The Morrigan: Damaged Deities (18 page)

“I have traveled much in my profession,” the lass purred.  Linking her hands behind his neck, she once again stared at his mouth.  She moved her hips, sliding across his aching cock that danced for her as she spoke to him in a soft and intimate way. “I’ve crossed every continent, braved every sea.  I’ve traveled the plains and climbed the mountains.” 

Daring the touch, he brought his hands to her thighs, barely holding them for fear he would scare her away. 

In his palms she felt so small, but perfect, the lean muscles tensed. 

Kade held his breath as she moved in closer, their noses almost brushing, their lips nearly touching.  She let him move his hands up, cupping her perfect little ass hugged close by her tight jeans. 

Her words came out a rasped whisper. “There isn’t a place on this planet I haven’t been.  There is not a sight I haven’t seen.”

Kade was mesmerized. 

Her fingers moved up into his hair, cupping the back of his head and he brought his up to hers.  He held the sides of her head with gentle and conscious care, overwhelmed by the draw of her lips to his.

“Ye…ye’ve done all this with horses?” he asked, not even paying much attention to his own question.  So close, her breath mingled with his own.

But that question had an effect on her.  And not the one he wanted.

“Horses?” Morrie blinked and sat back, her eyes finally meeting his. “Um…yeah.” 

Coming out what seemed like a daze she shook her head and slinked back off his lap, returning to her own chair and Kade could have punched himself in the mouth for whatever he said that made her move away. 

Somehow he’d find a way to get her back in his arms and never let her leave them again.

C
HAPTER
S
IXTEEN

“In war there is no prize for the runner-up.”

General Omar Bradley

By the time Hume returned to them through the intercom to announce their arrival, the decanter lay on its side within the bar. 

Morrie could feel the flush she saw on Kade and she knew they both had had too much. 

What had possessed her to do what she did? 

Surely it wasn’t the whiskey—Morrie had always been able to hold her liquor.  But something inside her—a dark and uncontrollable desire needed to be near him.  She needed to feel his power meeting hers.  She needed it still.

The helicopter touched down with a professional ease and soon the blades slowed.  The door beside Morrie rose up and against a setting sun of fiery red, Hume appeared to supervise their exit. 

Apparently trusting his pilot now that he’d had a few too many, Kade allowed Hume to take Morrie’s hand as she stepped down the few steps to land. 

Except they hadn’t landed on ground. 

Wind whipped Morrie’s hair as she shrugged her coat on and looked out on the city from the roof of a high-rise building. 

Thirty feet from them was a smaller building made of smooth wooden paneling.  Two stiff doormen in dark suits and unmoved postures held open a pair of glass doors.  Above their heads, two words glowed in white neon lights.

The heat of Kade’s body met hers as he stood beside her and wrapped his arm around her.  Because of his height, that put his hand on her ribs just below her breast. 

He pulled her against his side.

“Welcome to The Mission, Morrie,” he said close to her ear.  Stepping around her, he took her hand and glanced over his shoulder. “Thank you, Hume.”

Morrie turned as well. “Yes, thank you.”

Once again, Hume tipped his hat and smiled.  “My pleasure.  I’ll be here at yer disposal when ye’re ready tae leave.”

Morrie offered him a quick wave as Kade brought her along.  They passed through the glass doors where both doormen greeted in near unison, “Master McLeod.”

“Fellas,” Kade nodded and continued to draw Morrie along and into an elevator with an interior striped in varying degrees of blue.  Overhead bright lights glinted off geographically shaped mirrors. 

Their ride was short as the doors quickly reopened to a large, round room of bright white.  A wall of towering windows faced them across gleaming marble floors. 

The furniture and design screamed ultra modern with oddly shaped chairs in bright colors and patterned rugs of black and white.  A long, thin dining table made of glass was surrounded by glass chairs, all sitting beneath a strange, industrial chandelier of telescoping lights.

Pointing to his right, Kade said, “Yer room’s through that door.”  He then pointed to his left. “And mine’s over there, close enough tae get confused and find yer way tae my bed if ye want.”

Rolling her eyes, Morrie slipped her hand free and began to unbutton her coat.  Kade took it and along with his, hung both up in a nearby closet. 

A knock came at the door. 

Kade answered and was quickly greeted by a small, elderly man who spoke in soft, fast sentences, never pausing to allow a response.

“Master McLeod, I trust you traveled well. I have your itinerary and tonight’s menu.” He handed Kade a leather folder that Kade barely glanced into. “The chef would like to meet with you before greeting the guests.  The mayor will be among those attending…”

Morrie lost interest in the details and wandered away, leaving Kade to his business. 

Across the large room she found a gourmet kitchen wearing the standard decor of white and shiny. 

She passed by a large glass door.  On its other side was an expansive balcony with oversized furniture, a stone fire pit in the center. 

Against a wall an ornate, antique chess set was displayed reverently on a small table, the pieces made of walnut and maple, the details of the characters incredibly fine. 

She had noticed a similar set back at the manor depicting the humans’ idea of Irish gods and sprites.  The MacLeod’s must have had a passion for the game.

With her curiosity growing, Morrie went to check out her room. 

Hidden in the wall, only a silver recessed handle gave away that a door existed. 

Inside, the room rebelled in color, the walls a light bluish-grey, the furniture a dark navy next to a silver accent table with the twinkling cityscape behind it, the accents bright orange. 

The king-size bed was low to the ground with little frills, just the way Morrie liked it.  Pillows layered the head while a fluffy down comforter lay folded at the foot on top of a dark grey quilt.

Her eyes catching another door, Morrie next discovered the bathroom in glimmering glass tile and white marble.  Her lips parting as she stared at the tub in the center, she immediately began to undress, hopping on one leg to yank her boots off. 

At the press of a button, water flowed from a curved faucet down into the asymmetrical free-standing tub made of smooth white stone. 

Lavender soaps, bath oils, and bubble bath crowded a small table beside the tub.  Dumping almost everything she could into the steaming water, soon Morrie was stripped of her clothing and gently stepping over the side.  She sank with a near ecstatic sigh into the hot, sudsy water. 

It had been too long since she’d had a proper bath. 

Morrie pulled a hair tie from her wrist and gathered her hair up on top of her head, securing it into a messy knot.  Once the bubbles floated over her breasts, she shut the water off and reclined back into the tub’s side.  Exhaling a contented sigh, she relaxed.

“Dr. Pepper and bath tubs,” Kade said, leaning against the bathroom doorway with his arms across his chest. “Now I know yer weaknesses.”

He had removed his outer coat and suit coat, his white shirt sleeves rolled up and his tie loosened.  But he didn’t look as relaxed as she.

Too lost in lavender and bubbles, Morrie didn’t even register surprise at his invasion of her privacy.  And if she was honest, it wasn’t because of the bath. 

It was more of that strange sensation—the way Kade looked leaning in the doorway, his tall, large body filling the space, an overpowering presence.  Once again she felt made of warm liquid, her bones no longer there.

“You’re in my bathroom,” she grumbled even though she didn’t truly feel annoyed.

“Ye’re in my hotel,” he shrugged, shameless as always.

Scowling, Morrie slid a sideways glare at him, but was too content to care.  And seeing him relaxed in his business attire…did things to her.  More things than seeing him sitting beside her in the helicopter did. 

Kade was doing too many things to her.  And she was growing tired of fighting her desire.

“If you’re going to insist on being in here, you can at least be of some use and scrub my back.” 

Maybe it was the whiskey.  She knew she was treading on dangerous ground, she knew as soon as she invited his touch she would be lost to him, but she couldn’t help herself. 

And the look Kade gave her as he dropped his arms and stood up only brought those earlier feelings rushing back.

Trying to affect an air of indifference, he sauntered into the room, pushing his sleeves further up.

“Well, since ye did agree tae be my date, I suppose the least I can do is help ye wi‘ yer…hard tae reach places.”

Sinking further into the water, Morrie hoped to mask her blush with the bubbles.  But as Kade grabbed a stool and sat behind her, she sat up, making sure she was still covered where it counted. 

She reached for a washcloth to hand him, but instead he dipped his hands into the water and brought them down onto her shoulders.  Even though his hands dwarfed her, his touch was gentle, kneading and massaging the tense muscles.

“Ye’re tight,” he said, his voice sounding strained. “Too much tension is no’ good for ye.”

Closing her eyes, Morrie’s head fell back as he expertly worked his thumbs and fingertips into her knots and sore spots with slow circles and light pressure. 

“What’s all this from?” he asked.  The question sounded equal parts concern and restraint. 

“Work on a ranch is hard.” She hadn’t realized she’d been in such bad shape; she hadn’t been pampered in ages.

“I can tell.” His breath hit her cheek and his fingers pressed harder.

“Oh
god
,” Morrie groaned as pleasure spread from his touch throughout her body, swirling like a drug in her center and journeying all the way down to her toes. 

They curled in the water.

She felt him grow tense for a moment before he continued working on her. “That feels so good, Kade,” she murmured.

With his fingers on her shoulders, his thumbs moved down her shoulder blades, pressing along the insides.  Drawing circles down her back, his hands covered her arms and massaged there for a bit before they slipped to her side, dangerously close to her breasts, but not as close as Morrie wanted.

“This might have been a bad idea,” Kade said, his voice husky, the words coming out on deep breaths.  His fingers moved further forward, the tips skimming the side swells of her breasts, slick and silky from the bath oils.

“Why is that?”

His hands had her enchanted.  Filled with pleasure, her body became hyper sensitive, alert with arousal. 

Without realizing it, she had sat further up to give him more access, the water and bubbles no longer protecting her. 

Exposed, her breasts were touched with cold, her nipples hard and painful, but not from the air.  From need. 

“Ye feel so good, I’m no’ going tae want tae stop touching ye.”

Her heavy eyelids blinked with surprise as she felt his lips against her shoulder just as his hands moved lower still, submerged in the water.  While his hot tongue seared a path across her skin, his thumbs glided along her spine, his long fingers traveling below her breasts now, teasing and so close.  Desire coiled tight in her core, her sex clenching with want. 

Her need growing stronger and almost painful for fulfillment, she arched her back.  His nose skimmed across the back of her neck, his lips gliding along her shoulder while his hands reached their next destination at her lower back.  His talented thumbs worked her lower muscles while his fingers splayed across her pelvic bones teasing the sensitive flesh.