The Gathering (55 page)

She smiled and looked at his hands and then looked back into his eyes.
 

"I love you, Sean."

He smiled and squeezed her hands.

"I love you too, Al."

She shook her head, seeing that he didn't understand.

"No, Sean, I mean I love you.
 
I'm in love with you."

His breathing quickened and he tilted his head slightly.

"I'm sorry, could you say that again?"

Alia's heart was pounding so hard she felt like it would break through her chest, but she took a deep breath and swallowed.

"I'm in love with you, Sean Lantry.
 
I have been for a while now, but I've been too afraid to tell you.
 
But in the last few days I've been reminded of how precious time is and… well, here…I guess…"

Sean leaned forward, cupping his hands around Alia's head, and kissed her.
 
She was heady as she felt the softness of his lips on hers and the stubble of his cheeks against her face.
 
She could smell the musk on his skin and she felt light-headed.
 
Sean pulled back and smiled at her.

"I never thought I would ever hear you say that.
 
I've loved you for so long."

He leaned in and kissed her again and then he stood up and grabbed her into an embrace, swinging her around.
  
He finally set her down and she smiled at him, lightly twirling her fingers around the ends of his hair.

"I love you, Alia."

Alia felt a tear roll down her cheek and she breathed deeply.

"Then why don't you show me how much?"

Alia smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Take me to bed, Captain."

Sean smiled and lifted her up in to his arms and carried her up the main stairs to her room.
 
After he entered, he set her down and locked the door behind him.

When he turned back around, Alia had dropped her robe to the floor and there she stood before him.
 
She was beautiful.
 
He reached out and lightly touched her hips, moving his hands across her back and around the curves of her bottom.

She moved her arms around his neck and they allowed their lips to hover over one another, their breath becoming one.
 
Sean's breathing grew faster and he pulled her to him and let his lips envelop hers.
 
He left his eyes open so he could see her, see his dream.
 
He moved his head back and gently bit her bottom lip, sucking ever so slightly.
 
She responded to his every move, the coarseness of his hands against her skin, the softness of his lips on her neck, and then she felt his hand move between her legs.
 
A finger moved between her lips and plunged into her wet darkness.
 
She felt herself shudder against him and let a moan escape.
 

Every cell in her body responded to his touch.
 
She felt her hands move to his shirt and untie the cords that held it.
 
She tugged and pulled the shirt off his back and then moved to his pants.
 
She unbuckled the top of his pants as he continued to make her shudder.

She pushed the leather pants down and felt him, hard and throbbing against her touch.
 
He grabbed the back of her head by her hair and he devoured her mouth again, moving back to her neck.
 
She grabbed his back and felt the skin give way under her nails and he moaned.

Sean moved Alia back onto the bed, lifted her leg and buried his face between her thighs.
 
She watched him until his lips touched hers then she arched her back and closed her eyes.
 
It was more than she could bear.
 
She grasped the bed covers as he bore ever deeper into her, growing more excited with each raspy breath she drew.

Her moaning grew louder and louder, then Sean abruptly stopped and gently bit the inside of Alia's leg.
 
She pushed herself up and looked down at him.
 
They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, and then Sean lunged at her.

She felt the weight of him, the musky scent of him and she groaned in ecstasy.
 
His mouth was everywhere.
 
It found its way back to hers and he kissed her hard and deep, her tongue responding to every move he made.
 
Then he stopped, again staring into her eyes from above her.
 
His hand moving the hair from her face, except for the little curl by her left eye.

His lips were touching hers, but teasing.
 
Every time she tried to kiss him, he would pull back and smile.
 
He moved again to kiss her and as their lips touched, he entered her.

She moaned as he filled her, hard and long.
 
She raised her hips to meet every thrust, making him go deeper and deeper.

Sean tried desperately to hold on; knowing every plunge brought him closer to climax and less control.
 
Her body was so soft and the noises she made were more exciting than he had ever imagined.
 
She was wet and warm and her lips were red and swollen.
 
He looked at her face, twisted into ecstasy.
 
She was moving to the rhythm he set, and he could tell she was close.
 
Her breathing began to quicken and she began to moan.

"Yes.
 
Oh, yes!"

Sean thrust harder and faster and felt her shudder all around him.
 
He could no longer contain himself.
 
He arched his back and climaxed.
 
Their rigid bodies clutching to one another until there was nothing left, only the sounds of their breathing and the beating of each other's hearts.

Slowly Sean lifted his head and gently kissed Alia's lips.
 
She caressed his cheeks and moved his hair from his face and once again gazed into those brown eyes.

"How long?" she asked.

He rubbed his hand through his hair and stared down at her.

"Honestly?"

"No, lie to me now, Sean."

He smiled at her sarcasm.

"Since the day I pulled your girls out of the water."

She lifted herself up on her elbows.

"All this time?
 
Did Paul…"

Sean shook his head.

"No, never.
 
I just figured I would go on like we had till the day I died.
 
I didn't allow myself to believe that you would ever…"

She brought his face to hers and kissed him passionately and slowly.
 
He pulled back and closed his eyes as they pressed their foreheads together.
 
He leaned down and nuzzled into her neck, then rolled onto his side.
 
He grabbed her from behind and held her in his arms.

"Give me a minute," he said, "to recover, then we'll go again."

She allowed herself to smile.
 
Things change and she wasn't afraid anymore.
 
Time was the precious commodity and what you did with it was what was most important.
 
She loved him and he loved her back.

She heard him breathing deeply and she knew he slept.
 
Soon she drifted off to sleep as well, thinking about what would happen when he had recovered.

74

Albion walked slowly through the field.
 
The sun was bright and the sky was clear.
 
He moved his hands over the tall grass.

“Albie?”

He looked around but didn’t see anyone.

“Albie?”

He spun around and twisted his head.
 
He knew that voice, but he couldn’t see her.

“I’m over here, Sweetheart.”
 

The voice called to him.
 
He was becoming frantic.

“I can’t see you,” he said.

“I’m right here.”

He began to run in the direction of her voice, the grass crunching under his feet as he darted in all directions, the foxtails scratching his arms.

“Where?” he asked.

“Here.”

The voice was soft, merely a whisper.
 
He stopped, turned, and there she was standing before him.
 
She was beautiful.
 
She smiled and he threw his arms around her.

"Where have you been?
 
I thought you left me," he said.

"I could never really leave you.
 
You think of me often, don’t you?"

"Always.
 
I miss you so much.
 
When are you coming home?"

"I can't, My Love.
 
I have a new life now.
 
But I miss you so much.
 
Everything would be perfect if you were here with me."

Albion smiled and pulled back to look at her.
 
Her eyes were still so blue.

“I can come.
 
Tell me where you are and I'll come.”

She backed away from him and he tried to hold her.

“Only Rona can bring you to me, Darling.
 
If you release her, she will bring you to me.”

“But she’s in jail…she tried to hurt people.”

“She is the only one, Albie.
 
She’s the only one who can bring you to where I am.”

Albion felt his heart beating and he held tightly to her hands, but they were disappearing as he held them.
 
Then he noticed that she was fading.

“No, NO!! Come back!! Don’t leave me again!!”

“Rona, Sweetheart, Rona will bring you to me.”

“NO!!”

Then she was gone and Albion was alone again in the field.
 
He felt the hot sting of tears on his face and he cried out for her.

“Mother!!!”

He sat up in bed.
 
The cold morning air made his face twinge and he wiped his cheek.
 
The cold wetness of his tears startled him as he felt his breathing slow.

A dream, but he had felt her.
 
Maybe it was Rona.
 
Rona who had filled his father’s head with lies was now trying to fill his head with a false hope.
 
He felt the warm tears come again and he wiped his eyes.

The door of his room opened and he looked up and saw his father in the doorway.

“Albion?
 
Son, are you alright?”

Stephan stepped into the room and sat on the edge of Albion’s bed.
 
The boy looked at his father bleary-eyed as Stephan laid his hand on Albion’s head.