Sweet Wild of Mine

by Laurel Kerr

  “Are you sure, lass? I’m not expecting it t-t-tonight.”

  “Well, I sure am,” she said as she tugged at his T-shirt. “I’ve missed you these past couple weeks. Have you been thinking about me?”

  “Aye, hen,” Magnus said, his voice as rich and thick as maple syrup, “all the time.”

  “Then, I think it’s high time you showed me some of those thoughts.”

  “Do you now?”

  She nodded, and Magnus lifted his head to capture her lips. His kisses possessed the same lyrical quality as his Orcadian accent. Soft, tender, deep.

  June shivered, and she felt Magnus’s smile. He rested his forehead against hers as he spoke, his voice a low rumble. “I haven’t even gotten started, lass.”

  Then he flipped their bodies. She emitted a muffled squeal of surprise before she reached up to circle her arms around his strong back. “I sure am liking the beginning, though.”

  He gave one of his rare smiles. “As am I.”

  His mouth covered hers. She gasped, and he took advantage of her intake of breath to deepen the kiss. Sweet heat swept through her like warm jam. Ooo, a girl could get used to this. She sighed and pulled him closer. He obliged, letting a little more of his weight press against her. Her body melted. Craving more, she arched in to him. He moved to nuzzle the side of her neck as she ran her hands up and down his biceps. His muscles were taut from the effort of holding his massive frame perfectly above her slender one.

  “I just love the feel of you,” she whispered in his ear before giving the lobe a playful nip.

  He lifted his head to stare down at her. His eyes had darkened into cobalt, and the electric-blue hue sent delicious chills skittering up and down her spine.

  “M-me too, lass. Me too.”

  “I swear some primal part of me just dances in delight whenever I feel you.”

  Magnus emitted a bark of startled laughter. “I didn’t know primal parts danced.”

  “Oh, they do, Magnus. They do.”

  “Och, lass, you’re a rare one.”

  “I know,” she said smugly as she lifted her head slightly to kiss his nose. She always loved his surprise at the gesture. Magnus Gray was a man who needed more tenderness in his life.

  He grinned at her, and her heart flopped over in her chest like a hooked trout. She’d never seen him so…happy. And that, in turn, made bliss bubble inside her.

  * * *

  Magnus had never felt like this. Aye, he’d experienced contentment while sipping whiskey at his favorite pub, but not cheer. Now it flowed through him like a mountain brook in spring. Pretty soon he’d be beaming like a numptie, and for once, he didn’t care. He chuckled, and the joy seemed to explode inside him, so he tried it again.

  June’s eyes shone like emeralds. “I love hearing your laughter.”

  “You make it easy, lass.” He was so comfortable, his tongue didn’t even tangle on the cursed ma sound.

  June’s expression turned serious as she reached up to stroke his hair. Gentle. Soft. Tender. “You’re a wonderful man, Magnus Gray. I hope you know how special you are.”

  Something fractured inside him…or maybe it opened. For once, he didn’t have words to describe the sensation. It overwhelmed him, like a swollen river unable to contain the floodwaters after a levee broke. He couldn’t fight the current. He didn’t even try. He allowed it to sweep him along as he captured June’s mouth.

  He poured his torrent of emotions into the kiss, but it wasn’t wild or frenetic. It was slow and powerful. Everything felt heightened. His blood pounded harder than waves beating against a sea stack, his need for June drenching his senses.

  Reveling in the satiny smoothness of her skin, Magnus skimmed his hand over her body. When he brushed his fingers over her breasts, she gasped. Galvanized by the sound, he lifted his mouth from hers to tease her nipple. She made a soft sound in the back of her throat, and sweet insanity consumed Magnus. He used his tongue, lips, and fingers to coax a symphony of sighs and moans from June, each one more enchanting than the last.

  She began to writhe beneath him. His boabie jerked in response. Magnus ignored his body’s instinctual command, but not hers. He trailed his mouth down her belly, tasting the salty sheen covering her skin. When his mouth closed over her, she sucked in her breath, her hips bucking. Stroking her inner thighs, he teased and licked. When she cried out, the sound echoed through him and sent his heart thumping even faster.

  He wanted to be inside her, but he didn’t give in to temptation. Not yet. He wanted to hear more of her siren calls. He wanted to taste her sweetness. He wanted the absolute madness of it all.

  His mouth still on her, he reached with his hand to stroke her breast. She gave a sharp sound of pure pleasure. Magnus would have smiled in triumph if it hadn’t meant breaking the rhythm of his strokes. June was close, and he wanted to watch her crash over the brink.

  His patience was rewarded. She lit up like the London sky on Guy Fawkes Night. Her bonny pink lips separated ever so slightly as pleasure suffused her face. A tender ache spread through him, reaching so deep it almost hurt. Aye, she was as gorgeous as an arctic sunrise casting its yellow-gold radiance across the frozen land. And just like the ice floes, Magnus felt illuminated by her glow.

  She opened her eyes, and her emerald gaze latched onto his. Despite the passion racing through him, his entire body stilled. June could weave a spell stronger than any fae creature in all folklore.

  She reached for him, her hand gently running through his hair. He leaned into the caress, kissing her palm. He’d never been a tender man, but he was with June. He couldn’t help it.

  “You, my darlin’,” June drawled, “are beyond amazing.”

  Then she cupped his cheek and guided his mouth back to hers. He felt as alive as a seal spiraling through the waters of the Scapa Flow. With his mind pure mince, he allowed June to nudge him onto his back. She climbed on top of him, her movements as alluring and seductive as a selkie emerging from the sea.

  She bent her head to kiss his chest, her hair a curtain of fine blond silk. One of her delicate hands slipped down his body to cup his stauner. He was already on the brink, and her touch nearly caused him to lose himself. Somehow, he managed to maintain a shred of control, and it didn’t take long for June to reward his efforts.

  She teased him, first with her fingers and then with her tongue. “Lass, I cannot…” he said, his Orcadian accent thick even to his own ears.

  June arched one golden eyebrow in clear challenge. “Then don’t.”

  Her bonny pink lips closed over his tip, and he was undone. For the first time in his life, Magnus let go and allowed another to lead. Pleasure tore through him with such an intensity he thought for a moment it might rip him apart. And it didn’t end with the explosion. As he lay panting, his blood humming in his ears, he felt her touch. Gentle. Sweet. Devastating. He’d never allowed anyone to explore his body as she did, but he could not stop her. Instead, he basked in her caresses, relishing the feel of her hair brushing his flesh as she pressed her lips against his chest and neck.

  “You’re p-p-pure m-m-magic, lass.” Magnus breathed out as he summoned enough energy to run his hand down her delicate spine. He had no idea how June could both arouse and relax him. Fuck, he didn’t even fash himself about his stutter.

  In response, she nibbled the skin by his ear, her fingers tangled in his curls. She kissed his brow next and then the tip of his nose. Time slipped away as they lay together, touching and gently teasing. When June took his earlobe gently between her teeth, his boabie began to stir. She paused over him long enough to deliver a cheeky grin before working her way down his throat.

  He groaned and lifted her as he sat up. Positioning her on his lap, he pressed a kiss against her temple. “There, lass. Now we can pleasure each other.”

  She ran a finger down his sternum. “Ooo, I like th
e sound of that.”

  Magnus had never been with a woman like this. There was a depth to their lovemaking…a rawness that had nothing to do with roughness and everything to do with need. He forgot to hold himself apart, to keep his soul locked down so no pain could touch it. When they finished, they collapsed together. June instantly snuggled against him, her soft bottom pressing against his prick. Instinctually, his arms wrapped about her, and she covered his triceps with her hands. She sighed then, the sound deep and contented.

  “I could get used to this,” she said, her words ending on a yawn before she drifted off to sleep.

  And that’s when it struck Magnus with the force of a cannonball. He agreed with the lass. He could become accustomed to lying next to her, and that terrified him to his core.

  He once again felt like a sailor of old, lured by the song of a beautiful sea witch. Just like an enchanted seafarer, he’d forgotten himself. He’d made himself vulnerable and let June inside. He’d begun to need her when he’d always promised himself he’d never rely on another. Aye, he was under June’s thrall, and it remained to be seen whether she’d lure him straight onto jagged rocks.

  Chapter 13

  “Thanks for sticking around a little later today,” Bowie whispered as they watched Frida sniff Sorcha. The little bear didn’t seem intimidated by the grizzly’s massive frame. She just stared up at the larger animal, her black eyes alight with amusement.

  “I wouldn’t have wanted to miss this,” Magnus told him and Lou, his eyes trained on the bears. He stood between Bowie and Lou as they watched the two beasties greet each other inside Frida’s exhibit. So far, the meeting had gone perfectly, but nervous energy still coursed through Magnus, and he could feel it roll off Bowie and Lou as well.

  With the short attention span of all babies, Sorcha turned away from Frida and began exploring the new exhibit. Frida followed behind the wee cub. With her poor eyesight, she stayed close to Sorcha. The close supervision didn’t bother the polar bear. Oblivious to her newly acquired nanny, the whalp scrambled over one of the fake rocks. She reached the top but had trouble with the climb down. She slipped and slid a few inches. When she hit the uneven ground, her own furry feet tangled her. Somersaulting backward, she let out a high-pitched squeal.

  Frida’s ears twitched, and she instantly ran over to check on her new charge. Gently, she nosed the wee bear, helping Sorcha stand. Lou emitted a low whistle, pitched so it wouldn’t startle the animals. “Would you look at that?”

  “It’s pretty incredible,” Bowie said quietly.

  “Who would’ve thought a geriatric grizzly would take such a shine to a baby polar bear?” Lou said, shaking his head. “I admit I wasn’t sure about this idea of yours, Bowie, but it turned out well. Real well.”

  “Watching them together is amazing,” Magnus added as Sorcha started to climb on Frida’s back. The old grizzly didn’t seem to mind being used like a jungle gym. She just lay down, letting the peedie beastie tug at her fur.

  Bowie smiled fondly at the two creatures. “I didn’t doubt Frida for a second. Despite her massive incisors and sharp claws, she’s nothing but an old softy.”

  “June would love to see this,” Magnus said.

  “Why don’t you bring her by?” Lou asked as he rested his forearms against the fence rail. “I could sit with Clara up at the house.”

  Magnus shook his head. He’d thought about that already. “I don’t think it would work. Clara gets d-d-distressed easily, and she’s not ready to leave June’s flat or the tea shop.”

  “Katie’s mentioned her mom is willing to watch Mrs. Winters,” Bowie said. “She’s just having trouble convincing June to leave her grandmother. Maybe you can persuade her?”

  “What m-m-makes you think I can when Katie can’t?” Magnus asked. The two women were closer than two sheep huddled against a gale.

  Lou chuckled at the question, his eyes twinkling. “I think you may have a special sway over our Miss Winters.”

  Magnus wasn’t so sure. June might have woven her fae magic about him, but he didn’t think she was caught in the same trap. Aye, the lass cared for him, that he didn’t doubt. But June was a woman who loved easily and generously. She was like a fairy, flitting through life tending to people like they were flowers in her garden. But she remained unchanged, always searching for that one soul who needed a little extra care.

  * * *

  “My word, y’all have gotten far with Sorcha’s exhibit!” June said as she peered over the construction site. Katie’s mom was watching her gran, and Magnus had convinced June to take a trip to the zoo. She drew in a breath of air, letting it fill her lungs. Although part of June couldn’t help but fret about Nan, Magnus had been right. She’d needed time away. Lately, she’d been feeling more cooped up than a chicken stuck in a henhouse.

  “The grant money p-p-paid for professional labor,” Magnus said as he leaned against the chain-link fence that prevented curious onlookers from getting too close, “but Bowie’s d-d-determined to make the dosh go as far as possible, so we’re doing most of it ourselves.”

  “Ooo, I definitely think we should do a vlog of you helping. Something that makes your muscles bulge. Your female fans will love it!” June ran her hand over Magnus’s bicep, and he instantly colored.

  “I d-d-d-don’t know, lass.”

  June had made the suggestion half in jest, but she began to warm to the idea like a biscuit baking in the oven. “You know, the more I think about it, the more I like it. This takes you back to your roots. Your first books were full of physical labor. People will love seeing you get as dirty as a hog in a mud bath.”

  Magnus scratched the back of his head as he considered her words. “We’ve d-d-done most of the digging. We’ve excavated the pool area and laid the foundation for the inside facility. Bowie said he wanted to d-d-do some framing soon, though.”

  “That would be just perfect! Plus, we can get a video of you walking around the site and explaining what you’ve already completed. Katie can work her editing magic and add pictures of Sorcha. After all, you need to have a cuteness factor.” June bumped their joined hands against Magnus’s thigh, and he grunted at her joke.

  “Speaking of Sorcha, I cannot wait to see that little cub again,” June said. “Do you think she’ll recognize me?”

  “You’re a wee bit hard to forget, lass.”

  June winked at Magnus, and his flush returned. “Why, Magnus Gray, are you saying that I’m unforgettable?”

  Something flitted over his face. Before June could interpret the emotion, it vanished like a wisp of smoke from a barbecue fire. An unusual sense of unease slipped through June. Something felt off, but she couldn’t quite figure out what. She had no earthly idea why her words would’ve upset him.

  “Aye, hen,” Magnus answered, his voice more solemn than June would’ve liked.

  She was just about to question him when they turned a bend, and June caught sight of Frida’s enclosure. Little Sorcha was climbing on the ancient grizzly. The older bear lay patiently, her head resting on her enormous paws as the little tyke tugged on her ear with her teeth. At the sound of their approach, the cub turned her head. She let out a squeal of joy and promptly lost her balance. There was a flash of black pads as Sorcha rolled head over heels down Frida’s flank.

  When the little bear landed, she lay stunned for just a moment. Then she scrambled to her feet, shaking herself off. She immediately began loping in their direction, her black eyes sparkling with excitement. Magnus used a key to unlock the zookeeper’s entrance. They stepped inside a small building that served as Frida’s indoor home. There was a lock-out area built inside the indoor facility that doubled both as a gate to the external enclosure and as a separate space where they could keep Frida if they needed to perform any medical treatment. Because the lock-out had two separate doors, it helped ensure safety of both the bear and the zoo employees. Ke
eping the internal gate closed, Magnus used a chain to open the one that led directly into the enclosure. He called Sorcha’s name, and the little cub immediately scrambled into view.

  June laughed at the polar bear’s enthusiasm. “Somebody’s crush hasn’t diminished.”

  “She knows who brings her food,” Magnus said as he released the gate leading into the outdoor enclosure before Frida could enter. When it was secure, he opened the inner door, and Sorcha bounded out. With a squeal, she leaped at Magnus’s feet. Chuckling, he bent over to tussle with the little critter. Sorcha made the most adorable sounds as she attacked Magnus’s gloved hand. The bear had grown bigger and stronger since June had last seen her. Although the cub seemed as enthusiastic as ever in her play attack, June noticed Sorcha didn’t bite or claw too hard.

  “Do you want to feed her?” Magnus asked. June nodded, and he handed her a food dish. At the fishy smell, June wrinkled her nose.

  “Is this chopped-up fish?” she asked.

  “Aye. Cod. It’s her favorite. I think it’s Frida’s influence.”

  “How so?”

  “Grizzlies are known for catching salmon, but polar bears have more access to meat. In the wild, they hunt seals. If a whale washes up to shore, they make quick work of the b-b-blubber and muscle.”

  June made a face at Magnus’s description. “That’s disgusting.”

  He shrugged. “They’re bears. What do you expect?”

  “Cuteness.”

  Magnus laughed as he gestured toward Sorcha scarfing down her food. “They’re not all like this peedie one here.”

  “Is she still getting milk?”

  Magnus nodded. “In the wild, they nurse for over a year.”

  “I didn’t know they stayed with their mamas that long.”

  “Aye, for about two-and-a-half years. There’s a lot to learn about being a p-p-proper bear.”

  Sorcha looked up, her mouth ringed with particles of food. She made a squeaking sound, prompting a grin from Magnus. “Don’t fash yourself, Sorcha. Frida is making sure you know what to do.”