Page 5 of Simon Says

She cocked her head again as her mouth pulled up into a teasing smile. “What kind of ‘stuff’?”

Simon built a fire on the ground, then using the iron skillet he carried with him, cooked bacon. When the bacon was done, he cooked sliced potatoes in the grease. All the while she watched him carefully.

“I’ve taken sabbatical for this semester,” she said. “I’m a post grad at Edinburgh.”

“Ah,” said Simon. “Is this what you study?”

“Partly. I’m interested in ‘myths’,” she used air quotes, “and their influence on religious evolution. There’s a lot of, er, intertwine and overlap I guess you’d say.”

“As it happens, I think so myself,” Simon agreed. “So you walked here, too?”

“No.” She chuckled. “I’m no’ nearly as romantic as all that. I had somebody drop me off here. They’ll be back in three days with supplies and a question about whether or no’ I’m ready to move on to the next spot.”

“The next spot? Where might that be?”

“I have no’ been to the ring yet.”

“Which ring?”

“Thering.”

“You must mean Brodgar.”

“Aye. I’ve no’ been there yet, but am thinkin’ I should like to save it for last.”

Simon grinned. “What’s funny?”

“We think alike. I had thought the same thing before I began this trek.”

She smiled with a gleam of mischief reserved for elves and fae. “So you’re curious about huge hard symbols of phalli pointed toward the sky?”

Simon laughed out loud. “Hadn’t thought of it quite like that.”

“Well,” she said, the attraction of her mischievous gleam ratcheting even higher, “I am a fan of a large rock-hard phallus.”

“Are you now?” Simon smiled as he wrapped a cloth around the handle of the skillet and pulled it away from the fire.

“Hold on. I have some cheese crumbles for those potatoes. We’ll think we’re sittin’ in Le Train Bleu in Paris.” Simon chuckled, shook his head, and looked up into Sorcha’s eyes. “No matter how good the food is, this is better.”

She decided on the spot that the pilgrim was charming. For a human.

Wiggling her eyebrows, she said, “I can do even better. I have a bit of chocolate for after.”

“After…?” Simon ventured.

“I was thinkin’ after this fine repast you’ve prepared. What were you thinkin’?” she teased.

“Once you start a man down the road of thinkin’ about a rock-hard phallus, not much else is going to occupy his thoughts.”

She laughed. “Then I suppose my purpose is accomplished.”

“You mean you set out to seduce me, Sorcha?”Please say yes. Please say yes. Please say yes.“Because, if that’s the case, I will feel like I’ve won the lottery.”

“What’s a lottery?”

“It’s a gambling game. Winning means more treasure than most can imagine.”

She grinned. “I’m more treasure than most can imagine?”

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