The air was cool, but the water was—damn. Like someone had taken a blanket straight from the dryer and cocooned it around me. So deliciously warm. It melted right into your muscles, your bones.
“This isheaven,” I rasped, voice waning from the sedative effect of the pool. My head lulled back against the grass.
Aine hummed in agreement, clearly fading into the heat of the waters as well.
The three of us laid there for a long while, allowing the pool to cleanse us. Our skin, our thoughts, our worries . . .
But the sound of footsteps suddenly broke our peaceful trance.
“Oi! I think I may have died and gone to Soul Isle!” A deep, rumbling voice drew close, one that sounded somewhat familiar. Low laughter echoed from a second voice nearby.
Stepping through the edge of the forest, a tall figure appeared.Keeffe. And not far behind, a broad-shouldered outline grew clearer.Finley.
Oh,hellno.
Breena let out a high-pitched yelp, frantically spinning her hands in the air like a drunken windmill. The water around her churned, murky clouds growing as she desperately tried to hide herself.
“You lads need to leave—atonce!” Breena screeched. “We were here first!” She unleashed her arm forward, sending a wave of water Keeffe’s way.
He jumped back, avoiding the assault. Keeffe’s shit-eating grin only widened as he stepped forward again, getting the full view.
I froze. A suffocating panic squeezed my chest, lungs heaving quicker. These two men had caught us off guard—stark naked. My body reacted before my mind could, legs crossing and hands coming up to cup my breasts. As if it’d somehow shield them.
“We mean no harm, all right?” Keeffe raised his hands defensively, the amused grin on his face remained unwavering. He playfully scanned the scene. “We were out for a run, smelled yer campfire and thought we’d come check it out. Didn’t realize you’d be—naked as babes.” He let out a laugh. “If I’d known, I would’ve brought some ale to share.”
While Breena was hidden by clouded waters and me by twisted limbs and hands, Aine hadn’t moved an inch to cover herself up.
Aine’s elbows rested on the ledge behind, as if presenting her body for full display. She glared straight at Keeffe, sharp and unyielding with an eyebrow raised in challenge.
“Enjoying the view?” Aine drawled, the sound smooth but dangerously sweet. She didn’t flinch when Keeffe’s gaze lingered, if anything, she seemed to embrace it, her eyes piercing him like blades. “Get any closer, and I’ll make sure the only thing you see when you look at a naked woman is your mother’s face. Got it?” Her fingers faintly sparkled as she twiddled them, taunting.
Keeffe swallowed . . . extra hard.
Holding back a laugh was the perfect distraction from my sheer embarrassment.
“Hey, Carwynn,” Finley said, almost bashfully as he walked around Keeffe. He looked adorable as ever, but also slightly pained as he caught sight of the new ghastly scar on my shoulder.
Fuck. Heat prickled my cheeks.
He’d come back to the house twice to check on me after the attack, but Breena and Aine sent him away, telling him I was fine. I just wasn’t ready to talk about it. Or face him. Not after processing everything that had happened and knowing that he was one of the only ones who truly cared about me.
“Finley,” I said, weakly, self-consciousness creeping in. My arms automatically wrapped tighter around myself, but in my moment of panic, it only succeeded in pushing my cleavage higher, exposing more than I wanted. A flush rushed through my veins, mortified.
Finley didn’t miss the motion, and I swear a tinge of pink touched his cheeks too. He ever so slowly dragged his eyes away, combing a hand through his locks, an awkward laugh escaped his lips.
“Yeah, so . . .” Finley muttered, a cheeky smile plastered on his face. “I’m really happy to see ya look good—I mean, that ya look okay—” He fumbled the words. “Well—more than okay, really.” His face pulled in, cringing at himself. “Ya know, after everything and all.”
Finley’s rambling was interrupted by Keeffe’s teasing cough. Eyes volleyed back and forth between us as his lips pinched into a grin.
“Okay!” Finley clapped his hands together. “Since all is good and everything seems . . .grand. We’ll be on our way then.”
“Unless, of course.” Keeffe started, face lighting up like a used car salesman. “You’d like some charming company, or?—”
“Out!” Breena commanded, pointing a finger back toward the woods.
Finley grabbed Keeffe’s arm, dragging him back.
“Right,” Finley casually said. “Time to go.” Keeffe let out a deep laugh, resigning to Finley’s persistent pull, walking back toward the trees.
