Wild Irish Roots (The Mystic Cove Series) (6 page)

"Oh? Are you asking me to live with you, Margaret O'Brien?" Sean raised an eyebrow at her as he moved the hamper from between them. Margaret giggled as he took the plate from her hand and threw it onto the sand. Sean crept forward until he kneeled between her outstretched legs, his hands braced on her sides. Margaret leaned back on her elbows and looked up at Sean's face, love and laughter shining from her face.

"Well, I suppose that I am," Margaret said cheekily and laughed up at Sean.

"Well, if I must," Sean said and lowered himself onto Margaret until she was pressed back against the blanket, the sand soft beneath her. Margaret squirmed at the feel of Sean's body between her legs, and already lost, she arched into his chest, wrapping her arms around his muscular shoulders.

Sean stopped, his lips a hairsbreadth from hers. "I know this is crazy, but I've wanted you since the moment I set eyes on you. It's taken me months to finally talk to you."

Margaret all but melted into him. "Me too. I couldn't stop looking at you. You were so different than the other boys that I've met."

"Don't talk about them," Sean urged and Margaret stopped his kiss. Pulling back, she looked at him.

"There hasn't been anyone," Margaret said softly and Sean's eyes widened.

"Even better. Mine, all mine," Sean whispered reverently and Margaret's heart swelled.

"Do you mean that? Do you really mean that?" Margaret whispered against his lips.

"I do. Mine. We'll build a new life together in Dublin. Us against the world, sweet Maggie," Sean murmured to her.

"I want you, Sean. All of you, okay?" Margaret said. "Don't stop. I want to be a woman with you."

Sean shuddered in her arms and nodded his face against the nape of her neck.

"I'm honored. Let me love you, Margaret," Sean said as he kissed his way up her neck until he found her lips. Lost in his kiss, Margaret moaned into his mouth as he rubbed his lips over hers. Teasing her, he nipped and nibbled at her bottom lip. She moaned when he sucked gently at her lip before slipping his tongue between her lips. Entranced, Margaret felt heat rush through her as they played with each other, teasing, lingering.

Margaret gasped as Sean nudged her legs wider. Her skirt rode up to her hips and she tried not to blush. Sean broke away from her lips and knelt between her legs. Tugging on the hem of her dress, he raised an eyebrow at her in question.

"Yes," Margaret said breathlessly.

She leaned up as Sean pulled the dress over her head and the cool sea air brushed over her skin. The last of the light from the setting sun washed over her and the tiki torches glowed around her head. Margaret shivered as she lay before Sean in her bra and underwear and watched him appraise her body.

"Sweet Jesus," Sean whispered and Margaret found herself laughing.

"You like?" She laughed at him, though she wished that she had worn a prettier pair of underwear. Her simple cotton bikini bottoms and white bra weren't that exciting, though she knew that she filled her bra out nicely.

"I never want to leave," Sean breathed and bent to kiss her neck, trailing his mouth down to her breast. Margaret laughed and pushed him back.

"Um, you too, sir," Margaret said as she pointed to his clothes.

"Huh? Oh, sure," Sean said. Haste made him clumsy and Margaret laughed as he tripped over his pants as he struggled to pull them off his legs. His shirt sailed after them and soon, he stood before her naked. Margaret drew in a deep breath. She'd never seen a fully naked man in real life before and the sight was intoxicating. She wanted to trace her hands over his muscles and kiss her way down his chest. It was very apparent that he was just as excited as she was. Margaret nibbled her lip as she wondered how someone so large would fit with her body.

"God, don't nibble your lips. You're driving me crazy," Sean breathed and knelt back between her legs.

Margaret gasped as he ran his hands up along her sides before reaching behind her to unclip her bra. Suddenly feeling very wanton, Margaret slipped the bra from her shoulders and tossed it away from her. Sliding her legs up, she whipped her underwear off and tossed them aside. Sean's tongue nearly fell out of his mouth at her movements and she found herself laughing helplessly again.

Oh, how she wanted this. Love, and laughter, and normalcy. Lying back, she held her arms up to Sean, beckoning him closer.

Sean needed no invitation. Bracing himself over her, he kissed his way down her breasts, paying careful attention to spots where she let out helpless moans. Margaret shivered as he traced his lips over her stomach before finding the sweet spot in the V between her legs. Shocked, she leaned back against the sand and stared up at the stars that were peeking through the darkening sky. Her body felt liquid and loose, and Sean's mouth on her was a dream. Her guards down, Margaret could no longer define where her feelings stopped and Sean's started. A wave of love and lust seemed to envelop them and in a matter of moments, Margaret felt herself shuddering against Sean's mouth as he pushed her over the edge.

Rearing up, Sean braced himself over her.

"Margaret, I need you, I can't even think, I want you so badly," Sean whispered, and kissed her deeply. Pulling back, he met her eyes.

"Yes, Sean, now," Margaret commanded.

Sean groaned against her mouth and kissing her softly, he murmured words of love as he took her across the threshold into womanhood. Margaret jerked against him at the intrusion, but soon fell into the sweep of lust that moved through her. Unable to think, only to feel, she wrapped her arms around Sean as he brought her to completion, finding his own shortly thereafter.

Sean buried his face in her neck and Margaret held him there, never wanting him to leave her. He felt so right, as though he was a part of her. Margaret was so glad that she had waited for this. It couldn't have been more perfect and tears pricked her eyes at the beauty of the gift that she had just been given. Unable to stop herself, she trembled against Sean and he drew back to look in her eyes.

"Hey, why are you crying? Did I hurt you?" Sean said, worry in his eyes.

"No, God, no. It was perfect. It's just all of this was so great. So right. Thank you," Margaret said against his lips.

"You and me, sweet Maggie, you and me," Sean whispered.

Maggie closed her eyes and brought her forehead to Sean's. A light seemed to pulse through her eyelids and she blinked her eyes open, thinking it was the flame of the tiki torch. She gasped as a glowing blue light fell over them.

"What?" Sean said, looking down at her. And then seeing the same light as her, hurriedly sat back on his knees.

"What the...?" Sean said and turned to look at the water.

A brilliant blue light shot from the depths of the water, illuminating the cliff walls that hugged the cove and stretching out into the night sky. Margaret's mouth fell open as she stared at the water. She'd never seen or heard of this before.

"What the hell, Margaret?" Sean said furiously, looking back at her. Margaret realized that he thought she knew what was happening.

"I...I don't know. I don't know. Oh, God, what's happening?" Margaret shouted and leapt up, looking for her clothes in the sand. Leaving her underwear, she pulled her dress over her head and watched as Sean tugged his pants on. Grabbing his shoes, he left the hamper behind and Margaret had to race to keep up with him. Terrified of the water, of the light, of what was happening, Margaret ran for her life.

They panted up the path, not saying a word. As they neared the top, Margaret began to grow cold inside. She could feel Sean's anger, his confusion, and his hurt. She could tell that he thought that she knew about what was happening in the cove. Hanging her head in shame, she walked the last few steps to the top where he stood, looking down at the glowing water. The further they had gotten from it, the more the light had dimmed.

"You think this is funny?" Sean hissed, his chest heaving with his struggle to breathe.

Margaret shook her head and reached out to him but he stepped back, evading her hand. "That little circle thing you did at the bottom. That's what witches do, right? This is all part of that, isn't it? I thought it was crazy rumors. But it's not. It's all true. You lied to me."

"No, Sean, please. I didn't lie. I told you that I’d heard weird stuff about the cove. I'm just as scared as you. I have no idea what this is," Margaret pleaded for Sean to understand. He stood back and ran his hands through his dark hair, his face looking murderous in the pale light of the moon.

"I can't. I just can't deal with this. It's too messed up. I'm sorry...I have to go," Sean said and turned and ran from her.

Margaret stared after him in shock, her heart cracking open and shattering inside of her. The man who had just professed to love her and wanted to start a new life with her had just run...
run
from her. Margaret collapsed to her knees as a keening sound reached her ears. Realizing that it came from her, she covered her mouth as sobs racked her body. Turning to look at the cove in accusation, Margaret wanted to scream.

The light was gone.

––––––––

M
oments, minutes, hours later...Margaret pulled herself up and trudged towards her house. She'd grabbed her purse when she'd run for the trail but cared little about the rest of her clothing that lay on the beach. The gravel stung her feet with each step and knowing the way home by heart, Margaret crossed into the softer grass and cut across the hill where her house shone its light warmly into the night.

Margaret tried to contain her sobs but there was little she could do. Her heart was left behind in the cove.

Weakly, she pushed the door to the cottage open, not bothering to clean herself up or to put on a happy face for her mother. There was no way that Fiona wouldn't know what had just happened.

"Margaret!" Fiona exclaimed and jumped up from her rocking chair in the alcove where she was writing in her book.

That damn book, Margaret thought. She raised a hand to stop Fiona in her tracks.

"Don't," Margaret said.

"But...are you okay? Oh, honey, let me help you," Fiona whispered.

Margaret vehemently shook her head though a part of her wanted to run to Fiona and curl up with her head in Fiona's lap.

"This is your fault. Yours. Grace's. And every other freak like me," Margaret shouted, her wrath pouring over Fiona. Fiona recoiled as if Margaret had slapped her and Margaret stormed past her, slamming the door to her bedroom behind her.

She looked blindly around at the piles of clothes, remnants of her happy dreams earlier in the day. Laughing bitterly at herself, Margaret kicked at a pile of clothes before going into the bathroom. Pulling the shower curtain open, she pulled the handle down and stepped directly into the cold stream, dress and all. As the cold water washed over her, Margaret swallowed her sobs, struggling to build her walls back up. Over and over, she tried to contain her hurt, but sobs continued to break through her resolve. Leaning against the wall, she allowed the spray to cover her.

Pulling her soggy dress over her head, Margaret grabbed the soap and suddenly wanting to wash the pain away, she scrubbed her skin vigorously. Her hand stopped as she touched between her legs and felt a sensitivity there that she had never felt before. Remembering the perfectness of that moment, Margaret sobbed even harder. Her dreams had been ripped from her in a matter of moments.

Shutting off the water, Margaret wrapped her hair in a towel before stuffing her arms into her bathrobe. She trudged into her bedroom and stopped at the plate of scones and hot tea that stood by her bed. A note sat propped against the teapot.

This, too, shall pass.

Suddenly furious, Margaret reached down and ripped the card up.

Turning off the light, Margaret crawled into bed, and stared blankly at the rafters above her.

One day, she'd get out of here. One day soon, she thought before exhaustion claimed her with a dreamless sleep.

––––––––

T
he following days passed in a blur of gray. Margaret all but refused to talk to Fiona, restricting their conversations to the briefest of words. Several times she caught Fiona looking at her worriedly.

Margaret found herself closing up, more than ever. Her usually sunny demeanor with her customers was replaced with sullen, brief sentences. Even Sarah began to look at her with worry in her eyes.

"Is everything okay, Margaret?" Sarah finally asked one day.

"Fine," Margaret said and brushed past Sarah to fill the tray of salt shakers.

"Well, it just seems like you are upset," Sarah ventured and Margaret turned to meet her eyes.

"I said that I am fine," Margaret said stonily and Sarah shrugged her shoulders and left her alone.

Alone. That was all she wanted, to be alone. She didn't need Fiona's prying questions or her customers' questioning glances. Margaret knew that she was a wreck. But, so what if she didn't always want to put a happy face on? For once in her life, Margaret settled in for a good long sulk.

Her entire life had shifted in a matter of days, Margaret shouted in her head. She wished that she could confide in someone. Anyone. But what would she say?
Oh, hey, my mom can heal with her hands and I lost my virginity by an enchanted water that lit up...scaring the crap out of myself and what I thought was my future husband. It's cool though, no biggie,
Margaret thought.

What she needed was to get out, Margaret thought.

Her mind strayed to the letter that she had placed in the mail two days ago. It was addressed to her older cousin who lived in Boston. Maybe, just maybe, there was a chance for her to start over there.

"I'm leaving. Do you need help?" Sarah asked timidly and Margaret waved her away. She didn't want help, only privacy.

Craning her neck, she waited until she saw Sarah walk past the front window. Walking into the back room, Margaret plopped into the chair by the desk and reached for the phone. She pulled a sheet of paper from her pocket and dialed the number on it.