Page 130 of Only a Breath Away

I looked back at him. “Like Idisappeared? Weird, I left from Sconebeforeyour procession.”

“Ye never saw Blackford, the town where ye disappeared?”

“No, I never saw it. That must have been frightening for you.”

“Aye, twas. Caillean heard me speaking tae m’self and I had tae cover my confusion. Twas unsettling tae feel like I was losing my mind, nae sure what was real and what was unreal.”

I dipped my paddle in the water and stroked it back, whoosh. “This is as real as it gets.”

“Aye.”

He said, “See the rocks over there?” He pointed south near the shallow pools. “I saw a place there.”

I paddled that direction and he continued, “I think I want tae see m’brother Sean and Lizbeth, I stopped in when I was tryin’ tae get tae ye, but it wasna a long enough visit. I am feeling the loss of their company.”

“Me too, we’ll go, soon.” I butted the front of the canoe up against the shore and climbed out, leaping to dry land. Magnus stepped out into the water and waded to shore dragging the canoe behind him. I laughed.

“I daena mind wet feet, ye hae tae get yer feet wet in lake water or the fae think ye are a coward and they tease ye.”

I strode into the lake up to my knees then strode out. “Better?”

“Aye, better, tis naething worse than a teasin’ fae.”

“Says the man who has been chased through time by asshats.”

He chuckled and pulled the blanket from the canoe. He bounded up a giant boulder to the top. “There is plenty of sun here and though we hae a view of the lake, we winna be seen.”

I unfolded the blanket and spread it across the boulder. Magnus and I sat down. I leaned back on my arms, enjoying the warm sun on my face. “God this is a wonderful place.”

“Aye, tis.”

And he kissed me, the fresh breeze in my hair, sun on my skin, his warm lips pressed against mine. He nibbled my lip and his tongue played against my tongue, sweet and oh so sexy, as his hand caressed up under my shirt fondling and playing with my breasts. We were out in the wide world exposed but intimately focused, his breath, his skin, the glistening moisture on his cheek, the fluttering of his lashes, his mouth on my breast, as we were so close and caressing, kissing along each other’s skin. Long. Rubbing the length of him, being caressed, kisses on my throat, stroking. Lingering.

Finally after oh so long and lingering, I rolled him to his back and climbed on him and rode him, breaths against his cheek, as I found a rhythm, meandering for a while, pushing and pulling against him, teasing, making him beg for it, more and faster, and —yes, you like?

Aye, mo reul-iuil.

Then when I could sense he was about to finish with me or without me, I arched back, sat deep, and rode him hard, a roar rolling though me, rocking his fucking world. Then I collapsed on him, oh god.

I ken.

And then I just held on, the warm sun on my ass. His kisses on my cheek. The exertion lulling us into a comfortable resting silence. His breath,I love you,in my ear.

Then we kissed and rose and sat for a time, looking out over the lake. “That was necessary.”

“Twas.”

I pointed. “See there, that tree? My grandfather and I planted it when I was four. And there, see that area? That’s where I used to paddle and just sit in the canoe and let it spin and think, the rocks create a little eddy.”

He pressed his lips to my shoulder. “Kaitlyn, I daena tell ye often enough, it has been a wonderful life with ye. Ye hae made it all so much better.”

“Thank you my love, I feel the same way.” I kissed his temple and we held an embrace for a long time.

Then he said, “Ye ready tae go back tae the family?”

Yes.

We folded up the blanket, climbed down to the canoe and I took the long route paddling him back home.

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