She had bathed in scented water and perfumed herself with oils. He drew another deep breath and shuddered. The lilies, the same scent she had worn the first night they had joined. She said she had forgiven him. Wanted to be with him as much as he wanted her. But they had yet to lie together again. Holy blazes, he needed her.
However, first things first. He would give her the gift he had fashioned from his own birth shell that Mother had hidden away in the depths of the caverns. Then they would make love and plan the date of their official joining. Then make love some more.
“Hannah.”
She lifted her head, her eyes reflecting the same need. Her wrap barely closed at the waist; she set aside the book and back into thepillows. With a fluttering of her fingers, she invited him to join her. “I have been waiting for you.”
He lowered himself beside her on the couch. Her book slid to the floor. As he reached to touch the soft curve of her cheek, he whispered, “I feared I had lost ye again.”
Her full lips tightened in a hard line, filling his heart with worry. But then she smiled, whisking it away. “I was a little worried there, too. But we are together now. That is all that really matters. It just took me a little while to realize it.”
“I am sorry, Hannah.” He leaned closer, sliding his fingers along her jaw and combing them deeper into her hair. “I am so verra sorry I destroyed the way back to your world.”
She stared up at him. Love and tenderness filled her eyes. “All that matters is that I am here with you.”
“Ye mean that, aye? With all your heart? I know it may not seem that way, but I dinna wish to make ye unhappy.” He searched her face, holding his breath in case she had changed her mind.
“I promise with all my heart.”
He brushed his lips across hers with the gentleness of touching the petals of a delicate rose. “I have a gift for ye,” he said in a rasping whisper as he fastened a gold chain around her neck. “I made this for ye. A wee token of what ye mean to me.”
She looked down and gasped. The golden chain held a carved locket that reflected every color in the spectrum. He had created the oval locket with a frame and lining of gold that reinforced the polished shell, as iridescent as abalone.
“Open it.” The joy in her expression thrilled him.
She undid the intricate clasp and caught her breath again as soon as she opened it. With his magic, he had burnished her image into one side and his into the other.
“It is so beautiful,” she whispered. Her mouth fell open as the images came to life and joined in a kiss. “How?” She lifted her eyes to his as the images separated and went still once again.
He cupped her hands between his and helped her gently closethe locket. “I canna reveal all my secrets, my love. Ye have a lifetime to ferret them out. Is it to your liking?”
“It is wondrous.” She snuggled closer, smoothing her hands up his chest then wrapping her arms around his neck.
“Aye, now that is more like it.” He settled into the long-awaited kiss. By Merlin’s beard, how could she taste even better than before? With a groan, he slid her wrap off her shoulders.
“Ouch!”
A jolting shock zapped the palms of his hands. Blue sparks crackled and popped between them.
“What the devil was that?” She rubbed her shoulders, glaring at him as though he just slapped her.
He rubbed his stinging fingertips as though he’d just touched a red-hot brand. “I dinna ken. Not that cold in here. I would nay have thought to create that much static electricity by walking across a marble floor.” He rubbed his fingertips together again. She had stung him like an electrical grid.
“That was a lot more than any static electric jolt I’ve ever gotten.” She twisted to eye the red marks on her shoulders.
In the hopes of resurrecting the moment, he pulled her close. “Allow me to kiss away the sting, m’love. I shall make it all better.”
As soon as his lips met her skin, the fiery sparks returned, knocking him backward. He rubbed his burning mouth. “Holy Hades!”
“That’s it. You stay at that end of the couch.” She pointed at the farthest pile of pillows while tightening her wrap around her throat.
“Mother!” he bellowed. “Show yerself. I know this has to be yer doing.”
Glittering dust showered down from the crystal ceiling and formed a curtain with the image of the Goddess Isla’s face. “Did you call, my son?”
“Ye know damn good and well I called, Mother. What spell have ye cast so that I canna even touch my mate?”
“There will be no more pleasuring of one another untilafterthejoining ceremony. We do not consider it proper.” Isla gave them both a withering look that dared them to argue.
