Abra Cadaver (22 page)
But he hungered for something else first.
Keane’s lips were back on Holly’s as he undid the buttons on her dress. The creamy white breasts that fell loose and soft in his hands when he unclasped her bra had him moaning in pleasure.
“So beautiful.” He traced a nipple to taut attention with his tongue, then coursed a path to the other nipple. He dropped kisses along her stomach and wondered how he’d managed to survive this many years without her. His life hadn’t meant anything until now. Until he’d found her.
She slid his T-shirt off and arched closer to him. Her breasts rubbed against his chest as she kissed a trail down his neck to his shoulder to his snake tattoo. He felt reborn, as if he had just opened his eyes and took his first breath. As Holly’s lips explored the expanse of his stomach, kissed a line along his scar, a shudder rippled through him and was instantly mirrored in her body.
You have to have her. Right now.
Keane pulled Holly to her feet and let her dress fall to her ankles. She stood before him in just her panties. Black lace against flawless skin.
Good Gods.
He backed up a step so she could free him of his jeans, then his lips were back on her. He couldn’t help himself. She was the answer to a prayer—one he’d thought no one would ever hear.
He spiraled down into a sweet paradise. He lost himself in Holly’s heat. All the horrors of hunting demons because of the abra cadaver curse were forgotten with her kiss. He was just a man in her embrace.
“Catching Hendrick wasn’t your something important.” Keane spoke into the curve of her neck as he picked her up and carried her to her bedroom. “Breaking the curse with your love is.”
He placed her on the bed and crawled up the length of her. He caught a glimpse of his own arousal and knew she was responsible for that as well. He was more than ready to show her how thankful he was.
“I love you, Holly.”
She pulled him down on top of her and whispered, “Show me.”
He teased her mouth with long, slow tastes, relishing the full return of his human senses. Holly’s flowery fragrance. The fruity flavor of her warm skin, the moist smoothness of her heated center. All were appreciated with an awareness he’d been without for ages. All had been returned to him because of Holly.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Holly had no idea making love could be like this. Sure, she’d had sex before, but never had she wanted to devour someone so badly, so completely. She wanted Keane to have everything she could offer. Every molecule. She’d given up trying to find her perfect other half. Soul mates didn’t exist. They were in romance novels, fairy tales, fantasy. Not in real life. Not in her life.
But this man touching her so intimately now made her believe in soul mates. Made her believe life—a second life—was a gift. One meant to be enjoyed with the man she loved.
His fingers gently raked down the front of her, tickling the skin from her breasts to her stomach. When he traveled farther, let his fingers touch her hot, ready center, Holly let out a noise she’d never heard from her own lips.
“I’m not the only one who’s hungry, am I?” Keane leaned forward and caught her lips again. His slight beard grazed her chin as his tongue tangled with hers, and she wrapped her legs around his waist.
“There’s only one meal I want,” she said.
Keane’s laugh was husky, all male. Holly had a moment to stare into his blue eyes, to memorize the curve of his lips, and then he ran his hands down her thighs until she released her hold of his hips. Kissing from her stomach back up to her lips, he eased himself inside her, filled her, made her whole. Slowly, he slid out, then in deeper, out, in deeper, until her body pulsed in time with his every movement. No greater synchronicity had ever existed.
Holly rolled them over so she was on top and rocked her body back and forth until Keane thrust himself in as deep as she could physically let him. He was a part of her now. They were one as their cries of pleasure echoed in her bedroom, and he unleashed himself into her.
“I love you, Keane.”
Never had she felt so alive. Her body shuddered with little aftershocks as she stared down at Keane sprawled beneath her. Her heart thudded in her chest as he slowly pulled himself from her folds, taking himself back inch by heavenly inch. Another sound slipped from her throat, and he wrapped his arms around her waist as he pulled her down beside him. His head rested on her stomach, and she combed her fingers through his soft, black hair. Keane dropped short pecks just below her breasts as his hands kneaded the muscles in her back. She wanted him to never stop touching her.
Never.
His stomach growled again, and Holly felt his abdominal muscles constrict against her thighs.
“Quite a ruckus you’re making there, Keane,” she teased.
“Centuries is a long time to wait for a meal…and you,” he said as he leaned his chin on her stomach so she could see his face.
“Would you like a midnight snack perhaps?” She started to wiggle free of him, but he tightened his hold on her naked body.
“Stay right here, Snack.” He nipped at the valley between her breasts and down to her stomach.
When Keane propped himself up on his elbows, Holly pointed to his left bicep. “Hey, it’s gone.”
“What’s gone?” He looked to his arm.
The snake that had coiled around his upper arm since the witch had cursed him was completely erased from his skin.
“Loving you took the mark away, undid the abra cadaver, set me free.” Keane smiled, and Holly felt like a balloon drifting across the sky on a sunny day.
“I owed you one for saving my life after the car crash,” she said.
“Guess we saved each other, and I plan to enjoy every moment of this new life with you, Holly Brimmer.”
Keane kissed her again, and Holly thought that just maybe the abra cadaver curse had turned into a blessing.
Epilogue
“Are you sure your parents don’t mind us using the beach house?” Keane leaned against his motorcycle as Holly locked the front door and came down the stairs. Her heart always fluttered a little when she saw him in the sunlight. Somehow the sun’s golden rays made him even more handsome. His dark hair looked shinier. His skin was still fair but not as pale as it used to be, and his eyes were a perfect blue sky.
And he was Holly’s. All hers.
“My parents are on a cruise and said if I was still hanging around with ‘that crazy guy,’ I could help him get reacquainted with the real world at the beach house.”
“Very funny, Miss Brimmer.” He reached out quickly and caught her in his arms. Her body pressed against his, and the entire universe felt balanced in that moment.
In the two weeks that had passed since Keane was set free of the curse, Holly had spent all her free moments with him. He hadn’t been compelled to save anyone else or hunt down any demons. He was truly human again. She had helped him get a job—a day job out in the sunshine—with Leora’s cousin who owned a contracting business. He was always looking for strong guys to haul stuff on work sites. Keane had proven to be much more than muscle, however, and Leora’s cousin had called Holly to tell her what a find he was.
She absolutely agreed.
And her nightmares? Completely gone. Replaced by downright orgasmic dreams of Keane, atop a hill in his Celtic armor, long sword in his hand, wind blowing his black hair about his magnificent face. She knew he would slay anything that tried to hurt her. The best part was when she awoke and found that her dreams were real. Keane was beside her, holding her, loving her.
“You ready?” He dropped a kiss on her forehead and released her.
“Let’s go.” She plucked a brand new helmet off the back of Keane’s bike and handed it to him. Human again meant mortal again. He donned the helmet and swung his leg over the motorcycle. As he revved it to life, she put on her own helmet and positioned herself behind him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, and when he leaned back a little, she was reminded of the first time she’d ridden on the motorcycle with Keane as he drove her away from her wrecked car.
She never imagined they’d end up together.
The ride to the beach house passed in a blaze of autumn color and crisp breezes, but she was the warmest she’d ever been in her life. Everything was better with Keane. Waking up in the morning with him beside her was wonderful. Eating breakfast and dinner with him renewed her interest in cooking. He had an enormous appetite and appeared to love everything she set in front of him. Snuggling on the couch after a day’s work had become one of her favorite things to do with him. She had trouble imagining her life without him now.
After stopping briefly in her parents’ house to assemble a snack, grab some beverages, and steal a blanket, Holly led Keane to the beach. They were the only two out there. He spread out the blanket, and she set down the food and drinks. Before she could do anything else, he scooped her up and brought her down to the blanket with him. He kicked off his own shoes and pulled off her sneakers. As he forged a trail of kisses along her neck, Keane slid his hand under her sweater. His palm was hot against her stomach, and she arched closer to him.
“I never thought I would find someone like you, Holly.” He brought his lips to hers and teased her mouth with slow, easy strokes. He pulled back a bit and whispered, “And I actually get to keep you.”
“Forever and ever.” Holly kissed him and knew Keane had brought her back to life in more ways than one.
A word about the author...
By day, Christine DePetrillo teaches fifth grade and inspires young writers. By night, she writes everything. Adult romance, young adult romance, science fiction, fantasy, poetry, pieces about nature, and pretty much anything else that pops into her head. She can't
not
write. She's tried, but The Voices won't let her. They insist she write their tales.
Today, she tell stories meant to make you laugh, maybe make you sweat, and definitely make you believe in the magic of love.
Visit her at
www.christinedepetrillo.weebly.com
.
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