Purple packets? He frowned as he mentally sorted through the items that he had instructed Angus to pack for the both of them. Realization of what she was talking about dawned on him, making him give a frustrated groan. Those damned condoms. He’d not thought to bring any of those stockings for his cock. “I brought none.” How could he have forgotten about the wee socks that guaranteed him access to heaven on earth?
Hope nudged him forward a step. “Did ye happen to mention to Vivienne we might be needing them so she put a few in yer pack?”
Lilia made an apologetic face as she shook her head. “Since Angus was coming with us, condoms weren’t really up there on mythings I might needlist—sorry. I didn’t realize we’d be able to distract him so easily by sending him off into the Highlands.” She closed her eyes and silently tapped her thumb across her fingertips as though tallying up her thoughts. A promising smile lit her face as her eyes popped open. “But by my calculations, we could probably get away with playing a little fast and loose just this one time.”
“Fast . . . and . . . loose.” He didn’t know what she meant for certain but the term sounded as though he would not be disappointed.
Her smile turned into a wicked a grin. “Well. Nottoofast.” She looped her thumbs through the straps at her shoulders, then winked. “Race ya!”
Then she bounded off, scampering over the rough terrain and laughing as she swerved and loped around wildly tufted hillocks and partially overgrown boulders.
The wee minx.Graham charged after her, the sound of her teasing laughter spurring him on. The ever-thickening tight underbrush and fully leafed-out saplings slowed his progress. Clumps of wild grasses were knotted through tangled branches and roots. The deep green ground cover clutched at his boots, threatening to latch hold of his feet and send him tumbling.
By the time he wrestled his way through the clinging branches and vines, Lilia was nowhere to be seen. “Lilia?” He searched the serene peacefulness of the grove’s heart. Thick, velvety moss coated the boulders and fallen trees surrounding the gently sloping banks of a rippling pool. The water danced and bubbled at the narrow end where it tumbled free of the earth, gurgling and frothing down staggered slabs of stone vainly attempting to hold it back.
“Lilia! Answer me, love. I dinna care overly much for a game where I canna find ye.” He circled the pool, dropping his bag and staff to the ground as he scanned the mountain’s hidden bit of heaven sheltered by the walls of the steep ravine and the thick canopy of trees. Then he spotted them. Hastily kicked aside boots, a discarded sock, and jacket, then a bit farther around the circumference of the pool, the remainder of his beloved’s clothes.
As he turned, she broke up through the water’s surface. Head thrown back, eyes closed, a smile curving her full ruby lips. Her blonde hair streamed down across her shoulders and swirled through the water like liquid gold poured from the heavens. Graham wet his mouth, already tasting the creamy breasts shining just below the surface of the clear water.
“Are you going to stand there staring or are you going to get in here with me?”
Tossing away his clothes, he lunged into the water, completely submerging as he swam toward her. Eyes open, he easily found her, her fair skin shone like a beacon, guiding him home to where he belonged.
He teasingly circled her, her pale legs slowly pumping and her arms gently paddling back and forth to keep her floating upright. He swam up beneath her, sliding his hands up the smoothness of her legs as he pushed his face between her thighs and blew bubbles against her delicious lady parts.
She shuddered, reaching down to pull him up to the surface as she wrapped her legs around his waist and slid her wet breasts against him. As he broke free of the water, she barely gave him time to take in air before covering his mouth with hers.
He slid his hands down across her luscious behind, working his fingers into her cleft as he moved them both toward the shallows. He worked a hand down, then up between the meatiness of her rounded curves, sliding two fingers inside her heat.
She approved with a pleased moan as she leaned back across the mossy bank, arms spread across the velvety green. Her skin glistened, breasts shining in the dappled light of sun and shadows as the leaves above gently swayed in the breeze.
“I have matched my soul to the goddess herself.” Graham spread a hand beneath her floating hips, fingers still buried inside her slickness, and lifted her to the surface. He laved her water-cooled flesh with his tongue then sucked her button deep and hard as another finger joined the others. He matched the gyrating motion of his fingers to his tongue as he pulled and sucked her.
Her legs draped over his shoulders, she arched against him, digging her heels into his back and fisting her hands atop the embankment. A gasping cry escaped her. She jerked and cried out louder as the slick, molten walls of her body clutched and grabbed at his fingers—the waves of her spasms arching her higher above the water. He gently slid his fingers free, lifted her higher up the embankment, then spread himself over her.
“I must have ye. I can wait no longer.” He pushed inside her, hard and deep, then forced himself to hold fast whilst seated clear to his bollocks. “By the gods, the heat of ye inside whilst I touch the coolness of yer skin . . . ” He groaned, pressing his forehead against hers as he slid out, then rammed in again. “I’ll not last long.”
She bucked against him, raked her nails down his back, then clutched his arse and yanked him forward. “Then I guess we’ll have to keep at it until we build up your endurance.” She clenched him with her thighs and gyrated against him. “I’ll start the timer. Here’s to round one.”
“Aye.” Graham slid out until only the tip of his hardness still rested inside her heat. “To round one.” And then he pounded into her until the peacefulness of the wood was shattered with their cries.
CHAPTER21
The tinny sound of thin metal steadily clattering pattered its way into her consciousness. A muted bubbling hiss softened the rattle. The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air.
Her eyes popped open. Coffee? Now she was dreaming about coffee? She really needed to cut back.But wait—she wasn’t dreaming. Clutching the light blanket more snugly across her breasts, she propped up on an elbow and blinked a bleary-eyed gaze around the dimly lit clearing, misty and cozy with pale beams of early morning light filtering down through the leaves.
Sure enough. Spitting and sputtering at the edge of a small fire, firmly wedged in the glowing bed of hot orange coals, was Vivienne’s battered and stained metal coffeepot that always accompanied them on their LARP competition encampments. The precious pot of caffeine was always kept full and waiting on the grate over the ever-present campfire in front of their private tents. And dear Vivienne had been thoughtful enough to stow it in with their gear for this jump.Bless you, Vivienne.
Inhaling a deep appreciative breath, Lilia closed her eyes and smiled. And bless Graham, for learning how to make coffee.Of course, she wasn’t stupid. While she didn’t doubt the man had learned the simple chore because he cared about her, she also knew Graham had learned to make coffee as an integral part of his survival. When not fully loaded with the steaming hot black nectar of the gods, she had to admit she was a royal bitch on wheels in the morning.
Lilia rolled to her feet, tucking the blanket around her body and securing it under her arm. Skipping across the spongy carpet of green moss to the blue-and-white-speckled metal cup waiting beside the gurgling coffeepot, she stole a quick glance around the quiet grove.
Where was he?Graham was nowhere to be seen. She shrugged, turning back to squat beside the fire. He must have gone deeper into the hidden grove to watersome trees.
She wrapped a corner of the blanket around one hand, lifted the coffee from the fire, and filled her cup. Rolling back on her heels, she eased in a sip of the scalding black liquid, then heaved a contented sigh. A bit on the strong side but still damn good.
She slowly rose, the hot metal cup balanced gingerly between her hands. Meandering around the gently rippling pool, she sipped the strong, black brew between carefully placed steps. Small stones and twigs embedded in the cushiony moss found the tender soles of her bare feet, threatening to pinch and bruise if she didn’t take care.
