This Time Around (Sequel to All Over Again)

Chapter One

CHAPTER ONE

McKenna Laufeyson sank back into her pillows with a contented sigh. There was almost no other place she'd rather be than at the Jersey Shore.

A strong arm slid about her waist and tightened and she felt herself being pulled up into a cool, but broad, chest. "What are you thinking about?"

"Not a whole lot," she replied, peering over her shoulder at her husband and smiling. "What about you?"

"My mind is blank." Loki pulled her even closer. "I'm not even certain I would recall my own name if someone asked."

"Well, fortunately for you, no one else is here to ask." She rolled in his arms to face him. His eyes had been blazing green only minutes earlier. Now, they were their normal, tranquil shade of blue, which contrasted so beautiful with the tangle of black hair that spilled over his shoulder as he rose onto one elbow to peer down at her.

It was Fourth of July weekend and as was their tradition, they were spending it at the Winchester B&B, down in Bay Head. The Winchester held a special place in her heart and their history, as it was there that they shared their first kiss, their first shower, and the first time they made love. Ever since that weekend, four years earlier, they made it a point to spend at least one weekend-preferably this one-at the Winchester, while their children, Selig, who was almost four, and seven month old Aislinn, spent the time being spoiled by their grandfather, Odin.

Now, Loki bent toward her, his lips warm and soft as they met hers in a slow, lingering kiss. She'd never met a man who kissed as well as her husband. Even after all this time, his kisses made her blood feel warmer and her toes curl.

She slid her arms about his waist, her hands flat against his back. Although he considered Asgard his home, he was in fact Jötunn-Frost Giant-and as such, his body temperature was far lower than that of humans, or Midgardians, as Asgardians referred to them. His skin was cool and smooth, the muscles beneath it like slabs of polished marble.

He broke the kiss to sweep his lips along her cheekbone and he whispered, "My beautiful Midgardian," as they brushed her ear.

She shivered against him. "How is it possible that, after all this time, I still get chills when you say that?"

"Because I am a god, love. I know exactly how to make you shiver."

McKenna smiled into his hair as he dipped back and playfully nipped the side of her neck. She couldn't hold back her peal of laughter as he did, indeed, make her shiver. "Two can play at your game, you know."

It was his turn to shiver as she teasingly dragged her fingernails up over his back. He exhaled in a heated rush, groaning softly in the back of his throat as he shuddered against her. "Careful, love," he warned, "or this will be over before it's even started."

"That will be the day," she whispered, "when my touch is enough to set you off."

He pulled back, rising onto his elbow again. "You have no idea how powerful your touch is, McKenna. It has the power to bring a god to his knees and turn his insides to mush."

"You are a sap, you know that?"

He chuckled, rolling onto his back once more as he pulled her into his arms. "You think I'm joking?" As he spoke, he caught the smooth sheet and blanket in one hand and drew them down. "This sight alone is enough to make me fall to my knees and thank the gods for making me a man."

"Loki, it's cold in here!" She lunged for the blankets, snatching them from his grasp to tug back up. As she settled back against him, she said, "So, what do you want to do with our last free day? Tomorrow we head back to Asgard and the kids, so we'd better make the most of it."

"I don't mind remaining right here," he told her, kissing the top of her head.

"Loki, it's the Fourth of July. We need to at least see some fireworks."

"You wish fireworks, love?" He arched one black brow and lifted his right hand. "Enjoy."

A swish of his hand, and the room was filled with the brilliant showers of purple, green, white, and gold fireworks. They were noiseless and beautiful, but she shook her head at him. "That's not what I meant."

"I know, and I tease, love. Of course, we can go to watch fireworks." He wrapped his arms even more tightly about her, his fingers trailing lightly up and down her left arm. She shivered against him as his hand slid down over hers, then eased beneath it.

She gazed up at him. His smile had faded and his expression was more serious than she'd seen in a long time. "What's the matter, Loki?"

"Nothing. I was just thinking back to the first time we were here." He traced along the line of her diamond and emerald wedding band. "Somehow, I didn't think we'd ever return here. And yet, here we are, four years later."

"So I was just a little fling for you, huh?"

He chuckled. "Never, love. Granted, I hadn't quite yet fallen in love with you, but I was very close to it."

"You were not. You were just horny."

He burst out laughing. "I was what?"

She pulled away from him and slid to the edge of the bed, reaching for her terrycloth robe to slip into. "After all this time, you still don't understand what horny means?"

"Should I?"

She turned to look at him, which was kind of a mistake, as seeing him lounging against the bed's headboard, his dark hair shaggy and tousled all around his handsome face, falling to his shoulders, with the covers pooled about his hips did the oddest thing to her senses. If sex had a face, it would look like Loki.

"It means you just wanted to get laid." When his brow furrowed, she rolled her eyes. "Sex, Loki. It means you wanted to have sex."

"Ah..." He nodded. "I see. And no, that's not entirely the truth. I was still an injured man, on the run, exhausted."

"Please," she scoffed, tossing his boxer briefs onto the foot of the bed, "you tried to sneak a peek at me naked in the shower the day after you met me."

"Well, I was injured. Not dead."

She padded into the bathroom, tiled in gray stone, with a large glass-enclosed shower stall, and opened the taps in the shower. "Horny. I rest my case," she called over her shoulder.

He came into the bathroom and leaned against the vanity. "Very well. If you insist, yes, I just wanted to get laid."

She had to bite back a laugh. He spoke with the properly elegant accent of an Englishman, and the phrase sounded funny coming from him. "I knew it."

"But, that doesn't mean I wasn't on the verge of falling in love with you, you understand."

"Why are we even talking about this?"

He shrugged. "I haven't the foggiest. Go, shower," he gestured to the shower, "and then we'll go hit the boards, as you say. I've a craving for funnel cake."

"Sex and food. You might as well be a Midgardian," she told him, giving him a playful swat in the belly. "You think like Midgardian men, you know."

"I do not."

"Sure you do."

She held his gaze as she slowly shucked the robe, holding back her triumphant laugh as his eyes slowly went from blue to green. He couldn't hide his reaction to her, and he didn't even try. Instead, all he did was growl low in the back of his throat and pull her against him as he muttered, "Not a word, Midgardian."