"Darlin', it's freezin' out here. You've been standin' there so long I'm startin' to think you're changin' your mind about somethin'." Laine had trekked her way from the house down to where he was against the fence, hot mug of coffee between her hands sending trails of steam up into the night air. As she came to a stop just to the side of him and a step or so behind, she couldn't help but smile at the picture he made.
He looked like he belonged there, had always been part of the ranch and this landscape. Jeans, boots and the lined winter jacket, anyone who wasn't familiar with his Irish accent would take him for just another Montana cowboy. Laine liked that.
Anraí's grin held no trace of hesitation or worry. "No chance of that, lover." Maneuvering himself behind Laine, he snuggled her up against his chest, back to front. Once she was settled in his arms, he stole a swallow of her coffee for good measure.
With her hair brushing his cheek, he tilted his head back for another look at the stars. "No, I was just thinking, trying to absorb it all. A lot has happened in a very short time, a chroi."
She made a slight sound of protest as Anrai drank her coffee, more of an indignant squeak than anything, but didn't refuse him the beverage. "Longer don't always mean better."
She may have had a fleeting thought regarding the differences between this relationship and her first. "Ain't no point in draggin' feet and waitin' when we both know what we want."
"True on both counts." His agreement carried a soft hint of a chuckle. "Hesitation would only lead to wasted time. No point in that at all."
He sighed a little as he soaked up her warmth and scent. "But I've always had to ponder, to think things over a bit even when my decision's long made. Not second-guessing so much as putting my thoughts in order."
"D'ya always have to do it out in the freezin' cold, too?" She was smiling, more than a hint of amusement in her question.
Laine carefully balanced the coffee mug on a fencepost then turned in Anrai's embrace, leaning in to press a soft kiss to his lips. "You order your thoughts any old way you need to order them, darlin', just so long as you get back inside when you're done."
Another quick kiss and then Laine was pulling away, not wanting to intrude if he was out here with the express purpose of being alone to gather his thoughts or any other such thing.
Laine didn't get far before Anraí took her hand and tugged her back toward him, returning his arm to her shoulders. Collecting the coffee cup, he started to walk with her back toward the house.
"I think I'm done for now, a chroi," he murmured, his smile warm and tender. "Back inside with you suddenly seems much more attractive than out here by myself." He leaned over to give her a quick kiss of his own.
"I hope you're done for a while, darlin'. I don't think you're goin' to get much of a chance to be alone for the next little while. Goin' to be a couple of crazy days comin' up and then, like it or not, you're stuck with me when we leave for Ireland." She was teasing him, laughter trailing her words as she wrapped her arm around his waist to give him a squeeze. "I can't believe I let you talk me into that."
It was not great secret that Laine's limited experience with air travel left her with a distaste for flying.
"Transatlantic or no, love, I think you'll find a flight less disorienting than using my alternative means of transport." Carrying Laine through the twilight realm, though possible, did carry certain risks.
Anraí's grin broadened with his enthusiasm. "You'll enjoy Connemara, though. Beautiful scenery, horses and good people." He chuckled, "Not too different from here, in many ways."
She looked at him as if he were crazy for even suggesting whatever his goofy pixie ways of traveling entailed. Laine slid the glass door to the kitchen open and stood in the doorway shaking her head at Anrai. "All I know is if I get stuck with some annoyin' brat kickin' theback of my seat all the way there, I'm shovin' them into one of those overhead bin thingies."
Laine moved into the house, sighing at the feel of central heating warming her even as she peeled out of her coat. "Is that why you decided you like bein' here? The scenery?"
She was holding her hands up and smiling at him, intimating that she was the scene he should be taking in.
Laine was offering him an invitation he had no intention of ignoring. After skinning out of his own jacket and hanging both coats by the door, he wrapped both arms around his soon-to-be-bride and replied, "The scenery ... among other things."
With that he angled his head and kissed her, slow and strong. His hands stroked over her back and shoulders, chafing her skin to help her warm up faster.
She made a pleased sound deep in her throat, his hands were warm and his lips on hers still had the effect of making her slightly weak in the knees even after all these months. "Mmm...darlin', you're spoilin' me."
Laine moved a bit closer, arms looping around his middle, and let her head rest against his. "You plannin' on tellin' me just what other things?"
Anraí sucked softly on her lower lip before chuckling against her mouth. "A halainn, given that this is the last night we get to be truly by ourselves until our honeymoon, I plan to show you what other things."
With one swift motion, he drapes Laine over one shoulder and heads for the stairs.
"I...oh! Anrai you damned fool!" Laine gasped between laughing, knowing better than to struggle as he climbed the staircase with her. It wasn't a fear of being dropped, the rancher simply knew her fiance had a hold of steal on her and there wasn't any getting out of it, unless he was ready to put her down.
He looked like he belonged there, had always been part of the ranch and this landscape. Jeans, boots and the lined winter jacket, anyone who wasn't familiar with his Irish accent would take him for just another Montana cowboy. Laine liked that.
"Anraí..."
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With her hair brushing his cheek, he tilted his head back for another look at the stars. "No, I was just thinking, trying to absorb it all. A lot has happened in a very short time, a chroi."
Reply
She may have had a fleeting thought regarding the differences between this relationship and her first. "Ain't no point in draggin' feet and waitin' when we both know what we want."
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He sighed a little as he soaked up her warmth and scent. "But I've always had to ponder, to think things over a bit even when my decision's long made. Not second-guessing so much as putting my thoughts in order."
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Laine carefully balanced the coffee mug on a fencepost then turned in Anrai's embrace, leaning in to press a soft kiss to his lips. "You order your thoughts any old way you need to order them, darlin', just so long as you get back inside when you're done."
Another quick kiss and then Laine was pulling away, not wanting to intrude if he was out here with the express purpose of being alone to gather his thoughts or any other such thing.
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"I think I'm done for now, a chroi," he murmured, his smile warm and tender. "Back inside with you suddenly seems much more attractive than out here by myself." He leaned over to give her a quick kiss of his own.
Reply
It was not great secret that Laine's limited experience with air travel left her with a distaste for flying.
Reply
Anraí's grin broadened with his enthusiasm. "You'll enjoy Connemara, though. Beautiful scenery, horses and good people." He chuckled, "Not too different from here, in many ways."
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Laine moved into the house, sighing at the feel of central heating warming her even as she peeled out of her coat. "Is that why you decided you like bein' here? The scenery?"
She was holding her hands up and smiling at him, intimating that she was the scene he should be taking in.
Reply
With that he angled his head and kissed her, slow and strong. His hands stroked over her back and shoulders, chafing her skin to help her warm up faster.
Reply
Laine moved a bit closer, arms looping around his middle, and let her head rest against his. "You plannin' on tellin' me just what other things?"
Reply
With one swift motion, he drapes Laine over one shoulder and heads for the stairs.
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