One Thousand Years to Forever (12 page)

“
Did I tell you my mother wants to
have tea with you this week, and my parents would like to meet you
and your children? They were sorry they didn’t get down this
morning as planned.”

Katherine looked up from setting
the napkins. “They do? But why?”

“
Because you are very important to
me.”

Katherine warmed at that thought.
She felt better about being with Colum. “I know my parents would
love to have you down, but wait, they are coming up for the
holidays. Then for New Years’ we are going down to Boston for a
birthday celebration. My brother’s birthday is on New Year’s Day
and we have cousin’s in Boston. My mother was excited I was going
on a date with you. She told me, “it’s about time you went out on a
date... ””

She walked back into the kitchen
while Colum was tasting the soup’s broth. He brought the spoon up
to her lips. She could smell the lamb and the seasonings, the acini
de pepe were like tiny pearls in her mouth. The texture of the
broth was like liquid velvet. She felt some dribble down her chin
and watched as Colum came in close and licked it off. He caught her
chin and kissed her lips. “You are a fetching kitchen
witch.”

Katherine laughed. “God, my mom has
a kitchen witch magnet on her fridge, I hope I am sight better
looking then that.”

Colum laughed.

They sat at the farm table in the
kitchen eating their soup. Quiet prevailed except for the sleet
hitting the windows. “God, I’m glad to be inside.” Katherine
said.

“
You and me both. I don’t like
being out in weather like this... unless there is an urgent
need.”

Katherine took another spoonful of
her soup. “I’ve never had this soup this way. It was wonderful and
the lamb chops were perfect.”

Colum smiled. “I’m glad. It’s not
often that I cook, so this made for a quick meal, we can eat then
relax.”

Katherine didn’t
feel like she could really relax. There was tension in the air. It
crackled like the fire in a fireplace. She felt like she would
combust soon. She wasn’t sure she wanted
it
to happen but on the other hand
she
did.
She was
jolted gently out of her daydreaming.

“
Katherine, I think it’s been a
long day for you. Let’s clean up here and we can go talk in front
of the fire until you fall asleep.”

Katherine felt like that was a dash
of cold water in the face. Maybe he didn’t want to after all. Maybe
she had been imagining everything. Figures. Here it had been years
and she was kinda getting her hopes up... She tried not to show how
she felt. She got up from the table feeling very foolish but
putting on her best face.

“
I’ll clear the table, you put the
soup away.”

“
OK, I’ve got it.” He leaned over
and kissed the tip of her nose, then brought the pot of soup into
the kitchen.

“
You don’t normally eat this
informal, do you?”

“
Not usually. Normally, all the
men eat with me but at the dining room table, up at my parents’ we
eat formally all the time. You will see, there is an army of
servants up there.”

Katherine could see that. She knew
just from what she had seen in this house, that eating informally
wasn’t their thing. Not if they were as rich, if not richer than
England and Europe’s royalty.

After getting things cleared up, he
held her hand as he walked her upstairs.

Leading her down the hall and then
up the first flight of stairs she felt herself getting a bit
lightheaded. They reached the dimly lit hallway and started walking
down until they got to her door.

“
Remember we are just going to
relax, no pressure.”

Her tiredness rolled off her like
waves on a beach.

“
No pressure?” Came her voice just
above a whisper.

Colum saw how she felt. Pulling her
in, he held her. She had been strong for so long. “No pressure... I
promise.”

They lay on the carpet in front of
the fire, enjoying the quiet. The only thing that could be heard
was the fire’s crackle and the wind that howled. Some wood popped
and then hissed. Colum heard a sigh come from Katherine. “Come
here... ” he said as he pulled her in and kissed her forehead. “Now
lie down on your stomach and I will rub your back. I want you to
relax and fall asleep.”

Katherine was feeling the effects
of a long, exciting day. “Mmm, that feels so good.”

He could tell she was relaxing.
Massaging her shoulders, he felt the tense feeling muscles relax.
“You know you have shouldered the responsibility too long. Give me
some of it.”

Katherine shook her head. “No...
it’s not your battle, ultimately it’s mine. I spoke at a very bad
time in my life, now I have to pay the piper.” She closed her eyes
and could feel the overwhelming realization that she was in over
her head. She had been beside herself in grief and some idiot or
idiots were taking her statement seriously and now it put her
family and herself in harm’s way.

Colum saw her tears. It was too
much for him. He leaned in and kissed her face and heard her
moan.

Lying down next to her he felt her
shift and look at him. Gathering her close he felt her move in so
she fit just right.

“
I don’t think I know what else to
do... ”

Bringing her chin up. “About what,
dear Katherine?”

Katherine ducked her head. “God...
I don’t know, I guess about you, about the terrorist, about life in
general. I mean how do I please a man wh-who is like
you?”

Colum chuckled. “Like how, dear
Katherine? I’m like any other mor-man…”

Katherine reached
up and touched his lip. “I don’t think so... I think you are not
like any man I have ever seen or touched, much less wanted to have
touch me... When I am near you I feel like I have known you for a
whole lot longer than I have
known
you. I feel like we have made love before, but
that’s ludicrous.”

“
Would you believe it if I told
you that we, well, you are a reincarnation to my wife... that we
knew each other a very long time ago.”

Katherine shrugged and rolled over
on her back. “I’d believe almost anything right now. Here things
seem enchanted.”

Colum stretched out next to her and
studied her face. If only she knew all the times they had been just
like this, talking, making love. He let his fingers trace her face
as he watched her in the glow of the firelight.

“
Come here... ” He pulled her in
to cuddle her in the crook of his arm again and held her. He heard
her faintly say in a sleepy voice “No pressure... ”

They stayed like that for a long
time. The fire started to dim, and Colum could tell Katherine was
sound asleep. She made small sounds, and made little movements, but
cuddled closer, draping a leg over his.

Katherine woke and knew something
was different. She was lying down so she was turned towards Colum.
They were no longer on the floor but up on her bed. She was still
clothed but she was cuddled in so tight.

Looking up at Colum, she that saw
his eyes were closed, and his other arm was across his chest. He
was so still. She put her hand on his chest and not a movement came
from him. He was perfectly still. Just like he was dead.

“
Colum!” She pushed at his chest
gently at first, then harder. Panic started to seize her. At first
nothing and then he took a deep breath, and his eyes opened. She
heard his throaty growl. Turning towards her, at first he looked so
different, like he was an animal, his eyes just slits. He appeared
to be on guard. Then he took another breath, closing his eyes
again. As he opened them back up he looked like Colum, the Colum
she knew.

Katherine had seen the swift change
that had come over him. She had felt his hand start to dig into her
as he woke up. She watched as he sniffed the air, stretched and
then he turned with an almost smile. Nothing made any sense when
she was with him. Her life had taken a strange turn. She felt like
she was in some enchanted land, but somehow she felt incredibly
safe. She knew he was a warrior, well, at least anyone with half a
brain wouldn’t dare get near her.

“
You scared me… I thought for a
split second that you were dead... ”

Colum kissed her forehead. “No,
just dead tired. I tend to do that, nothing to be scared
of.”

Katherine could see it was a little
after midnight. She leaned in and kissed his chest. She let her
fingers trace his chest as he watched her. His moan went straight
to her soul. She got up on her knees and crawled on top of him.
Seeing the look he gave her made her smile. No words, just a
smile.

The fire hissed and crackled as she
explored Colum’s upper body. There was enough upper body to keep
her busy for some time. She could feel his hands gently touching
her. Massaging, kneading, trailing fingers over spots that felt
like they were pieces of wood that were about to ignite. She felt
so fragile at the moment.

She sat up straight while lifting
his t-shirt up. She had never seen a man except maybe a male model,
look as fine as him. His chest was well sculptured. He looked like
a god. A god sent to live with humans. She looked up through her
lashes to see that his eyes studying her. They smoldered. Kissing
his chest and then his stomach. She felt him tense, felt his hands
dig into her ass.

She leaned in and kissed him again,
really kissed him, letting her fingers go through his hair. His
hair, the shade of a raven. As she let her tongue dip in his mouth,
she felt him play with her. She knew he was letting her take the
lead.

“
Colum, please make love to me...
” It slipped out so fast. She heard another moan. If she thought
the first one went to her soul this one finished her off. She
became putty in his hands as he gripped her. She was over on her
back with him up on top quicker than she ever thought could be
possible for a man his size.

Colum dipped his face towards hers.
“You’re going to remember a lot more of our past lives, tonight. I
will be gentle, but all I ask is that you make love to me in
return, don’t hold back. I’ve been waiting for a very long time for
this night.” He touched her face and felt her hands reach up and
cradle his face as she kissed him.

He was slow and methodical but very
gentle with her. His hands, never leaving her body, skimming along
her waist, pushing her top up, exposing her breast, hearing her
sigh and moan in turn. She moved with him as he explored her body
in the firelight. Her skin was like new cream with a touch of gold
from the flames that warmed the room from the fireplace.

They kissed as she reached for him,
holding him as his hand cupped her breast. He watched her eyes as
they closed. Taking his thumb he gently rolled her nipple between
his fingers. That made her come off the bed and her fingernails
sank into his shoulder. A wordless gasp left her lips, as he leaned
over her and took that aroused nipple in his mouth. Gently licking
and tugging. His other hand had found its way down to her sweats
and with one fluid movement he had them off. There was nothing
separating them on her end. She was very naked and all
natural.

“
You’re beautiful, my Kat... I
hope you don’t mind me calling you that... ”

Katherine tried to focus in on his
voice but all she could focus on was what he was doing to her. His
slow deliberate path of torture. “I don’t care what you call me as
long as you don’t stop, I need to let go... ”

Colum smiled and kissed her belly,
letting his tongue trace circles. He looked up, seeing her buck and
moan.

He was on his knees, looking down
at her, moving ever so slowly toward the place that would bring
them both pleasure and release. He moved her legs apart and heard
her gasp. Playing with the dark red curls on her mound brought a
deeper moan and sigh that told him she wouldn’t be long. Kissing
her thigh he separated her legs again. He felt her grab at his hair
reining him in tighter and tighter.

Burying his face into her, he could
tell she was holding on to that last bit of sanity.

“
It’s not going to take much
Colum... ” she said through clenched teeth as she strained for the
littlest touch to let herself go over the edge.

“
We have all night,” he said with
deliberate slowness as he slowly explored, touched, and kissed not
holding anything back, sensing her nearness to climaxing. Her scent
was just what he remembered. That sweet earthiness that would call
him home each time. He had her. Feeling her move and making small
noises, she was so close. He nipped at her sending a bit of his
venom into her, which would make her orgasm that more intense. He
sensed it and looked up just at the last moment. Seeing her arch
her back as she screamed out his name while she exploded. He stayed
with her until she slowed and then he was up shedding his own jeans
moving on top of her. The site of her was something he had
ingrained in his memory from all the times they had made love down
through the ages. Each time though, was just like the first time.
She was his, so beautiful, with her hair, catching the light from
the fire. He came down and kissed her as her smiling eyes
opened.