Page 75 of The Splendor of Fire
Swimming past him, she flicked her hand over the surface of the water at him. He splashed water back at her. Feeling playful, he dove after her as she cut through the water, smooth and strong. Swimming beneath her, he brought his hands up to her hips and lifted her out of the water above his head.
Every inch of her body was strong with muscle and she held herself like a swan, arms out over the water. Her face was full of glee and she rasped with laughter. Amused, he lowered her rigid body slowly down, then pressed up again over his head. He looked into her face and she nodded. He drew her down and then launched her into the air.
Arms out, she flew, diving into the water like a gannet. Reemerging seconds later, ` she climbed him like a ladder, her feet upon his hips and shoulders. Clutching her ankles, he squinted against the water falling over him and into his eyes. She tapped his shoulder with one foot to get his attention and pointed to his hands.
He raised his arms above his head and she climbed into his palms, balancing in his grip like a stick.
He held her steady and laughed. “Look at you.”
She looked down at him and waved, then blew him another kiss and dove into the water. When she surfaced, she swam back and climbed him again.
“You know I’m not a tree, yes?”
Her foot found his hip and climbed his back, her hand grabbing the front of his face. She planted her feet on his shoulders, balanced and leaned forward, drawing one leg up, her face beside his own, smiling.Her long, wet curls created a veil over them. He held his palms out level with his shoulders. She placed one hand into his, and then the other, and he held her steady as she drew into a handstand inside his palms. He lifted her into the air and looked up into her joyful face. She smiled and mouthed one word.Flying.
He gave her a bounce and shot her into the air, and she flipped, once again balancing her feet in his palms before springing a back flip into the water.
When she surfaced, her face beamed with delight, and she wrapped her arms around his middle.
“Aye. We make a good team.”
She mouthed and signed slowly.You’re very strong.
Léo’s chest swelled. “This is nothing. You’re light as a feather.”
Something he said sparked in her expression. She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the bank. “Where are we going?”
Stopping in the soft grass, she pushed his shoulders back and then held him firm.
“Stand still?”
She nodded and pulled his right hand palm up, level with the ground. Pointing to herself, she turned and bent backward, then spun her finger, and made an upward motion with her hand. He understood her instruction.
“Oui, I think I can do that.”
Holding up her fingers, she counted…one, two, three…then sprang backward. Léo palmed her back, throwing her into the air. Soaring over him, he caught her foot with his hand and held her aloft just as he’d done in the water.
Delight blanketed her face. She bounced to the ground in front of him, and jumped again. Catching her hips, he threw her upward in an arc, and caught her again in his palm as she drew her feet slowly upward until she was in a handstand.
He chuckled. “This is a unique skill.”
Concentrating on each other’s eyes, she lowered her forearms and he gave her a bounce of his strength as she flipped to her feet inside his palm. He bounced her again before he caught her waist and guided her to the ground.
Smiling as if she had swallowed the sun, she bent backward and walked over her hands, then squished the water from her hair and gave her head a shake.
“You’re not done, are you?”
Her eyebrow lifted and he grabbed her hand and motioned what he had in mind. She nodded. They sprinted toward the rock and flipped in sync with each other and into the water.
Losing self-control, his arms found her and he pulled her to him. At once he understood what Calum meant. He didn’t want to capture this bird—he wanted to set her free. In tune with him, her arms came around his neck. His hands brushed down the muscles at her side and rested on the curve of her hips. For a moment, they were back at Cràdh, deeply devoted and in love.
“Who are you, Moira?”
She blinked, her eyes locked on his, her eyebrows shooting up. He wished he could see within her mind and discover every mystery in her.
“Teach me who you really are. Sing and I will follow you,mon petit oiselle.” His forehead came to hers. “Tell me your thoughts, I’m listening now.”
Water beaded off her eyelashes and trickled to her lips. He touched the freckle beside her eye and turned in a lazy circle, gliding through the water. His nose brushed hers. Locking eyes with her, he hovered his mouth above hers, testing to see if she approved. His mouth moved toward her own and she pressed her palms away from his chest.
