Summary: The Company had finally gone to sleep, but visions begin to plague Sisilla’s mind. With meeting Beorn and having to go to Mirkwood and take the Elven Road, the tides are starting to churn for Sisilla and Thorin for she may be the greatest asset for them if they are to encounter the elves of the Woodland Realm.
After the company congratulated Thorin and Sisílla in their new courtship, which many were surprised it didn’t happen sooner, everyone settled in for the evening knowing that the Skinchanger was out, protecting his home from Azog and his pack. But it all was for nothing for Sisílla. As she laid on her bedroll, Thorin next to her, she began to whimper in her sleep quietly. Her head was lolling from side to side. Her words, although slurred, were Quenya. The ancient Elvish tongue. Thorin stirred from his sleep as he heard her speak in the Elvish language and looked over to see her in a cold sweat and her eyes clamped shut. Sitting up, he reached over to her only for her to thrash in his arms and let out a scream. Startling the company awake, everyone saw Sisílla struggle against Thorin which made everyone jump and try to help them both. But as everyone was out to help, Gandalf bellowed.
“Do not touch her!” His voice booming like thunder.
Everyone, including Thorin backed away from Sisílla as Gandalf came close to her and rested a hand on her forehead. Muttering under his breath, Sisílla slowly calmed and then jolted awake. Gasping for air as if she came out of the water.
“THORIN!” She called out in a panic.
Gandalf furrowed his brow and glanced over at the said Dwarf, nodding in approval for him to approach her. Taking only a few steps, Thorin was at her side and grasping her small and clammy hand in his own.
“Ghivashel, I’m here.” He reassured her as he brushed away the stray hairs that clung to her forehead.
All she could do was follow the length of his arm and finally hook around his neck to hold him close. Her free hand feeling across his face and lips for any evidence of injury. Everyone could only watch her as she was comforted by Thorin and whispering in Khuzdul that she was safe and well. Bilbo was heartbroken and confused at what was before him, but when he looked up to Gandalf, he noticed the wizard had a concerning look in his eyes even though he was trying to be calm. As everyone calmed down and went back to sleep, Thorin kept a close eye on his beloved as she finally fell back to sleep. Gandalf had watched the two, specifically Sisílla as she finally eased into a much needed sleep. Bilbo had made his way over to the wizard and followed his line of sight to Sisílla’s sleeping form.
“Is she going to be alright?” Bilbo asked, worry etched onto his features. He had grown fond of her, and she with him as they had many great conversations about where they lived, reading many books, and small adventures they had before following the great Thorin Oakenshield.
Gandalf snapped out of his many thoughts and looked down at the hobbit and flashed a warm smile, or as warm as he could muster. “She will be just fine, Bilbo. Now, get some rest. We have a long journey still ahead of us.”
With a slight nod, he began to head to his bedroll. But not before glancing over his shoulder and watching Thorin be so attentive to Sisílla. This was probably something Bilbo would have seen if Thorin was engaged… or courting. It was a nice change to see him like that. As he felt Gandalf staring at him, Bilbo wished him a good night and finally went to his bedroll. As Gandalf nodded at Bilbo, he turned his gaze back to Sisílla. Sleeping soundly and Thorin relaxed and with his eyes closed, Gandalf couldn’t help but wonder.
What did she see?
~Rivendell, 8 months ago~
“Are you absolutely sure that she will be safe?” Lord Elrond asked right after the White Councils meeting.
Gandalf huffed, unsure how to answer his good friend. Of course she was, she had the Company of Thorin Oakenshield. Though, he hadn’t the slightest idea how well it would be taken for a woman such as herself to be in the midst of this treacherous journey. And with dwarves already being secretive and stubborn. Who knows how they would react. Especially Thorin! But she also had insight of what is yet to come, and she had such confidence in the young king. But could it be the infatuation that was blinding her deepest thoughts? It was most uncertain and he couldn’t give a direct answer for Lord Elrond or to himself.
The Elven Lord seemed to have had his answer, loud and clear. “Then it is settled, she stays in Rivendell.”
“My lord…”
“I cannot risk the life of her just so she can succumb to what her heart desires.” Lord Elrond started. “Gandalf, you know as well as I that the budding romance that she and Thorin has begun between them will never work. Not with her celibacy and her duties as the Oracle.”
“She knows of this as well. It is simply too risky for her to travel with the likes of Oakenshield. If anything was to happen to her, either it be from the Dragon, Azog, or worse. Then the fate of Middle-Earth may be in jeopardy.”
“I swear to you, no harm will come to Lady Sisílla. She is in the safest hands, if not within the company, then most certainly with myself.” Gandalf reasoned, although it was far out there.
~~
He knew it was a far cry to have her come, but Gandalf knew as well as her that she was destined to be at and in Erebor. Her place was there for however long. With a low and quiet sigh, he muddled over to his bedroll and carefully made himself comfortable before scanning across the large room. Counting each dwarf, then Bilbo, and then Sisílla. With validation that she was well tended to, the gray wizard soon drifted to sleep along with the others.
As morning came and unlikely introductions to their host, Beorn, the entire Company quietly gathered around the enormous large table to have breakfast and discuss where they were going to the Skinchanger. As he had asked about where they were heading off to and Gandalf being direct but also discreet, Beorn couldn’t help but wonder why a woman such as her standards were in a company of dwarves. Thorin, who had leaned against the enormous beam near Sisílla and Fíli glanced to Beorn and then to Sisílla.
“If I may ask why a woman such as she, in the presence of dwarves?” The Skinchanger asked with curiosity.
As Thorin straightened himself to defend Sisílla, she tilted her head in Beorn’s direction. “To help not only reclaim what was stolen from them, but to also help what is yet to come.”
Her words were something that caught everyone off guard. Especially Gandalf, and most definitely Thorin’s. Was there something that was yet to come and she had seen the outcome? What was it? Now they had more to worry about.
As they finally gained the assistance of Beorn to use his horses and ponies to ride to the Edge of Mirkwood. Sisílla and Gandalf spoke to Beorn in private, something Thorin, although against not being by her side, understood the reason. Eventually she would tell him. He hoped. With word of the Necromancer in Dol Guldur along with the orcs growing more and more with each passing moment, Sisílla shuddered and closed her eyes as Gandalf and Beorn continued. The vision she had was still fresh in her memory and the taste of death as raw as reality. Caught up with what her vision was, she was taken back to the present moment when she felt a rather large hand on her shoulder.
“What do you see, Sisílla? Seer of Middle-Earth?” The Skinchanger asked.
Gulping, Sisílla laid her tiny hands, compared to Beorn’s stature, on his forearms for support. “I see death… but life as well. It is too far off to give a clear answer. I am sorry.”
With a gentle grunt, Beorn guided her hands to Gandalf’s carefully. “You must go, while you still have the light."
And if on cue, the howls of wargs rang across the treetops. Sisílla rode with Gandalf as they and the Company galloped to the edges of Mirkwood. Her visions came back as they drew closer. A different vision, of cinders and fire destroying people. Sudden cold and wet feeling. And a pair of arms holding her to keep her warm. It wasn’t clear who it was, or where they were. She had more questions than answers once again. The last time was when she had her first dreams of Thorin. But now another man? Of Men!? Or was it an elf? The vision was in its infancy and she hated those types when things are not clear, but evident that it was important for her and the person she was to meet. Whoever it was, she had to clear her thoughts as they were getting closer to Mirkwood.
As the forest’s edge became visible, the company slowed to a halt and dismounted the horse and ponies. Thorin made his way to Sisílla who was looking out to the vast lands that they had just traveled and looked up at her. Her usual calm demeanor all but lost as her brows were knitted and her eyes looking so focused than he has ever seen them. Her hair windswept from the ride as some loose hairs fell out of her braid that he had worked on first thing in the morning. His crystal blue eyes followed down her arm to her hand where he could see that she was doing her best not to clench them. How he longed to know what she saw in the visions, just to share the burden with her so she wouldn’t have to be the only one to see what is yet to come. Was it maybe to gain some leverage on his enemies and maybe his own kingdom? Possibly. But to know that Sisílla was the only person across this land to have such a duty to all, he wanted her to be at ease and not be plagued by the visions.
Sliding his hand into her smaller one, Thorin could see how she visibly relaxed and smiled a smile of relief. He would never grow old of her smile which also placed in a sense of ease for the time being. But as soon as Bilbo commented on how the woods looked sick, Gandalf stated that he had other business elsewhere. Everyone was in shock, especially Sisílla for she knew who awaited for them in those woods. As Gandalf was about to gallop away on his horse, he looked over to Sisílla as she was now their guide and saving grace if anything was to happen.
“My lady, you must help them. Do not lose the path.” Gandalf informed.
Craning her head up, she furrowed her brows and looked as though she was panicking, and she was. Never had she guided anyone, it was someone guiding her. And to lead a group of dwarves, it was hard enough as it is just traveling.
“I can’t. You know that it’s redundant to have the blind leading the sighted.” She exclaimed.
“My lady, you will be their greatest asset if you are to meet with the elves.” He explained, knowing of her reputation among the elven kingdoms.
Lowering her head, she nodded and turned her head to where Thorin stood only to feel him squeeze her hand for reassurance. Gandalf knew she was not confident being on her own for being a diplomatic figure alone. But, he needed to make sure that Thorin and his short temper wouldn’t lead them to their doom. As Gandalf left, Thorin looked over to his men as they heard about Sisílla’s new role in guiding them along the Elven Road. Kneeling down, Sisílla unlaced her boots one by one and slid her socks off before placing her bare feet to the earth. Thorin slid her boots into her rucksack before guiding her to the stone flag path that was the Elven Road. Feeling the cold stone under her feet, she leaned down and touched the stone with her finger tips before looking straight ahead and standing upright.
“This way, and stay close. These woods are no longer safe.” She explained. ‘We are not alone…’
And off the company ventured into the depths of Mirkwood.
Word Count: 3530 Warnings: Fluff, Thorin (He is a warning you haters XD) Summary: After being chased out by orc packs day in and day out, and now a skinchanger on their tail. Gandalf sends the Company to the house of Beorn. Meanwhile, Thorin finally makes the decision to take the next step with Sisilla. One that he is afraid of hearing the answer in all honesty.
(A/N: If you would like to be added or removed, please let me know in the comments or in private message. Enjoy!)
A year into this journey to reclaim Erebor and it had already been many close calls, strength in friendship and comradery. And with Sisílla, it brought a new sense of adventure and challenges for Thorin. Balin was the first to really take interest with his king and his actions with the young woman. His constant hovering when it was nightfall, making sure she had at least two helpings of food and plenty of water, his blanket wrapped around her when everyone was asleep. Especially when it came to training, he made sure she was perfect, yet elegant. Never did Thorin harshly scold her, but gave her pointers and carefully touched her to make sure her stances were strong.
But what made Balin know that Thorin fancied the young lady was after a skirmish with a small Orc pack. Everyone was holding their own and Sisílla was fighting alongside Gandalf and Thorin. But something swept her off her feet, causing her to sprain her ankle. Thorin heard her cry and was able to ward off an orc and the warg it was riding. He immediately ordered those who were close to them to close ranks to protect her with Thorin staying the closest to her. After successfully defeating the orcs and wargs and finding a cave to hunker in for the night, Oín had tended to Sisílla’s injured ankle which was a minor sprain and some herbal tea would help her heal just fine. Thorin had bestowed one of his daggers to her and was able to pass it off as another way to protect herself, when in reality, it was a gift.
Thorin couldn’t fathom the thought of keeping his courting a secret from her. But it also made either easier at the same time. He was conflicted deeply, but he never wanted the thought of being turned away. They were meant to be, she had spoken about her dreams. Though not in great detail, he knew it was he she was dreaming of. But as they traveled farther, the less he could continue his traditional courting and had to make sure she was safe. As they traveled through gorges, Bilbo was sent to scout the area before them as it was an early morning. Thorin , Gandalf, Sisílla and the rest of the company awaited at the bottom as Orc packs were close by. Sisílla had a vision that they were not far and had awoken Thorin about it hence why the sun had barely kissed the sky with its warm rays. Sisílla had stuck close to Thorin, much to his pleasure, as they awaited for Bilbo to come back down.
Sisílla felt a hard chill run down her spine as something was coming to pass. Grasping Thorin’s shoulder, he glanced up to see her brows knitted tight as she looked distressed. Although he was concerned for his men, Sisílla was his top priority.
“What is it?” He asked, his voice low to not gain any attention from the others.
She shook her head, clearing her mind of the fog that was creeping from the depths of her consciousness. “I’m not sure. We mustn’t fall behind.”
“You are not well, my lady.” He chastised.
“I’m alright. Honest. If anything more happens, I promise to rest if need be.” She reassured, her silver gray eyes gazing past Thorin.
Although he was worried for her well-being, he knew that she was determined. With a slight nod, he grasped her hand in his own and quickly pressed his forehead against her own.
“Stay by my side.” Thorin said quickly, but softly.
He never wanted to sound desperate or beg, but his heart thundered in his chest for her safety. As they caught up with the rest of the company, they all met up with Bilbo who was looking as if he had seen a ghost, or a monster that was far more treacherous than the Dragon that they were aiming to slay.
“We have to leave.” Bilbo huffed.
“Were you seen?” Gandalf asked, worried that the hobbit may have been spotted by Azog.
Shaking his head, Bilbo confirmed that he was well hidden and bringing much relief to the company. But as Gandalf began to praise Bilbo of his quick and quiet scouting and being burglar material.
“No, no! I am trying to tell you. There is something out there.” The hobbit explained.
Gandalf’s cheery mood turned serious as he believed in the hobbit. “What form did it take? Like a bear?”
Everyone looked at Gandalf, as if he knew. And when Bilbo confirmed the wizards assumption, everyone began to try and think of a way to get away from this beast and the pack of orcs which were not far from them and the Company. Thorin grasped Sisílla’s hand tighter just in case they were needing to run. He could feel her pulse jump against his hand which only made him pull her closer to his side.
“There is a house, not far from here. Where we could take refuge.” Gandalf spoke, gaining everyone’s attention.
“Whose house? Are they friend or foe?” Thorin asked, already tired of these games and frustrated at their predicament.
“Neither. He will either help us… or kill us.” The wizard explained and casted his gaze to Sisílla who’s brows furrowed at his words.
Gandalf could only hope that their host would spare her life.
Thorin wasn’t going to take that chance, not for Sisílla, and most certainly not for his companions. “What choice do we have!?”
As if on cue, a large growl like howl rang through the twilight morning air making everyone but Gandalf jump and try to look around for the source of the sound. It wasn’t long until they were running down to the valleys and forest below. Gandalf led the way, the company in tow and Sisílla staying in the middle of everyone. Fíli and Kíli were constantly flanking her, nudging and guiding her as they ran for shelter. Thorin had made rounds, running alongside his fellow men to make sure no one was being left behind. Suddenly, Sisílla had tripped on an upturned root, causing her to fall and roll down a steep slope which had several of the dwarves chasing after her, checking her over before getting her back to her feet. Dwalin and Bofur, and Dori behind her, were guiding her as they finally got out of the cover of the forest and out into the open fields to where a house awaited them.
Thorin had finally caught up with Sisílla and grasped her hand, now dragging her to safety as the rest of the company took charge. Getting closer and closer, the sound of a large and monstrous creature made everyone scramble to get the doors opened.
“Open the door!” Gandalf ordered as he came running in last.
Thorin looked behind him and saw the beast and pushed Sisílla behind him, Orcist in hand and getting her to the door first. He unlatched the doors where everyone rushed in. Sisílla ran a few steps away so everyone could file in before spinning on her heels and unsheathing her sword and dagger. The sound of the beast snarling and growling hit her ears, causing her to shudder where she stood as the Company worked together to get the door closed. Her heart was pounding in her head, causing her to get slightly dizzy from the adrenaline and fear coursing through her veins that she failed to hear that the beast was Beorn, the Skinchanger and their host. Though the Company were fearful that this Beorn would find a way to kill them, they all took advantage to collect themselves, recover and rest. Sisílla had sheathed her sword and dagger and walked over to Gandalf who was looking out to the yard where the great door still stayed open to the large field that they had just ran across not too long ago.
As she felt the wall from her outstretched hand, she leaned her back against the wall and let out an exhausted sigh. “What are we to do now? You know that we are close to darkness that even I cannot foresee.”
With his pipe out, he let out an approving and low hum before igniting the pipeweed and taking a few short puffs to start the slow burning. “We need safe passage through Mirkwood. To take the Elven road for safe passage.”
“Is it the only way? Couldn’t we take them down to the outskirts of Rohan and follow up river to-”
“My lady, we don’t have much time. Durin’s Day is only a week away, at best.” Gandalf interrupted.
Her eyes, though unfocused, casted down to the hay covered floor below. Time was short, and to see that they were nowhere close to the mountain meant that the prophecy was going to fail. Gandalf seemed to have taken notice at her sudden sullen appearance. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he gave her a warm smile that even she couldn’t help but return one, albeit a smaller version.
“We will make it, my lady. Now, rest up and have something to eat. We are safe for the night.” He said before waving Bilbo over.
“Is everything alright?” The hobbit asked as he made his way over to them.
Sisílla reached over to him and felt his small hand guide her hand to his shoulder. “Could you walk me back to the others, please?”
“Of course, right this way.” Bilbo piped as he was very careful in explaining every little detail of where she was walking.
It didn’t take much until both Bilbo and Sisílla were discussing crocheting and their favorite pastime. Reading. Everyone made rounds to check on the perimeter in and around the home before they could settle for the day. Thorin, of course, made sure that Sisílla was well, hydrated and given the first serving before everyone else. As the sun began to set over the trees, most of the Company were in good spirits. Although quiet, they felt more secure than being out in the wilderness for the moment. They were singing an old shanty in Khuzdul, the dwarven language, and dancing with Sisílla. For a blind girl, she followed with such grace and elegance. Barefoot and feeling the thump, thump, thump of her companions stomping a beat to the soft hay covered floor, it was a merry time for everyone. Thorin, sitting with Balin and Gandalf, watched with a small smirk as she danced with laughter and song filling the air. How her hair, once in a tight braid, now free from its binds and flowing like liquid silver and starlight. Her sight less eyes gleaming with joy, and a smile that took his breath away each and every moment. Balin smiled at the young king, almost proud like a father would be with his son, that Thorin had finally met his One and had her with him during the journey.
As the Company finally let Sisílla rest and laughed at how Nori looked like “a flapping trout out of the creek,” Thorin rose from his spot, his pipe nestled between his lips as he grabbed his water skin and walked over to Sisílla who was sitting on a large pile of hay. As he made his way over to her, he knew that it had to be tonight for another moment of real relaxation and not fearing of orc packs was becoming much more scarce. As he approached her, he cleared his throat causing Sisílla to smile and turn her head to face his general direction.
“My king… why aren’t you enjoying these festivities?” She asked, reaching out instinctively to grab his arm or hand.
Clever girl she was, always ready to be on the move and her head figuratively on a swivel. Thorin smiled a little wider before guiding her hand to his water skin. “I am.” He said. “But you looked parched from the dancing. I must say, you have my utmost respect for your grace and light feet.”
A bright blush blossomed to her already flushed cheeks as she grasped the skin and plucked the cap off before taking a couple sips of water. And she had noticed since then. His compliments, how he was making sure she was cared for and tended to, made sure she had privacy monthly and when they all had a chance to properly bathe. Wherever she was, he was close by. Like a shadow to the naked eye, but for her like a shield that she couldn’t go without. He was her oaken shield. The names that he called her. Ghivashel, badgûna, and his favorite when they were alone at night when everyone was asleep but them, amrâlimê. She had asked him many times what they meant only to receive gentle reassurance that they are nothing ill-will towards her. But high praises.
Thorin couldn’t help but be marveled by her innocence and beauty once again, being captivated in her eyes and smile. But both seemed to have jumped slightly as the company howled with laughter after Bofur and Kíli had apparently played a joke on Dori. Clearing his throat once again, he leaned close to her and whispered as he didn’t want any prying ears to listen to them.
“May I take you for a stroll? I have not kept my end of our promise.” He asked and pulled away to see her smiling brightly.
Raising her hand to him, Thorin happily helped her to her feet and escorted her to the gardens that encircled the rather large house that they took refuge in. The sun had all but set and the beautiful hues of blues and violets danced with the twinkling stars in the night sky. The cool air was a relief compared to the warmth inside, and the sounds of the crickets and distant woodland creatures was peaceful compared to wargs and the bear-like beast. Thorin began to explain the land to Sisílla before seating her on a small stump. He stood beside her, facing the beautiful moon that hung low in the sky. Tonight had to be perfect for this moment. As quietly as he could, he slipped his hand into his coat to retrieve something that he made when he was a young lad and could swing a hammer in the forge. Feeling the cold little piece of metal and grasping it snug in his palm, Thorin took a deep breath to calm his nerves and his speeding heart. As he opened his mouth to speak, Sisílla spoke.
“May I ask you something, Thorin?”
“Anything, milady.” He responded. “What troubles you?”
“These names you give me, I never hear you speak about them to your nephews, nor your men.” Sisílla started.
With a thick gulp, Thorin felt like he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar when he was a pebble. But she continued.
“I know that they mean a type of endearment. I heard them before we met in my dreams. Amrâlimê, you have called me that name time and time again. And I want to know what it means.” She stated. Although her voice was steady and even, he knew that she was frustrated. And rightfully so.
With a gentle sigh, Thorin nodded and took a breath. This was much more difficult than he anticipated. But he had to.
“It means ‘my love.’ A very sacred endearment amongst my people towards our One. Our soulmate. Someone that I… I have met ever since stepping into Rivendell and even before that.” Thorin stated.
“Thorin…”
“Please, my lady.” Thorin exhaled. “For many years, I have never thought that I, myself… would ever find my One. But I was deeply mistaken. Mahal, I believed, cursed me with many dreams of a woman in silver and white. Not of any dwarven kingdom, but of men. I knew she could never see me, but with her breathtaking smile and her eyes far more precious than the White Gems of Lasgalen, I was taken. Mahal blessed me, night after night, dreams of my badgûna. Showing me a little more of her. And soon I found out, it was you.”
“I knew it, I could feel not only in my bones, but my heart. No other woman has ever set my heart ablaze when I saw you descending those stairs back in Rivendell. I never knew that I would have fallen for such a deity. An Oracle. And when we had to leave, I wanted you to come. Be selfish and take you to Erebor. But I was fearful that you would be taken or harmed in a way I could never protect you from. And now… You’re here. A brave warrior, a woman that I have grown the most respect for. One that I want to grow old with and a woman who has captivated me, mind, heart, and soul. And so, I wish…”
Thorin froze, looking at her and locking her eyes with his. The bead in hand, in his clammy hand. He shook his head to shake off the nerves and fear of rejection. What will happen, will happen. Reaching out, Thorin grasped her hand in his and brought it to his lips where he left a soft and warm kiss. A soft gasp emitted from Sisílla which made Thorin glance through his lashes to see a pretty blush dusting her cheeks and a shy smile adorning her lips. Guiding her hand, Thorin pressed her palm to his bearded cheek and leaned down to rest his forehead against her own; resting a hand on her soft cheek and embracing this tender and intimate moment. Sisílla’s eyes fluttered closed and her smile grew wider with glee.
“Will you accept me for who I am and allow me to court you, my lady?” Thorin asked, almost in a whisper as if his words would be taken by a breeze and spread across the land.
Nodding her head, Sisílla smiled. “It would be my honor, my king.”
If only she could see how bright and big his smile was. He knew she could feel his cheeks shifting from his smile, but he wanted for her to see his smile. But his thoughts were cut short when he felt her lips press lightly on his cheek. It was the first time she showed affection to him, at least this intimate. And it made his own heart soar. Leaning closer, he brushed his nose across her cheekbone before pressing a soft kiss to her own cheek and pulled away to smile down at her. Sisílla smiled back and giggled before following the length of his arm down to his hands where he captured and held them snug in his larger ones.
“What now?” She asked, a little lost as she had never been courted and knew of only the courting rituals of Elven culture.
“Now, if you would allow, may I braid my courting brain and bead?” He asked.
With a small nod from her, Thorin smiled and sat next to her on the small stump and ran his fingers through her silvery white hair. It was like fine silk threads between his calloused fingers, something he was going to treasure greatly. His fingers parted a few sections of hair and he began the braid. Silence and patience, Throin was nimble but steady with his braid. He knew that the Company would know. They all probably know that they are missing. But it didn’t matter, he was with his One and fulfilling a great task to court the Oracle and his one love. As he came to the end of her hair where he could no longer braid, he slid the bead on and anchored it in place before laying her braid over her shoulder.
Sisílla instantly ran her fingers across the plaited hair and could feel the intricate four stranded braid and at the end, a small but intricate bead holding it in place. His fingers carded through her soft strands once more, making her lean into his touch and hum in such content. Thorin smiled broadly and leaned over to press a kiss to her temple gently before standing and gently helping her to her feet. Looping her arm with his, they strolled through the garden side by side with such euphoria and a new found love. As they made their way around, Dwalin shimmied from his perch near one of the small windows and was grinning from ear to ear. Making his way back to the others, Bofur was the first to rush to the old dwarf.
“What is it? Did they make it official?!” The dwarf asked.
Balin nodded a firm nod. “Aye, Thorin has his One, and his future Queen.”
The entire company roared with joy and celebration. So much so that Thorin and Sisílla stopped their stroll and looked towards the house. Tilting her head to try and listen with no avail, Thorin chuckled as he knew that his men found out. With reassurance that it was nothing serious and to be merry, both Thorin and Sisílla walked in only to be congratulated by everyone of the courtship.
The room was quiet and dark, the only light coming from the overhead light in the hallway outside the bedroom door. Thorin fought to keep his eyes open as he trailed his fingers along Noelle’s long tangle of dark red curls. Her hair was every bit as soft, as silky, as it looked, and he couldn’t resist touching it. Those curls spilled over his arm, which he’d tucked about her shoulders, while her head rested peacefully against his chest. He thought she might have fallen asleep, her breathing was soft and even, whispering across his chest as a caress in itself.
He wasn’t ready for this wonderful evening to end. It went far beyond any night of his dreams as pleasure unlike anything he’d ever felt before still rippled through him. It wasn’t anything he could have ever prepared himself for, no matter how hard he might have tried. Perhaps she was just a very gifted woman, and perhaps not all men were as fortunate as he was in that respect. He couldn’t say for certain, of course. All he knew was that she made him feel sensations no one ever told him existed, ones he’d never have believed possible, hadsomeone told him they existed, and she wasn’t at all shy with introducing him to them, either. His entire body tingled now as the image of her on her knees before him, her lips, her tongue, teasing him to the brink of utter madness flashed through his mind. And that paled in comparison to how it felt when he slid inside her and thrust deep. Mahal, even now he wanted to sigh with the sensual bliss those thrusts sent screaming through him.
Aaaaw They had such a fantastic time together. Of course it’s good that Thorin is back where he belongs, but it’s still sad. There is a glimmer of hope though and I’m holding on to that
Characters:Thorin, Dis, Thrain, Dwalin, Balin, Original Characters
Relationship:Thorin x OFC
Setting: Post Azanulbizar, Pre Quest of Erebor
Notes: Hello everyone! Apologies once again for the long wait, this chapter was really difficult to write. My relationship with it may best be summarized by that famous quote by James Acaster at the Great British Bake Off (Started making it. Had a Breakdown. Bon appetit!) I am finally posting it today thanks to @lathalea‘s help. You are the best and I don’t know what I would do without your support
This chapter is quite intense. Very dramatic and angsty (but that last one is a given for this fic, right?), but the next chapter will be like a nice band-aid I promise:)
This is the 25th chapter to my Thorin Oakenshield fan fiction, Heart of Gold which can be read in full on ao3. Go check it out there to read from the start! Please consider reblogging if you enjoyed this chapter and if you are enjoying the story so far!
A/N: After a small wrestling match, I have beaten the story back into submission. I’m sorry for the delay.
Summary: Thorin Durin likes his life just the way it is—his pub is successful, he’s happily playing the field when it comes to women. He wouldn’t change a damn thing about it. At least, not until he meets Leda Andrews, who stops to help him when his car dies on the side of the road.
Leda is new in town, and late for a job interview when she stops to help a guy with his broken down old car. The last thing she expected was for him to be the same guy who owns the pub where she’s applied to be a bartender, never mind to be one of the hottest men she’s ever seen.
Sparks fly, and while Leda’s got a few ground rules that Thorin is more than willing to abide by, neither one of them expected their fling to turn into anything more serious, or that they would be faced with a situation neither one is prepared for. So, what happens when a no-strings-attached affair teeters on becoming the real thing…
Summary: Christmas morning comes and Thorin has another surprise for Leda
The soft kiss against her nape made her shiver. Her hair spilled over her shoulder and Thorin’s beard tickled her ear as he whispered, “You should get up, amrâlimê. I think Santa Claus came while we were sleeping.”
She smiled, snuggling back against his warm chest. “I know he did beforehe went to sleep last night.”
Summary:Everyone in Cranford Falls knows the Prescott family. Not only do they run Miss Fortune’s Crystal occult shop in town, but they’re also known for their psychic abilities. On occasion, they’re even called into service to assist the police on particularly difficult cases. All except Alex Prescott, that is. Unlike her three sisters, she’s inherited none of her family’s gifts. At least that was what she thought until the day the dead guy showed up in her bedroom asking for her help in solving a murder. His own.
Six months after his brother Frerin’s death, Detective Thorin Durin is on a downward spiral of self-destruction until Frerin starts showing up in his apartment, claiming his death was not an unfortunate accident but was, in fact a murder. Trouble is, Frerin doesn’t know who did it, so he wants Thorin to reopen the case and solve it, with Alex’s help.
As they work together to find out just exactly what happened to Frerin, Alex and Thorin grow closer. Neither one knows it, but Frerin isn’t just looking to solve his own murder, he’s trying to help his brother cope with his loss as well, and to find happiness with the Prescott sister who’s known as the quiet one…
Summary:Alex and Terri have an odd encounter while shopping for Gram’s birthday…
Terri chattered on as she flipped through the racks at Macy’s, but Alex didn’t hear a word she said. Instead, thoughts of Frerin cluttered her mind. What she’d promised him. Find his killer. Bring them to justice. Cripes. How on earth was she going to find the person (or persons) responsible for the fire, when trained experts couldn’t? Just what did he expect her to do? How did he expect her to do it? She’d already screwed it up with Frerin’s brother. Now what?
“Hey! Are you still on planet Earth?”
Alex snapped back into the present. “What?” she asked, peering at Terri. “Did you say something?”
“Yeah. I asked you if you dreamed about Mr. Tall-Dark-Dead-and-Handsome?”
She shook her head. “No. Not last night.” She shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe since I can see him now, he won’t bother my sleep. I’m actually kind of hoping that’s how it’ll work. I could use a solid night’s sleep, you know.”
“I don’t know. Are you sure that’s what you’d want? At least in your dreams you can get a little funky with him.”
Alex fought the urge to groan. “Terr, I’ve already told you—I don’t wantto get funky with him. He’s cute, but he’s not my type.”
“Damn, I wish I could see this guy. Too bad I can’t just develop that Sight thing—poof!— just like you did.”
It was a little weird to think that two days ago, she wouldn’t have been able to see Frerin, either. But she wasn’t so sure the Sight was really a gift for her. Too soon to tell, she thought, mentally shaking her head as Terri held up a gaudy brown-and-orange silk top.
“That is hideous.”
“Why?” Terri held it at arm’s length and squinted at it. “These colors would look great on Gram.”
“She’ll kill both of us if you bring her anything she considers old lady-ish, and thatdefinitely looks old lady-ish. It’s got old lady written all over it.”
“You’re crazy. Gram will love it.”
“I think that is nothow she’ll feel about it.” Alex frowned at the sheer, oversized top, fighting to keep her nose from wrinkling in distaste. It was the last thing she could ever see Gram wearing—no matter what. A nuclear bomb could go off in the center of town and melt everything else, and stillGram would refuse to wear that monstrosity. In fact, she’d probably forbid Terri from ever setting foot in her house ever again and she considered Terri an honorary Prescott. Or she would until Terri showed up with that top for her.
“Put it back, Terr. Trust me.”
Terri sighed a heavy, weary sigh. “Well, I hope you have some ideas, Lex, because I got nothing.”
“We’ll find something. If nothing else, we’ll head over to Spencer’s.”
Terri giggled. “Remember last year, when Syd got her that windup penis?”
Alex couldn’t help her snort. “And she said she wished it’d come with a manattached?”
Both women burst out laughing rather loudly, which earned them a few strange looks from other shoppers. Alex ignored them, though, even as she grasped at a rack of blouses to keep from tipping over, and wiped her streaming eyes with her left hand. She didn’t know which Gram thought was funnier—the wind-up penis or that a room full of senior women were horrified by it.
“God, I thought Teddy was going to wet her pants!” Terri blurted, clutching her left side with one hand and reaching to steady herself on a table of folded jeans with the other. “Remember how red she got?”
“Remember? She didn’t talk to Syd for almost two weeks,” Alex gasped, managing to right herself as she fought to control her giggles. It felt so good to laugh like that, better than she would have imagined. Especially since she’d found yet another threat on the blog that morning. It was tempting to call the police, but she didn’t see what they could possibly do, since she didn’t even have a name. Most likely, the police would ask her what she expected, given her family’s business. Nut jobs came with the territory and this one wasn’t the first, although he was the meanest so far.
The back of her neck prickled then, as she noticed a string bean of a man on the other side of the main aisle, casually flipping through a table display of vee-necked sweaters. It probably wouldn’t have bothered her, except that he’d only begun paying attention to the sweaters when she turned to look at him. She was pretty sure he’d been staring at them a moment earlier.
Of course, why shouldn’t he? She and Terri were laughing like maniacs just a few minutes earlier and the words wind-up penis probably carried a little farther beyond their earshot. He wouldn’t have been the only starer, that was for sure. In fact, a couple of blue-haired old ladies were stillstaring at them. Then again, that could’ve been because Terri was wearing a short skirt and a white blouse that was practically sheer and she was one of those women who was naturally blessed with ample curves and thin thighs and seemed to be all leg, while Alex felt like a fire hydrant next to her—short and squat.
She forced herself to turn away, forcing out of the corner of her mouth, “Terri!” in a throaty whisper.
Terri’s head jerked up. “What?”
“Keep your voice down!” Alex muttered. With a slight tilt of her head in String Bean’s direction, she whispered, “See that guy?”
Her lips barely moving, Terri muttered back, “Skinny dude with the girly sweaters?”
“That’s him.”
“Yeah. Why?”
“What’s he doing?”
Dropping her gaze to the rest of the hideous orange-and-brown blouses, Terri said, “Flipping through—wait… he just stopped. I think he’s checking you out, Lex.”
That made her want to shiver. “Ugh.” She tried to feign an interest in the stack of faded Donna Karan distressed jeans. Lifting up a couple of pairs as if searching for one in her size, she waited a beat and then jerked her head up.
String Bean’s cheeks went ruddy as he twisted away from them. Even from where she stood, the flush sweeping up the back of his neck was plainly visible. His movements were too deliberate, too careful, to be anything other than a feigned interest of his own. To Terri, she whispered, “I don’t think he’s checking us out in the way that you think he is. I think he’s trying to eavesdrop on us.”
“On Gram’s taste in gifts? That’s… weird…”
“No.” She glanced out of the corner of her eye again. String Bean had moved closer. “He ignored us until you brought up Frerin, then pretended to ignore us while we were talking about Gram. Just watch and see for yourself.”
“Lex—”
“So, I think I know who dream man is, and it’s so weird, because he’s dead, Ter.”
“What?”
“Yeah. He’s been dead for years.” Alex smiled as String Bean perked up again and moved closer still. She moved from tops to athletic wear, moving closer to the narrow corridor that led to the elevators and rest rooms. She kept talking as she moved. “And get this… he doesn’t know how he died.”
“Get out!” Under her breath, Terri muttered, “Where are we going?”
“The elevator. But act casual.”
“What—”
“Right? It’s so weird and he thinks Ican help him.” Alex resisted the urge to grab Terri by the arm and drag her down into the hallway. The last thing she really wanted to was to look or act suspicious.
“Help him? How?” Terri rolled her eyes, but did as she was told. No sooner had they both moved toward the corridor, then Alex saw String Bean drop a melon-colored vee neck and causally saunter their way. Her heart began a dull, triple-time staccato in her chest as she grabbed Terri’s arm and pulled her around the bend.
“What the hell are you doing?” Terri demanded.
“Just wait…” Although her instinct was to just hurry to the elevator and get into it, she forced herself to remain just where she was. “He’ll be here in three… two… one…”
String Bean came around the corner then and Alex rounded on him, planting a hand firmly in the middle of his skinny chest as she shoved him up against the wall. “Is there a reason you’re listening in on me talking to my friend?”
Bean groaned as he hit the wall. “What the—what are you talking about, lady? I’m just shopping.”
“Uh huh. Do I need to call security or are you going to leave us alone?”
“Leave you alone? I wasn’t even bothering you! Christ, can’t a guy look at sweater?”
“You’re shopping in the women’s department,” Terri pointed out.
“What are you,” he glared at her, “the clothing police? If you must know, I’m shopping for my sister, you twit.” He knocked Alex’s hand from him. “So, fuck off or I’llcall security.”
“You were listening to us and don’t even try to deny it.”
“I wasn’t listening to you, it’s just that… I thought you were someone else. You look like an old friend. I was wrong.”
“An old friend?” Alex just stared at him. “Who?”
“Teddy Prescott. I graduated with her and it’s been forever and I thought you were her but as I got closer, I wasn’t so sure. Sorry I bothered you.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You thought Iwas Teddy? Do you wear glasses? Because if not, you might want to get your eyes checked out.”
“You look enough like her. I’m sorry, lady. I didn’t mean to spook you…”
“You didn’t spook me. I don’t like when people listen in on my conversations. What was your name again?”
“Again? I never said it to begin with. I’m Yuri, why?”
“Teddy’s my sister and I’m pretty sure she’s never mentioned you.”
“Does she tell you about all of her friends? Christ, you really are the fucked up Prescott, aren’t you?”
Alex narrowed her eyes. “What did you call me?”
“Listen, Yuri,” Terri broke in, stepping up to stand beside Alex. “You watch yourself when you’re talking about my family. You got that?”
“Fuck off, bitch. Both of you,” Yuri muttered, twisting to get to his feet.
Wrong thing to say. Terri just smiled and then swung. Her tote bag hit Yuri square in the groin and with a yelp, he hit the floor like a sack of sand. She then grabbed Alex by the arm and they sprinted toward the elevators. Terri punched the button and Alex uttered a silent prayer of thanks as the light lit up, the doors chimed, and then opened. They dove inside and Terri jabbed at the door closed button as Yuri’s deep swears grew louder.
The doors slid shut just as his face appeared in the slit and Alex slumped against the back of the car. “Oh my God…” she breathed, her heart racing and her hands shaking uncontrollably. “What the hell was thatabout?”
Terri, however, was glaring at her. “What’s going on, Lex? You’re jumpy as hell today and I’ve never seen you attack a guy for following you down a hallway. Now, what gives? And don’t tell me nothing because I swear to God, I’ll—”
“Easy, Terr,” Alex sighed, pushing up and away from the cool steel. “I’ll tell you. But you have to promise to let me handle it, okay?”
“Handle what?” Terri’s eyes narrowed suspiciously and she crossed her arms over her chest.
“Promise me first.”
“Alex.”
She shook her head. “No dice, Terri. You promise, or I don’t spill.”
Terri sighed, but uncrossed her arms. “Okay. Okay. I promise. Now, will you tell me already?”
The elevator chimed as they reached the third floor. As the doors slid open, Alex grabbed Terri’s arm. “Let’s go grab a coffee and I’ll tell you everything so far.”
***
“Holy… are you kidding me?”
Alex was more than a little surprised at the starkness of her friend’s face and the heat in her voice. She knew Terri would be upset, but she didn’t think she’d be thisupset. “Look, we get hate mail from time to time and it’s really no big deal. It comes with the territory and we all know to just ignore it unless there is a real, honest threat somewhere.”
“I’d say hoping you die sounds like a threat to me.”
“Mrs. Urlino says stuff like that to us all the time. Well, not to me, maybe, but definitely to the others.”
“Yeah, well we all know she’s harmless. Batshit, but harmless.” Terri shook her head. “This isn’t Mrs. Urlino though, Lex. You should report it. Tell Detective Durin. He’d probably want to know.”
“Why? What can he do? It’s just an email.”
“Well, I don’t know, but you’re telling him. Or else.”
Alex rolled her eyes. “Or else what, Mom?”
“I’ll tell Gram and your ass will be cooked.”
Alex sunk into her chair. “You would, wouldn’t you?”
“Damn straight I would.”
“Too bad we don’t know when she’ll be back, because that just mightget me to spill.”
“I’m not kidding, Alex. I’ll call her right now.” Terri dug around in her bag until she came up with her Samsung Galaxy. She waved it at Alex. “Spill. Now.”
Alex sighed. The last thing she wanted was Gram thinking she needed to come home now instead of finishing her job finding the missing teen. Terri had her and she knew it.
She sighed. “Well, what if I tell Frerin?”
“Damn. I forgot about your ghost. Well, does he know your cop?”
“He’s not my ghost, Thorin’s not my cop, and of course they know each other, they’re brothers. Jeez, Terr, were you completely stoned all through high school? Everyone knew them. They were the biggest jocks in town and knew it.”
“Oh, right…. Sorry… You were chasing football players, I was out stealing car parts with Troy McInierny, remember?”
“Tell me again how we’re still friends?”
“Right?” Terri dropped her phone back into her bag. “Regardless, you need to ask one of them. What if it’s not just any empty threat?”
“Well, I don’t know what Frerin can do, unless it’s something like make the walls of the emailer’s house bleed, but I’d imagine we’d need to know where his house was to begin with, wouldn’t we?”
“Lex… you’re wandering again.”
“Sorry.” She set her cup down, tracing the rim with her fingertip. After a long silence, she said, “What if I’m just imagining him?”
“Imagining who?” Terri asked, wiping the lipstick smear from her own cup.
Alex fought the urge to reach over and throttle her. “Frerin!”
“Oh, right.” Terri sat back, folding her arms over her chest. “Do you think you might be?”
It was something that had been worrying her on and off since she first realized she could see him. How was it possible, when she’d never had the Sight before? What if she was just losing her mind instead?
“No,” she finally said, “I don’t. But I’m the weirdo in my family my entire life and now all of the sudden I’m not? It doesn’t make any sense. They all knew what they could do from the time we were kids, Terr. Why is this only possible for me now?”
“You’re asking me?I don’t know, Lex. Maybe you need to talk to one of your sisters. Or Gram—she wold probably know best. But ask oneof them if it’s possible. I have no idea if it is or not.”
Alex stared down at the cardboard cup. All around them in the food court, mothers wheeled babies in strollers or argued with older kids about this and that, while teenagers mingled about chattering away in their own foreign language. At the next table, a guy in a charcoal gray Armani suit was busy regaling his lunch companion with stories of his latest barroom conquest, being graphic enough that Alex wanted to throw up.
Leaning closer to Terri, she whispered, “Did you ever wonder how much of this bull is made up?”
Terri grinned. “Probably ninety-five percent of it is.” She shook her head. “There is no way that guy’s ten inches anywhere.”
Alex snorted hard enough to make her sinuses hurt and Terri quickly gathered up her things as Armani Suit shot them both a look. Still chuckling as they walked away, Alex said, “I guess I could ask Teddy. Gram’s in Maine and I don’t have any idea when she’ll be back. I’m only barely speaking to Charlie and Syd’d just tell me to go talk to Teddy anyway.”
At the main elevator, Terri punched the down arrow. “What’s Gram doing in Maine again?”
“Missing teenager. The parents called her last Friday absolutely beside themselves. You know Gram. If it’s babies or kids, she’s outta here.”
“But this is a teenager.” Terri pointed out as the bell dinged and the doors slid open. “Gram’s always grumbling about hexing the lot of them.”
“That’s only the ones who insist on daring each other to touch her house every Halloween,” Alex replied as they stepped onto the small, overheated car. “And it probably wouldn’t be so bad, except then she had to go and predict that Ty Randall’s father would catch Ty’s mother in bed with their neighbor’s son.”
“Oy, I remember. He was what? Eighteen?”
Alex shook her head, remembering the scandal that resulted, as Ty’s mother was also Cranford Falls High’s Spanish teacher. “I don’t think he was even that old. And you know what the killer is? Gram swears she made the whole thing up.”
“Did she?”
Alex never thought so and she shook her head at Terri. “I don’t believe it if she did. Come on, Terr, she had it nailed down to what color bra and panties Carol Randall would be wearing!”
Terri chortled over that. “Green and blue leopard print. Real tasteful.”
Alex sighed softly as they descended into the parking garage. “I don’t think there is a guy in the neighborhood who gave a damn whatfreaky-ass print lingerie she wore. It didn’t stay on her long enough for it to even register.”
The bell chimed and the doors slid open. Stepping out into the dank parking deck, Alex shivered. She hated parking garages—always had, always would—and this one did not have one redeeming factor about it. It was even hotter and stickier than the summer air outside, and the dampness mingled with the smell of gasoline fumes, burnt oil, and worn rubber, to create a perfume that was second only to skunk on the terrible-smell scale.
Terri’s car was at the end of the row and, by the time they reached it, Alex had looked over her shoulder five times. On the sixth peer, Terri sighed gustily as she beeped off her alarm. “What is it, Lex?”
She didn’t know if she could put it into words. Shaking her head, she looked over the car’s roof at Terri. “I guess I’m still spooked about Yuri,” she said, resisting the urge to peer over her shoulder yet again. “I don’t remember Teddy ever mentioning a guy named Yuri. Guess I’ll add that to the things I want to ask her. She’s going to think I’ve lost my mind completely.”
Pulling open the passenger door, she sank into the seat and reached for the seatbelt. “Do I really look all that much like her?”
Terri nodded. “Yeah, Lex. You do. A little shorter, maybe, but from a distance, I can see how someone might think you were her and she was you.”
“Maybe.” Alex didn’t think she looked all that much like any of her sisters. Sure, she and Teddy both had the Preskova’s black hair and the same odd shade of green eyes, but that was it. She was the shortest, not to mention the heaviest, of the girls. Syd resembled her figure-wise, where Charlie was naturally skinny (which made Alex hate her at times). Teddy, on the other hand, worked out like mad to keep her willowy frame just that. It was almost flattering, that Yuri thought she looked like Teddy. At least, it would be if it weren’t so damn creepy.
A/N: A bonus chapter today because when I was revising Chapter Nineteen, I realized it was a monsterof a chapter and so broke it into two. Enjoy!
Summary: Thorin Durin likes his life just the way it is—his pub is successful, he’s happily playing the field when it comes to women. He wouldn’t change a damn thing about it. At least, not until he meets Leda Andrews, who stops to help him when his car dies on the side of the road.
Leda is new in town, and late for a job interview when she stops to help a guy with his broken down old car. The last thing she expected was for him to be the same guy who owns the pub where she’s applied to be a bartender, never mind to be one of the hottest men she’s ever seen.
Sparks fly, and while Leda’s got a few ground rules that Thorin is more than willing to abide by, neither one of them expected their fling to turn into anything more serious, or that they would be faced with a situation neither one is prepared for. So, what happens when a no-strings-attached affair teeters on becoming the real thing…
Summary: Thorin reassures Leda she’s got nothing to worry about and on Super Bowl Sunday, Leda’s mother calls.
Pairings: Pairing: Modern!Thorin x OC Female
Characters:Thorin, Leda, Frerin, Zana. Jimmy, various other pub patrons, Leda’s mother
“You’re quiet, memsel,” Thorin said, easing the Mustang’s transmission into neutral at the garage doors. “What’s on your mind?”
She sighed, looking over at him. “I’m still feeling kind of… R2D2ish.”
“Leda…”
“I know, I know. I sound so fucking needy, but you did ask.”
He tugged the keys from the ignition and pushed open his door, climbing out of the car without a word. She sat there for a moment, just staring at the white garage doors with their somewhat peeling paint. Christ, she hated feeling this way. Normally, she didn’t care how she stacked up against other women. Part of the freedom of loving who you were with meant it didn’t matter how you stacked up because there was always another guy in another room.
But she didn’t want any other guys now. The one she wanted was the same one a hell of a lot of other women wanted as well. And while she knew Thorin wasn’t about to cheat on her, that didn’t mean he wouldn’t be put off by the way her body was changing now.
Why do I do this to myself?
With a low sigh, she opened her door and climbed out. He’d gone inside, annoyed at her, no doubt, and it was tough to blame him. She was annoyed at herself. Annoyed enough for both of them, actually.
Conan let out a woof and bolted past her. Thorin stood just inside the kitchen door, holding it for her. He didn’t say a word as she brushed by him, but just waited for Conan to do his thing, while she went through the parlor and up the stairs. She was tired. Her back hurt. Her legs hurt. She just wanted to lie down. To crawl into bed and pull the covers over her head.
Inside the bedroom, she kicked off her shoes and whisked her tee shirt over her head and as she did, the floor creaked softly behind her. Although she knew it was Thorin, she still jumped when he came up behind her and slid his arms about her waist to pull her against him. Her eyes closed as he swept a gentle kiss along the curve of her neck, up to her ear.
“You should only know what I see when I look at you,” he whispered, sliding a hand up to cup her left breast gently. “And it doesn’t matter where we are, mesmel. You could be here, like this, or standing behind the bar, chatting with Jimmy. I look at you, and you fucking blow me away. Do you know that?”
“Thorin—”
“Shhh….” He turned her toward him and caught her face with both hands. “Just listen, okay? You’re beautiful, Leda. I’ve thought so since the moment you pulled off your helmet and I realized you were a woman and not just a tiny guy.”
He slid his hands down along her neck, skimmed them across her shoulders, hooking her bra straps with both thumbs to slip over them. The fabric skimmed along her in a light caress that set her head to slowly spinning as he slid a hand around her to pop the clasp on her bra. It fell away, and his smile made the butterflies in her stomach reappear, flapping their wings with enough force to send a shiver rippling through her. His eyes glittered in the faint glow of the nightlight, and a smile played at his lips.
“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, mimûna. The most beautiful woman I’ve ever been with. Now even more so. Do you have anyidea what seeing you like this does to me?”
As he spoke, he traced a fingertip about her left nipple, his eyes never leaving hers even as that nipple beaded beneath his touch and her eyes grew heavy-lidded. As it sent a new rush of flutters through her, each one stronger and tinglier than the last. He smiled, releasing her breast to sweep those fingers along her stomach. She held her breath as he brushed along the curve, then crouched before her.
“I love this bump. And I know you think you’re getting fat, but let me tell you something,” he murmured, pressing a kiss just below her navel, his hands curved on either side. He caught the waist of her leggings to slip them down, to let them puddle about her ankles, and when he looked up to meet her gaze, his eyes were soft and tender. “I am in awe of what you’re doing, Leda. Mahal, there’s a child in you. We did this utterly amazing thing and here’s the proof.”
His words washed over her, the amazement in his voice almost visible and she pressed her lips together as they trembled. To hear him phrase it that way… it wasn’t anything she ever expected. She caught his face between her palms, let her thumbs just graze along his cheeks. “We didn’t mean to—”
“I don’t care.” He shook his head. “I don’t, Leda. It doesn’t matter if we set out to do this or not. We did it. And to watch this, to see this as it plays out… You just can’t possibly know what it feels like to me to see this amazing thing you’re doing. And do you have any idea how much I love you, Leda? Any idea at all?”
“Because of this?”
“Yes and no. I mean, I was already falling in love with you. I’ve told you that. But if you think I would trade this for a roomful of Jäger shot girls, you’re crazy. You’ve ruined me for all women, Leda. And I don’t care how how much weight you gain with this baby, and I don’t care if you never lose it. You will always be the hot girl who pulled off Route Seven to help me get my Ford POS back on the road. You will alwaysbe the hot girl I leaned into and kissed after getting my ass handed to me at shooting pool, and you will alwaysbe that same hot girl who felt the need to apologize because her bra and panties didn’t match the first time I pulled her clothes off, and you will always be her, Leda. Always. And those shot girls don’t even come close to touching you, amrâlimê.Not even close.”
He slowly stood and she bit down on her bottom lip as he caught her by the wrist and guided her hand to him, to the erection he already sported. “Thisis what you do to me, Leda. I can’t fake that. I can’t make it happen at will. You know that.”
“I’m also standing here topless. In my underwear.”
“And you look really fucking good, baby.” He hooked a thumb in the lace of her thong and tugged, smiling as the garment slipped down over her thigh.
Her heart skipped a beat as he sank to his knees before her, dragging her thong down to her ankles. He caught one foot gently and lifted, easing the lace from around it, then did the same with the other. Then, he leaned back, pressing a kiss into the fluff of dark blond hair between her thighs. He nuzzled that fluff. Then, with just the tip of his tongue, delved into it to slowly caress down and around her clit.
“Thorin…” His name was an airy mist on her lips, her hands sliding down into his hair as he leisurely swirled about her clit, teasing her slowly, deliciously. Each caress rippled through her, sent sparks of sweet pleasure swirling through her. His hands slid up along the backs of her thighs, his fingers gently pressing into her with each teasing flick.
Her hips did a slow roll toward him, each pass melting her core just a bit more. Hot and sweet, the sensations rippling through her made her shiver, made her tremble against him as little by little, the delectable pleasure built. He took his time, in no hurry at all as he stroked her so perfectly, brought her to slowly to the edge of madness, that as each knot tightened, she moaned a little louder, twisted her fingers a little tighter in his hair. The slow melt burned thorough her, turned her knees to jelly and her blood to smoke. His tongue was slick and hot, rough and gentle, to send fire licking right long with him. He moved along her clit, over it, down to her opening and back, each caress hotter than the last, each one moving her closer to the edge. With every moan, every slow arc toward him, he responded in kind, pleasure spinning through her, sparkling and dancing like a live wire to make her quiver around him.
Everything inside her clenched as he moved faster now. Faster. Harder. The knots grew even as they tightened inside her, fire hot and sweet as it blazed through her core. He licked harder still, and slid a finger inside her, crooking it to just touch that one sweet spot where she ached the most.
“Ooh…” Leda couldn’t hold back her moan, her fingers twisting harder in his hair. It all felt far too good to keep quiet, to not let him know just what he did to her. And oh, lord, what he did just felt so fucking amazing.
He shattered her, bursts of starlight erupting before her eyes as she crested the peak, as the wave crashed over here, as she came in a fiery flash of desire and need, pulsing and clenching about him, coming and squirting at the same time, the sensations spicy hot and sinfully sweet at the same time as he continued tormenting her with his skilled tongue and gifted fingers. She rocked to meet him, desperate to draw out every last drop of pleasure he could give her.
She shuddered and moaned, fighting to get away as the sensations overwhelmed her, but he wouldn’t release her. He continued his onslaught until she erupted once more and almost screamed, “Thorin!” as her knees buckled and she collapsed against him, almost sobbing from how good it all felt.
“I love you,” he growled, rising once more. He bent to her, seizing her lips with his in a kiss so furious, so hot and demanding, she wouldn’t have been at all surprised to see smoke billow between them.
She wrapped her arms about his neck, caressing his tongue with hers, drawing his back into her mouth to tease as his hands fell away from her. His belt buckle rattled as he yanked it free, as he yanked open his his jeans and tugged out his cock.
He snaked one arm about her, lifted her easily, pinned her between him and the wall as he guided himself inside her and slid deep, his first thrust hard and powerful. She wrapped her legs about his waist with that first thrust. His lips found hers, devoured hers, damp with her essence and sweet with her taste and she savored it as much as she did the taste of him. She throbbed all around him, on the verge of another orgasm without any warning. It robbed her of her senses, of her ability to speak or see, to do anything other than to feel.
“Thorin…” His name was a husky cry as he surged hard and fast, his entire body shuddering with each thrust. Her thighs tightened against him, her walls gripped his cock, squeezing and pulsing in time with his quickening thrusts.
He arched hard against her, lifted and lowered her against him as he did, growling, “Oh, baby… thisis what you do to me… Oh, holy fuck.. Leda!”
He thrust hard, buried himself as deep inside her as he could, and crushed her against him with a low, satisfied moan as his body emptied into hers. He shuddered against her. Rocked her against him. And when he finished, he cradled her as he staggered back and sank into the armchair in the corner, his arms tight about her, her name a breathless whisper on his lips.
She fought to breathe as she collapsed against his chest, smiling as he wrapped his arms about her and just held her until his heartbeat slowed and she went still against him. “Thorin… oh… oh, my god…”
“Yeah.That’swhat you do to me, mesmel. Holy, shit… you turn me inside out, beautiful girl and trust me, you have nothing to worry about.”
She sat back, chuckling as he actually whimpered. “You didn’t even take your jeans off.”
A sleepy smile lifted his lips. “I was too close and all I cared about was being inside you. Mahal, you have absolutely ruined me. I hope you know that. No other woman could ever do what you do to me. Not ever.”
“If you expect me to apologize…”
He let out a soft laugh. “No. I expect you to tell me the same.”
“You have ruined me, Thorin.” She curved her hand against his cheek. “I thought you knew that.”
He offered up a sleep smile. “It’s still nice to hear on occasion.”
“I love you,” she murmured.
“I love you, too, Leda.” He opened his eyes and offered up a tender gaze. “And if those shot girls really bother you, I’ll cancel for tomorrow.”
She sighed softly, tracing a circle into the black cotton stretched taut across his chest. “How much revenue did they bring?”
“Believe it or not, we did about ten percent higher sales than any Saturday in the last six months and fifteen percent over what we did this time last year.”
“Then I’ll suck it up. They’re good for your business.”
“My business. Ourfuture. I’ll be able to support you and a couple of kids if we keep going this way. And I’ll be able to do it easily.”
“A couple of kids?” She smiled, her hand curving about her stomach. It found its way there on its own more and more these days.
“Yeah. Two. Maybe three. We’ve got the room. Pub’s doing well. You can stay home if you want, or we can afford daycare, whichever.”
“Oh, damn… I hadn’t even given any thought to that.”
He smiled, shifting just enough to slip from her. She bit back a wince at the trickle of spend accompanying his withdrawal, and with a soft grunt, he rocked forward and stood, then moved to set her on the bed. “It’s up to you, Leda,” he called over his shoulder as he retrieved a towel from the linen cupboard in the hallway and brought it back to offer to her. “If you want to stay home, I’m cool with it. If you want to go back to work, still cool with it.”
She sighed as she dabbed at her inner thigh. “I haven’t really thought about it.”
He whisked his tee shirt over his head, and the sight of him, in just the undone jeans, was enough to make her sigh. Damn, he looked amazing in Levi’s. It was almost criminal, how handsome he was.
Balling up the tee shirt, he fired it toward the laundry basket by his dresser, then tugged off his jeans as well. “It’s up to you, mesmel,” he said, stretching out alongside her. He turned toward her, his cheek pressed into his folded hands, and let out a low whistle. “Damn… you look good like this.”
She smiled. “Wiping jizz off my legs?”
A low chuckle rolled toward her, followed by his murmured, “Naked.”
He lifted his head and stretched to brush her lips with his. He shifted further still, and she couldn’t help her laugh as he pinned her on her back, and moved to cover her completely. “Mahal, you’re beautiful,” he murmured, dipping to nuzzle her.
Her eyes closed, the damp towel forgotten as he brushed a sensitive spot just below her ear with a kiss. She felt silly for getting so upset earlier. She knew how he felt about her, and now, as his beard scraped so gently against her neck, against cheek, she shivered and whispered, “Do you have any idea how much I love you?”
For the first time in her life, she said the words without fear. For the first time in her life, she said them because she felt them. And they still weren’t enough to convey what she actually felt for him. Not by half.
His lips swept lightly over her ear, his, “Tell me,” a playful whisper.
The gentle touch and even gentler whisper sent a shiver through her, her eyes closing as he left a teasing trail of equally soft kisses down along her neck. Her thoughts muddied with each caress, her ability to concentrate on anything other than the sweet tingles he brought to life almost impossible. She sighed, her head lolling to the right as he moved into the curve of her shoulder, then lifted his head to offer up a smile. “Leda?”
“Oh, you make thinking difficult, you know that?” She curved her hand against his cheek. “And I couldn’t possibly begin to describe it, Thorin. I just… you are the only person I ever want to have sleepovers with.”
His laugh came as a warm caressed, followed by a light kiss, then he lifted his head and gazed down as he said, “Same.”
He bent back to her, brushing his lips along the inner curve of her left breast, down over her stomach, where he paused. She traced her fingers along the waves of his hair as he swept a light kiss across the curve and she couldn’t hold back her smile when he murmured, “I cannot wait to meet you, you know. And…”
With that, he lapsed into khuzdul, whispering words she could only barely hear, and didn’t understand, his lips just brushing her skin with each one. It was a sight to see, and as she stroked his hair, she murmured, “If only those shot girls could see you now, sharing secrets with your unborn baby. Their ovaries would explode on sight.”
“I want Junior to know the sound of my voice,” he said, lifting his head to smile at her.
“He will.” She tucked a long curl behind his left ear. “He absolutely will.”
The bed squeaked softly as he came back up to stretch out beside her. He took the discarded towel to fire into the laundry basked, then settled back, easing an arm about her. “Do you feel better now?”
“About the shot girls?”
“About the shot girls.”
“More or less, yes.”
“Good.” He shifted to nuzzle her, and added, “Maybe tomorrow night I can finally get you up on that pool table?”
“Thorin!”
“What? You have no idea how badly I wanted to fuck you on it that first night.”
“Trust me. I know exactlyhow badly. You really can’t hide it, you know.” She smiled up at him. “And you can’t fake it. It gives you away every time.”
“I notice you haven’t said no.”
“We’ll see.”
“We’ll see. It’s not a no, so I can live with we’ll see.” He shifted back onto his side, cradling her against his chest. “We really should get some sleep.”
****
Sundays were generally quiet at the Dunraven, but Super Bowl Sunday was another matter entirely. By one o’clock, there wasn’t an empty table in the building, even though kickoff wasn’t until after six.
The Jägermeister girls didn’t bother Leda at all, not even when Miss Perfect Brunette shot her look. Threesome. Fuck her. She wasn’t sharing Thorin with anyone. Not that it seemed to matter, as Miss Perfect Brunette seemed to be just as annoyed with Thorin, which was funny to watch because she had to be careful what she said or did around him.
Thorin came out of his office and back behind the bar. “I’ve got two possibles coming in to interview for Lacey’s job, Zane. You want to sit in with me?”
“Me?” Zana glanced over at her. “Why not Leda?”
“She’s only been here a few months, you’ve been here eight years.”
Leda smiled as Zana’s expression grew slightly pained. “It’s okay, Zana. He and I talked about it this morning. I don’t want this responsibility, so it’s all you if you do.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to step on any toes.”
“You’re not.”
“If you’re really sure…”
“Zana, I am. Really.” Leda’s cell rang, so she dug it out her pocket and when she turned it over and saw the name and contact picture, she froze.
“You okay, mesmel?” Thorin asked, his brows pulled low.
She nodded, kicking the call to voicemail. “I’m fine.”
“Who was it?”
“Just… spam…” Leda shoved her phone back into the pocket of her leggings and move down to the far end of the bar, where Jimmy had been displaced from his usual stool. “Whoa… I didn’t recognize you down here.”
Jimmy glowered at the kid who’d commandeered his usual spot. “He’s in it. Card his ass.”
“I will. He looks like he’s about twelve. Can I get you your usual?”
“Naw… I’m moving uptown, Miss Leda. New barstool, new James.”
“Oh, so it’s James now?”
Jimmy nodded. “Yeah. You still wasting your time with Durin? Or do you want to give James a chance?”
“Oh, love, I’m still having his baby and I’m still pretty crazy about him as well, so…”
“Damn. Well, can’t blame a fella for trying. Can I get a Shock Top?”
“Whoa, James, a Shock Top? You feel okay?”
He grinned. “I’m sick of the same thing every day.”
“You got it.” She snatched up a pint glass and held it under the Shock Top spout. “Are you interested in anything to eat? Special Super Bowl menu today.”
“Can I see a menu?”
“You know you can.” Her phone buzzed in her pocket, but she ignored it as she retrieved a menu for Jimmy. “I suggest the sausage and peppers. Dori’s outdone himself today, judging by how good it smells.”
“And everything makes you sick right now, doesn’t it?”
“Just about, yeah.”
“That speaks volumes about those sausage and peppers. Sold.” He smiled as she set the beer in front of him. “Start a tab for me?”
“You got it.”
Her pocket buzzed again and this time, Thorin was behind her when it did. “Aren’t you going to answer it?”
“Nope. There’s no one I want to talk to who isn’t right here.” She smiled at him over her shoulder.
But he didn’t smile back. Leaning against the shelves holding the liquor bottles, he folded his arms over his chest. “Who was it who called before and why don’t you want to tell me?”
“It’s nobody, Thorin, that’s who.”
“Leda.”
“Really. It’s nothing.”
His stare never wavered and although she tried to ignore it as she turned back to the customers, she’d swear she felt his eyes boring straight into her back. Her phone buzzed a third time, and then her voicemail chime went off, and still, she ignored it as she put Jimmy’s order into the POS system.
“Leda,” his voice was low and serious, “a word in my office?”
“Not now, Thorin,” she said without turning around, “we’re getting slammed.”
“Amy can take them.” His hand came to rest at the small of her back as Amy came back behind the bar. “If you don’t mind.”
She shot him a look over her shoulder. “Don’t you dare pull rank on me.”
“I’m absolutely pulling rank.” He looked over at Amy. “We’ll be right back. Yell if it gets reallycrazy.”
Amy nodded. “Everything okay?”
“It’s fine.” Thorin gave Leda a gentle nudge.
She moved, gritting her teeth as she walked around the bar and down to Thorin’s office, where she sank onto the sofa while he closed the door. “What’s going on, Leda?”
“Nothing is going on.”
He leaned against the edge of his desk. “Who are you avoiding and why?”
“Thorin—”
“Who is it? You went white when you looked at your phone screen the first time it rang. Why?”
She sighed, sinking against into the sofa’s stiff back. How on earth did she and Thorin have sex on it, when it was so damn uncomfortable? And why did thatthought pop into her head?
“Leda,” the vinyl crackled as he sank beside her, “what’s going on?”
“Nothing.” She leaned her head back, turning to look at him. “It was my mother.”
“What?”
She nodded. “Yeah. I don’t know what she wants and it’s been at least two years since I last talked to her. So…. I panicked and sent it to voicemail.”
“Did you listen to the voicemail?”
“No.” She shifted to tug her phone from the pocket and let it just sit in her lap. “I don’t want to.”
“You want me to listen for you?”
“I—I don’t know.”
He reached over to take the phone from her thigh and toggled to her voicemail. With a soft sigh, she leaned her head against his shoulder as he hit play.
“Leda, it’s Ma. It’s been a while and I was just thinking about you. I hope everything is good with you. Give me a call back if you feel like it. My number hasn’t changed.”
Thorin looked over at her. “That’s not so bad.”
“No. But she’s not one hundred percent dick, either.” She traced her forefinger along the length of his thigh, over the slight bulge of his quadriceps muscle, along the solid rise of it along his outer thigh. That muscle was solid, no give beneath her fingertip, and when she traced down into his inner thigh, a smile came to her lips at his soft groan.
“Careful,” he told her, his hand coming to rest atop hers to still it, “you give me a boner and I’ll expect you to do something about it.”
“You’re almost forty years old, Mr. Durin,” she told him with a grin, “surely you have more control over your body than that.”
“Ordinarily, I would, but with you? Not so easy.” He winked. “Do you want to call her?”
“I don’t know. Do you think I should?”
He shifted, draping his arm about her shoulders, and tugged her again him. “I can’t answer that, mesmel. I don’t know her. And what I doknow of her makes me want to choke her, so I’m probably not the best person to ask. What does your gut tell you?”
She closed her eyes as his fingertips brushed along her upper arm. “I think I should at least tell her she’s going to be a grandmother.”
“Do you want to call her now?”
She turned the phone over to stare at her home screen, which was a picture she’d taken Christmas morning of him and Conan stretched out on the sofa, watching A Christmas Story, and was one of her favorites. “I don’t know.”
“I’ll go back up front and cover for you. Take all the time you need.” He pressed a kiss into the top of her head, then pushed up from the sofa.
“Thorin?”
He paused in the doorway. “Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
“Of course.”
She smiled. “Thorin?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
He winked and softly closed the door. The silence settled around her, thick and heavy. She stared down at the screen, tracing over Conan’s left ear as she debated whether or not to call her mother back.
Then, she drew in a deep breath and picked up the phone to toggle to her mother’s contact information, and hit call.
“Leda.”
“Hi, Ma. I saw you called.” Leda tried to concentrate less on the roar of her pulse in her ears and more on what she actually wanted to tell her mother. It had been so long since they last spoke, and it ended in an argument, so she wanted to tread carefully. Trouble was, treading carefully was never her strong suit.
“It’s been while. What’s going on with you?”
Leda glanced over at Thorin’s desk, at the black leather racket draped over the back of his chair. She pushed up from the sofa and moved to sink into his chair. “I’m good. I’m in North Jersey now, in this cute little town. And I—uh—I met someone.”
“So what else is new?”
Leda leaned back in the chair, smiling as the scents of sandalwood and eucalyptus teased her nose. “No, this is different, Ma. I’m living with him. And—”
“Does he have a name?”
“Well, yeah. Of course. His name’s Thorin. And he owns a pub and—”
“Another boss, Leda?”
She gritted her teeth at the smirk in her mother’s voice. “I just told you it was different, didn’t I?”
“The only difference I hear so far is that when he’s done with you, you’ll be out of a job and a place to live. Two birds, one stone.”
Her mother’s words brought a tightness to Leda’s chest, one she tried to ignore as she cleared her throat and tried again. “You’re wrong, you know. This is the real deal.”
“The real deal. I’ve heard this before, Leda. And—”
“We’re having a baby, Ma,” Leda broke in softly. “In July.”
Silence. The roar in her temples grew louder and for a moment, Leda thought maybe her call had gotten dropped. “Are you still there?”
“I’ll be damned,” her mother said softly. “You finally got knocked up. I thought it would have happened a lot sooner than this.”
“That’s what you have to say? That’s it?”
“What else shouldI say? You finally managed to trap a guy. Good for you. But, are you sure it’s his? Is he sure it’s his?”
Her throat tightened and tears stung her eyes. “I thought you might be happy, actually. And I didn’t trapanyone. He’s asked me to marry him, and—”
The door opened and from the corner of her eye, she saw Thorin standing in the doorway. She swallowed hard as her mother then said, “I’ll believe that when I see the actual invitation.”
She looked over at Thorin and shook her head. “Well, I won’t keep you, then. I just thought you should know.”
A low sigh and then her mother said, “I appreciate it, Leda. Take care of yourself.”
With that, her mother clicked off and Leda didn’t know why she expected anything different. She tossed the phone onto Thorin’s desk and with a low sigh, buried her face in her hands.
The floor squeaked as he came over. “You okay?”
“I’m fine. I don’t know why I thought this conversation would go any other way.” She pushed up from his chair. “It’s probably crazy out there, so—”
He caught her, wrapping her in his arms to pull her against his chest. “I’m sorry, mimûna.”
“Why do I try?” she murmured, letting her head come to rest against his chest. His heart beat softly beneath her ear, beneath the black long-sleeved tee shirt he wore, and it was the most comforting sound in the world at that moment. “Why did I think she might actually give a fuck this time?”
“I don’t know. But, you tried. I know you, Leda, if you hadn’t, you’d be wondering what if forever. Now you know.”
“Yeah.” She rested her chin against his chest and looked up at him. “I know.”
His eyes were soft, his arms tightening about her. “Even if it sucks, it’s better to know than to wonder.”
“I know, but… damn, it really does suck.”
“Yeah. It does.” He bent to brush her lips with his, then held her a few minutes more before breaking the comfortable silence with, “I hate to play boss man with you, mesmel, but it really is getting crazy out there.”
“I know.” She pulled out of his arms and with a soft sigh, let him steer her back out behind the bar. They were three deep and Leda was grateful for the crowds to help take her mind off the things she couldn’t change no matter how hard she tried. She hated the fact that after all these years, and after all the things her mother had said and done, her mother still had the power to hurt her so badly. Leda hated it, hated the fact that she could still be so hurt by this woman. It made no sense, how she could insulate herself from just about anyone else on earth, but somehow, her mother alway found the chink in her armor, always found the crack in the foundation, and was able to worm her way through it and straight into Leda’s soul to make her doubt everything all over again.
Well,almosteverything. She gazed over at Thorin, laughing at something with Jimmy, and smiled. There were some things she didn’t doubt in the least.
Thorin Durin and how he felt about her topped that list.
Summary:Everyone in Cranford Falls knows the Prescott family. Not only do they run Miss Fortune’s Crystal occult shop in town, but they’re also known for their psychic abilities. On occasion, they’re even called into service to assist the police on particularly difficult cases. All except Alex Prescott, that is. Unlike her three sisters, she’s inherited none of her family’s gifts. At least that was what she thought until the day the dead guy showed up in her bedroom asking for her help in solving a murder. His own.
Six months after his brother Frerin’s death, Detective Thorin Durin is on a downward spiral of self-destruction until Frerin starts showing up in his apartment, claiming his death was not an unfortunate accident but was, in fact a murder. Trouble is, Frerin doesn’t know who did it, so he wants Thorin to reopen the case and solve it, with Alex’s help.
As they work together to find out just exactly what happened to Frerin, Alex and Thorin grow closer. Neither one knows it, but Frerin isn’t just looking to solve his own murder, he’s trying to help his brother cope with his loss as well, and to find happiness with the Prescott sister who’s known as the quiet one…
Summary:Frerin continues to attempt to play matchmaker, and also tries to convince Alex to tell Thorin about what happened in the mall and the blog threats. Something in Frerin’s case file doesn’t make sense to Thorin…
Terri dropped her back at home and then left for her shift at the Hilltop, while Alex wanted nothing more than to flop onto the sofa and do nothing. She tossed her keys next to the Waterford crystal bowl on the coffee table and kicked off her purple Chuck Taylors by the dark blue easy chair. The silence told her that her sisters were nowhere to be found and that was just fine with her. She really didn’t feel like sharing just then. In fact, all she wanted to do was go upstairs and see about taking a nap. Hopefully, Frerin would have found another bedroom to haunt. Somehow, she had the feeling there were quite a few he could find his way to. He certainly seemed the type.
As she passed the closed office door, she paused. Did she dare go and check on the blog? It was actually Charlie’s day to monitor it, but her idea of doing that was to pop in every three or four hours, skim over the questions, and answer the ones she felt like answering and maybe change the image on the home page before going out to do whatever she wanted. The others were left for her sisters. Probably a good idea to go take a peek.
I’m finally caught up and it just keeps getting better! I love this story…you balance lightheartedness and funny scenes with serious and even dramatic and suspenseful and it’s masterfully done. I can’t wait until the next update!
A/N: Apologies for the delay in posting. Life has gotten in the way a little, but hopefully I’ll get back on track real soon. Thanks for your patience! Also, if you notice either missing or extra Es and Ss - those keys keep falling off my MacBook, so I try to catch them when they go haywire, but sometimes they slip through the cracks. Bear with me until I can get my laptop replaced. :)
Summary: Thorin Durin likes his life just the way it is—his pub is successful, he’s happily playing the field when it comes to women. He wouldn’t change a damn thing about it. At least, not until he meets Leda Andrews, who stops to help him when his car dies on the side of the road.
Leda is new in town, and late for a job interview when she stops to help a guy with his broken down old car. The last thing she expected was for him to be the same guy who owns the pub where she’s applied to be a bartender, never mind to be one of the hottest men she’s ever seen.
Sparks fly, and while Leda’s got a few ground rules that Thorin is more than willing to abide by, neither one of them expected their fling to turn into anything more serious, or that they would be faced with a situation neither one is prepared for. So, what happens when a no-strings-attached affair teeters on becoming the real thing…
Summary: Leda and Thorin find out whether they are having a boy or girl…
By the time the game finally ended, Leda didn’t care if football season ever came back. She was beyond exhausted, sinking into one of the low chairs over in the dining area. A heavy, weary sigh rose to her lips and she leaned over to put her head down.
“Why don’t you go stretch out in my office?” Thorin asked, coming into the room to begin upending the chairs. “I still have to cash out and close everything up before we can head home.”
Ohhhh…love love love!!! The end was so precious!!! And I can’t wait to find out what Conan was on about…Lacey? Psycho dad? Something completely different?? Your writing is just fantastic!
Summary: Thorin Durin likes his life just the way it is—his pub is successful, he’s happily playing the field when it comes to women. He wouldn’t change a damn thing about it. At least, not until he meets Leda Andrews, who stops to help him when his car dies on the side of the road.
Leda is new in town, and late for a job interview when she stops to help a guy with his broken down old car. The last thing she expected was for him to be the same guy who owns the pub where she’s applied to be a bartender, never mind to be one of the hottest men she’s ever seen.
Sparks fly, and while Leda’s got a few ground rules that Thorin is more than willing to abide by, neither one of them expected their fling to turn into anything more serious, or that they would be faced with a situation neither one is prepared for. So, what happens when a no-strings-attached affair teeters on becoming the real thing…
Summary: And another rule is broken, in a very good way…
Pairings: Pairing: Modern!Thorin x OC Female
Characters:Thorin, Leda
Warnings:Protected intercourse, oral sex (f receiving)
Leda’s stomach flipped as Thorin steered into a long, dirt and gravel driveway and they rocked and bounced past a large dark-colored house with a wraparound porch and gingerbread scrollwork, to the detached two-car garage just beyond it, where he stopped and pulled the emergency brake. “Here we are.”
She slowly looked about at the yard that seemed to go on forever, and the house and the garage. “This is all yours?”
