by Julia Crane
Anna smiled at him. “I’d love to. We can grab something to eat too.”
After they arrived back at the complex’s main building, they said their goodbyes and parted ways. Rourk and Keegan were led down a hallway to Lisa’s office to sign papers. Keegan was beyond thrilled. Soon, they would be married and living together. Her childhood dream was coming true. She glanced over at Rourk—he was so much more than any fantasy she had made up as a little girl. She stared at his rugged profile and had to consciously stop herself from running her fingers down his strong jaw line.
He caught her eyes on him, and his lips curved into the slightest smile. He knew she was thinking about him. After several faxes back and forth between the bank—and many signatures later—Lisa handed them the keys. “It’s all yours. At least until your lease runs out.”
“Thank you!” Keegan snatched the dangling keys and looked down at them in her hand. They really did it; the place was theirs. She held the keys up and shook them at Rourk. “We need to go shopping to furnish our home.”
Rourk pictured Keegan’s brightly colored apartment with its strange, globe lanterns and fluffy rugs. “What do you say we go with a look that matches the villa? Keep it earth tones and natural looking?”
“That’s a great idea!” As they walked back out into the sunlight, Keegan rambled on about simplistic looks she had seen in magazines and stores that used only recycled materials.
Rourk tried to hide his relief and smile. He wasn’t sure he could handle a living room with fuzzy pink pillows.
“Let’s go home.” Keegan grabbed Rourk’s hand and tugged him towards the path that led to their new home. “We have to find that waterfall.”
“I knew you were thinking that.” Rourk looked up at the sky. “The sun is setting. Why don’t we save it for tomorrow? I don’t think it’s very far from our place.”
“Do you want to stay here tonight?” Keegan asked.
Rourk hesitated. “We don’t have anywhere to sleep. Maybe we should wait till tomorrow or the next visit.”
“We could go shopping tonight and buy a mattress and sheets.”
Rourk grabbed both of her hands; they always felt so warm. He didn’t know if it was just her body heat or the connection between them. “Keegan, I know you are used to having everything you want. Believe me, I want to be able to give you anything you desire. But, I don’t think you’ve seen a soldier’s pay check. You are going to have to get used to having less. The rent alone is going to eat up a huge chunk.”
Keegan was surprised. “Rourk, money is something we will never have to worry about. My uncle has set up funds for all the children. You know he is wise with numbers.”
Rourk pulled his hands back. “Keegan, I don’t want us to live off your family’s money. I want to support you on my own.”
“It’s not their money. It’s mine. As soon as I turned eighteen, I got access to my trust fund. Having this money allows us to travel. For you to be a solider and not have to worry about how we are going to pay the electric bill. My father has no problem with it. My uncle uses his mental gift to help his family. There is no shame in that.”
Rourk considered Keegan’s words. It still didn’t set right with him. However, he knew as a soldier he would never be able to provide Keegan with the lifestyle she was used to. “You can use your money to buy extras and travels, but I insist on paying the bills and providing food for the table.”
Keegan chuckled. “You’re so old-fashioned. I love it. And it’s our money.”
They spent the next hour or so talking about where they would put the furniture. Rourk paced off the measurements, and Keegan entered them into her notes on her phone. She kept track of how many curtains they would need and tried to compile a list for kitchen and bathroom supplies—although she was sure she was forgetting things. There were big purchases to be made, too, like a washer and dryer. So many things to do.
Keegan’s phone went off in her hand—Anna was on her way to pick them up. She hated to leave, but agreed that it made more sense to start shopping tomorrow in the daylight. It wouldn’t be easy getting the furniture down the stone pathway in the dark, after all.
Chapter 19
Keegan ended up staying the night at Anna’s. She would have rather stayed with Rourk, but he got a hotel room with Tommy.
“So what do you think of Tommy?” Keegan grinned and crossed her legs on the couch. The television was playing softly in the background. She sipped her mug of hot cocoa; she hadn’t felt so relaxed in a long time.
“Keegan, I don’t know what to think. I’ve never been so attracted to anyone before. Even with Xavier. That obsession grew out of knowing him since I was young. This was instant, and it took me by surprise. He’s hot, isn’t he?”
Keegan pictured Tommy in her mind, and hot was not one of the words that came to mind. Maybe because he was Rourk’s best friend, she couldn’t think of him that way. “He seems nice, and Rourk thinks he’s great. That says a lot about him.”
“I wonder what he thinks of me?” Anna reached for a handful of popcorn.
“That’s a ridiculous question. The attraction was obviously mutual.”
“Seriously? Are you just saying that? I didn’t get that vibe from him.”
“Then you’re blind.” Keegan flipped through the channels. After a few moments of staring blankly at a sitcom, she glanced over at Anna. “This is nice. I miss our girl time.”
“Me too. Childhood friends are impossible to replace. Even the witches I meet here, they’re cool, but it’s just not the same. I miss Lauren, too.”
Rourk and Tommy showed up bright and early. Keegan jumped out of bed as soon as the knock sounded—seeing Rourk was well worth getting up early. She threw her hair in a ponytail and hurried out to join her friends.
He met her with a big smile and a kiss. The smell of coffee filled the room. Anna had a huge spread of fruit on the table and was standing at the counter cracking eggs. It was hard to believe they were all growing up and living on their own.
“Do you need any help?” Rourk asked.
“Don’t tell me you cook too? Keegan, why haven’t you married this man yet?”
“Soon. Speaking of, Anna and I are going to have to go off on our own today in search of the dress.”
Anna turned to Tommy and mouthed. Help me!
“I saw that.” Keegan stuck her tongue out at Anna. “It won’t be that bad. We’ll set a cap of two hours. I don’t want to be apart from Rourk any longer than needed.”
“I guess I can live with two hours.” Anna carried the plate of scrambled eggs to the table.
“Rourk, we gotta hit those trails while we have the chance,” Tommy begged.
“You read my mind.” Rourk reached over and scooped some fruit onto his plate.
“Hiking doesn’t get much better. I feel at one with nature when I’m outside.” Anna said wistfully. “Take a poncho. You can pretty much count on it raining as soon as you step foot in the woods.”
Keegan was frustrated when she climbed into Anna’s car. “Two hours and nothing!”
“I think you’re being too picky. There were some very pretty dresses. You looked beautiful in them all.”
Keegan sighed and threw her head back on the seat. “They were ok, but they weren’t the dress. You know when you’re little you always dream of finding the perfect dress. When you slip it on, you just know it’s the one.”
“Not all little girls dream of their wedding day. I’ll probably get married in jeans.”
“You wouldn’t dare!” Keegan laughed, but cut it short as she reconsidered. “Never mind, I wouldn’t be surprised.”
“What are you and Rourk going to do for the rest of the day?”
“I know we’re going to search for that waterfall at the apartment complex, and maybe do some furniture shopping. Do you mind keeping Tommy busy? I feel bad since you just met him.”
“That’s fine. I’ll show him around, and we’ll grab something to eat.” She gr
inned over at Keegan. “I’d like to get to know more about him anyway.”
Keegan texted Rourk and let him know they were on the way. He replied that they were going to meet them at Anna’s.
When they pulled in, Rourk and Tommy were waiting at the door. Keegan’s face lit up at the sight of him, and her heart rate accelerated.
“Any luck?” Rourk asked.
“Nope. Maybe next time.” Keegan tried to keep the frustration out of her voice, but didn’t think she succeeded.
“You’ll find something.” Rourk reached for her hand. “What do you want to do first?”
Keegan looked up at the sky it was a beautiful crisp morning and not a rain cloud in sight. “We should probably go in search of the waterfall first.”
“I was hoping you would say that.” Rourk turned towards Anna. “Do you mind dropping us off at the apartment? We could call a cab.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course I don’t mind. I wanted to show Tommy around that area anyway.”
Rourk held open the back door for her. She slid in and scooted to the middle to be closer to him.
“I wonder how far away it is?” Keegan asked as she listened to the soothing sound of the falls.
“I don’t think it’s too far away.” Rourk led her into the woods. He walked soundlessly, but Keegan’s footsteps were loud and cumbersome.
Keegan glanced around and took in the beautiful wilderness that surrounded her. She loved the feeling of peace that washed over her when she was closest to nature. She heard animals scurry as they approached. The sun shone brightly through the forest. Keegan tilted her face up and felt the warmth on her skin. Even though the air was chilly, she pictured the warmth of the sun and it radiated throughout her body. She loved being an elf.
They were well off the beaten path. She trusted Rourk’s instincts. The sound of rushing water grew near and excitement filled her chest. She squeezed Rourk’s hand, smiling at him.
“I love how excited you get. You’re like a little kid; it’s cute.”
Keegan giggled and looked around wistfully. “I can’t explain it…”
“You don’t have to—I feel the same way. I’m just better at masking my emotions than you are.”
Keegan’s thoughts drifted to their handfasting. “Are you nervous about getting married?”
Rourk stopped in his tracks and turned towards her. “Why would I be nervous?”
“I don’t know, I thought it was common to get cold feet. At least that’s what they always show on the movies. The guy freaking out about being tied down to the same person for the rest of his life.”
Rourk chuckled. “Not one fiber of my being is nervous about marrying you. In my eyes, we are already married. This is a formality to tell the world and to honor our ancestors with the tradition. I’ve never wanted anything more than to be united with you, Keegan. You are my chosen, the only woman I will ever love.”
Keegan stared up at his rugged face and into his intense grey eyes and knew he spoke the truth. She reached up and lightly traced his lips. Rourk pulled her close, pressing his body firmly to hers as their lips met. Keegan’s body felt weak with desire. She couldn’t wait until she could experience him fully.
Rourk pulled away and smile down at her. “Soon,” he whispered as he lightly brushed her hair off her shoulder.
She wondered if he had read her thoughts or if it was just that obvious. She felt the heat rising in her cheeks. She smiled recklessly and took off in a run, dodging the fallen trees and feeling the wind through her hair. She felt alive. Rourk laughed, a sharp burst of sound in the stillness of the forest, and gave chase behind her. She wasn’t sure where she was going, but she ran till her legs ached. It was as if something was guiding her and she was along for the ride.
Her breathing labored, she finally came to an abrupt stop. “It’s here.” She pointed into a thick patch of tress and shrubs that were not meant to be walked through.
Rourk walked ahead of her and pushed through the thick undergrowth, holding branches back for her as he advanced. The sounds of the falls grew stronger. Finally, they broke through to a clearing. Keegan gasped—they were standing on the edge of a ledge, and below them was a wild, rushing water fall at least 50 feet tall. Mother Nature never ceased to amaze her. She was at a loss for words as she and Rourk stood, hands clasped, taking in the beauty.
“Can we get closer?” Keegan asked eagerly.
“We could, but I think we’ll leave that for another day. We don’t have the proper gear. Now we know where it is, so we can come back often.”
“Our spot.” Her eyes shone with excitement.
“Yes. Our spot,” Rourk repeated as he draped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer.
They stood for a long time in silence, staring at the magnificent waterfall as the sun began to sink.
Rourk looked up as a drop of rain hit his cheek. “The rain comes so unexpectedly here. We need to head back.”
Keegan closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, wanting to take the peace and tranquility back with her. Opening her eyes, she looked up at her chosen and nodded. Rourk quickened his step as the rain started to pelt down on them. He was upset with himself for not bringing rain gear. He worried about Keegan getting sick. Rourk glanced back at her and grinned. Even with her hair plastered to her head, she was still the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes on. He gave her hand a soft squeeze and continued forward. When he looked at her he didn’t see the young girl that she was now, he saw the woman she would become: strong, loving, loyal, and full of adventure. He didn’t know what he did to deserve to spend the rest of his life with her, but he was thankful.
It took them about an hour to make their way back to their villa. Rourk fumbled with the key, anxious to get Keegan inside so she could warm up. He pushed the door open and let her go first. “I’m sorry I wasn’t prepared for the rain. I should have known better.” Rourk shook his head in disgust.
“It was fun.” Keegan peeled off her jacket and rubbed her hands together to generate warmth. “Thanks for catching me. If it weren’t for you, I would have fallen at least twice.”
“I doubt that. You underestimate yourself at times, Keegan. The way you found the falls was impressive. I think it would have taken me longer.”
“You’re just saying that.” She kicked off her shoes. “It was pretty strange. As if the falls were calling to me.”
“They probably were.” Rourk glanced around the living room. He smiled ruefully. “This is not good. We have no dry clothes or towels. Maybe we should have gone shopping first.”
“At least there’s heat. I’m going to take a hot shower. I’m chilled to my bones.”
“Throw your clothes out here, and I’ll put them in front of the fire place.”
Keegan got undressed and tossed her clothes outside the door. They didn’t even have a shower curtain so she turned on the bath instead. She ran the water as hot as she could stand it and sunk into the tub, letting her head relax on the rim. It should be illegal to be this content, she thought, as the warmth radiated throughout her body. She eased herself lower in the tub until her head was completely submerged. That feels much better. Her scalp was no longer tingling from the cold. After soaking for about twenty minuets, the water was starting to cool so she pulled herself out of the sunken tub.
She looked around and realized it was not a well thought-out plan. She was dripping wet and not a towel in sight. She tiptoed to the door and cracked it open. “Rourk, we have no towels.”
She watched as he ran his hand through his hair and looked around trying to figure out what to do. He pulled off his undershirt and handed it to her through the crack. “That’s the best I have until our clothes dry or Anna gets here. Sorry.”
“That’s fine.” Keegan grabbed the white shirt from his hands and closed the door quickly before she pulled him inside.
Keegan put the T-shirt to her face and inhaled his scent. She grinned to herself and thought, It smells like r
ain.
She used the shirt to blot the water off her body and stood there in the bathroom, starting to shiver. Now what?
She pulled his shirt over her head. It was wet, but it was the only option and at least it wasn’t freezing like her other clothes. Slowly, she opened in the door and walked out to the living room.
Rourk looked up and inhaled deeply, unable to look away. For a long moment, his gaze held hers. He stayed rooted in his spot, and she advanced. By the look in his eyes, Keegan knew he was teetering on losing self-control. She was so tempted to take advantage of the situation. But she knew how important waiting till they said their vows was to him, so she broke the silence. “You go ahead and jump in the shower, and I’ll call Anna.” She busied herself moving the clothes around in front of the fire.
She heard his footsteps and then the door shutting. This was not a good predicament to be in. There had to be something she could do. Suddenly, she had an idea. She pulled on her wet jeans and jacket and ran over to the nearest neighbors.
The door was answered right away. An older woman with grey hair and sad brown eyes opened the door.
“I’m sorry to bother you. We just moved in next door and we got caught in the storm. We haven’t bought any goods for the house yet so we don’t even have towels. Is it possible I could borrow a towel?”
The woman checked Keegan over, as if to make sure she was a trustworthy person, then smiled. “Come in. Of course you can borrow a towel. I’ll be right back.” The woman hurried to the back of the villa and came out holding two fluffy pink towels.
Keegan reached for them and gave her a grateful smile. “Thank you so much. I promise I’ll return them.”
The woman waved her hand. “Don’t worry about it dear. I have a closet full of towels and it’s just me. You can keep them.”
“Oh, well, again—thank you. We’re only just now setting up the house, but once we move in next month, maybe you can come over for lunch?” Keegan said.