by Helen Scott
Hal turned back to her, and his eyes were so full of emotion that it made her breath catch. This was everything to them. If she fell under his spell, then everything they felt for each other was only temporary, but if she didn’t, then it was as Hal had said—the fates had worked their magic and put them on a path to one another.
He opened his mouth, and Robin held her breath. Suddenly, the sound pierced the air, and her ears rang with pain. She winced. Every note rang in her head, echoing and repeating while he continued to sing. She wanted to shut his mouth, to make it stop, but she didn’t know if she had to endure it for a certain amount of time or if they would know right away. It was a million times worse than the drums of Tech Duinn or listening to her dad drunkenly try to serenade her mother. That at least sounded like someone trying to sing. Hal’s song just sounded like someone shrieking, mixed with nails on a chalkboard and that noise that silverware sometimes made when it scraped across a plate.
After a few more moments, Robin couldn’t take it anymore. Her hands covered her ears, and she began to curl in on herself. She hoped they’d passed the test, because she couldn’t take it if she had to leave him now. It was almost like hearing that sound had sealed her heart. It would only ever belong to him. Whether she was here or in Tír na nÓg, it didn’t matter. She was Hal’s, and he was hers. There were no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
Chapter 9
Hal’s heart froze when Robin didn’t react at first, but then as she curled in on herself, it jumped for joy in his chest. She was his, body and soul, and not even Zeus could tear them apart now. He concluded his song and made eye contact with the god of thunder. It was a bold move, but he needed to let the man know that he wasn’t going to back down. Lightning flashed across Zeus’s eyes, and Hal almost looked away. Instead, he asked, “Satisfied?”
“You and your brothers will regret the day you tied yourselves to these women,” was all Zeus said before he vanished, presumably going off to pout.
“Robin?” Hal looked down at his soulmate.
Her beautiful gray-blue eyes looked up at him with tears still swimming in them. “Hey.”
He crushed her to him then, wrapping his arms around her as tightly as he could without breaking her. “I love you,” he whispered into the fire-red strands of her hair.
“I love you most,” she whispered back.
“And I love you both,” Alec said with a chuckle, “but I’m going to get out of your hair.”
Hal looked over his shoulder at his best friend. “Thanks, Brother.”
“Anytime.” Alec tipped an invisible hat to him and vanished.
“Come on, babe. Let’s get you inside and warmed up.” He pulled Robin close, tucking her under his arm as they walked into the hotel together.
Hal had kept the room reserved since Robin was taken. He wanted her to have a space to come back to no matter when she showed up. It had taken some negotiating with the hotel owner, but when he’d offered to pay substantially more than the nightly rate, the owner agreed. When he’d received the call from Aiden, the first thing he’d done was call the hotel and ask them to get a fire going in their room. Then he’d grabbed the coat he’d purchased for her for winter on the island and jumped straight there. Sure, it had left him feeling a little drained because of the distance, but when he saw Robin get out of that SUV, he didn’t care. Nothing else mattered in that moment except for her.
He’d suspected at some point that Zeus would interfere, so in a way, he was glad it was over. He just wished that it had happened at some other point than directly after she’d escaped from a kidnapping. He sighed inwardly. It was finished, and now it was just the two of them.
They walked through the compact lobby of the hotel and through to the same suite that she had last been in. Everything was different now, and yet it was exactly the same. He could feel the emotion radiating off her, as though she were barely keeping herself in check. The only thing he wasn’t sure of was which emotion would win out first. Relief? Love? Anger at Zeus? He could sense the storm brewing inside her and wished he could help more, but even the vibes of love and calm that he was putting out weren’t doing anything. She needed to relieve the pressure.
“In we go,” he said as they entered the main room. “There should be a fire burning. Why don’t we get you out of those clothes and warm you up, hum?”
She nodded, but her eyes were downcast.
“Would you like anything? Food? Drink?”
“You,” she said, finally glancing up at him once more. Her eyes were clouded with the same storm of emotions.
“Maybe some water first?” He grinned, trying to ease the suggestion. “I don’t want you keeling over on me, now do I?”
She harrumphed and moved toward the small sitting area. “Water, wine, and chocolate, please.”
“Coming right up.”
He was glad that she was at least interested in food and drink since coming back from another realm could mess with the body’s systems. The bottle of wine that he’d had on standby in the room was a lovely Cabernet, one from his personal collection. The two glasses that sat next to it were stemless, and the cut crystal shimmered in the light.
The bottle of water from the mini fridge, a granola bar, and the box of chocolates were tucked under his arm as he picked up the two glasses, the garnet liquid sloshing slightly as he balanced everything out. He suspected that Robin may be hungrier than she thought, so extra food was a precaution. As he turned toward where she had been standing, he found her lying on the sheepskin rug that was in front of the fire. Nothing that unusual, except for the fact that she was in her birthday suit.
Her luscious creamy skin glowed in the firelight, and her hair was a mass of flickering red locks. His heart physically ached as he looked at her. She was all his, and the first thing she’d wanted was him. The thought that she may have interpreted him trying to rehydrate her and feed her as a rejection slid into his mind. He hoped that wasn’t the case, but she was definitely a little dejected, not what he would have expected after finding out they were truly soulmates.
“Rin? You okay?” He sat down next to her, carefully putting the wine glasses down on the tiles in front of the fireplace before pulling his other treasures from under his arm.
“Yeah, just overwhelmed.” She turned, leaning on her hip and elbow, and took the granola bar, just as he’d suspected she would. After tearing the package open, she began to nibble on a corner. At that rate, she might finish the thing by morning.
“Have some water.” He nudged the bottle toward her, and she took a couple long gulps before retrieving the glass of wine. “Listen, I’m sorry about Zeus. I wish there had been another way out of that situation since we hadn’t really talked much about me singing for you.”
“You didn’t want to?” Her eyebrows pinched, and pain glinted in her eyes. Was that what her funk was about? She thought he hadn’t wanted to sing for her?
“Of course I did! I thought you didn’t want me to because of everything that happened with Randall.”
She took a long sip from her wine.
“Rin.” Hal lay down next to her, trying to keep his eyes off the wine that had stained her lips in such an alluring way. His mind begged him to kiss her, to taste the bounty she was offering him, but he couldn’t, not until they had cleared up whatever was bothering her. “You are my world. You mean everything to me. Of course I didn’t want Zeus dictating when I sang for you. I wanted to make it something special, romantic, something we could remember for the rest of our lives. That’s all. I will sing for you every day if you want, just to remind you of how much I love you.” Hal took a breath and made sure his voice was steady before he spoke again. The anxiety and fear he’d carried with him the past month were nothing compared to what she’d gone through. “I thought I’d lost you. Every day I prayed to every god I could think of for your return, which now that I think about it, was probably why Zeus took such an interest, so, uh, sorry about that. But being without you? It’s no
t something I ever want to experience again.” He saw hope beginning to flicker in her eyes, like a flame coming to life, so he took the wine glass and set it down. Taking her hand, he placed it on his heart so she could feel its erratic beat. “You feel that? You make my heart skip beats. You bring everything around us to life in ways I could never imagine. Everything I ever wanted, and even things I never knew I wanted, I have found in you.”
A smile broke across her face then. It was slow at first, but then it took over, and her eyes twinkled with joy in the glow from the fire.
“Kiss me.”
Those were the only two words she said to him, but the wealth of emotion behind them was enough to make him feel like his heart lurched toward her. Hal leaned in slowly, taking in every aspect of her. Robin’s gray eyes roamed over his face, and her breath increased when he paused less than an inch away from her face, and when her tongue swept out and wet her top lip, he knew he was lost. His mouth closed on hers, tasting the smoky flavor of the wine mixed with the sweet and spicy flavor of Robin herself. Her hands pulled him closer, and as their tongues twined with one another, a low growl escaped him. He was already rock hard for her; in fact, he wasn’t sure how long he could last. She pulled away for a moment with a wicked smile on her face before she pushed his shoulder with a surprising amount of force, and he suddenly found himself on his back.
Robin straddled him and rocked her hips back and forth over the stiff length of his erection. His head fell back, and he could feel the warm tile under his hair while the heat from the fire washed over him in waves and the crackle of the wood burning danced in his ears. She basked in the warm light, and his mind faltered as he took in the sight of her, on top of him, naked. Her plump breasts with their pale pink nipples drew him up from the ground. His hands cupped her ass, and at the same time, his lips found first one nipple and then the other.
A moan escaped her, making his cock jerk.
“Hal, I need you. I need to know nothing has changed between us.” The words left her lips in a quiet plea.
“Whatever my lady desires shall be hers,” he vowed before repositioning her so he could sit upright. He pulled off the light sweater he’d been wearing, and as soon as it was gone, her hands were on him. They played in the small curls of hair on his chest and brushed over his nipples, making him want to take her to bed that instant.
“More,” she said as she stood. She wanted him just as naked as she was, and he was happy to oblige. As she stood there, though, he couldn’t help but want to taste her.
He rose onto his knees and unbuttoned his jeans, but before he pulled them down, his fingers found her core. She was hot and wet and so ready for him. A sharp gasp escaped her as he circled her clit with his thumb, which turned into a moan as he sank two fingers into her. She was so tight. Before he knew it, he had his face pressed between her thighs, and his tongue was licking her core. She tasted like fresh honey on a summer day. Sticky and sweet. He lapped at her opening before thrusting his tongue in and out in a steady rhythm. As her hips began to move with him, he pulled away from her entrance and licked the nub of pleasure above it. He sucked on her clit and rolled his tongue around it, making her legs quiver as she struggled to stay upright.
Robin gasped and cried out at each flick of his tongue, and as his fingers thrust into her, he could feel her tightening around him. She was close, so close, and he was going to make her come before he ever took his pants off. He stroked her with his fingers and swirled around her clit with his tongue, her body quaking above and around him. He knew he would have to catch her as she came, but he wasn’t worried. His reflexes were sharp, and he was not only faster but stronger than any mortal. When he grazed his teeth over the sensitive pearl, she cried out and her body spasmed around his fingers. His large hands came up and held her in place, supporting her as her muscles clenched. She rocked back and forth as wave after wave of pleasure hit her. He didn’t let up immediately, wanting to make sure she was fully sated before he let her down.
When her body slowly stopped twitching with pleasure, he gently swung her around, laying her back down on the floor. Her eyes lazily opened and traveled the length of his body as she licked her lips once more.
“You’re still wearing pants?” she exclaimed in a sluggish voice, still not quite out of the post-orgasmic fog.
“You were my priority, not getting naked.” He kissed her forehead before sliding his pants down.
His erection sprang free, bobbing up and down slightly as he shimmied out of his pants and shoes. He had never been more thankful that he kept his shoelaces loose.
“Well”—her eyes laser-focused on his cock—“now you’re my priority.” She pushed him once more, and he fell on his back.
When her slick wet heat settled over him, he couldn’t help but groan and try to thrust upward. His hands skated over her silky soft skin, and as she rose up and gripped his cock, he thought he was going to pass out from pleasure. As she slid him, inch by inch, into her core, his body jerked with each movement. She sat on him fully, her hips connecting with his for a moment before she began to move. Robin pulled up, hovering over his cock so just the tip was snug between her folds. He felt frozen in time. Then, when she took him inside her once more, it was in one swift motion. Suddenly, his world was drowned in pleasure. Each movement and touch pushed him closer toward an orgasm. It was only by sheer force of will that he held back. He refused to let this turn into a quickie. By the gods, this woman was a phenomenal lover, and as such, she deserved to be fully satisfied.
“Robin, I can’t . . .” He breathed, and her body froze, allowing his mind to clear for just a moment. “I need to be on top, please.” If he could control the rhythm, then there was a better chance of him lasting longer, since his orgasm was already perilously close.
“Bed?” she murmured against his ear before nipping his earlobe.
“Yes . . .” He groaned and crushed her to him, wrapping his arms around her.
He awkwardly got them both to their feet without completely breaking their embrace. In that moment, the idea of not touching her was anathema to him. With her legs wrapped around his hips and her body rubbing deliciously against his own, he gently lay her down on the bed, pushing himself up over her so he didn’t squash her.
“Ready?” he asked. His head was clearer now that they had taken a momentary break from the thrusting.
“For you? Always.” She grinned, and his heart jumped in his chest.
He thrust into her, and she grunted with pleasure, her noises going straight to his cock. As he plunged in and out of her, his fast tempo began to falter. He knew if he kept it up, his orgasm would explode out of him. As much as he wanted to slow down, he couldn’t. His body was straining for release, and while he wanted to give Robin the loving she deserved, he also couldn’t hold back any longer. Her heat enveloped him once, twice more, and then the world fractured. Pleasure shot through him and exploded outward through every fiber of his being. He ground himself into her. Each noise she made, each moan, each gasp, each sigh, it all pushed his orgasm further until he was gasping for breath.
The urge to collapse on top of her was so strong that he almost gave in. Instead, he rolled to the side, reluctantly removing his length from the warmth of her core.
“Oh . . . my . . . god . . .” Robin panted next to him.
“I missed you.” He grinned down at her. It was the truth, and he wasn’t afraid to say it now that she was back in his arms.
“I missed you too.” Her breath caught and her eyes filled with tears. “Sorry, I just . . . I didn’t think I was going to make it back to you for a while there.” She peered up at him through her long lashes. “I love you so damn much.”
“I love you most,” he said as he kissed her temple.
She rolled toward him, resting her head on his shoulder. Her bright red hair fanned out behind her over his arm and the pillow, slightly curly from her sweat mingling with the heat from the fire. One of her breasts pressed against his che
st, and she’d thrown a leg over his, her pale skin gleaming against the olive tones of his own. He circled his arm around her and held her close like the precious jewel she was. Within moments, delicate snores were emanating from her soft mouth, and he slowly pulled a blanket over the two of them. He may run hot, but it was November and he didn’t want her to get cold during the night. As he ran his hand up and down her side, he lulled himself to sleep with the feel of her skin under his hand and the scent of her invading his nose.
Chapter 10
They were woken the next morning by the jarring sound of his cell phone. The fire had died out during the night and the room was chilled, except for the bed. Their warmth combined made it nice and toasty. Robin stretched and curled her toes. Her body ached slightly from the ferocity of the previous night’s lovemaking, and she adored every second of it. Hal was talking to someone on the phone, but she had no idea who it was.
When a knock sounded at the door, she shoved the blankets aside and pulled on the white fluffy robe that was exactly where she’d left it on Samhain. She slipped her arms in and tied it tightly around her waist before answering the door.
Room service was outside with a rolling cart full of breakfast foods.
The smell of bacon, sausage, eggs, and something sweet curled around her, making her stomach growl. It was embarrassingly loud, and she blushed as she thanked the young woman who delivered the cart.
“Hold on, let me get you a tip,” she said as she turned to the clothes that had been abandoned on the floor the previous evening.
“No need, everything is already taken care of,” the young woman said politely.
When Robin turned back around, she found the woman staring at Hal, who was sitting naked in bed, with just a strip of blanket covering everything that needed to be covered. His olive skin practically glowed in the morning light. The young woman was almost drooling, and when Robin glanced over her shoulder at her soulmate, she discovered that he was in the middle of pushing some of his gorgeous hair out of his face. His bicep curled, showing off his strength. That combined with his bodybuilder physique of thick, hard muscles would be enough to make any woman take a second glance, and probably a third. While before she may have been threatened by the woman’s lust for her man, even though she would never admit to it, now she brushed it off. He was hers, confirmed by his song, so the woman could look as much as she wanted.