Sabrina rolled her eyes. "And that's supposed to make me want to have sex with you?"
His smile disappeared, the look in his eyes suddenly hungry. "You did want to have sex with me. You were nearly naked, sweets, and you didn't offer up one word of protest."
She looked away. "I don't know why I didn't; I've never acted like this in my life!"
"Good to know," he said.
Sabrina shook her head, walking towards him. "You are such a shit! It's just the same as it was back when we were together, women just fall at your feet, begging for you to just touch them, right?"
"Does that number include you?" he asked softly, staring at her intently.
Sabrina flushed, her mouth snapping shut. "Just leave me alone!"
He laughed, the sound echoing in the barrow, bouncing off the rock walls, surrounding her. "That's twice now, sweetheart that you've avoided talking about your own desires. I know you have them, I was the one holding you while you were moaning my name, remember?"
"Quit calling me sweets. I have a name, or did you manage to forget that? Does it make it easier if you call them all sweets?" she retorted scathingly.
His gaze narrowed. "I'm not that kind of guy."
Sabrina's bark of laughter reverberated between them. "I bet you say that to all the girls."
He stood up, his hands clenching into fists at his side, a muscle ticking madly in his jaw. "Do you ever shut up, Sabrina?" he hissed through clenched teeth.
"No," she said succinctly, staring at him, refusing to back down.
"I suggest you try, otherwise you'll find your mouth otherwise occupied." The look in his eyes was unmistakable and she shivered despite her resolve to stand firm.
"Arrogant pig!" She snorted, turning around and sitting down, completely ignoring him.
"Whatever. I know what you think I did back then, but I've already told you that you're wrong."
Sabrina harrumphed under her breath and leaned back against a small outcropping. She could deal with this, it'd just mean waiting until someone realized they were missing because no way in hell would she give in.
Patrick frowned. "Or you never really trusted me, is that the case?"
She laughed ruefully. "I trusted you not to break my heart and see where that got me. I told you when we first got together that you scared me, do you remember?"
"You said I could break you," he said tightly. "But I didn't. You broke us."
"No."
"Yes." He jerked down his boxers so she could see his hip.
Her name had been inked onto his skin, surrounded by delicate swirls. "Does this look like I was fucking someone else? Your name is on my skin, Sabrina, burned into it like you were on my soul! You were the one with the trust issues, Brina. I was going to ask you to marry me; does any of this sound like someone who was cheating? I'd bought the ring the week before you came up that last time." His gaze turned wistful. "God, you were so beautiful, with your long auburn hair and fresh scrubbed skin. I almost did it that morning, when we'd just woken up and were wrapped up in each other so tightly I couldn't tell where I ended and you began." He scrubbed his face and looked away, staring at the rock wall.
"You were going to propose?" she whispered, her voice filled with pain and longing and every other emotion he'd ever stirred in her.
His words had shocked her to her core and a desperate flare of heat surged in her stomach at the thought of him on his knees, professing his love.
He looked up at her, a rueful grin tugging at his lips. "Yeah, fucking stupid, wasn't it?"
"I"—Sabrina sighed deeply—"I'm sorry."
Things weren't adding up to the neat and tidy picture she'd had in her head for so long—the tattoo, the knowledge he wanted to ask her to marry him. Pain knifed through her and tears pricked behind her eyes when the thought that maybe she'd misjudged him and really at fault for the time they'd lost began spinning in her head. It'd been so easy to believe that he'd been cheating on her. Her childhood abandonment issues reinforcing the belief no one really wanted her, they just didn't know how to tell her. She'd done this to them, the fault belonged to her that she'd been miserable and alone for the last five years.
Her heart shattered.
He blinked away the unresolved pain etched tightly in the corner of his eyes. "Why were you so scared to believe in us?"
Sabrina took a deep breath, the tears welling in her eyes finally spilling down her cheeks. "You made me feel things I'd never felt before," she said softly. "I wanted things from you that I just didn't understand back then. I knew I wanted something, but I didn't know how to hold onto it."
He reached out slowly, sliding his hands over her hips, drawing her closer to stand between his legs. "And now?"
"You still scare me," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "When you were kissing me, I couldn't think it felt so amazingly good."
"I missed you, Brina," he said gruffly, rubbing his hands over her back lightly. "I missed talking to you, waking up next to you." He laughed ruefully. "Hell, I even missed arguing with you."
She swatted lightly at his arm.
"And by the way, you're still beautiful, now more than ever. I never stopped loving you, Sabrina. I tried to move on, I really did. I figured it was for the best, even though it hurt like hell, but I couldn't do it. You're still in here," he said, lifting his hand to his heart. "You always have been."
Her heart melted and she moved closer, looping her arms around his neck, her expression sobering. "This is real, isn't it?"
His brow arched. "You thought I was making it up?"
"This is so much to take in!" She spun around and walked to the far side of the barrow, leaning against the solid wall separating them from the outside world, her mind whirling.
Chapter Five
The fog-like trance from earlier overtook her once more, blocking out the small barrow and replacing it with a vision that felt so much like home it brought tears to her eyes. Bright sunlight streamed into the cave, falling on the decorated cloth covering the low altar, the subtle gold threads embedded in the weave gleaming in the light. Sabrina squinted, holding her hand up to shade her eyes and looked around. She couldn't see Patrick, and the rock debris that had littered the barrow had disappeared, the floor swept bare and covered by sweet smelling rushes. Her modern clothing no longer existed, replaced by a long woven dress made out of the same material that covered the altar. The world spun and she sank to her knees, dizziness swamping her. When she awoke, she'd become a bystander in her own body, unable to control anything that happened.
A shadowed figure stepped into the mouth of the barrow, framed by the dying rays of the sun. Picking up her skirt, she ran forward, her hands gliding up his broad chest to curl around his thick neck, pulling him closer for a deep, languid kiss.
Big hands framed her face and warm lips covered hers, his tongue delving into her mouth, rubbing against her own, teasing and tempting. She moaned softly, pressing closer, her leg winding around his calf.
Drawing back, he stared down into her face, his eyes dark with desire. "The time has come, finally."
She nodded eagerly, her hands moving to unfasten the heavy gold torque from around his neck. "Solstice eve," she murmured, pressing soft kisses to his skin, her tongue darting out to taste the salty sweetness. "The time of our joining."
The druids had blessed their union just hours before, standing in the sacred grove, thick, white cords joining their hands together in a complicated knot. Nervous anticipation had filled her stomach when he'd stared at her with a hungry look, promising much.
Now, finally, the time was at hand. Finally she would be his, able to savor his touch, to feel his hard, strong body thrusting against her own.
He began to remove her clothing, kissing her as the long, gauzy gown puddled at her feet, the soft whisper of the material as it slid down her limbs making her shiver with anticipation.
"So beautiful," he said, dropping to his knees and pressing kisses to the soft skin of her stomach, his hands cupping her breasts, kneading lightly.
Her head fell back when his tongue delved into her belly button, gliding down to the soft thatch of auburn curls between her thighs. His strong, muscled arm wrapped around her body, lifting her up as he stood, carrying her over to the cloth draped altar, laying her down gently.
His gaze locked with hers and he finished undressing, the leather kilt dropping to the stone floor. He bent slightly, unfastening the thin leather sandals that covered his feet, kicking them aside. Kneeling, he gently spread her legs, kissing his way upwards.
She writhed under his touch, her hands curling into the soft material under her back when he found her center, his tongue curling around the supple nub of flesh and stroking it. Her mouth opened, his name tumbling from her lips as bliss radiated through her body. His hand sought hers and she clutched it tightly as his tongue began to move, sliding into her slick passage. A long, low moan escaped her throat; the pointed tip of his tongue teased her clit, flicking against it.
Thick, hot tendrils of desire began to snake along her veins as his finger slid into her, gently opening her. Her head thrashed as the pleasure built, finally exploding in a flurry of tremors and she quivered, ecstasy surging through her body.
"Declan!" she moaned as he rose above her, his dark green eyes sweeping over her, masculine pride shining in his gaze.
"
Mavourneen
," he said reverently, big hands stroking up her body as he bent forward, bracing his weight on his hands and knees. "Open for me, Siobhan."
She spread her legs wider and he lowered himself slowly, hair roughened skin brushing against her, muscles bunching and straining as he inched forward, the blunt tip of his cock pressing at her entrance.
"Mine," he said, thrusting hard into her, her back bowing as their hips met.
"Yours."
Sabrina's eyes opened and she blinked rapidly, trying to figure out where she was. Her eyes landed on Patrick, leaning against the altar and it all came rushing back, along with the awareness that they'd been here before, the two of them.
"Yours what?"
Sabrina shook her head, trying to clear the last tendrils of the dream, if that's even what it'd been. It had felt so real; her body was still trembling, desire coursing through her. "What?"
He sighed. "You said yours. Yours what?"
"
Mavourneen
," she said, the unfamiliar word rolling off her tongue easily.
His gaze sharpened. "I didn't know you spoke Gaelic."
"I don't," she said, frowning. "What does it mean?"
"My beloved."
Sabrina flushed, heat coiling deep within her. She knew then, without a shadow of a doubt, that they'd been lovers before, in this very chamber.
"Declan," she whispered, lifting her gaze to his.
"What did you see?" he asked, standing up and coming towards her, his gaze intent.
Her stomach dropped to her knees. She could see him, standing before her, but overlaid with an image of him from the past, all rippling muscles and heavy gold jewelry.
Patrick knelt before her, his hand coming up to brush some of her hair back from her cheek. "Brina, talk to me. What did you see?"
She bit her lip when his fingers moved slowly over her skin, the deep, intoxicating, and purely masculine scent of him coiling around her, the images from her dream blending with the reality of here and now.
She licked her lips, taking a deep breath. "I saw us, as we were before."
He inhaled sharply. "Before?"
A sensual smile curved her lips. "We were married, joined on Solstice eve for all eternity by the Druid priests."
He sat back on his heel. "Married?"
Sabrina laughed, pushing lightly on his chest. "Yes, married. I believe you were some sort of leader; you wore a heavy, golden torque around your neck. I called you Declan."
"And the
Mavourneen
?"
Sabrina reached up, her hand running along his chin, the dark stubble tickling her fingers. "It's what you called me, although my name was Siobhan."
"I like
Mavourneen
better."
The ancient word came out like a caress, the soft whisper of his breath across her cheek, the deep intensity of his gaze, sweeping over her. Her hand sought his, their fingers threading together as she leaned up, meeting his lips as they descended towards her own.
A low, animalistic sound filled the air when the kiss deepened, his hand curving around to cup the back of her head, tilting it. Sabrina's hand slid up his chest, curling around his neck as he pulled her closer, standing up and walking towards the altar.
He bent, laying her carefully on the flat, cloth covered stone, their lips parting reluctantly.
"You do realize," Sabrina said softly as he trailed his hand down her side, ghosting over her curves, "that we have no protection." She found it hard to think with him so near, and her body so aroused, but it needed to be addressed, before they went any further.