Celtic Love Knots Volume 4 Read online

  "You don't feel like a stranger, Cabe."

  "Nor you, lass. I feel verra close to you."

  "And I to you,” she whispered.

  Dianne watched his face as he lowered it closer and closer to hers. She locked her gaze onto his flashing green eyes, only breaking the connection when his lips touched hers for the first time. His touch was like magic and she felt herself falling into his arms without hesitation. Their tongues danced the age-old dance of passion, exploring all of the hidden recesses available to them. Then his mouth traced a line from her ear down her neck. Tiny, whisper-light kisses that set her nerves on fire.

  She felt her nipples grow taut inside her clothes, felt moist heat begin to radiate from her jeans and she pressed her body against his. As she pushed closer to Cabe, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

  His fingers found their way beneath her sweater. Dianne moaned at the touch of his fingertips on her breast, gasped when he cupped it in one large hand. His touch sent shivers of arousal down her spine. She arched her back to meet his delicious torture.

  Cabe pressed his hand beneath the lacy edge of her black bra and found her erect nipple. He tugged it gently between his fingertips, rolled it tenderly and sent exquisite shudders throughout her body. Dianne felt as if she had never been touched before, never felt the pulsing quivers of true passion.

  Dianne dropped a trembling hand to his lap and reached for him. She covered the hard, hot bulge in his tight jeans with her fingertips. His moan, muffled against her neck as he kissed her just above her collarbone, felt like small ripples as it traveled along her skin. She pressed her hand to his hard-on, massaging him through the tight fabric. Cabe shifted slightly, giving her better access to what strained to be released from his pants.

  Oh, Cabe ... you're so big and hard and I'm so wet with desire. I want you. I want you more than I can say. How shocked would you be if I reached in there and pulled your cock out of your pants? How would that go over in bonnie Scotland?

  The zipper of his jeans slid down noiselessly. Arching his back to give her access to his erection, he pulled the tab on her zipper down. As she pulled his cock out of his pants he pushed his fingers into her hot, wet folds. They matched each other stroke for stroke, and Dianne pressed against his fingers as she fondled his hard skin.

  I want it inside me, to fill me and make me come. I want it now. Now.

  Angling her body on the wide seat, she shimmied out of one leg of her jeans and spread her legs. His body settled over hers and she felt the first fleeting touches as cock brushed her wetness. He didn't hesitate, separating her lips with the tip of his cock and plunging himself into her waiting flesh.

  The rhythm of their passion was fast and furious and their climax was upon them almost instantly. As Dianne shuddered against his hard flesh she felt the spasms of his release fill her. It felt like nothing she'd ever experienced before.

  Chapter 4

  "The Maiden Stone isn't the only monument in the forest?” asked Dianne. “How come I didn't know about that? They don't mention any other stone in any of the guidebooks I've read."

  They were holding hands as they walked through the forest. The day was cool, but bright, and her knitted sweater kept her warm while Cabe kept her hot.

  I'd like to toss him down on the grass and ravage him, that's what I'd like to do. Who cares about stones and folktales when I've got a man like Cabe at hand? So hot and hard and handsome. I wouldn't mind forgetting about the stone and just jumping him in the forest. I wonder what he'd say to that?

  "...not generally known,” he said, smiling as he looked at her confused expression. “You weren't listening to a thing I said, were you?"

  "Not really,” she admitted with a grin. “Sorry."

  He laughed out loud and a mockingbird flew from an oak tree at the edge of the clearing.

  "At least you're honest, fair Dianne. So what were you thinking about?"

  Wouldn't you like to know? I'm not telling but I might just show you if we find a secluded enough spot. I just might show you...

  "Oh, this and that,” she said, acting as if her mind had been focused on something trivial. But she suspected he knew the truth just by the amused look on his face.

  "Ach, this and that.” He leaned down and kissed her, a fast kiss that made Dianne feel as if she had put her tongue against a light socket. Tremors of electricity coursed through her body and she shook her head to clear it. “Are you ready to see the other monument in the forest?"

  Grinning, she arched one eyebrow. “Are you offering to show me your monument, then?"

  His laughter came easily. “Not my monument, although that can be arranged. But I'm speaking of the statue of Persephone, right over there. See it?"

  Following the track of his pointing fingertip, she saw the statue through the trees. It wasn't as large as the Maiden Stone, but it was equally beautiful in a more modern way. Dianne strode to the stone, anxious to feel its silky surface for herself.

  "Beautiful, isn't she?” she asked, looking up into the serene face.

  "Yes. Exceedingly.” In a voice filled with longing, he said, “She looks like she's been waiting here for a verra long time, don't you think? Waiting ... and hoping ... and wondering if someone—a special someone—would ever come along to free her. To fulfill her destiny, so to speak."

  Dianne looked into his penetrating eyes and shuddered. There was a need evident in them that pulled her toward him without her being conscious of movement. When she was pressed against his body, she looked up at him.

  "Are we talking about Persephone now? Or someone else?” Her gaze searched his face, settling on his lips. They were firm and full and she yearned to touch them with her own.

  "It could apply to almost anyone, fair Dianne. Don't you think so?"

  As his mouth covered hers she stopped thinking and gave herself fully to the sensations that coursed through her, rich and vibrant and filled with the promise of more to come. She pressed herself against him, feeling his arousal as he tilted his hips forward.

  "I want you, fair Dianne. I want you over and over again and forever and ever,” he said. The voice was hoarse with longing but the words were distinct. He picked her up in his arms and carried her further into the forest, away from the clearing and the prying eyes of Persephone.

  Placing her tenderly on a layer of cool green moss, Cabe stretched out beside her. He pulled her to his body and dropped his mouth to hers. Their kisses, fueled by desire, became more demanding. Their hands began to move aside clothing to accommodate their unquenchable need. They were beyond caring who saw them or what anyone thought. All they knew was that they had urges that had to be taken care of.

  Poking out of his pants like a tree in the forest, Cabe's cock throbbed in the dappled sunlight. The thick shaft was topped by a swollen red cap and it jumped as he watched her push her jeans into a heap beside them. Dianne straddled his hips, giving him a full view of her hot sex before she lowered herself to his body. He slid into her easily and she rode him as surely as if she had been with him a thousand times before.

  They matched each other thrust for thrust and as her climax poured over her in long, shuddering spasms she felt the first twitches of Cabe's orgasm. Wetness filled her as he pushed himself deeply inside her, a look of supreme pleasure on his face as he lost control.

  When it was over they were both grinning.

  Chapter 5

  They were in their usual booth at the Inverurie Pub the night before Dianne was scheduled to leave for home. The pints had gotten less enormous looking and she picked up her chilled mug with ease. She took a long drink before setting it back on the table.

  "You could come to visit me, too. I mean, the States are only a plane ride away,” she said. She made damp circles on the tabletop with the bottom of her mug. “I'll come back in a few months and we'll see how that goes but really, you're welcome to visit me any time, too."

  "Aye, I know that, fair Dianne. And I appreciate it, really I do. But I'm
the kind that's best staying put, not wandering too far astray from my own backyard, as it were. I'm sure you'll understand."

  You've gotten weird, Cabe. Just today, now that I'm getting ready to go home. But I can't stay; you and I haven't got anything other than a bunch of awesome sexual encounters, really. It's not like you've said you love me or anything. No, I've got to go home. Maybe then you'll figure out how you feel.

  Cabe finished his pint and put his mug on the table with a thump. “Want to go take one last look at the Maiden Stone before you leave tomorrow? She's verra pretty in the moonlight."

  Grinning, she asked, “But what about the glaistig? Wouldn't do to have her get me on the night before I go home, would it?"

  Standing, he reached for her hand. He pulled her to her feet and started across the room, still holding onto her hand. “Ach! You can bet I'll protect you from the glaistig. No worries there."

  * * * *

  Cabe had been right. The Maiden Stone was beautiful by moonlight. She fairly glowed and Dianne found that she couldn't keep her hands from the high granite carving. Her fingertips slid across the surface, into the crevices and over the depressions as if they were attempting to imprint the stone forever in her mind.

  "Verra beautiful, isn't she?"

  "Aye,” she said, adopting his brogue. “She is at that. So many nights beneath the stars, so many long hours watching the moon."

  He stepped closer to her and she smelled the woodsy aroma of his body. “So many long, lonely nights,” he said softly, running a finger down the side of her neck. “So many endless hours beneath the moon, waiting."

  "Waiting?"

  "Aye, waiting. Waiting for the right one to come along, waiting for the lonely times to end. Waiting for someone to share it all with,” he said. He kissed her tenderly before speaking again. “Ach, you know that any wish made here at the Maiden Stone will come true—eventually. It may not be straight away, but it will happen."

  She nodded. “I've heard that."

  "Have you made a wish yet? Closed your eyes and wished with all your heart for it to come to pass?"

  "Not yet, Cabe. I haven't done it yet,” she admitted.

  "Don't you think it's time, then?"

  Dianne closed her eyes tightly and took a deep breath. She knew what she was going to wish for, she had known it all along.

  I wish that Cabe falls in love with me, that he falls for me with the same intensity that I've fallen for him. I wish that we could fall in love and spend forever together. That's my fondest wish.

  "Done,” she said, opening her eyes and looking up at him. “And you, did you wish?"

  "Aye,” he answered, pulling her close to his body. “A verra long time ago."

  When he crushed his mouth to hers all thoughts were forgotten. The only thing that mattered as they pressed close was the sensations that had turned their bodies into quivering masses searching for release. They pushed aside clothing and uncovered hot, swollen bits of themselves. Their joining beneath the moon, with the Maiden pressed against Dianne's back, was quick and animalistic. Their pleasure came swiftly and they shuddered at the stone's feet in great shaking spasms.

  When it was over they both knew they would never be the same again.

  Chapter 6

  The train out of Inverurie was nearly empty at such an early hour. Dianne was glad she didn't have to make idle small talk or endure ridiculous chatter. She wasn't in the mood to be pleasant.

  It had only been a few hours since she and Cabe had parted but already there was an emptiness within her, a hollow feeling that she knew only he could fill.

  Get a grip on yourself. He's only a man. You had a great time in Scotland, you saw lots of interesting things and met loads of nice people. And you got to have a fantastic holiday romance, what more could you want? Stop being such a sap! It's over and that's the end of it.

  Reaching into her carry-on bag, she felt around for a pen. Her fingers closed over one at the bottom of the bag and she pulled it out, along with a book of crossword puzzles she'd bought for the long train ride. She opened the book to a random page, pressed against the spine to open the book wide, and rested it on the tray table in front of her seat. She doodled on the edge of the paper as she watched the scenery roll by.

  But there was the wish at the Maiden Stone. I made my wish, so now I just need to wait for it to come true. Then Cabe will love me and we'll be together forever. Who knows? Maybe he already does love me; maybe the wish is already coming true.

  The doodling became writing. Mrs. Cabe Pitts. Dianne Pitts. Mrs. Dianne Pitts. Mrs. Dianne Tomes-Pitts.

  It's ridiculous, I know. How can I feel this way so quickly—I only just met the man a short time ago. Maybe it's love at first sight. All I know is that it feels like some kind of strange spell came over me the moment I met Cabe, the moment I looked into his eyes. I just knew that I was meant to be with him. And he with me.

  The writing covered the paper as Dianne began to print their names in capital letters, side by side.

  I hope the wishing thing at the Maiden Stone isn't just another old Scottish tale, like the silly glaistig. Imagine, a woman who's part goat—how can anyone believe that something like that exists? Although I suppose that if I believe that a wish made beside an ancient stone can bring two people together, well, then I suppose it's possible that a goat and a woman could be one and the same ... Hey. What's this?

  Arranging the letters on the paper brought Dianne a chilling discovery. She stared at the words before her, not daring to consider what they meant.

  Dianne Tomes. Maiden Stone.

  Cabe Pitts. Pict Beast.

  For an instant she thought she might faint. Then she considered vomiting. And finally she gave in to the full-body shaking that began and felt like it would never end.

  As the train rumbled through the Scottish highlands, she sat, staring, at the words before her. Black and white, light and dark, good and evil. They couldn't be mistaken; they couldn't be interpreted any other way.

  Now she knew where her destiny was. And she knew it was no use trying to escape it.

  Chapter 7

  His fingers caressed her smooth, silky surface. She excited him and his erection throbbed between his legs, demanding release. Reaching for it with one hand, he touched her as he fondled himself. It didn't take long, a few short strokes and his climax was upon him. He directed the evidence of his lust toward her feet, as he had done so many times in the past.

  Not bothering to cover himself, he turned to her and embraced her. Smooth and cool beneath his cheek, she made the heat rise within him again. He stiffened as he pulled back and looked up into her never-changing face.

  "I knew the day would come, fair Maiden. I knew it—and I waited. Finally, I'll get what is rightfully mine. Finally I'll have what is my due."

  Gazing up into the sky behind her, his laughter filled the air, a full-bodied roar of satisfaction that shook the trees and frightened the birds. When he had laughed until he could laugh no more, he put his hand on his cock and shook it at the statue.

  "Do you see? I told you that someday you would come to me willingly, caress me lovingly, be mine for eternity. Well, the time has come. I will be alone no more."

  TAMING TULLY

  by

  Rusty Wicks

  Chapter 1

  "What are you looking for, Maureen? What is it that's got you in such a state this fine morning?"

  "My colored pencils ... they've gone missing.” Maureen dropped to her knees and looked beneath the chintz sofa, assorted armchairs and knick-knack covered tables in the room. She didn't see the expensive pencils anywhere.

  Damn. Yesterday it was my red bra, today it's my pencils. What the hell is going on in this place, anyway? How can anyone live where things disappear on a daily basis?

  Maureen stood up and looked down to where her aunt sat, nestled on the sofa like a kite tethered to a tree. She seemed small and frail, as if a gentle breeze could lift her up and away. But despi
te the nearly translucent cast to her wrinkled face, Aunt Tess looked better than she had yesterday. And that was the point, wasn't it?

  The elderly woman had just gotten past a vicious bout with pneumonia. Since there was no one else in the family who could tend her during her recovery ... well, Maureen found herself in Tully before she knew that the family whirlwinds had even convened.

  She reached down and tucked a brightly patterned green quilt around her aunt's shoulders.

  "Have everything you need, Aunt Tess?"

  When the woman nodded her cap of white curls and smiled up at her, warmth flooded Maureen's heart. She knew that coming to Ireland had been the right decision. After all, putting her life on hold for a month or so wasn't the most terrible thing in the world. It wasn't as if her life had been going that well, anyway.

  "I do, dear heart. Going for a walk in the glen, are you? That's good, then. Don't forget to take your jacket. It's a stiff wind I'm feeling in my bones."

  Aunt Tess sipped from the ever-present delicate Beleek teacup before setting it on the table beside her.

  "You sure you don't need anything?” Maureen's gaze passed over the table holding the tea things. She did a quick mental inventory to see that all of her aunt's needs were spoken for.

  "No, don't worry a bit about me. I've got my e-reader, you know.” The elderly woman held up the small silver device and grinned. “Today I've a Maeve Binchy. What else could I need? Tea and Maeve on an afternoon ... I've got it all."

  "I won't be too long, then. Love you.” Maureen planted a fast kiss on the white curls.

  "Don't forget the jacket,” called Aunt Tess. “And mind the pookas, you hear?"

  * * * *

  The walk through the cool, silent forest gave Maureen time to ponder her present situation. The scenery—and serenity—of the place was, unfortunately, wasted on her.

  "Pookas—ha! Gringochs—ha ha! Hard to believe that a woman as smart as Aunt Tess could be always going on and on and on about fairies and leprechauns and all that other rubbish ... this place just encourages that sort of junk, that's all."