Chapter Twenty
Rachel
Joey initiates a rough, irregular rhythm of thrusting, employing more and more force, but it feels as if he's holding back. I cannae say why. A mhic an damnaidh . "Son of damnation" has become my favorite expletive of late---in Gaelic and English. I have a voice, and I've never shied away from uncomfortable questions. Why, then, am I doing so now? Baothaire . Aye, I am an idiot for thinking Joey will balk at what I want him to do to me.
He freezes in mid thrust. "What's wrong, baby? If I'm being too rough---"
"Nay, nay, it's the opposite." I summon my courage and just say it. "Fuck me hard, Joey. Make the bed bounce and dinnae be shy about it. I want anything you want."
His frozen expression swiftly melts into a sly grin. "You got it, Rach. Prepare to scream so hard your voice goes hoarse."
Joey's face becomes a mask of lustful determination, and he pulls back slowly, teasingly. I shiver in anticipation, my body thrumming with need. Then, without warning, he slams into me with such force that the headboard bangs against the wall.
"Oh, God!" I cry out, my fingernails digging into his shoulders.
My cream-slick channel tightens around him, welcoming the savage rhythm he's finally unleashed. The restraint that held him back has vanished, replaced by raw, untamed hunger. Every punishing thrust drives me higher and higher toward a mind-altering climax. The bed creaks and groans and thumps beneath us while our heavy breaths and desperate moans fill the air. I wrap my legs tightly around his waist, pulling him even deeper inside me.
Joey growls through gritted teeth. "Is this what you wanted, baby?"
"Aye, please," I gasp, barely able to form words. "Dinnae stop, Joey. Please dinnae stop."
The room fills with the heady scent of our lovemaking, an intoxicating mix of sweat and my cream. I glide my hands down his back, feeling the strength coiled there, marveling at how perfectly we fit together. The bed creaks in protest beneath us as the wooden frame seems on the brink of collapsing. Joey pounds into me with abandon, unleashing savage cry. His hands grip my hips, fingers digging into my flesh hard enough to leave marks---badges of passion I'll wear proudly tomorrow.
"Rachel, fuck, I'm about to blow my top. Come with me, baby, please come with me."
I can feel myself teetering on the edge, my climax just out of reach, so close I swear I can almost touch it. Joey must sense the same thing, because he shifts slightly, angling his hips to hit the magical spot inside me that will set me off.
"Oh, God!" I cry out, my back arching off the bed. "Right there, Joey. Don't stop!"
He rises slightly, just enough that he can kneel between my thighs. Then he pulls out of my body---but only so he can lift my legs above his head.
"Lock your ankles around my neck, Rach."
I comply without hesitation, despite having no idea what his intentions are.
Then he begins to thrust again in this strange new position. It grants him a sort of leverage he couldn't achieve in the usual position. He grunts and gasps and pummels me so wildly that the bed shakes and scrapes on the floor. The intensity of Joey's thrusts sends shockwaves of pleasure through my entire body. Every powerful stroke hits deeper than before, and I can feel myself stretching to accommodate him. The new angle allows him to reach places inside me I didn't even know existed.
But just when I can feel the orgasm rising inside me, he pulls his slat out of me. "Ready for the big finish?"
"Aye, please, hurry."
He rubs the red tip of his cock against my nub, over and over and over until I'm thrashing again and cannae shout because the pleasure is too intense. He keeps going, though, until he can tell I'm on the edge.
And he pulls out again.
My desperate noises echo through the room as I writhe, unable to think or see straight.
Then Joey wraps my ankles around his neck again, slamming into me like a wrecking ball. The wet sucking sound of our joining fills the room, and my ears begin to ring because I cannae take in a full breath. Dinnae give a shite.
"Joey!" I cry out, my voice raw with passion. "Never stop fucking me, never let me come until you want me to."
My hands fist in the sheets, desperately seeking something to anchor me as wave after wave of ecstasy washes over me. The pressure builds low in my belly, a coiling tension that threatens to snap at any moment.
Joey's face is a mask of concentration, his brows furrowed and jaw clenched as he drives into me relentlessly. Sweat glistens on his skin, highlighting the flex and strain of his muscles. He's never looked more beautiful to me than in this moment of unbridled passion.
"Come for me, Rachel," Joey commands, his voice hoarse and strained. "Let go, baby. I want to feel you come around me."
His words are the final push I need. The tension that's been building inside me finally snaps, and I'm consumed by a tidal wave of pleasure so intense it steals my breath. My entire body convulses, muscles clenching and unclenching as the orgasm rips through me.
My Gaelic screams fill the room. My vision blurs, and for a moment, I can see sparks of magic dancing in the atmosphere. The intensity of my climax triggers something deep within me, and I feel a surge of power coursing through my veins, intertwining with the waves of pleasure.
Joey's rhythm falters as my inner walls clamp down on him one last time. With a guttural shout, he thrusts once, twice more before burying himself deep inside me. I feel the hot rush of his release, prolonging my own climax.
We stay locked together, panting and trembling, as the aftershocks roll through us. Slowly, Joey lowers my legs from his shoulders, pressing tender kisses to my ankles, calves, and knees as he does so. When he finally collapses beside me, I curl into him, relishing the warmth of his body and the steady thump of his heartbeat.
"Christ, Rach," Joey murmurs, his voice rough. "That was..."
"Aye," I agree, unable to find the words myself. I press a kiss to his chest, tasting the salt of his sweat on my lips. "It was perfect."
Joey's arms tighten around me, and I feel his chuckle rumbling through his chest. "Perfect, huh? I'll have to remember that for next time."
I smile against his skin, feeling utterly sated and content. But as the passion-induced haze begins to clear from my mind, I can't help but notice something... different. The air feels charged, alive with an energy I've never experienced before.
"Joey," I whisper, propping myself up on an elbow to look at him. "Did you...did you feel anything strange just now?"
He raises an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "Besides mind-blowing sex? Can't say I did."
I roll my eyes, but I can't wipe the grin off my face. "I'm serious. When we...when I..."
How can I explain the surge of magical energy I felt at the height of our passion? I cannae explain.
Joey's expression softens, his hand coming up to cup my cheek. "What is it, baby? You can tell me anything. I hope you know that."
"I do know, Joey." I lean into his touch, rubbing my cheek against his chest. "When I came, I felt a sort of...power. Like my magic was amplified somehow. Did you not notice anything unusual?"
Joey's brow furrows in concentration as he thinks back. "Now that you mention it, there was this moment where everything felt...heightened. Like the air was crackling with electricity." His eyes widen. "Wait, are you saying our lovemaking triggered some kind of magical surge?"
"I think might have, but I cannae be sure. It's never happened before, but then again, I've never felt quite like this before." I pause, biting my lip as I consider the implications. "Joey, what if this is something to do with the time portal? With our connection?"
"You mean, like our bond is somehow amplifying your magic?"
"Aye, or mayhap..." I trail off, a wild idea forming in my mind. "What if it's not just my magic? What if it's yours too?"
Joey's expression turns skeptical. "Baby, I'm no witch. I don't have any magical abilities."
"But you've traveled through time," I argue, sitting up to straddle his hips. "You've been exposed to a portal's energy. What if that's awakened something in you?"
Joey sits up too, running a hand through his tousled hair. "I don't know, Rach. It seems pretty far-fetched."
"More far-fetched than time travel?" I lean down to stare into his eyes. "Think about it, Joey. After everything we've been through, is it really so hard to believe?"
He chuckles, shaking his head. "Fair point. All right, let's say you're onto something here. What does it mean for us?"
"Ahmno sure yet." I pause to gather my thoughts, unsure of how to explain what I believe. "If our intimate moments can amplify magical energy, it could be a powerful tool against An Bodach . Mayhap he was the one who nearly killed you at the waterfall."
"That could be." Joey lifts his brows. "Wait, are you suggesting we use sex magic to fight the bad guys?"
I grin at his incredulous expression. "Well, when you put it that way, it does sound a bit daft. But think about it. If we can harness this energy, channel it somehow..."
"It could give us an edge." Joey nods slowly, his expression thoughtful. "You're right. We need every advantage we can get against that evil bastard." He pulls me close, pressing a tender kiss to my forehead. "But we need to be careful. If this power is as strong as you say, it could be dangerous if we can't control it."
I snuggle into his embrace, reveling in the warmth of his skin against mine. "Aye, you're right. We'll need to experiment, figure out how to harness it safely."
A naughty grin spreads across Joey's face. "Well, if we need to practice, I'm more than willing to volunteer my services."
I swat his chest playfully but can't suppress my own grin. "And I thought you might need some convincing."
"Oh, I think you'll find I need very little convincing when it comes to you, Rachel MacTaggart."
His lips capture mine in a searing kiss that steals my breath away. As passion reignites between us, I feel that familiar tingle of magic stirring beneath my skin. This time, I focus on the sensation, trying to understand and channel it.
Joey must sense the change in me because he pulls back slightly, his gaze questioning. "Are you feeling it again?"
I nod my head, not trusting my voice. The energy is building, pulsing in time with my rapidly beating heart. Joey skims his hands down my sides, leaving behind a tingling trail.
"Tell me what you need," he murmurs against my neck.
"Och, touch me, please," I gasp. "Everywhere. I need to feel you."
A knock at the door makes us both pause.
Joey groans, shutting his eyes briefly. We both know we must answer the door---or else whoever is out there will grow more insistent.
I sigh, reluctantly pulling away from Joey. "Just a moment!"
We scramble to make ourselves presentable, Joey tossing me my discarded dress while he pulls on his trews and tunic. I run a hand through my tangled hair, trying to smooth it into some semblance of order.
"Ready?" Joey asks, his hand on the doorknob.
I take a deep breath to compose myself. Then Joey opens the door, revealing a flustered-looking Morna.
"I'm sorry to interrupt ye," she says, her eyes darting between us. "But there's been a disturbance at the edge of the property. Kieran sent me to fetch ye both."
My heart races, all thoughts of our magical discovery momentarily forgotten. "What sort of disturbance?"
Great-Aunt Morna's eyes dart nervously between Joey and me. "It's Alisdair MacLeod. He's determined to see you."
Joey and I exchange worried glances.
"Do ye think he means to abduct me?" I ask.
Morna shrugs. "I was told to fetch ye, that's all. We're gathering on the green."
"We'll be right there," I assure Morna. "Tell Father we're on our way."