His hand gripped her hips and spread her wider for him. His eyes kept hers in the mirror as his thumb caressed her from behind. A flicker of challenge crossed over his face.

Pleasure ricocheted over her skin.

He positioned the large bolus of his erection between her folds. “This is where I always want to be.” One swift thrust and he penetrated her completely.

Liz bit her lip to keep from moaning too loud.

“Yes,” she whimpered. This was what she wanted, what she needed. Fin held her hips and set the pace of forceful, well-placed thrusts. The long hard length of him filled her completely. Each time he retreated, he rubbed against her at the perfect spot. Tension raced through her and kept her hovering over bliss.

Her eyes lost focus and started to close.

“Please, Elizabeth. Open your eyes.”

She did. His hungry body melted into hers. Her eyes shifted in the mirror and saw them joined. Her orgasm hovered, just out of reach. Then she saw, before she felt, Fin reaching around to stroke her swollen flesh. Her eyes met his when pleasure shifted and her release collided with his. They rode the waves of ecstasy together. His mouth gaped and his arms held her close as his seed filled her.

Chapter Eighteen

Coffee dripped from the pot at a slow, painful rate. Selma sat at the counter with a cup of tea, Jake watched the news on the TV. The pipes in the apartment hummed since Fin was taking a shower.

He’d been in there a long time. But who could blame him. Showers were a taste of heaven!

Unable to wait any longer, Liz removed the carafe and poured herself a cup of java. As the first sip rolled down her tongue, Liz savored the taste.

There was very little left of the stash of coffee Myra had brought back with her. They didn’t indulge in it often, which made this taste all that much better.

“So are you and Fin married?”

Liz coughed up the coffee and sent a spray over her new friend’s shirt.

“W-what?”

Selma chuckled. “I guess not.”

“No. We’re not married.” Liz mopped up the mess she’d made.

“But you’re close.”

Oh, God, how loud had they been last night? But then, Selma had walked in with the two of them buck naked the day before.

Yesterday already felt like a lifetime ago.

“We’re close.”

Selma rubbed her chin. “Isn’t that frowned upon in the sixteenth century?”

Probably. “Would you like some more tea?” Liz changed the subject.

“You don’t strike me as shy, Liz. Unless…”

“Unless what?” She didn’t know if she wanted in on Selma’s thoughts.

“Your closeness is new, isn’t it?”

Liz shifted to the cupboard, found it bare. “Uh, you could say that.”

Selma lowered her voice. “How long have you two been lovers? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“What time is it?” Liz wasn’t shy, so what was up with her hesitation?

“Eight, and you’re changing the subject again.”

“No, I’m not. Let’s see. Seventeen hours, give or take...”

Selma plopped her tea on the counter. Her mouth opened.

Liz waited for a barrage of questions, but was saved by the sound of pounding.

Jake jumped to his feet as Liz and Selma rounded the corner of the hall. The sound emanated from the bathroom.

“Fin, is everything okay?” Liz called through the door.

“Aye,” he grunted. Another crash came. It sounded as if something hard fell against the bathtub. Was Fin showering with his sword?

“What’s going on?”

Another grunt, another crash. Liz turned the handle, found it unlocked, and opened the door.

Fin stood in only a towel and was pulling chunks of drywall off the wall, along with the tile from the shower.

“What in the hell are you doing?”

Wiping dust from his hands, Fin peered into the wall. His hand slipped into the dark space and came back with a handful of insulation. Before long, he exposed the pipes, reached in, and grasped the copper. He started to pull.

Liz placed a hand on his arm, stopping him.

“Leave me be. I need to see what holds the water inside.”

“Son of a—” This came from Jake. “You really are from the past.”

Liz started to laugh. Of course, Fin had struggled with the commission of a modern day bathroom ever since Tara returned to the sixteenth century. Until now, he’d only seen diagrams in books and hadn’t any idea how the plumbing really worked. Of course, he was destroying her apartment and stopping their ability to use the shower while they were there. He had to be stopped.

“Fin, stop. If we have time, I’ll take you to a plumbing store for a demonstration. Right now isn’t the time.” Although the determined expression on his face did bring a smile to hers.

“I just need this part here I think.”

“If you rip that out, the room will fill with water and our presence will be discovered.”

Fin glanced at her and stopped his mutilation of the bathroom wall.

“Why don’t you get dressed?”

Jake and Selma turned to leave.

“He’s going to need something other than his kilt to wear,” Liz said. “Can you go get something, Jake?”

“And leave you two? I don’t think so.”

“What is up with you?” Selma yelled at him.

In the end, Selma left with a few measurements and returned within the hour with jeans, a T-shirt, and a pair of sneakers.

When Fin walked out of the bedroom, his shirt snug over his chest with muscles rippling underneath, Liz’s heart lifted with pride.

“Nice! I kinda liked the kilt, but this isn’t bad, either,” Selma said, her tone teasing.

Jake grunted.

Liz didn’t have the patience for small talk. They needed to find a way home. According to her note from the past, they only had days to do it.

An idea formed from the information Selma gave them, or at the very least, clued Liz into a starting place.

“Okay, let’s go.”

“Go where?”

Liz glanced at Fin. “Selma, you said the trunk came to you from Graystones.”

“That’s right.”

“Well, the name didn’t just appear out of thin air. That’s the auction house Myra used to sell the candlesticks when she traveled here. I remember Mr. Harrison asking if we’d met before? He acted like he’d seen me and Myra, but I know we hadn’t.”

“You think he may have some information, lass?”