Free Fated by Angela Skaggs Page B

lingering look, he disappeared, leaving her standing alone in the small stone chamber. Turning around, she looked back at the lovers entwined on the altar, a soft smile on her face. "Blessings," she whispered before disappearing.
    Sabrina heard the soft whisper of the goddess and smiled, curling closer to Patrick, his hand covering her hip as sleep overtook them.
     
    * * * *
     
    Sabrina stretched, like a cat awakening after a good, long nap, her eyes blinking open slowly. Long, tanned fingers drifted down her arm, skimming softly against her skin. She turned to face Patrick.
    He smiled, his hand sliding down to curl around her hip. "Hi," he said softly.
    "Hi, yourself," she said, giggling.
    "What's funny?"
    Sabrina shook her head, consumed by a fit of almost hysterical laughter, the absurdity of the entire situation finally hitting her.
    "I'm sorry," she gasped, struggling to quell the laughter. "It's just so… awkward."
    He chuckled, nodding. "It is that."
    Sabrina swallowed, forcibly stifling the giggles that still threatened to consume her. "So…"
    He shook his head. "Let me guess the rest of that sentence. What happens next?"
    She nodded, biting her lip to keep the mirth that wanted to erupt contained.
    He rolled towards her so they were face to face. "My life is the same, Brina. I'm going to be photographed, can you trust me?"
    She bit her lip, all thoughts of laughter fled. "I'd like the chance to try."
    His lips curved into a grin. "I can't ask more than that. How about we take it one day at a time, does that work for you?"
    She nodded slowly. "But, I live in the States, and you live… here?"
    Patrick leaned close, kissing her gently. "We'll work it out, you'll see. However, as nice as this is, being here with you, I think we should get dressed and see if the powers that brought us here are willing to let us go."
    "Oh! I didn't even think about that." She frowned, pushing away from him to sit up, and glanced around at the barrow.
    It still looked the same, the opening in the rock wall to their left, but it felt different. The charged expectancy of earlier had gone, being replaced with a feeling of sated contentment, as if the very act of consummation had set things right with the world again. She swung her legs over the side of the stone altar, wincing slightly as muscles she'd never paid much attention to in the last five years let her know loud and clear they were there and sore.
    Turning her head, she looked at Patrick over her shoulder. "It feels different."
    He stood up, reaching for his shorts and boxers, slipping them on before nodding. "It does. I think we did what we were supposed to, completed the circle."
    Sabrina smiled and reached for the skirt he held out to her. Turning her back to him, she found her panties near the altar and slipped them on before stepping into the skirt, pulling it up and fastening it. Picking up her shirt and bra, she put them on quickly, spinning back around to find him watching her. "I meant what I said last night, and this morning, about being there."
    "Good to know," she said softly. "And I really mean that, I'm not just mouthing platitudes to let you off the hook."
    Patrick laughed heartily. "I've missed your sense of humor," he said, "although you didn't give me many chances to experience it, back in the day."
    "You might want to run now," she deadpanned.
    He closed the distance between them quickly, pulling her into his arms. "Not a chance. I lost you once, Sabrina; I'm not losing you again. I'm afraid you're stuck with me for a while."
    She looked up at him as she slipped her arms around his waist, snuggling closer. "A while?"
    "For as long as you'll have me."
    "One day at a time, right?" she asked, laying her head against his chest.
    "One day at a time." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Now, let's get out of here."
     
    T he E nd
     

About the Author
     
    Wow, where to start? I've written in some form since I was about nine, crafting my first book on an old