Lost Wanderer Awakened - Book One of the Airendell Chronicles (23 page)

Luca is already finished in the shower. She
wonders briefly what he’s up to. Then notices him entering the
bathroom from the hallway. He’s already dressed and looks amazing,
as usual. He’s wearing charcoal slacks and black loafers. His
button up shirt is a pale gray that will complement her green
sweater set nicely. She looks into his eyes in the reflection of
the mirror and says, “You look good enough to eat,” she purrs. He
smiles in response as he watches her work to tame her hair, and
then asks, “You find everything you need, baby?”

“Of course,” she replies. “I am just not as
fast as you are.”

“No rush,” he says. “It’s not even seven yet.
Take your time. What do you want to eat for breakfast?”

“Is there any of that melon left?” She sees
him nod in the mirror, then says, “Could I have some of that and a
ham and cheese?”

He chuckles, “I knew that somehow.” He
breezes out of the bathroom. No doubt her breakfast will be waiting
for her before she can finish brushing her teeth and applying a
little make up.

She carries her coffee cup into the kitchen,
still wearing her robe. Her hair is smooth and “professional
looking.” She has applied a light layer of foundation, and a hint
of blush and lip color, and touched up her lashes with a hint of
mascara. But the color in her cheeks has nothing whatever to do
with contents of the makeup bag. He is gratified to see her looking
so vibrant.

She sees a fresh cup of coffee on the table
beside her breakfast. So she rinses out the cup she is holding and
loads it into the dishwasher. When she sits down to eat, she
notices a small glass of milk and two pills beside it. “What’s
this?” she asks, pointing to them. He looks back at her from gazing
out the window and says, “Multi-vitamin and a calcium supplement.
In view of our strenuous, uh, activities, I thought it might be a
good idea to take at least some small precautions. You don’t want a
broken hip love. Or pelvis,” he adds under his breath.

She chuckles, and says, “Certainly not!”
Taking the pills and downing half the milk easily. Then she dives
into her breakfast with relish.

He joins her at the table. They sit in easy,
companionable silence while she polishes off her meal. He chuckles
softly, “I guess you worked up an appetite.”

She laughs and replies, “I wonder why? I
guess you did too. You’ve gone hunting twice this week.” She says,
looking him in the eye. “Is it harder being so close to me this
time?”

Luca moves closer to her and strokes her face
lovingly. “No my love, not at all,” he assures her. “I am just
being cautious. Plus last night I was so revved up by our shower, I
couldn’t lie still in bed. Sorry, do you mind?”

She chuckles softly, “Not in the least. I am
always amazed that you can stand to listen to me talk all night in
my sleep anyway.”

He laughs in response, “Are you kidding,
that’s the fun part of night time. Sometimes you are hilarious, but
mostly, it’s very enlightening. It’s a good thing you don’t try to
keep secrets from me; it would be a futile effort. One night in bed
beside you and I would know everything anyway.” They both laugh.
And she gets up to clean off the table. “Leave it,” he says. “I’ll
get this while you get dressed.”

“I can clean up after myself,” she says.

“Obviously,” he replies. “But I am already
dressed. Face it, kiddo, I am just faster than you,” he smirks. She
laughs, and then ambles off to get dressed.

She stops abruptly and turns to him, “HEY!
You stole my line! I used to say that to you all of the time during
your warrior and Spell Weaver training.”

He grins, “Yes, you did. Does that spark any
other memories?”

“Oh crap, I really am older than you….
Seventy-one years older!”

“Good girl!”

Morna gives him a fake pout and turns back
for the bedroom. He beats her in there and is waiting for her with
his arms wide open. She gladly slides into his embrace. He holds
her close for several minutes, just enjoying having her back in his
arms. Finally he kisses the top of her head and says, “Let’s get
you dressed,” he smirks wickedly.

He turns her until she’s facing away from
him. He quickly peels the robe off her body, and runs his hands up
her soft tummy to cup her breasts. He lowers his face into her neck
and nuzzles her there gently. She moans and says, “I thought the
object today was to actually make it out of the house,” she says
breathlessly.

He chuckles, and says, “Oh we are leaving the
house today; I just want to give us something to look forward to.”
He drops his hands from her breasts and snakes his hand out to grab
the satiny black bra. He’s holding it before her, inviting her to
slip into it. She complies, but says, “You know, I have been
dressing myself for years and years.”

“True,” he says, “but it is more fun this
way. Be a good girl and go along with me.” She smiles as he hooks
the bra behind her back and then cups her breasts, again, through
the satiny fabric. He growls softly in her ear. Then he picks up
the panties. He holds them open in front of her and rests his cheek
against her back, and slides downward, never lifting his cheek from
her flesh. When he has the panties low enough, she steadies herself
on his arm and steps into them, one leg at a time. He slowly,
torturously pulls them up into place. He breathes against her back
as he works his way up. Then he leisurely rubs the crotch of the
satiny panties before he growls again and steps away quickly before
she can reach around and grab him.

“Tut, tut,” he playfully chides as he reads
the obvious disappointment on her face. He quickly helps her into
the slacks and sweater set. Then hands her the trouser socks and
boots after he sits on the bed.

“Not fair,” she playfully pouts. “You get me
all revved up, and then hand me my shoes.” He laughs playfully as
he stuffs her laptop and planner into her “monster purse.” Then he
offers her his hand when she stands up after she pulls on her
boots.

“You look lovely,” he breathes as he takes
her hand to twirl her around to admire her.

“That’s your doing, you bought the clothes.
By the way, I really appreciate that. They are all lovely, and
apparently, all of them will fit perfectly.”

“You are welcome love, but we both know it’s
not the clothes that make this woman,” he says with a wink and a
light kiss on her nose. “We better go; it is almost 8:30. We don’t
want to be late for Seth, especially not since you have cancelled
twice this week. He may tear both of us a new one.” He chuckles
softly and Morna knows he’s really not worried about Seth. But that
makes her wonder about the young PT.

“Hey, is Seth like us?”

Luca smiles and shakes his head no. “He has
magic in his blood and is a natural healer. But he’s not a spell
weaver.” Morna nods as she digests that information.

He shoulders her bag and indicates she should
lead the way. At the top of the stairs he retrieves her cane, and
gently grasps her arm as she descends the stairs. She knows he
won’t let her tackle the stairs unassisted for a while, not after
the incident on Monday, so she gracefully goes along with his
unnecessary assistance.

She heads for her old Camry when they exit
the house, but he says, “Wait and let me get my car out of the
garage.”

She shakes her head no, “I think it’s a bad
idea to take your BMW to The Shack, don’t you? Besides, I have some
packages in the trunk for the girls at The Bridge.”

He concedes the point and opens passenger
door of her Camry for her. She’s embarrassed when she smells the
old cigarette smoke in her car. “Sorry about the stink,” she
mumbles.

“No problem,” he says. “Do you mind if I take
it to get it detailed for you?”

“No, I don’t mind. Thanks, that would be
great,” she says hiding her smirk knowing he can’t stand the smell
and that’s why he wants to detail it.

They ride in companionable silence for few
minutes. Finally, he asks, “Do you remember Magdrid yet?”

“No,” she reluctantly admits.

“How about Brigid? Do you remember her?” he
asks.

She smiles brightly as the face of one of her
best friends comes to mind. “Sure I do,” she beams.

“Great!” he says. “Would you like to go see
her next week?”

She hesitates, and then says, “I really don’t
think a trip it Ireland is a good idea right now.”

“Brigid is in not in Ireland, she’s in
Chicago. She’s a neurosurgeon now, with a very successful practice
there,” he supplies blandly.

Morna stiffens a little at the word
neurosurgeon. Then asks, “Is there any particular reason that you
want me to see my best friend turned neurosurgeon on such short
notice?”

“Honestly? Yes, I am concerned about the gaps
you apparently have in your memory. Maybe the injuries from the
crash are causing it,” he replies quietly.

“I thought as much,” she says. Then concedes,
“Well, it might be a good idea. If I am going to get all of all of
my magic back, so we can try to break this damn curse, I need my
memories, right?” She sees him nod in agreement, and goes on to
say, “It will be great to see one of my old friends. Are there
others of our old friends nearby?”

Luca gets a shuttered look on his face and
nods, “Others are nearby.”

Morna looks away feeling sad. What the hell
was that? What did I say? She knows intuitively that she hurt her
beloved without meaning to. I hope I get more memories back soon. I
feel like I am treading through a minefield. She’s not sure what
she said, but knows that she said something that bothers him. “Do
you think we can get in on such short notice?” she asks to change
the subject.

He laughs heartily, “Brigid would move heaven
and earth to help you, and you know that right?”

She chuckles, “Yes, I do seem to know that
about her.”

“Good!” he says. “So it is settled. I’ll
contact her later and set it up. Ah, here we are at Seth’s. Get
ready, I bet he’s going to tear into us for missing your
appointments this week.” She laughs at his mock look of concern
over Seth’s ire.

He parks the car, and then comes around to
open her door and help her out. She accepts his hand up out of the
car, but refuses the cane and walks into the PT offices without any
trace of a limp. He puts the cane back into the car, and follows
behind, smiling at her stubbornness, but is feeling very pleased to
see she seems to be healing so well. He wonders why the spells he
has been weaving to promote her healing seem to be helping so much
more now, when they have been mostly ineffective for nearly a
year.

Once inside, he takes a seat in the waiting
room as she signs in at the reception desk. He listens as she chats
idly with Cathy, the receptionist. Cathy says, “Deidra, Seth will
be right with you. Take a seat and I will let him know you are
here.” Then she turns to Luca and purrs “Good morning Mr. Michaels.
Good to see you again.” Luca smiles and nods at the receptionist
but his attention is fully on Morna. When Morna sits beside Luca he
takes her hand and brings it to his lips for a nibble at her
fingertips. Cathy sighs softly as she watches them and then goes to
tell Seth his 9:00 appointment is here. Morna looks Luca and
chuckles, “I forgot how women react to you. I guess I am not the
only one.” Luca just rolls his eyes at her.

Seth comes out to the waiting area a minute
or two later. He beams broadly when he sees them sitting with their
heads together, holding hands. “Hey you two! How’s my buddy and my
favorite patient?”

Luca stands and tugs Morna gently to her
feet. Then he turns to Seth to shake hands. “Fine, fine. And you?”
he asks politely, watching Morna as she walks toward Seth. Morna
just smiles at Seth as he holds the door open for her to enter the
treatment area.

Luca asks, “Morna? Do you want me to join
you, or should I go outside and contact Brigid?

“Go call Brigid,” she assures him. “Seth is
perfectly capable of torturing me without your help,” she chuckles.
Both men chuckle too, and Luca says, “I’ll be here in the waiting
room when you come out.”

“Fine babe,” she smiles at him as she goes
through the door held open by Seth. He directs her to room marked
#3 and then closes the door behind him quietly, and turns to her
with an expectant look on his face as she sits on the exam/massage
table.

“So?” he asks, “When did you two finally hook
up? He’s been mooning over you for months, you know that
right?”

“Well, I didn’t know that until recently,”
she admits. “But to answer your first question, we kind of
connected Monday morning. Sorry, but that’s why I blew off your
appointments this week until today.”

Seth smiles and says, “I was hoping that was
the case. I answered the phone when he called to reschedule both
times. I have been hopeful for you two for long while now,” he
beams at her. “I am glad you finally noticed how much he likes you.
I was beginning to wonder if you ever would.”

Morna smiles tentatively and says, “So, you
don’t think I am some kind of cougar or something?”

Seth laughs, “No way! You two are perfect for
each other!”

“Yes,” she agrees, “Yes, we are,” she admits
with a big secretive smile on her face.

“Good,” says Seth. Then he moves on to
business. “I didn’t notice any trace of a limp when you walked back
here. I am very impressed lady! You must be working faithfully at
your exercise regimen.” Morna blushes at that, because her exercise
habits have been haphazard at best since she got out of the
hospital. He reaches behind him and gets a pair of shorts and tee
shirt out of the cabinet, and hands them to her. “Change and open
the door when you are ready for me to come back,” he says. Then he
walks out of the tiny room.

She changes quickly; draping her clothes on
the hooks designed for that purpose then opens the door and walks
back to stand by the table to wait for Seth. He enters the room
quickly and smiles. “You are looking good, sista! That was a quick
change. You must be pretty limber today. I think the scars are even
fading. Wow!” He notes her blush, and is mildly confused by it, but
moves on to business. “Let me help you up onto the table, let’s
test your range of motion and reflexes.”