This Time Around (Sequel to All Over Again)

Chapter Forty-Nine

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

The next morning, McKenna burrowed out from under the covers and frowned at the window. She could barely see through the blizzard-like snow whirling past. She sighed, sinking back into the pillows.

Loki's arm eased about her waist, his hand pressing into her belly. “Still snowing?” he murmured, his voice thick with sleep.

“Like crazy.” She snuggled against him, covering his hand with hers and threaded her fingers with his. “But it’s kind of nice.”

“Kind of nice?” He brushed his fingers against her stomach.

“Well, it’s kind of nice, being here, snuggled all up with you. And for once, there is no shadow hanging over us. No Ward. No Tesseract. No Annelie. Nothing.”

“That is nice,” he murmured, tugging her closer still. His breath came warm on the nape of her neck and he gently brushed her hair to one side.

She shivered as his lips grazed her neck into the curve of her shoulder. “Loki… what’re you doing?”

“Shh…” he whispered, slipping his hand from hers to skim it up over her belly. Her eyes slid shut as he nipped her neck with gentle teeth. Tingles spread through her with each caress, with each kiss, with each teasing bite.

“Loki?” Coulson banged on the door. “McKenna? We need to debrief.”

Loki's hand went still, even as she whispered, “Ignore him. He’ll get the message.”

“I like the way you think, darling girl.” Laughter wove through Loki's murmur as he rolled his hips into her. She shivered, unable to hold back her sigh as he did it again, only this time nipping her as well.

“Loki…” she breathed, stretching one hand behind her, to run along his inner thigh. His breath hitched when she found what she sought and her hand closed about him.

“Loki? McKenna?” Coulson knocked a little louder this time.

Loki groaned, his head dropping into the curve of her neck. “Where is my scepter?”

She smiled even as frustration sliced through her. “You are not running him through again.” A laugh bubbled to her lips as he nipped her once more and she called, “We’ll be right there, Phil.”

“Take your time.”

Loki flopped onto his back, a muscle bulging in his jaw as he gritted, “I cannot wait until we are home again.”

She rose onto her elbow and bent to brush his lips with a quick kiss. “Me, neither.”

He caught her in his arms, tugging her flat against him. His hand slid up into her hair, pulling her down to meet his kiss, which was slow and teasing and absolutely wonderful. When he pulled away, she was breathless, her head spinning the way it did when they first began their relationship, when everything was still so new for them.

“Wow,” she whispered, tucking her head against his chest. His heart beat softly beneath her ear, his fingers moving lightly over her hair. “Loki?”

“What?”

She lifted her head. “Do you want a boy or a girl?”

His eyes softened. “Truth? It doesn’t matter to me, love. You know that.”

“I know, but if you had to choose—”

“I’m not answering that because it will only come back to haunt me.”