by Sarah Bailey
“I know, Dad. I appreciate it.”
“Then I’ll see you tomorrow. I’m sure you want to get some sleep.”
“Yes, night.”
He looked down at Grace when he hung up.
“Is he going to help us?” she asked.
“He expects us there tomorrow.”
“It’ll just be him, right?”
“Yes, just him.”
“Okay. Alistair?”
“Mmm?”
“I’m tired.”
“Then let me put you to bed.”
He picked her up, his arms under her legs and back.
“What are you doing?” she squeaked.
“Carrying you upstairs.”
“I can walk.”
He shook his head, striding from the room with her still in his arms. She looked up at him with wide eyes.
“But I didn’t bring any clothes with me.”
“Oh, well, you can have one of my t-shirts unless you want me to take you home.”
“No!”
He smiled at her tone. She sounded like she was half terrified he’d make her leave. Taking the stairs two by two, he kicked open his bedroom door when he reached it. He put her down on the end of the bed. She looked around with interest.
“This is your room?”
It was a little messy. His clothes still strewn across the floor where he’d discarded them the previous day and hadn’t bothered to tidy. He flicked his wrist. The clothes rose up and soared towards the laundry basket.
“Yes, excuse the untidiness. I wasn’t exactly expecting to have you here.”
“I’ll cope without needing to make it neat.”
He grinned, moving over to his chest of drawers. He pulled out a black t-shirt with some obscure band on it and brought it over to her. She took it, eying the printed image with a frown.
“I can get you another one.”
“No, this is fine.”
She looked up at him.
“Umm… are you going to watch me?”
“What?”
“Well, I mean I know what we were doing earlier, but with everything else going on…”
He reached out, brushing her cheek.
“You only had to ask me to turn around.”
Moving away to give her some privacy, he pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it in the laundry. He kicked off his shoes and undid his belt before stripping out of his trousers. There was a squeak behind him. He looked over his shoulder. She was already under the covers, staring at him with wide eyes. He approached the bed. She peered at him over the top of the covers.
“Are you all right?”
“You’re… oh… gods.”
He pulled back the covers and slipped in beside her. She was on the far side. Her clothes were in a neat pile on a chair in the corner. It made him smile. Grace liked things to be in order.
“Are you going to stay over there?”
“Why?”
“I’d quite like to hold my girlfriend whilst she falls asleep.”
She lowered the covers from her face. His t-shirt swamped her small frame. She looked adorable. She shuffled closer to him, lying down by his side, her fists clenched.
“What’s wrong?”
Her face blossomed with a violent shade of red.
“Seeing you like that…” She looked away. “I feel all weird inside.”
“Weird how?”
“Don’t make me say it,” she whispered covering her face with her hands.
“Hey. It’s all right. Whatever it is, you can tell me.”
“I shouldn’t want you right now.”
That’s what she’s embarrassed about? He shook his head.
“Grace, do you want me to make love to you?”
Chapter Twelve
Grace wanted the ground to swallow her whole. Despite everything that had happened this evening, all she could think about was Alistair’s hands on her skin.
“Grace?”
She couldn’t answer him. She turned away, curling up into a ball, clutching her legs. She couldn’t deal with all these emotions crashing around inside her. Every inch of her skin burnt with longing. She didn’t want to feel like this. When she’d seen him almost naked, it was like someone throwing a bucket of cold water over her head. Wide awake and very aware of his proximity, she couldn’t handle it.
His breath tickled the nape of her neck followed by his lips pressing against her skin. A hand brushed over her side and under his t-shirt which was several sizes too big for her. His fingers trailed over her stomach. She whimpered. His fingers moved higher, brushing over the bottom of her breasts.
“Grace,” he whispered. “Let me hold you.”
He cupped one of her breasts, his thumb running over the rapidly hardening nub. She let go of her legs. She turned her head towards him. He responded by kissing her neck before trailing his tongue up around the curve of her ear. A moan left her lips. Gods, why did he have to make it feel so good?
“Will you let me take this off?”
He tugged at the bottom of his t-shirt. She put her arms above her head, allowing him to remove it. He pressed up against her back. His bare skin on hers had her heart racing. His hand splayed out over her stomach as he continued to press kisses to her neck and shoulder.
“Do you want me to stop?”
“No,” she whispered.
“Will you look at me?”
She turned, laying on her back, staring into his sapphire eyes.
“Do you know how much I want you?”
She shook her head.
“When I look at you, my heart feels like it’s in a vice. All I want to do is be near you, hold you, kiss your skin. Goddess, you’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. I can’t keep my eyes off you.”
“Alistair…”
“I only want you to say yes if this is what you want. If you’re not ready, then I’ll just hold you until you fall asleep.”
“I don’t know if I am, but you’ve made me all… hot and bothered.”
He smiled at her, his eyes twinkling.
“Oh, well, we can’t have you going to sleep all worked up with no release, can we?”
She frowned, confusion flooding her features. His fingers ran down her stomach, tracing lines across her skin.
“What… what are you doing?”
“Trust me, I’m going to take care of you.”
Fingers trailed lower, brushing across her final vestiges of clothing. She arched up against his hand, feeling the burning need threatening to overcome her. He leant forward, kissing her before his hand dipped below her underwear. She shuddered, her attention split between his mouth and his wandering fingers. A jolt ran right through her when he brushed up against her core. She whimpered against his lips. Gods, is this what it feels like to float in the clouds?
A simple touch from him and she was completely coming undone in his embrace. He circled her core with a well-practised finger. She couldn’t breathe. She turned her face away from his. Unable to prevent herself crying out from the intense sensations he was eliciting.
A peppering of kisses across her neck and chest had her completely surrendering to him. When he took a nipple into his mouth, she gripped his hair with one hand.
“Alistair!”
Something ripped right through her body, sending her spiralling out of control. Her eyes flew open. Green smoke seeped from her skin as she writhed under him. Nothing could prepare her for the intensity of her climax.
“I’ve got you,” he whispered.
Blue smoke tangled with her own magic, trying to contain it. She had no control over it at all. Every time she was around Alistair, her magic went haywire. She had no idea why that was.
Despite the intense pleasure he’d already given her, she wasn’t satisfied. Her body longed for something else. Something more. When her trembling subsided, she reached out, pulling him to her. Kissing him for all she was worth, she ran her fingers down his back, needing to feel him against
her. He groaned, moving over her and pressing her legs open. She could feel him hot and hard against her through their clothing. Her hips moved of their own accord, pressing into him as she kissed him harder.
“Grace… Goddess, I want you so much.”
“Off. I want them off. I want to feel you,” she whispered, her breath coming faster.
Without letting him say anything else, she tugged at the waistband of his boxers. He let her take them off him before he hooked his own fingers in her underwear and tugged them off. There was nothing left between them.
“Wait, Grace. Hold on.”
He moved away from her, pulling out the drawer by his bedside and grabbing something. She heard the rip of foil and it was a few moments before he was back on top of her. She could feel him against her opening.
“Tell me you’re sure,” he said, looking down at her.
“I’m sure. Please, just… slowly.”
He brushed her hair out of her face, thumb running over her bottom lip. The pressure of him pushing into her made her tense up a little, but she forced herself to relax. He stilled when she yelped, fingers digging into his back.
“Am I hurting you?”
She shook her head. It wasn’t bad, more of a shock than anything else. He moved again, giving her more. Being this close to him was nothing like she'd imagined. He started to pull out and settle into a steady rhythm. It was slow and gentle. Her fingers ran down his back, encouraging him to keep going.
“Alistair, that… it feels… I… gods, you feel so good.”
He smiled at her, his eyes dark with desire. It did feel good. She wrapped a leg around him, pinning him to her.
“You feel like heaven,” he whispered.
He kissed her, moving a little faster as the tension within her grew. One hand was in his hair, tugging at the short strands as he continued to make her body feel alive. Their passion increased as he pushed deeper into her. Sweat pooled on her skin, but she barely noticed.
“Don’t stop, please, don’t stop.”
She was matching his movements, so close to the edge of something she knew would result in her losing control all over again.
“Grace, I can’t… you’re so… I can’t hold back.”
Her body exploded, trembling and clenching around him. He uttered a grunt before he shuddered, both of them meeting a mutual conclusion.
He rested his forehead against hers when their trembling subsided.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“I’m not sure how anyone could be all right after you just rocked their world.”
Amusement crossed his features.
“I’ll take that as a compliment for my bedroom skills.”
“Well, I wouldn’t let it go to your head. I haven’t got anything to compare it to. You could be terrible and I’d never know anything different.”
He leant back, eyebrows raised.
“I’m beginning to see this shy, retiring girl thing you’ve got going on is just an act.”
“It’s not an act, your teasing is rubbing off on me.”
“I see.”
She reached up, brushing her fingers across his face.
“I’m quite sure you’re the only one who could make it feel that incredible.”
His lips curved up into a wicked grin.
“Oh well, now you’re trying to flatter me.”
She shoved him.
“You’re an idiot sometimes.”
“I’m your idiot.”
She couldn’t help but smile at that. He leant down, kissing her for a moment before he moved off her.
When he’d cleaned up, he pulled her into his arms, holding her close.
“All joking aside, you did enjoy that, didn’t you?” he asked.
“I think as far as first times go, that exceeded all expectations.”
“Mmm, good. I’d have hated to disappoint you. I didn’t take being your first lightly, you know that, right?”
“I know,” she replied, nuzzling his chest with her nose.
She closed her eyes, feeling the rise and fall of his chest against her palm. Whatever happened next, she would never regret letting him be the first and only man to have all of her.
§
When they stepped out of the portal, Grace stared up at the large house with wide eyes. This is where Alistair had grown up. He squeezed her hand, tugging her along. He rang the doorbell with her shifting nervously beside him.
“Hey, it’ll be fine,” he said, looking down at her with a smile.
He’d taken her home for a change of clothes after breakfast. Josh and Amelia weren’t home at the time, so she hadn’t dealt with an interrogation.
The door opened and a man who looked a lot like an older version of Alistair greeted them.
“Come in, come in,” he said, a warm smile on his face.
Alistair put his hand on her back, ushering her inside. They followed his father through into the living room and sat down. She gripped Alistair’s hand again, trembling.
“Grace, this is my father, Torin.”
“Hello,” she said, her voice quiet.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Grace. I understand from my son your father passed away recently. I offer my condolences on your loss,” Torin said.
“Thank you.”
Alistair let go of her hand and wrapped an arm around her, kissing the top of her head.
“Are you all right?” he whispered.
She nodded, leaning into him. When she looked back at Torin, he was watching them with interest. Did Alistair not act this way with other girls? Or had he never taken a girl to meet his parents before?
“Alistair said Ophelia left when you were very young,” Torin said.
“My father told me I was six months old. He only told me the day he… he died why. He made her leave after they discovered I had no magic and she’d lied to him about leaving her old life behind.”
Alistair’s arm tightened around her.
“But I do have magic, at least, that’s what we discovered recently.”
She hesitated. She wanted to know if his father could shed some light on the situation.
“I have very limited control over it, but… it only came out after I met Alistair.” She looked up at him. “You said you only felt a tiny inkling of it, but it was only when we… well, I may have thrown your son across the room by accident.”
Torin raised his eyebrows.
“Are you saying that you think by meeting Alistair and being around him, it brought your magic out?”
She nodded. It was the only explanation she had for what was happening. Torin sat back, a pensive look on his face.
“And your father was sure you had no magic?”
“That’s what he said.”
“You must be born with magic. Ophelia is a powerful witch. The only plausible explanation is she somehow buried your magic. It is a question for the woman herself.”
If that was the case, Ophelia had lied to her father. I’m not really surprised at all by that.
“I can’t honestly say I wish to meet her.”
“I cannot say that will not happen, although I’m sure Alistair told you she is missing.”
She nodded. An itchy feeling raked over her skin. What if the only way to flush her mother out of hiding was to use her as bait?
“Has Bree heard from Lacey yet?” Alistair asked.
“Who’s Bree?”
“My sister and the head of the coven,” Torin replied. “And no, which is odd in itself considering what she threatened.”
What? Alistair is related to the coven leader?
“It’s only a matter of time. I don’t know why Mother thinks she’s a nice girl.”
“Your mother has been friends with the Luxs for years. It is a pity Lacey turned out the way she did, but we have other pressing matters.”
She looked around the room whilst Alistair and his father continued their conversation. It was a very modern looking home, which she fo
und strange. Torin looked like he was a bit of a hippy so it was probably Alistair’s mother who decorated the place. There were odd knickknacks dotted around. A statue of two people in the corner caught her eye. She felt her face heating up when she realised they were naked and in a very compromising position.
She turned back to Alistair who was watching her, his eyebrow raised.
“You must excuse my parent’s taste in art.”
“Um… it’s very… interesting.”
“You don’t have to be polite about it. Dad won’t get offended.”
Prodding him in the ribs, she gave him a wide-eyed look. She was never impolite to anyone if she could help it. He grinned, biting his lip.
“That particular piece is Etta’s choice. I did tell her to move it, but she’s very insistent it stays there,” Torin said. “If you two would like to stay for lunch, then you’re more than welcome. It would be nice to get to know the first and only girl my son has ever brought home with him.”
“He’s never brought anyone home before?” she asked.
Alistair tugged her up off the sofa before his father had a chance to respond.
“Well, I’m going to show Grace my old room.”
Torin chuckled, shaking his head. Alistair dragged her from the room and upstairs. He opened a door on the right and let go of her when they were both inside. He shut the door behind him, leaning against it with folded arms.
She looked around. There were still posters on the walls of bands she’d never heard of, bookshelves stuffed with various thriller novels, along with a double bed in the centre of the room and a desk. She walked over to it, brushing her fingers over the papers still left there.
“No wonder your mother is so desperate for you to settle down. She’s never met any of your previous girlfriends.”
“There haven’t been as many as you think and none I was serious about.”
“Does that make me special then?”
She stared at the photo frame on his desk of him and two other boys, who looked like twins, when they were younger. Alistair had been just as handsome when he’d been a teenager. He must’ve had girls fawning over him.
She jumped when she felt his arms around her, his face pressed into her neck.
“You’re the first girl I’ve brought in here. My mother would’ve given anyone I liked the third degree so I would only ever meet girls away from home.”