There was a small space between the two buildings. True to his word, there was a small tree. “Remarkable,” she said softly, looking into his handsome face.
He looked at her intently. “I want to kiss you breathless, my beauty. Alas, we are surrounded by all these people.” He smiled ruefully. “I was up this morning early. I passed by your home in the hopes of getting a glimpse of you, but you were not yet awake. I went to dawn mass to curb my rather amorous thoughts.”
Elanah took a deep breath. She realized she hadn’t been breathing. He had bent down a bit and their mouths were very close. She moved slightly and their lips touched softly, their breath intermingling.
“We will be seen,” she said, pulling away reluctantly, but keeping her hand on him, and her eyes trained on his face. “Will you visit tonight? My parents are abed early. I will meet you in the barn.”
He stared at her with longing. She stared back, making it very clear what she intended to do with him in that barn. He was breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling. “I want nothing more than to be alone with you, Elanah, my vixen.”
She smiled at him as he stared at her. “Then you shall have what you want.”
She hummed and daydreamed her whole day away. After they ate supper, and night came, Karl left to go out with his friends, and she became impatient for her parents to go to sleep. Her father was snoring in his chair by the fire. This would not do! She had promised to meet Sean in the barn two hours after dark, and it was almost that time.
“Father,” she shook him awake, looking at her mother who was still sewing, “you are so tired. Will you not take your bed?”
Her mother yawned and set aside her work. “Daughter is right. Let’s go, father. Up to bed with you. Good night Elanah.”
“Good night mother,” she said softly as they took the creaky stairs up to their room.
She banked the fire and waited. By the time she finally heard her father’s snores she was ready to scream with impatience. When she finally slipped outside, the cool breeze fanned her flushed cheeks, but did nothing for the excitement coursing through her. Her heart was beating so furiously in her chest she had to take small, shallow breaths. She prayed Sean had waited.
He had. When she reached the barn he had stabled his horse and lit a small lamp at the back. He was talking softly to the animals and petting their noses. Elanah watched as he spoke gently to them and she was filled with love. He had unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it out of his pants. She could see the ripple of muscle along his chest and abdomen as the meager light flickered over him.
He turned to look at her and all was quiet in the barn for a few moments except for the snuffling of the animals. Elanah realized Sean was equally enthralled with her.
“Come here, Elanah Von Vixen,” he said softly, drawing her name like a deep breath, as if he couldn’t believe she was real.
She drifted over to him, unbuttoning the top buttons of her dress as she did. One of his hands went to her jaw and he pulled her mouth to his, pressing his warm lips against hers. He slipped his other hand into her dress and cupped one of her breasts, rubbing his thumb over the nipple. Elanah ran her hands over his stomach and chest and excitement unfurled in her belly as he kissed her softly then slipped his tongue inside her mouth.
They had uninterrupted time together now. Elanah started to burn inside.
He kissed her thoroughly. He had finished unbuttoning the front of her dress and they were chest to chest, his shirt pushed to the side. “You are so sweet, my beautiful goddess. You mouth is like honey. Your touch is like fire on my skin,” he said longingly. “I want to love you Elanah. I need to love you. My body yearns for you,” he whispered around her tongue.
She was on fire too and his words blazed through her. “Then love me,” she whispered.
He groaned as he slid her dress off her shoulders and let it fall to the ground, pulling off her small clothes at the same time. He held her gently while he kissed her. His arms circled her body and slid down over her bare behind. He squeezed her flesh with his long fingers then ran his hands up and down her back, pulling her even closer to him.
Elanah ran her hands along the lean muscles of his back and shoulders then slid her hands into the back of his pants and felt the firmness of his buttocks. He reached down and with a flick of his fingers shimmied out of his pants. She could feel his hardness pressing against her belly.
He held her close as he moved to kiss her neck, licking her with his tongue. “I want you so much, Elanah. I’ve dreamed about you ever since my father pointed out your family to me when you first moved here. You were so beautiful, with the sun shining on your golden hair.”
Elanah moaned as his mouth moved to her breasts and he sucked on her nipples, one at a time. He ran his tongue around them slowly, nipping at the buds. One of his hands was between her legs. She gasped as he stroked her. The sensations were indescribable.
“I can’t believe we’re finally together,” he said, raising his head to kiss her again.
“You never said anything,” she whispered, panting at the desire flushing her body.
“I could tell by the way you always looked at me,” he said, smiling. “I had to wait for the right moment. My father is rather…possessive.”
Elanah laughed. “As is my father.”
“And he has plans for me…”
Elanah shushed him with her mouth. She knew about parents and their plans. Marriage for gain. Children were a commodity to be bargained with.
Sean pulled a blanket off his horse and lay it on the hay. “This way you won’t get hay in your arse,” he said with a smile. Elanah laughed as she lay down and pulled Sean on top of her, his heavy body pressing her down. He kissed her wantonly, his tongue penetrating her mouth with warm thrusts while he nudged her legs open and rubbed his lower body against hers. Elanah began to gasp softly as the erotic sensations spiraled with the movement of his hips. She moaned when he put one of his fingers inside her wet heat. “You are ready for me fiery one,” he whispered as he pulled back, putting the swollen head of his manhood at the entrance of her body, rubbing in circles until she was certain she would go mad.
She was terrified and desperate at the same time. Her heart was pounding blood through her body. She was swollen and aching. “Now,” she whispered urgently, kissing him frantically.
His tongue delved deep into her mouth and he rocked his hips forward. As Sean entered her, Elanah felt a flash of pain before she moaned with pleasure.
Sean groaned as he filled her. She was hot and wet, ready for him. He slid in and out of her slowly so she would get used to him inside her. She kissed him deeply as he made love to her. Her body was a tight sheath around him and he could feel himself losing control. She bounced in the hay as his thrusts became deeper and more intense, writhing beneath him as he pushed, his excitement and hers building, their breathing harder as their tongues moved together. Elanah was making small cries of pleasure. She opened her narrow hips as wide as she could to accommodate him. She cried out when her orgasm rolled through her. He waited until she had stopped moaning before releasing himself.
Panting, he collapsed on top of her, his body slick with sweat. She kissed his neck, loving the salty tang of his skin. He rolled to the side and gathered her into his arms. They kissed until they were both breathless.
“I don’t want to marry Hester LeRoux,” Sean said, tucking her body into his and pulling the blanket over them both.
“I don’t want to marry Hiram Wexler.”
“Then we won’t.”
“What options do we have?” Elanah replied despondently. Her father had her life planned out.
“Infinite ones. We’ll figure it out.”
They chatted and kissed quietly for a while before making love again. Afterward they were lying drowsily in the hay, knowing they had to get up and dress when they were suddenly startled out of their skins.
“Well, well, well what do we have here?”
Elanah’s
brother Karl had arrived home from his night out.
Chapter 12 – Sadie and Luke Come Home
Barrington County, Present Day: Five Weeks Before Litha
Nathalie and Dean waited anxiously for Sadie and Luke to walk through the arrival gate at Limerick’s International Airport. So much was happening in Barrington they both wanted the security of having the Seer and the Witch covering their backs.
Both grinned as the happy couple came out, waving and smiling. They were tanned and glowing with health. As hugs and kisses were exchanged, Nathalie thought they smelled like the sun and warm, happy places.
It was mid-afternoon and rainy in Limerick. Dean was driving as it was the Barrington chauffeur’s day off. John was happy to lend Dean and Nathalie the car to pick up the newlyweds as everyone else was pressed for time. There was a welcome dinner planned for their return that Claire was busy preparing with the help of Tess.
John needed to be at the hotel to continue planning the opening gala as important dignitaries attending would be staying for the weekend, many of whom would be arriving in a few days. So the schedule for wine tasting, poker, bingo, horseback riding, lawn croquet, and other activities needed to be finalized.
The Croft’s twin boys had volunteered to run the croquet games.
“Regular croquet, not killer, Uncle John,” Zach had assured him while Eddie looked mutinous. Eddie thought regular croquet was boring. Where’s the achievement without a little blood?
John had thought about it. “How about I pay you boys to be in charge of distributing balls and mallets. You can give advice…but you can’t play.”
The boys conferred, loudly and with a bit of scuffling, before agreeing to his terms. They didn’t tell him, but they planned to bring squirt guns to keep people in line.
The hotel spa would have their grand opening gala weekend as well, with all services free for the guests, first come first served.
There was a lot to do, so John spent most of his days and evenings at the hotel.
“If you can pick up the happy couple, that would be much appreciated,” he had told them.
Nathalie had been determined to keep the unfortunate happenings in Barrington from ruining Luke and Sadie’s honeymoon. Dean felt they needed to know right away, but she’d been firm about it. It had been Luke who’d written Dean an e-mail after getting one from his brother, Gabriel, telling him some “weird shit” was happening at home…so what up? Dean didn’t tell Nathalie he had told Luke everything.
So when they started talking about what happened, Luke was pretty much up to speed.
Sadie was shocked. “You didn’t say anything!”
Luke looked at his wife, who was staring at him with a mixture of indignation and surprise. “It was our honeymoon. You’d been through enough, and I knew we’d be in the thick of things the moment we got back. What were a few more days? Anyway, the trip was about love, not evil,” Luke said as he leaned over to kiss her.
Sadie blushed crimson. It had been about love all right. Bathing suits were very easy to slip off.
They arrived in Barrington and drove by the church, waving to Father MacGunne who was picking lilacs off his new bushes. He waved back. “Welcome home!” was all he said as he continued his chore.
At the manor, Claire was outside with Gabriel and Sadie’s father, waiting for them. After much hugging, Gabriel grabbed their bags and brought them in.
“How was your trip, my darlings?” Claire asked, leading them inside.
“Absolutely wonderful,” Luke said, putting his arm around Sadie.
“You both look healthy and well rested,” Boris said with relief. He kissed Sadie and took his drink to the salon, his paternal instinct satisfied at the safe arrival of his daughter. Sadie just smiled indulgently at him.
The newlyweds were staying at the manor in Luke’s suite of rooms until they found a place of their own. Once they did, he would do the traditional thing and carry Sadie over the threshold.
Tess came from the kitchen and gave everyone hugs. Gabriel returned and winked at Tess. “That’s enough socializing. You need to get back to work,” he teased.
Tess blushed and she looked at Nathalie. “He’s right. Supper won’t cook itself, and I want Mrs. Barrington to have some time to catch up with her son and daughter-in-law.”
Gabriel had been in the kitchen pretty much all afternoon, teasing Tess and his mother, and making a general nuisance of himself. Claire’s mock outrage at his taste-testing had been funny to watch. It was a side of Claire few ever got to witness outside her family. Tess had been ecstatic that the charming and handsome Gabriel had actually been flirting with her.
They had danced together at the wedding. He’d noticed her wallflower status and unceremoniously pulled her onto the dance floor. She had checked with Rain, but she had just waved and continued her conversation with an elderly gentleman.
“Tess, that dress really is absolutely stunning,” he’d said in her ear as he took her in his arms. When she’d looked into his face, he’d been smiling, his eyes warm as he looked at her. She’d felt like a princess as they’d danced around the room. His hand against her lower back was warm, so was the front of his body as he pressed her against him. And he smelled sooo good. He kept her for the next dance as well, and when it was over, bowed and kissed her hand, his mouth lingering on her fingers. With a cheeky smile he’d left and she’d found a line of boys waiting to dance with her. She’d danced with them all, her head and heart in the clouds. She had just fallen in love with Gabriel Barrington.
Tess felt her heart thump as she followed Gabriel to the kitchen, admiring his tall, slim physique. No one should look that good in worn jeans, she thought to herself. The white tee he wore emphasized his muscles…everywhere. He looked sexy and exciting. He had big hands, and was wearing a bracelet around his wrist. She didn’t remember seeing him wear jewelry before today. It had thick silver links with black leather threaded through them. With a pang of envy, she wondered if it had been a recent gift from Rain. She squashed the thought as the butterflies in her stomach made their return. What she wouldn’t do to kiss him and run her hands all over his body.
Tess was having difficulty dealing with her infatuation with Gabriel because of Rain. She’d known Rain since she was little. On top of that, Rain was her best friend’s sister! She couldn’t steal her boyfriend, but there was no denying that there was a strong attraction between them. Tess felt it, and she knew Gabriel felt it too. He was staying at the hotel instead of the manor and he wandered into the kitchen to chat with Tess a couple of times a day while she and Chef Pierre prepared food for the gala. Chef was exacting, but he didn’t mind her chatting as long as her pastry didn’t suffer.
It didn’t. “Magnifique!” he exclaimed after eating samples from a batch she’d prepared and was ready to freeze. “Per’haps there is some love in de crust, oui?” he said loudly, to Tess’s mortification. “Ah, love and de young!”
Gabriel was helping his father with the gala planning. “This is why I vacation in Barrington,” he’d quipped to her, “so I can continue to work non-stop.”
Tess wasn’t sure what Gabriel did in Superstition. She knew that he and Rain lived and worked together, but that was all. He was strangely close-mouthed about his relationship. Rain had stayed at the hotel a few nights, but mainly nested at the Parker residence. She missed her family and wanted to spend time with her sister and little brother.
Tess found herself spending a lot of time with Elanah, who was working on designing the spell she needed for the summer solstice. Elanah had also noticed Gabriel’s interest in the pretty Tess. Then yesterday, when Tess had brought Elanah some coffee, she’d startled her with a comment. “He likes you, you know.”
Tess froze as she poured the coffee then caught herself. “Who?”
Elanah looked at Tess knowingly, one eyebrow raised. “Gabriel Barrington. He’s trying to fight it. I can see him struggle with his desire for you. It grows stronger every day.”
“You’re mistaken,” Tess said, getting red. “He’s not interested in me. He has a girlfriend.”
“Have a seat for a moment,” Elanah said, motioning to a chair. Tess sat while Elanah added sugar and milk to her coffee and stirred thoughtfully. She reached over to touch the long wavy strands of Tess’ soft blond hair. “Trust me, Tess. I know when a man is interested in a woman. I knew when they were interested in me. We’re very pretty girls,” she said without a hint of vanity. “Men are attracted to us. He’s not having an easy time with Rain Parker. We’ve had a few chats. She’s tough, a little wild, and wants different things than he does. His eyes light up when he sees you, but his feelings war with his love and loyalty for his girlfriend.”
“Whom he wants to marry,” Tess reminded her.
“He thinks he does,” she agreed.
“Rain is my best friend’s sister,” she told Elanah, guilt and confusion in her eyes.
Elanah looked at Tess, blue eyes meeting pale green in an intense stare. “It’s okay to go after what you want, Tess. In the end, it will be Gabriel’s decision.”
“It seems so dishonourable…to even feel like this.”
“True love is never dishonourable. Love is a battlefield, Tess,” Elanah said. “To the victor go the spoils. The loser just suffers. Perhaps you will all suffer? Sometimes inaction causes suffering for everyone. You deserve to be happy, and so does he.”
As Tess walked back to the kitchen she was lost in thought. Gabriel appeared at the kitchen doors. “I was wondering where you were!” he exclaimed. He was in a very good mood today. “I was just going to pour myself a coffee. Do you want to join me?”
Tess looked at him longingly while he eyed her appreciatively. She looked into his face and watched as his eyes darkened. Was that desire? It was time to find out. “I’d love to join you,” she said, touching his hand lightly before heading into the kitchen. “Just give me a minute to take off my apron.”
Malice: A Barrington County Novel Page 12