I've Been Waiting for You (3 page)

Odin drove slowly down Waterman Street in Provincetown in hopes of catching Sally coming out of one of the campus buildings. His Jag XK purred like the big cat it was named for as he drove slowly, looking, watching as students came out of buildings. He knew she was in the area. Her GPS on her phone said she was. He just couldn’t quite pinpoint her location. She was somewhere in that cluster of buildings off to his right.

Some of the football players came out of one of the buildings and saw the dark green Jag cruise by. They saw
his license plate, THRILER. They all groaned in disgust. “How are we supposed to compete with that? Not even normal royals who go here flaunt themselves like that.”

One of the guys shook his head. “The
y’re different, she’s different. Have you seen her family of men? It’s said her mother married into that family, and with it came those, those...” his words were lost in the thunder that followed. Another Jaguar drove by, a black XK. The plates read BCKnBLK. Both cars had tinted windows and both had sound systems that were blasting.

“They must be joined at the frea
king hip. Both of them are playing AC /DC.”

“Yea
h, well, I think they are full of themselves.”

Another shook his head. “No, they are decorated war heroes. They have a right to be the way they are.”

“Still doesn’t give any of us a chance.”

They all watched the drama unfold as Sally MacNamara came out of the building just in front of them. They could see her friend Olivia wal
king up the sidewalk. Olivia, dressed in her bright colors, stood out. The two Jaguars stopped and simultaneously their driver’s doors opened. The guys watched as little Sally, as they called her, stopped and stood stock still. She hadn’t looked very happy but as soon as she realized who was getting out of the cars a huge smile broke out on her face. She ran and jumped into the arms of the larger, dark haired giant.

Sally felt herself being engulfed in the arms of Odin. She was crushed into his jacket. She stayed like that for a minute,
taking in his musky, earthy scent. Pulling away, she looked up into his face. Being as petite as she was, it took a bit. He was 6’7” and built like a giant. His eyes were smiling and a deep Kerry green, as she called them. As a family they had gone to visit one of the family castles that was in County Kerry, Ireland last summer. She’d decided then that that was the color of Odin’s eyes; at least when he was happy and relaxed. His eyes didn’t change quite as much as Colum’s. She had only seen them really change on one occasion. That was the day her Mom had died and had been reborn.

“How’s my little elf?” Odin was becoming aware that people were watching him
and he was trying to keep it light. Sally felt Odin tense and knew it was because of Thor. “I’m fine.” She gave Odin’s arm a squeeze and turned to the other brother who stood close. She jumped down and ran into his arms, gave him a quick hug and a kiss on his cheek and stood back. Then taking both their hands she looked at the brothers. “Are you guys OK with each other?”

Thor smiled and reached out and hugged Sally. “I’ve known for a while how it was. It’s
OK. But my big brother better realize now if he hurts you...”

Odin stepped in and Sally could hear a growl low and menacing come from deep in his throat. She looked from one brother to the other.

“Boy, you guys haven’t changed any.” Seeing them glare at one another she tried to think quickly. “Listen, Olivia and I are done till after the New Year, we want to go home for Christmas break, and thought that we were going to have to drive ourselves, how about a ride?”

Olivia
, who had just walked up to the group of three, smiled at Sally. “Yeah, it would be a lot easier to ride than drive.” She looked up at Thor. “Since it doesn’t look like it would be too comfortable to ride with them, do you think I could catch a ride with you?”

Thor looked down at Sally’s sidekick, Olivia
, who had always given him a hard time and had been featured in his thoughts a lot lately, and a little too vividly; the one who loved to cook, but loved to harass him more. He smiled down at her. “OK, as long as you plan on baking me cookies for the next year and sending them to wherever I am.”

Olivia craned her neck to look up at him, to see if he was jo
king.

“I mean it
, cookies for a year or no ride.”

Olivi
a sighed. “You have a deal. Let’s go pick up our bags. We’re all packed since we were going to drive right after classes.”

Thor wrapped his arm lightly around Olivia’s shoul
der. “OK, master chef, let’s go get them.”

Sally smiled at Olivia as they went to separate vehicles. Odin opened up her door, closing it after she climbed in. She sat and watched as he walked around the car. Despite his size
, he was graceful. She couldn’t believe it was turning out like this. She had dreamed of this day and now she felt like the skittish filly that had come to her two years ago. She took in everything, the smell of the car that reflected him
.
As Odin climbed in, she felt the raw size and power of him. She never took her eyes off him, or his hands, as he pushed the button to start the car. It came to life and she sank back in her seat.

“Buckle
, even if we are only going a little less than a mile.”

Sally buckled and smiled at Odin who
, for a moment, just sat and studied her.

Odin let his hand caress the steering wheel wishing it were Sally
, but that would have to wait. He would go slow. She had given the green light, but he didn’t want to be a bull in a china closet. “Can I ask you something?”

Sally let the air out of her lungs. She hadn’t really been aware that she
had been holding it. “Anything,” she said in a whisper.

“Why me?”

Sally looked down, playing with a hangnail. “Because you were calling me. I heard you, not Thor. Elsabet said that would happen when it was time. She said it would become clear some day and it did. It’s been that way for months and I can’t function anymore,” the final words coming out in a rushed whisper. Still picking at the offending hang nail, she glanced up through her lashes saw that Odin’s eyes had gone a darker green. She sucked in her breath and bit her bottom lip. She heard Thor’s car take off as it went down Waterman Street. Her eyes hadn’t left Odin’s face, though. Unbuckling her seat belt and as quickly as a tiny, elfin sized woman could, she was on Odin’s lap, straddling his legs. “I’m doing this before I lose my nerve,” she said as she leaned down catching his face with her hands, then kissed him soundly.

Sally had never been bold before but she needed to take the lead, even if it was just for this moment. After this
, she would be lost. She leaned in again and caught his lips. Letting her hands cradle the sides of his face, she saw a fresh scar. She gently stroked it with her thumb as she tasted him.
Just like fresh mint, like what’s in my family’s herb garden
. She felt his heat and hers mix and go high, felt his hands go in her hair. He was taking over, really fast. Kissing her back, firmly but still gently, he kissed her face, her eyes, purring, murmuring things she couldn’t quite understand.

“When did you cut your hair?”
he asked.

Sally dipped her face and felt his kisses on her forehead and hair. “A week ago. You always said I looked like an elf
. Guess that’s what my ancestors looked like.”

Odin drew her towards him, his big arms wrapping around her. “Maybe, but I’m remembering longer hair,
though the short cut fits you.” He held her for a few moments. “Maybe we should get to your apartment and gather your things.”

* * * * * * * *

As they pulled up in front of the girl’s apartment at the Promenade, which was located at the Foundry, they saw Olivia stash her things in Thor’s Jag. She gave a quick wave and they left. Sally turned to Odin. “I would love to be a fly inside that Jag and see how long before those two start fighting.”

Odin laughed as he got out. “We’ll see if we get a call of distress from one or the other.”

* * * * * * * *

Thor worked his car through traffic. He and Olivia hadn’t talked much since leaving the apartment. He had to admit Sally’s friend had blossomed into a stunner. Most would say she was a little overweight. He had surveyed her while she had run around the girl’s apartment. He fel
t she was just right, her hair, was a long and wavy dark brown to match her eyes. She wore a pair of black leggings with UGG boots and a bright green sweater. It made her look all warm and cozy.

He drove, weaving in and out of traffic. He enjoyed this car. He appreciated the way it handled. It was like it understood his thoughts before he even turned. They stopped at a light
and he saw a movement from his peripheral vision. Taking a quick glance as he stepped on the gas he saw Olivia take out a pack of cigarettes and light up. She sat back, trying to look very confident but she coughed.

He reached for the cigarette, “What the hell do you think you are doing?”

Olivia looked over at Thor and made a grab for the cigarette. “What do you mean? I’m smoking a cigarette.”

Thor put his window down and threw the butt out. “No
, you aren’t.”

Olivia reached in for her pack. She had just started this, thin
king it would impress Thor. Now, she just felt like pissing him off. She had always had to live in Sally’s shadow with the brothers. Now here she was with Thor, and she just wanted him to think of her as someone older. She quickly took another one out and felt the Jag pull over to the side.

Thor leaned over at Olivia, one arm braced on the back of her seat, the other just above her head.

“Listen, you don’t need to smoke to impress me. Now, I can see by your look that you are thinking of ways to make me mad, that only makes me want to chase you, the hunter instinct, you know.” He saw conflicting emotions cross her face. “You’re an easy one to read, Olivia. You know we’ve both lived in the shadows far too long.” He took the pack out of her hand and placed it between them.

“I think the chemistry between you and I could be something else if you would just let it
. I want to learn about you, not the woman you are trying to invent.”

Olivia had never been this close to anyone, any guy
, and to have a man, well, vampire saying he thought their chemistry could be something...

She tried to see his face and moved back just a bit. S
he saw the different shades of his blonde hair, the steel blue of his eyes. He looked more like a Viking than he did an Irishman. She tentatively reached up and felt a cool breeze swirl around them and heard him whisper, “That’s it,” though she didn’t see his lips move. He smiled slightly and watched as his face dipped into hers. His lips skimmed her mouth as his hand came up and cupped her face. Now she wished she hadn’t taken a drag on that cigarette.

“I’ve never
,” her words were lost in the kiss.

* * * * * * * *

Odin and Sally pulled up to a light. They both spotted Thor’s jag parked on the side of the road. Odin opened his middle compartment and pulled a Glock out.

Sally looked over
, shocked. “What do you think is happening?” They pulled up behind the black Jag and Odin was about to get out when he saw Thor open his door and get out. He saw the smile on his face and then Olivia leaning out and waving.

“Well
, I’ll be damned.”

Thor leaned in and said something to Olivia and then walked over to them.

Odin let the window down as he put the Glock back.

“We were just having a bit of an argument about something, but it’s worked out
.”

Odin laughed. “Are you sure you two will survive the trip?”

Thor smiled “Oh, I think we will be fine.” He leaned down and smiled at Sally. Giving them both a salute, he went back to his Jag and got in and took off into traffic.

Sally looked over at Odin. “What do you make of that?”

“I’d say my brother is getting to know your friend, very quickly.”

“God help him
,” Sally said with a laugh as they took off.

* * * * * * * *

Hours later, Odin looked over at Sally as she sat curled up in her seat. “Are you hungry? We could go into Portland and get a bite to eat.”

Sally stretched her legs. “Mmm, that would be good.” She looked at her watch. “Do you have any ideas?”

Odin took the exit. “Duckfat. I know how you like fries.”

They pulled up in front of the restaurant and Sally was
looking at herself in a small mirror.

Odin reached over and took the mirror out of her hand. He caught her face. “You’re perfect
,” he said as caught her lips and kissed her.

Sally let her hand go up and wrap around his neck. It felt like bands of steel. His lips
were on hers, skimming over her face. She felt herself heating up. She wanted to jump on his lap again, she wanted to get under that cashmere sweater, see what he felt like.

“Rein it in
, baby, or we won’t be lasting long. I don’t want to deliver you to the family with my scent all over you, just yet. We want to give Colum a chance to get used to us.”