The kiss lingered on her lips. She could taste it, feel it there. Sarah lightly ran her finger over the spot, half expecting to find a physical manifestation of the kiss. It had been that powerful.
Of the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of kisses Ian had showered on her in the weeks since their return from the Faerie Realm, Sarah held this one as the best.
The one Ian had shared with her just after the minister said the words “I now pronounce you man and wife.”
She watched him across the garden, his head thrown back in laughter at something Daniel had said. He looked so carefree, so young. Laughter threatened at the memory of his trying to explain his real age. To think she’d worried about being too old for him. He had been absolutely correct. Age was just a number.
Ian caught her watching and winked, his sparkling black eyes telegraphing feelings of love strong enough to make her toes tingle with the promise they held. The feelings of desire he layered on top made the rest of her tingle, and the laughter she’d held back bubbled out.
They could do that now, since the Fountain, communicate feelings wordlessly to one another. She didn’t need to touch him or even be in sight of him for it to work. In fact, she no longer needed to touch anyone to discern their feelings. She had only to open herself up, to want to know. The most pleasant side effect was that she now had the ability to close herself off as well. Touch no longer triggered feeling overload. It was very freeing.
“A pennant for your thoughts, my dear.”
Sarah smiled at the striking Fae couple who approached her.
“Penny, Dallyn, not pennant,” Darnee corrected. “If you’re going to attempt their slang, you must pay more attention.”
He shrugged and grinned at the woman, flipping his hair back over his shoulder before favoring her with a look hot enough to melt concrete.
Darnee seemed completely unaffected. Then again, Sarah hadn’t seen the woman affected by much of anything in the short time she’d known her.
“Thank you again, Dallyn.” Sarah reached for his hand, giving it a squeeze. “For everything.”
Ian had explained to her how he had expected to run into resistance when he had taken her to the Fountain, and how odd it was that they encountered no Fae, not even the omnipresent Fountain guards, during their time in the Realm of Faerie. He could think of only one explanation for the ease of their visit. Dallyn.
“No need to thank me. It was my great honor.” The Fae lifted her hand, lightly brushing it to his lips.
Dallyn had given her away in the wedding ceremony. He’d said it only seemed right, as the eldest Fae present, that he should be the one to do so, given her heritage. Sarah had agreed.
Darnee placed a graceful hand on Sarah’s stomach and looked up. “You’re wrong, Dallyn. I’m sure this is a boy.”
The Fae laughed, placing his hand on top of hers. “Must you always contradict whatever I say, woman, regardless of what you truly believe?”
“Merely keeping you on your toes, General.”
“How did you know?” Sarah sputtered. She’d only told Ian last night, only confirmed it yesterday afternoon. Apparently another side effect of her dousing in the Fountain.
Another careless shrug, accompanied by a knowing grin. “There are many things I know, child. Speaking of which, didn’t you tell me you would have some of that wonderful Faerie chocolate here today?”
Sarah laughed at the waggle of his brow as she directed him to the table with the goodies he sought. He took Darnee’s hand, pulling her along, promising her a taste treat fit for the Earth Mother herself.
The laugh settled into a contented smile as Sarah looked around at all the people who had joined them to celebrate this special day. Now that her Great Adventure, as she thought of it, was over, these people who had been a part of the experience had all come to mean so much to her.
The smile died on Sarah’s lips as she caught sight of Ramos. He kept himself apart from the merriment of the wedding reception, leaning against a tree at the far edge of the garden.
Ramos had made the “problem” of the Tanners disappear, taking them away from Thistle Down before they’d recovered, convincing them they’d been the victims of a horrible auto accident. They had no memory of anything else. It had all been handled so smoothly, Sarah suspected that Ramos might have been able to explain how a compulsion worked from firsthand knowledge. Knowledge of placing one that is, not being under one.
He nodded when he caught her looking in his direction, and smiled. She didn’t need to see through the dark glasses covering his eyes to know the smile never made it that far. Still handsome with that air of danger clinging to him, he seemed almost unapproachable now. His sorrow and guilt were so strong she couldn’t bear to do more than lightly touch at the edges of his emotions. It didn’t take a Sensor to feel the pain radiating off that man.
“No frowning allowed on yer wedding day, Mrs. McCullough.”
Ian was behind her, his arms around her, pulling her up against him, where she fit like the last piece of a puzzle. She felt warm and safe as she snuggled back against him. Fulfilled, complete. Whole.
His gaze followed the path hers had taken. “He’s got to work through this on his own, luv. You canna fix it for him.”
“I know.”
She did know. Intellectually. But that didn’t mean she would give up on trying to help the man. Because emotion was a different animal all together. He’d been the one to try to help her when she’d needed it.
She smiled to herself as she hit upon an idea. Tomorrow she’d give her new friend, Cate MacKiernan, a call. The woman was a wealth of information. Perhaps together they could think of something.
“Do I sense a plot forming behind that lovely smile?” Ian bent near her ear, lingering to place a kiss in the spot that drove her wild.
She was saved having to answer by Will’s approach. Her ring bearer, tuxedo jacket missing, little tie askew, raced in her direction, calling her name. He skidded to a stop, throwing his arms around her, his head resting against her middle.
“There you are. I wondered when I’d find you.” He patted her stomach and then grinned up at her. “Hi, Sarah. Ian.”
“We’ve been right here.”
“Not you. Her. In there.” He tapped on Sarah’s stomach.
“How do you know about…it?” Ian stuttered over the last, as if he couldn’t quite commit himself to the fact that Will knew about the baby.
“Duh.” Will rolled his eyes. “I feel her. Besides, I’ve been waiting for her for a long time. Her name is…” He paused and grinned. “Nah, I’ll let you wait and find out when they get here. See ya.” He called the last over his shoulder as he ran back across the yard.
“They?” Sarah squeaked.
“They. Probably means nothing. He’s only six. Slip of the tongue.” Ian tightened his hug for a moment, his eyes following the retreating form of the little boy. “Still. We’d best have the doctor check closely when we go see him.” He kissed her again.
They.
She turned in Ian’s arms to properly kiss him back.
She’d been wrong. Her Great Adventure wasn’t over.
It was just beginning.