Page 71 of The Mating Claim
You are a wizard of the Brehon, he chastised himself.Danu did not give you all this magick to doubt yourself. If you find you cannot find an answer, you can ask the other wizards forassistance.
Stretching out his hands, he called forth his powers, watched his hands glow cobalt blue. Power used recklessly was never his desire. He always longed to do good with whatever resources and gifts he had at hisdisposal.
That had neverchanged.
The thought provedcomforting.
Yet he could not deny Lacey had turned his carefully ordered world upside down. His normal sense of right and wrong had dipped into the shady areas of gray where questions proved more abundant thananswers.
And now he found himself captivated by her in a very real male sense that had nothing to do with being her guardian and judge, the wizard who could aidher.
Or destroyher.
Without effort, he yanked the power back inside himself. Meditation always helped center him, meditation and quiet time in his crystal cavern. Perhaps here, on the beach, he could find thesame.
He’d been here previously to this beach, but on a work assignment, aiding one of Tristan’s charges. Never for relaxation. Drust found himself laughing as he grabbed a towel and headed downstairs.Relaxation?
You don’t know the meaning of theword.
Well, if he was going to find out the meaning of that word, he must look the part. Drust conjured mirrored sunglasses and slid them on before stepping onto the ground floorveranda.
Lacey wasn’t at the pool. He thought about locking the house, chanted a simple spell instead to keep strangers out, and then headed for thebeach.
A salty breeze teased his cheeks and whipped at his shirt, while the sea oats protecting the shoreline waved at him. The brilliant blue sky remained cloudless and the bright sunshine beckoned. On the pristine white sands, Lacey sat in a beach chair she’d obviously found downstairs, her face lifted to the sun, a turquoise hat perched on her dark locks. Long, slim legs stretched out before her, she looked happier than he’d ever seenher.
“Do you mind if I joinyou?”
Lacey lifted the sunglasses to peer at him. “Help yourself. But use some SPF. The sun’s strong, even though it’s not summer yet, and you’re pale as wintersnow.”
Snapping out his towel and laying it on the sand, he grinned and sat, stretching his legs out. “I am not, how do you say it? A beachbum.”
“Nothing wrong with a little sunshine now and then,wizard.”
They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes, broken by the lapping of the Gulf at the shore and the cries of gulls and sandpipers. Pelicans flew overhead, one dipping into the Gulf with a fiercesplash.
Sitting in a yoga position, Drust closed hiseyes.
“What are you doing?Meditating?”
“Relaxing.”
“Huh. You look like you’re trying to solve the world’s vast problems, wizard. I know how to get you torelax.”
Sex?His lower half asked eagerly.Yes, yes, I can relax that way, very muchso.
She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the water. Lacey gurgled with laughter as she tugged him into the surf and then pushed him down. He landed with a splash,sputtering.
Maybe once he would have been mad at her for breaking his focus, but he sat there, grinning at her and whipping off the sunglasses, then running a hand through his wet hair. “You could have simply asked. I know how toswim.”
“Oh yeah? Raceyou!”
Charmed, he watched her paddle out to where the water was waist high and then swim in strong, sure strokes. He waved a hand and clothed himself in blue swim trunks, getting rid of the shorts and T-shirt. Drust joined her in swimming until they could no longer touch thesand.
Perhaps he should worry they were too far away from the shore and Lacey might tire. But the Gulf was delightful, the water warm and salty, and with the sunshine beating upon his bare shoulders and head, he finally felt tension slide offhim.
Besides, if anything happened, he could always rescue her. Not a bad idea. He liked the image of himself coming to Lacey’s rescue, like a knight ofold.
Like you did that one time long ago when you weremortal.
