Page 125 of Only a Breath Away

I said, “Who was your mother, Lochinvar? How did you end up at Dunscaith?”

He said, “I remember livin’ somewhere else and I was taken.” He smacked his palm on the arm of his chair. “ThenI lived with Ormr.”

My eyes wide I said, “Lochinvar, that is awful.” I said, “Had you ever met or seen Lady Mairead before?”

“Nae.”

“Well, that’s one good thing. I hope she wasn’t involved in your abduction.”

Hayley said, “What are the odds that Lady Mairead moved Lochinvar when he was young, to get rid of him?”

Magnus said, “I daena think so, m’mother is a great many things, but I daena think she would remove a son from his mother, even if he was my direct competitor.”

I nodded, “I think you’re right, she has a pretty horrid nature, but I think that she wouldn’t cross that line. She would banish the mother along with the son.”

Magnus said, “Aye, she has a weakness there, it has been the one thing that has kept her from losin’ her morality all taegether.”

Lochinvar said, “I canna remember... whoever twas left me in a terrible state.”

He began to sing a sea shanty crossed with a funeral dirge, “Oh ho! The land is nae for me, I hae been drowned since I was wee... I pull up m’ship beside the dock, and I said tae the lassies want tae see m’—?”

Fraoch interrupted, “Ye ready for bed, Og Lochie? Ye hae the look of a man who needs tae lie down.” He and James stood, lifted Lochinvar, and dragged him singing and giggling to his daybed on the porch.

Hayley said, “Fraoch and I are going to go down the street to that hotel we passed. I called them when we were in the bar. We want a proper bed. Mags and Katie, y’all can have the sofa bed.”

I said, “Perfect.”

CHAPTER 79 - KAITLYN

And then the kids were taken to their beds, and one by one the couples all left. Hayley drove the Jeep to the hotel. Soon it was just me and Magnus outside again, watching as Quentin took a last look around the perimeter of the space to check we were safe.

As he passed us he said, “I was relying on the young’un to do the night guard, but I don’t think he’s going to be sober enough.”

Magnus said, “I will take a turn.”

“Nah, that’s alright, get some sleep. I’m going to take a walk around.”

I checked on the kids, fast asleep, then Magnus and I went into the house to sleep on the sofa bed.

“I am lookin’ forward tae a good night’s rest on a proper—” The frame creaked as he climbed in. He groaned. “Och, tis springy, and there is a bar here where it inna supposed tae be.”

I climbed in and curled up beside him and pulled the crisp sheets and thick blanket over us, not like a cloud, but like a thick heavy spread.

I giggled. “It’s so uncomfortable. It was so promising, but instead it’s totally disappointing, the bunkhouse might be better.”

“But there ye canna hitch yer leg up here on my waist.”

“True.” I slid my arms around his neck, “And now you mention it, now I’ve squirmed closer, and gotten a little heat from you and a little skin to skin, I can’t even imagine the bunkhouse. That place is awful, I want you right here on this uncomfortable bed.”

I kissed him and whispered, “But this might need to be the slowest, quietest, sex we’ve ever had, because this room is right in the center of the house.” I squirmed closer and the bed went squeak, squeak.

Magnus chuckled. “Tis verra noisy, we hae probably awoken the house a’ready. If we vacation here much longer we will need tae ask James tae build a bedroom for us.” His breath against my ear he whispered, “I am kiddin’… if we vacation here much longer I will grab a hammer m’self and build m’own bedroom for us.”

The room was quiet, very dark and still, even the lapping of the lake against the dock was faint and quiet. His hand rubbed up my thigh and drew my hips closer. I wrapped around him tighter. He said, “Daena breathe, I’m takin’ yer…” He pulled the waistband of my panties slowly down my legs, and then used a foot to draw them away from my ankles. I was helpful, but very still through it.

Now that my panties were off, he clung to me. “Och, we did it.”

I said, “Now do yours.”

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