Coming Home (Sequel to This Time Around)

Chapter Forty-Eight

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

It seemed like a lifetime had passed since she and Loki had last visited the Sølvfoss and as McKenna stepped onto the warm golden sand, the tension of the last few days simply drained away.

She smiled at numerous candles flickering from their perches on various rocks, bathing the entire beach in buttery gold light to make up for the lack of moonlight. Loki was already there, standing at the water's edge, watching the silver falls tumble over the equally silver rocks.

She paused where the path became beach and just stood there, studying him as if she'd never seen him before. His hair was swept back from his face, falling to his broad shoulders and how was it she never noticed how broad his back was before? He was a big, solid man and it was no wonder she'd felt safe with him, almost since that very first night. And even that first night, although she was a little apprehensive (and who wouldn't be, really, knowing Loki had done the things he'd done?) she could honestly say, she never felt she was ever in any danger where he was concerned. Actually, when she said something about how awful it was for the unfortunate German scientist who lost an eye at Loki's hand, his reply was, "Your eyes are perfectly safe. They're too pretty to gouge out."

Was that really six years ago? How was that possible? She still remembered how nervous she'd been, when she snuck into her kitchen with the hopes of snagging her cell phone and calling the police, only to have Loki sneak up on her and scare the bejeezus out of her. But he never actually directly threatened her and instead she introduced him to the wonder of Advil and the menace of the childproof cap.

She could still remember the chill that crept over her from him being so close to her in the kitchen. He didn't touch her, but almost did and she always thought the coolness was from his Jötunn heritage but now as she thought about it, she wondered if it was just that she knew even then, he was the man she would one day marry?

A smile tugged at her lips as she stepped out onto the soft sand. Her heart knew long before her mind did, that Loki Odinson was the man she was supposed to find. And the first time he kissed her, in the steam-filled shower at the Winchester, she knew. She knew she loved him then, only she didn't have the courage to tell him. The first time they made love, she was a goner. And when she thought he was gone forever, she knew there would never be anyone else.

And finally, he was completely honest with her. She knew everything that happened to him from the time he let go of Gungnir to the time when he crashed just inside her front door. Which made her love him even more. He was even stronger than she'd originally thought. He was the strongest man she'd ever met and now, as she closed the gap between them, she fell even more deeply in love with him.

He didn't start as she eased her arms about his waist and pressed her cheek into his back. "A penny for your thoughts, Jötunn," she whispered, her hands flat against his stomach.

He leaned back into her. "I was wondering where you were."

"I was waylaid by Sif. She wanted to know how Selig was doing." She eased her hands beneath his tunic. "What's going on?"

He slowly turned toward her, draping his arms about her shoulders. "What makes you think something is going on?"

She leaned away from him and tilted her head slightly to the side. "Loki."

"You know me too well, Midgardian."

"So spill." At his furrowed brow, she rolled her eyes, smiled, and amended, "Tell me."

"I spoke to Odin earlier."

Her stomach did a funny little flutter as she remembered what Odin had told her when Loki left to confront Thanos. "Uh huh. And?"