Spitfire (Puffin Cove) (24 page)

"
Hello?" she held her breath.

"
Mornin' sunshine. How are ye today?" His voice rumbled through her, weakening her, strengthening her.

"
Good morning to you, too. I'm just fine. Oh, Kane. I had a wonderful sleep. My fairy prince put me to bed last night, then poof! He was gone."

He chuckled
. "Ye were all in, darlin'. Ye got just what I hoped ye'd have, some good solid sleep."

"
That was very sweet of you, Kane. Thank you. But I missed you beside me this morning."

"
Me too, love."

"
What are you up to today?"

"
Just finished me chores. Wanted to talk to ye before I started me work."

"
Anything important?"

"
Naw, just wanted t' hear yer voice."

She closed her eyes
. Savouring. She worried about how much she missed him when he wasn't with her. Even when she was thick in the renovations she thought of him constantly. But now, when she wasn't occupied by busy work, she ached to touch him, to have him near.

"
I'm glad. It's good to hear yours too."

"
What are ye wearin'?" She could hear his smile. Pictured his soft upturned lips, his dimpled right cheek, his crooked eye tooth.

She choked out a laugh
. She looked down at her grey sweats and baggy college t-shirt. "White lace camisole and panties."

"
Me favourite things. God, ye're makin' me mouth water. And me dick twitch."

"
I know the feeling. Well, not about the dick twitching, but you know..."

She loved hearing his chuckle through the phone
.

"
Are ye restin' today?"

"
So far. Waiting for the lumber, but other than that, I'm at loose ends."

"
Well, I don't want ye doin' any heavy work today. Ye need t' recharge."

"
I promise. But I should be helping you with the sheep. I feel guilty, you having that extra work because of me."

"
Psht. 'Tis no extra work. They're out in the field all the day. Stanley does the work, and he's lovin' it. Happy as a pig in shite."

She chuckled
. "What are you working on today?"

"
A pilliated woodpecker."

"
Ooo, beautiful. I'd love to see it."

"
Next time ye're over."

"
Yeah," she breathed through the phone. "Well, I should let you get to it. Thanks for calling, and for tucking me in last night."

"
Aye, my pleasure, Laura love."

Ah, she
simply
melted
when he called her that.

"
Alright. Have yerself a good day, sweetheart."

"
You too, baby." She waited for him to disconnect. The line softly buzzed.

"
Ye have t' hang up, Spitfire."

"
Nu-uh. You first." Her wide smile leaked into her voice.

"
Nope. You." She heard his too.

"
On three, then. One. Two. Three."

Dead air.

"Kane! Hang up!"

He laughed, and disconnected
. Her day had brightened as though the sun had come out. She pulled out her knitting basket, and clicked away the hours on the soft blue sweater that she had almost finished for him.

They didn't see each other for three days. He called her every day. They both stayed busy, both giving each other space, both missing each other more with each passing minute.

***

Laura drove to the farm on the day of the festival. The barn door stood open, and she found him there, milking the cows. She had picked her way gingerly, her strappy sandals not easily negotiating the farm terrain. She leaned against the barn door, being careful not to get anything on her new dress. And she watched as he milked, murmuring as he pulled teats, leaning his head on the belly of the cow. The soft gush of the milk shushed as it hit the pail, steam rising in the morning cool of the barn.

Lord, how she loved him
.

He stood from the stool, stretched his back, picked up his full pail and turned
.

"
Laura," he whispered.

Kane'
s thoughts had materialized in earthly beauty, her auburn hair gleaming like fire in the sunlight sifting through the barn door, her face in shadow, the glow of her smile shining through. Her flowing blue dress fluttered around her, caressing her curves, sunshine casting her legs in provocative relief, little pink toenails peeping out of thin sandals.

"
God, ye're beautiful," he breathed.

He trudged up to her in creaking rubber boots and tattered plaid shirt, the milk in his bucket gently sloshing
. He knew that his wild black hair was all mops and brooms, and his face bore the scruff of two days growth.

And she
looked at him as though she had never seen anyone more handsome.

He leaned his face close to hers and kissed her lips
. "Mornin', Laura love. I've missed ye."

"
I've missed you too, my love."

She
gave him her glowing eyes, her slow, sexy smile, raised her arms and laced them around his neck. He felt goosebumps rise to meet her fingers, fer God's sake.

He murmured,
"Don't. Ye'll muss your pretty dress. I'm all barny."

She giggled
. "Stay here. I'll run back to the car and take it off."

He chuckled
to hide the flare of lust. And love. Jaysus. How had this happened? How had this woman come to be all that kept his heart beating?
Fuck me.

"
Ye sorely tempt me, Spitfire."

He walked with her to the house, capping the milk pail and putting it in the old back-kitchen fridge
. "There's coffee in the pot if ye'd like. Will ye make yerself t' home while I clean the barn from me?"

She nodded
. "No hurry. I'm early. I just couldn't wait to see you," she admitted.

"
I'll be quick. I'm lookin' forward t' greetin' ye properly."

He kissed the tip of her nose and headed for the bathroom
. He showered and shaved, thinking of her. Jaysus, but he'd missed her. These past days had him aching. And he experienced that feeling again that change was coming.

She had called him 'my love' again today
. He had listened, wondering if it was an endearment like those that rolled off so many tongues. But she never said it to anyone else that he knew of. He had tucked it in a corner of his heart. And it grew with every utterance from her lips.

He
had waited. He had been patient. But his patience was growing thin. Dammit, he wanted her here with him. Every day. For the rest of his life.

Aye, change is comin
'.

While Kane was showering, Laura wandered the house, sipping coffee. Her hand ran across the blanket box in the hall. Had he made this? Her finger traced the knots, starting in the centre and caressing out, feeling the ridges and whorls of the wood, imagining his hand fashioning it into function.

Her eyes searched out and found his work table stationed at a large east window, the skylight overhead casting abundant natural light to aid his work
. The long bench was covered with pots and brushes, and chunks of rough wood stacked in a corner waited for his hand. Curls of fragrant shavings were carelessly brushed into a pile.

But her gaze was drawn to the woodpecker emerging from the mass of pine
. How did he know what to do? To pull from nothing this majestic bird? It was like the mythical phoenix rising from the ashes. She was dumbstruck, seeing his work in progress like this.

It was here
at his workbench that he discovered her, stroking the tip of a finger over his current piece so lovingly that he felt it along the length of his dick. He wrapped her in his arms, snuggling her back to his chest, an arm around her middle, another cupping a soft breast. His spicy fragrance blended with the soft, alluring scent of hers. Cool tendrils of his damp hair raised goose bumps on the back of her neck, and he warmed them with his lips and tongue.

"
Ah, so much better," he breathed. "We don't have t' pick Jill up fer hours, do we?"

She moaned, and made his balls clench
.
"I'm pretty sure she's waiting for us already."

"
Well, she's just going t' have t' wait 'til I do this." He turned her and moulded her to him again, front to front, lips to lips, tongue to tongue. He kissed her with all the longing he had shored up over the past three days, asking her with actions what he was afraid would spook her with words.

Her response was heady. Intoxicating
. Her kiss said
Yes, I'm yours. Forever
. And soon, her voice, by God, would say the same.

***

George Street was already thick with people. The bright afternoon sun sparkled off of window fronts and instruments and sunglasses. Music was everywhere. They watched jugglers and acrobats, the buskers and comedians luring them from pillar to post, and Laura didn't want to miss a thing. Step dancers clomped to traditional Irish jigs, while on another corner a blues trio entertained a group of revellers.

The smells of hotdogs and cotton candy and battered seafood tempted them to indulge, and they washed treats down with plastic cups of foamy beer
. As the sun went down, the cacophony of music and voices ramped up. They jostled their way through throngs of shoulders, chatting with friends and total strangers alike.

Landon
hooked Kane around the neck and hollered in his ear. "If I'd a face da likes o' yers, my son, I'd walk backerds!"

"
Blood, ye ol' sod! Where the blue bloody blazes ye bin?"

"
Round and aboot, me son! Yer the one bin scarce as hen's teeth!"

Laura
chortled, loving the deepening of their slang in keeping with the joy of the festivities and the flow of beer in their veins.

"
An' 'ows me Lady Laura?" He snuggled her into his arms and smacked a kiss on her lips. "I hear your house is comin' right along."

"
That it is. You'll have to come for the party." She called in his ear.

"
I'll be there, me ducky!" He called back. "Specially if this sweet little pixie's gonna be there." He hooked an arm around Jill's waist, squeezed, then snatched it back when she shoved at his arm.

"
Ah, g'wan witcha! Got no girls o' yer own hangin' about tonight, Landon?" she sneered snottily.

"
De're all dat exhausted, de're back yonder in da bar refuellin'." He winked broadly at Kane and Laura, pointedly ignoring Jill's pursed-up face.

Landon
joined them for the rest of the evening, the four standing shoulder to shoulder, watching Laura's favourite east coast band take centre stage for the headlining act. She was bouncing, squeezing Kane's arm in excitement and dancing on the spot to the rocky, grinding music.

She belted out the songs along with them
. She knew every word, and Kane's wide smile was on her every time she glanced his way. The lead singer cocked a mock trigger-finger in their direction and she gasped, giving Kane a much longer, very shocked look. He just smiled.

"
Kaaaane! Do you know them?" He shrugged non-commitally. She narrowed her eyes at him. How could he have held that back from her? She was suddenly reminded that this man, the one she loved, was a very well known, very successful artist. It would only make sense that he would have connections in high places. She struggled to not go there, knowing that it would just make her crazy.

The band finished their encore, and
Laura whistled and cheered and clapped with the crowd. "That was so awesome! Man! They're amazing live!" she bubbled close to Kane's ear.

He took her hand in his
. "Come on." He rounded up the other two, and they nudged their way backstage.

No way,
Laura thought.

No frickin
' way!

Kane peered over the heads of roadies and musicians, and caught the eye of his friend
. He nodded, and was waved forward.

Laura
, Jill and Landon walked single file behind Kane, shrugging through the crowd. Laura's heart was hammering at double time. The open-air backstage was littered with people, guitars, amps, and a jungle of wires. They picked their way over and Kane clapped his hand on the sweaty back of a guy draining a bottle of beer. A guy who happened to be the lead singer, for heaven's sake!