Page 72 of Whiskey & Witches
When she had it in hand, she silently read the text. “We’ve until half-past before Damian intends to bring Aeden home.”
Carrick took her device, tossed it onto the end of the bed, and rolled atop her. “Perfect!”
She giggled as he nuzzled her neck, then gasped as his hand delved between her legs. “Carrick, we don’t have time for this,” she warned.
“For allyouknow! I can be done in five minutes.”
“Yes, but will I?”
His dark head came up, and he narrowed his eyes.
She giggled.
“Challenge accepted,” he growled, then buried his face where his hand had been. She meeped at the first flick of his tongue. Yeah, it wouldn’t take nearly that long to get her off.
Twenty minutes later, they were in the tub with Roisin positioned behind Carrick to scrub his back. “Remind me to challenge you often,” she said and dropped a kiss between his shoulder blades.
“Even if you don’t, I’m likely to pounce on you any chance I get, all the same.” Carrick shifted around and drew her up to straddle his lap. His erection became intimate with her belly.
“Again?”
“Can’t help it. It’s been too long, and I feel like a fecking boyo again.”
“They’ll be here in about ten minutes, and I know for a fact, after the first time, you take much longer to get off the second.”
“You and your practical mind, woman.” He groaned as she climbed to her feet. “Then you put temptation right in my face.”
She covered her mound as he surged forward, and she pushed him backward with a laugh. “I’ll not greet the Aether naked at the door.”
Carrick stood and drew her into his arms to drop a light kiss on her mouth. “He might like that.”
“Sure, and I might, too—if you and Aeden weren’t home.”
“Hey!”
Giggling, she dried off and padded to the bedroom to dress.
At exactly half past the hour, the doorbell rang. Hand in hand, Roisin and Carrick crossed the living room, but before they could reach their destination, a premonition struck her.
“She’s here,” she said grimly.
“Who?”
“Moira.” She let go of his hand. “Give me one minute, then answer the door.” She didn’t allow him time to argue, immediately teleporting to the park across the road. She’d chosen a spot where she was hidden by the tree line and crept forward, where the threat felt the strongest.
Moira had somehow acquired a gun and was aiming from behind a copse of trees.
In front of Roisin’s home, Damian squatted, seemingly listening as Aeden chatted away. Abruptly, they stopped, and Damian slowly rose to his feet and faced the direction of the threat, just as Carrick whipped open the door.
Roisin’s heart was pounding so hard, she was sure Moira would hear her at any second. But the other woman was too intent on her target. Acting on instinct, Roisin eased down and selected a hefty branch from the ground, testing it for weight. She inched closer as Damian quickly pushed Aeden into Carrick’s arms and used his body as a shield for her small family.
Mouthing a small prayer to the Goddess, Roisin lifted the branch and prepared to slam it into the back of Moira’s head. As if sensing danger, the other woman spun around, her lips curled back in a feral snarl. She brought the gun around and pointed it at Roisin’s heart.
“I’d planned to pay you back for Seamus by taking your son’s life, but you’ll do,” Moira said.
“Oh,please. As if you gave one feck for him.” Playing it cool looked much easier in films. Concentrating on the earth beneath her feet, Roisin sent a silent request to the tree roots closest to her to come to the surface. But as the ground rumbled beneath them, Moira held out a hand, palm down, and stopped the action cold.
“You think you’re the only earth elemental, Roisin O’Malley?” Her brittle laugh skated down Roisin’s spine. “Stop where you are, Damian Dethridge, or I’ll plug her full of bullets.”
