Coming Home (Sequel to This Time Around)

Chapter Five

CHAPTER FIVE

Six weeks later

When they weren't in Asgard, home was in Hunterdon County, in western New Jersey, in a spacious five-bedroom home on several acres of wooded land. The pool was open, and for the last week, Selig and Aislinn spent practically every waking moment splashing in it and jumping off the diving board.

McKenna sighed softly as she stretched out, face down, on the king-sized bed in their room. It had been a long day, but a fun one, spent playing in the pool. She was now ready for bed, dressed in only the soft tee shirt she slept in. "And with that, the Odinson children are all down for the night," she said, smiling over her shoulder at Loki.

He was coming out of their en suite bathroom, his hair wet from his shower and dripping onto his shoulders but combed back. Another towel was tucked tight about his waist. "Silence is a beautiful thing."

"So is sleeping through the night." She closed her eyes and snuggled into her pillow. "I love being home."

The bed dipped and she smiled as she felt a knee press into the mattress on either side of her hips and a gentle hand swept her hair away from the nape of her neck. Water droplets were cool against her skin as Loki bent over and the warmth of his lips replaced the coolness of the water.

"Mmmm..." she murmured, her toes curling on their own. She loved the feel of his lips on her skin, and her nape was especially sensitive, not to mention one of his favorite parts of her body to kiss.

And nip. He was a biter. A gentle biter, but still. And yet, it was one of the sexiest things he could do to her-kiss her softly, bite her gently, then soothe it with a sweep of his tongue. He'd done it since the first time he ever laid his lips upon her, on the boardwalk in Point Pleasant at the Jersey Shore. It was the Fourth of July, they were watching fireworks, and he slid an arm about her neck, apologized for harsh words he'd spoken the previous night, and drew her back against his chest. Next thing she knew, his lips skimmed along her neck, followed by the first playful nip.

Of course, what might have happened after that was left unknown, as Phil Coulson and his team of agents appeared and blasted Loki into a game stand before taking them both into custody. She was released, he was detained until the next morning, when he assumed the shape of one of Coulson's agents and simply walked out of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s temporary setup. But it all worked out in the end, as he returned to the B&B, where they made love for the first time.

Now, he nipped the slope of her shoulder. Kiss. Nip. Flick.

Kiss. Nip. Flick.

As he kissed, her tee shirt inched up until he was whisking it over her head to toss onto the far side of the bed. She sighed softly. Her entire skin tingled from his touch and she couldn't hold back her shiver as he murmured, "What are you thinking, Midgardian?"

"I'm thinking I like this," she whispered back, her smile widening.

"Do you, now?" His lips brushed her ear and she bit down on her bottom lip as he slowly came down against her. As a Jötunn, his body temperature ran much lower than humans and that coolness seeped into her, although it was tempered as a slow heat swirled through her. It was a wonder they didn't create steam whenever they touched, because she was sure her body temperature spiked each time he touched her.

"Oh, most definitely." She cracked one eye to peer at him over her shoulder. His eyes were blue, but hints of green swirled about his pupils. Seeing that sent a rush of heat through her and when he bent to nuzzle her, she couldn't hold back her sigh.

"What is it, darling girl?" he whispered, sliding his hands down over her arms, over her hands, where he laced his fingers with hers. "What's on your mind?"