Page 138 of A Curse On Black Lake
“We were sleeping,” I murmur.
He kisses me lightly. “I know. The anticipation was killing me.”
We laugh, and he rolls us over. I gasp, and he swallows it, plundering my mouth.
My heart flutters, and for a breathless moment, I feel like everything is going to be alright. Even if I know it’s about to get a lot worse before it gets better. Killian holds me down in the now, helping me focus on the present.
He clasps my face between his hands, kissing me with unhurried tenderness, and it makes me writhe with need. His hips rock against mine, sending a pleasing curl of heat through my sternum down to my toes.
I roll my body against, his and he growls into my mouth.
“Dammit, little witch,” he says, his voice hoarse with hunger.
I giggle and kiss his chin. “Have I put a spell on you?”
He laughs, running his thumb over my lips. “Didn’t I already tell you that?”
I kiss him again and push his chest, rolling us so I can straddle him, as he stares up at me with heavy-lidded eyes.
I lean forward, my palms on his chest. “We need to get to work.”
“Can we take a day off?” he asks, sliding his hands over my hips.
I smile. “That’s funny, coming from you.”
“Why? Because I know better?” he asks.
“We don’t get days off. Animals still have to be fed.” I remind him.
“I know, but I want to pretend like we don’t have any responsibilities to attend to and we’re the only ones that need each other’s attention,” he says and sits up. The sheet falls down to his waist, revealing more of his work-toned body, and he wraps his arms around me, pulling me forward. I clasp the back of his neck, twirling my finger in his hair.
“You know what could make this day better?” he asks.
I sigh and tilt my head back as he kisses my jaw and neck.
“You in those chaps.”
I giggle and pull back. “You like my chaps?” I ask him.
“Honestly, I had to force myself not to stare at you in them when we first started working together. But now that Icanstare at you … will you wear them?”
I snort and find his mouth again. “Sure, cowboy. You know I live to please.”
Killian bites his lip and leans his forehead against mine while his hands wander my spine. “Be careful what you say because now I want to put you to the test.” He chuckles against my mouth, and I fall into him. It doesn’t take much. The first time he kissed me, I fell. We’re two puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly, and it terrifies me.
He pulls back and presses his lips over my face. I freeze, sobering as the events of yesterday come pouring back. What am I going to do? Sure, I have stock, and I’ll be covered for a couple of months. But what then? Some things I know I can replant and will be fine. Others, not so much. Root systems were destroyed. I can’t replace a hundred year old roses.
“Hey,” Killian says, scrutinizing every emotion that crosses my face. He grabs my chin. “Focus on this right now. The rest can wait.”
Killian downs the last bit of his coffee while I hop on one foot pulling my boot on.
The sun is shining. The birds are chirping. I’m telling myself it’s going to be okay. Things happen that are completely out of our control. Most situations in life are, but we can control how we respond to them. I will respond with bottling it because I don’t know what else to do.
You know what happens when you don’t let it out.
I roll my eyes. “You should mind your own business. There’s only so much a girl can take,” I mutter and throw the door open.
I scream, falling back on my hands, and scrambling back from the door.
