and that made his frustration hike to new levels.
Thame settled back against the cushions, winced and leaned forward. His ankle throbbed but at this position, his back was not pressing against anything and he had a scrumptious view of Breena’s ass. She bent to pick these green sprouts and his hands twitched. He’d never made love in a garden before but now it was on his to-do list with Breena. In fact, he had only been intimate with a few women over his lifetime and all were fellow fairies that withered away into death as the years passed. He cared not to think on how long it had been since his cock had felt the warmth of a woman’s touch. Thame instead focused on the view.
****
Breena’s heart might explode from her chest. She couldn’t get it to calm or her breath to settle or those damn little tremors that racked her body to stop. He had made her blind with lust. She nearly balled when Gran interrupted and the desire turned to shame.
It didn’t matter if she barely knew the man. She wanted to kiss him with such delicious need. She couldn’t even hum as she plopped herbs into her basket. The floral fragrance of lavender drifted through the air, and she bit her lip before glancing back. Thame was still sitting there, but his eyes were closed and his chin tilted upward toward the sun.
He looked magnificent in the sunshine; the rays glinted off his hair to give it a shimmering effect that made her body squirm. That chest, dear Lord, when her bare hands touched him she’d had to bite back a moan. His skin was so hard and packed tightly with muscle. During the whole trip to her bedroom, she thought about what lay under those jeans and the pants themselves were inhibition-melting. They slung low and he must have removed his loincloth because she couldn’t see it, and she’d done a long check.
There was blonde hair that led from his belly button to the top of those jeans and Breena nearly collapsed at the site. Well, it was either collapse in a lust-crazed heap or jump the man. Neither should appeal to any self-respecting woman, but damn the man could talk a demon out of its powers with those lips. She hid the smile. He hadn’t even kissed her and her mind was on a rampage about how skilled he’d be at that particular adventure.
It took nearly an hour for her basket to fill and the lines of crop to finally end. Breena turned toward Thame. He was still there. His eyes roamed the shore and the swing gently rocked. She glanced over her shoulder as she stood and the dark clouds caught her attention.
There was a big gathering of gray that headed right for them. She made her way back to him. His eyes followed her entire trail. She knew because her stomach began to flutter and her feet stumbled along rocks that she failed to notice on the way there. Her tongue swiped at her parched lips before she stood before him. “The rain’s coming.” As she said the words, the distant rumbled of thunder echoed through the quiet field.
He nodded. “I still don’t want to go in.”
Neither did she. Breena set the basket inside the door and sat next to him, careful not to jar his body. He seemed to have found a comfortable spot on an angle so he somewhat faced her. She glanced at the private beach that she rarely had time to enjoy. The waves slammed against the brown sand, washing away layers with each pull. “What do you do over in Ireland?” She didn’t know nearly enough about him and she really wanted to.
He hesitated and glanced at the waves before speaking. “Something like a body guard.”
So, that’s why he could pass for Hercules’ twin. “Who did that to your back?” She had to ask. Not knowing the answer to such a major question drove her mad.
He took a deep breath just as thunder lit up the sky. “Those who intended to hurt the ones I’m trying to protect. When does the next ship come?”
“The ferry?”
He nodded, and she felt a ping of panic. Would he be leaving that soon? He was out of bed, obvious feeling better. “Four days, I think.”
“I do have to go back. I must protect them...but...I would like to return and possibly see you again.”
Was it pathetic that her heart swelled and her stomach fluttered? “Oh.” She smiled. “I would like that.” Their eyes locked once more and only the loud roar of thunder broke the connection. A slow patter of rain began to fall. It was a mist, covering the fields and distant
shore in a foggy film then the gentle taps of water sounded on the awning above their heads. “Have you always wanted to be a bodyguard?” Inwardly she cringed. Who wanted to be a bodyguard?
He seemed to think on the question. His brows furrowed and his lips pressed together. “It’s the only thing I’ve ever been good at.” His eyes drifted to the waves then back to her. “Have you ever thought of leaving here?”
Was that an invitation? Breena swallowed hard and tried not to read too much into the question. “Gran’s here, I’ve lived here me whole life.” There was a slight pause and then she added, “I’d love to travel, see the world, but I can’t leave Gran here alone. I wouldn’t want to; she’s my only family. Still, one day I want to touch the pyramids, explore America and walk every road in Ireland.”
He appeared to relax at her words. “You sound passionate about it, Breena.”
What a word choice. She looked away, back at the rain that fell just a little harder and the waves that reached just a little further inland.
“Why were you named that?” Thame asked.
She hated answering that with the crazy truth. His hand stretched over and their palms pressed together, their fingers twining. The move was seductive. “My parents were...” Would insane sound that bad aloud? “They believed in all that folk lore stuff just like Gran. You know trolls, mermaids, boogeymen and such.”
His eyebrow rose. “and you do not?”
She rolled her eyes the moment he said it. “They’re just fairytales. Mostly.” She added. “My mom disappeared for a while. No one knew where she was, but when she returned, she was pregnant with me. Gran was furious. She was young and had her whole life ahead of her, but now she had to take care of a child.” She lifted her chin and tried to push away each pitiful sound. She always sounded like a lost child when she told the sad short history with her mother.
Breena shook her head; Gran had told her the story so many times, she knew every word. “Me mother said she was in some fairy palace. She spent the last week hiding in an underground kingdom with sunflowers so big you could sit on them and men with delicate wings on their backs. She described everything so perfectly and when I was born, she named me Breena that means fairy palace in Irish, which you already knew.” She frowned. “My mother took off as soon as she was strong enough to stand and Gran took care of me. We always knew she made it up and really ran off with whatever man she ‘loved’ that week.” Her pity turned to anger as the story progressed. “I hated her for so long and then a few years ago, she showed up.” His hand squeezed her tighter. “More talk about fairies and love and evil creatures trying to kill them, but she took off a few days later. She was shaking and paranoid, probably drugs but no ancient evil creature from some damn story ever appeared. It was rubbish.” Thame was quiet and she glanced over to see him completely focused on her. “There’s no chance I’d believe in those crazy stories.”
The Ravaged Fairy Page 4
