ZenithRising Read online

  In spite of the importance of the moment, Noah’s words sent a trill of heat into her core and she closed her eyes to savor the feeling. His chuckle brought her part of the way back.

  “If that’s what you want, we should probably find somewhere more private.” Although the special cabana tent was some distance away, an interior light implied it was inhabited.

  She drew his head down for a long, slow kiss before giving him her decision. “As tempting as it is, we have to go back. For all the time-travel-paradox reasons we’ve ever heard of and because if we don’t it might be like we were never born. I think. There was something in the dream I had… I don’t remember it exactly but I was left with the feeling that if we didn’t do what we came here for and didn’t go back where we belong, we would…just fade away. I could be wrong but I’ve decided it’s not worth the risk. We have to go back.”

  “Okay.” He looked around and up at the moon. “We have no way of knowing exactly where the zenith is but I think the moon is just about at the same part of the sky it was for our trip here. And this is definitely the same rock. So I guess there’s nothing left to do but wait.”

  And wait they did. Five minutes passed, then ten, as the moon crept across the heavens.

  Maggie remembered the tingling sensation that had crawled up her legs before they were transported but so far she hadn’t felt anything close to that. What she did feel was the same sense of agitation she’d had off and on all day. “Something’s wrong.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Noah frowned. “Something like our timing’s off or wrong in a big way?”

  “Big, I think. I don’t know. I just feel…off-kilter, as though I should be doing something other than standing here.”

  Noah scanned the area around them for the umpteenth time. “Speaking of being off-kilter…”

  She followed his gaze and saw a figure as far away as the tent. The person seemed to be weaving in and out of the tide, falling down, getting up and staggering a bit forward before falling again. With nothing better to do while they waited for transport, they found themselves watching the awkward calisthenics. When the person was about a hundred feet away they could tell it was a man in a tuxedo, taking drinks out of a large bottle, which he managed to keep upright even during multiple stumbles and recoveries.

  The man finally stopped trying to walk when he had drained the bottle. With a disgusted growl he tossed it into the ocean. For a moment he stood staring out at the water then he removed his tie, jacket and shoes.

  “What is he doing?” Maggie murmured to Noah.

  “It looks like he’s about to take a swim but he looked too drunk to be doing that. Maybe I better—”

  “No.” Maggie grabbed his arm as he started away. “We can’t move from here. We could miss our chance to get back. He might just want to wet his feet.”

  Noah returned to her side. “You’re right. Let’s give him a minute.”

  The full minute wasn’t needed however. Without removing any more clothing, the man walked straight into the ocean and disappeared from their sight in seconds.

  “Stay here,” Noah ordered Maggie as he dashed off.

  “Not without you!” she replied, running right behind him.

  He managed to shed his shoes and jacket before jumping into the waves. Maggie stared in horror as Noah dove down, came up for air and dove down again. Was this the cause of her edginess? Was this the something she felt coming all day? Would this man die because she stopped Noah from going to him immediately? Or was it her fate to lose Noah after admitting she loved him?

  Oh dear God, please help them both.

  The next few seconds felt like an eternity but Noah finally surfaced, hauling the man along with him. Maggie had never felt so useless as she watched Noah breathe life back into the limp figure. It didn’t surprise her in the least that he knew how to rescue a drowning man or perform CPR.

  It took only minimal effort before the man began to cough and gag and throw up a disgusting amount of the liquid he had recently swallowed. However, the instant he got control of his stomach he swung at Noah. “Damn you! Damn you!”

  Noah grasped the man’s flailing arms. “Damn yourself. I just saved your drunken ass.”

  “Did I ask you to save me?” the man yelled hoarsely then started to cry. “I wanted to die.” He sobbed and gasped and sputtered before adding a pitiful, “I don’t deserve to live.”

  Noah glanced up at Maggie. “Should I throw him back in?”

  Her mouth dropped open in shock before noticing his smirk.

  With one hand he forced the man’s head toward Maggie and said, “Do you recognize him?”

  She stared and blinked at the sad, soggy drunk and suddenly realized who it was. “Broderick?”

  He squinted up at her. “Do I know you? Never mind. I don’t care. I hate you both.” He dropped his head and sobbed like a wounded animal.

  Maggie knelt down and murmured to Noah. “Could he have been the one we were supposed to save? Do you think that’s why we weren’t taken back?”

  He shook his head. “I never read anything about a rich politician’s kid being found dead on this beach and it doesn’t seem like it would have been overlooked.” He gave Broderick a nudge. “Hey. What are you doing here? I was told you were on your way north.”

  He shook his head slowly from side to side. “Uh-uh. Nope. I tricked ‘em. It was the only way. I told ‘em I wanted to take the train an’ I told the broomstick I was driving and they won’t know until they all get there.” His words were slurred but he seemed somewhat proud of what he’d done. When he didn’t receive any praise he gave his excuses. “I tried to tell them. I did. They wouldn’t listen. They all wanted to stick me with that bug-eyed broomstick. They didn’t care what I wanted. They didn’t care about what was right.” He sniffed and blew his nose in his hand only to be confused about what to do with his hand.

  “Stay with me, Martin. Why were you trying to drown yourself?”

  “I had to get drunk first, you know. I’m not even man enough to do it sober. She deserves so much better than me.”

  “She, who?” Maggie interjected.

  “My sweet Irish rose. The mother of my child. She’s gone and it’s all my fault. And I would rather die than live without her.” His head dropped to his chest again with another wounded-animal cry.

  Maggie poked him to make him look at her. “If you’re talking about Shannon O’Toole, she hasn’t gone anywhere.”

  “Oh yes she has. I found out the broomstick went to see her. I don’t know what she said or did but when I went there Shannon was gone, with some of her things. Then I looked for her here an’ they said she didn’t come to work. I have no idea where she would go. I didn’t know what to do. So I just stayed here.”

  “And got stinking drunk,” Noah finished for him. “Tell me the truth now. What were you planning to do if you found Shannon last night?”

  He tried to sit up and look dignified. “I was going to take her away from all this,” he said with a royal wave of his hand. “I was going to make her my wife. She’s going to have my baby, you know.”

  “As a matter of fact we do know,” Noah said. “We also know where Shannon is. And although I think you might be right about not deserving her, I’ll let her decide what to do with you.” He gripped the man’s arm and jerked him to his feet. “Come on. I’d wait until you were less disgusting but I think enough time has been wasted already.”

  Broderick was clearly bewildered and still very inebriated but Noah didn’t give him much choice about what to do next. Maggie quickly gathered up both men’s shoes and jackets and caught up with them. By the time they neared the bungalow, Broderick seemed to be walking a little steadier.

  Before stepping onto the porch, Noah grasped the man’s shoulders and gave him a rough shake. “Listen to me now. You got lucky tonight. In fact, you are one lucky son-of-a-bitch to have somebody like Shannon love you. If I ever find out you mistreat her in any way, I will come
after you and finish what you tried to do tonight. Got that?”

  Broderick straightened his back and lifted his chin. “Yes sir. I will take care of her, I promise.”

  “Then go on inside and tell her what an idiot you are.”

  Maggie handed the man his jacket and shoes and wished him good luck. Noah took his clothes from her and waited to make sure Shannon accepted her man’s apology. Of course she did. The fool was as alluring as a lost puppy, a very wet, lost puppy.

  Noah put his arm around Maggie and turned back the way they’d come. “Well, that was certainly an interesting turn of events.”

  She hugged his waist as they walked. “I’m pretty sure interesting is an understatement. From what I just heard, we saved Shannon but in attempting to protect her we created a different situation that had Broderick trying to drown himself. I think we have our answer as to what happens when you mess with history.”

  “Ah, but we were in the right place at the right time to save him as well and make everything right.”

  “Maybe. Maybe not. We’re still here. I’m pretty sure we missed—” She went rigid as a tingling sensation tickled the bottoms of her feet. Uncertain if that meant they were about to be zapped where they were or if it was a warning, she grabbed Noah’s hand and started running. “I think it’s happening. Hurry up. Faster.” His reaction was to pick her up and do the running for both of them.

  The tingling was traveling up her legs now, inching higher and growing stronger by the second. They barely reached the egg-shaped geode when the sensation filled her completely, shimmered then faded away. “Did you feel that at all?” she asked as he set her down on the sand.

  “Are you kidding? It was like holding on to a live electrical wire. Are you okay?”

  She did a quick mental check. “Yep. It seemed stronger than the first time but if I remember correctly you had me pretty distracted.”

  He gave her a quick kiss then turned her head with his finger. “Look.”

  She dragged her gaze away from his face and gasped when she realized what he wanted her to see. The moon and stars offered just enough light for her to see the row of colorful cabanas in the distance. “We made it,” she exclaimed and threw her arms around his neck. His arms closed around her waist and he swung her around several times before setting her down again.

  The mini-celebration ended with a kiss that said everything about how happy they were to have made it, to have saved two people and their baby, to be together, in love in the perfect time and place.

  “I love you, Sugarlips,” Noah said with a grin.

  “Really?” she asked, tilting her head at him. “After all this time? Things have changed, you know.”

  “Really.” He forced his expression to turn serious but it only lasted a heartbeat. “But speaking of things changing, I think the next order of business is to figure out what time it is now, or what day is probably a better question.” He reached into his jacket pocket and smiled when he found the gold watch. Flipping it open, he turned to let the moon illuminate the inside.

  Maggie felt a flutter of happiness when she saw the wedding photo was still in place but got confused by the placement of the timepiece’s hands. “Ten thirty? Wasn’t it going on midnight a few minutes ago?”

  Noah studied the watch then looked up at the sky. “It’s different. The stars and moon were in different positions. I’m sure of it.” Suddenly his eyes widened. “The moon is full. Like it was when we left. But I also remember looking at the time when I first opened the watch…when we were getting ready to go out that first night in the bungalow.”

  The memory came back to her in a flash. “Yes. I remember you saying something about it being around ten thirty when we were transported. Is it possible that we’ve been brought back at the same time we left?”

  He chuckled. “Anything’s possible. But there’s one easy way to find out for sure.” He took her hand and led her to the cabana where they had dined in such exotic luxury. Aware of the possibility of intruding on another guest, he cautiously poked his head into the opening and laughed aloud.

  She let him lead her inside to see what he found so humorous. The remains of their dinner, including the half-full bottle of champagne were exactly where they’d left everything. Even their robes were on the lounge, as though Reynard had never moved them for their convenience. “This feels almost as strange as it felt when we discovered we had been zapped to 1927. It’s like we were never gone.”

  “Thank heavens we brought proof,” he said, fingering one of her diamond earrings. His fingers trailed from her lobe down the side of her neck and traced the line of her spine.

  What they had just been discussing floated away as a warm glow spread out from every spot Noah touched.

  “Do you remember what we were doing right before our little trip?”

  “Mm-hmm.” She closed her eyes and sighed with the sweet memory of how mesmerizing his kisses were and how anxious she was to get back to the inviting lounge-for-two inside the cabana. As though no time had passed at all, her vagina contracted with anticipation and a warm wetness prepared her for his entry.

  When she opened her eyes she saw him gazing down at her with such intensity she thought she could hear his thoughts. I love you. Or were those her thoughts? It didn’t matter. Something mind-altering had happened to them and they were now bonded in more than a physical way.

  And yet the physical way was the one she was most interested in at the moment. Her hand slipped between their bodies and found his arousal. She loved the way the loose trousers allowed his cock to expand for her as easily as if he were naked. She molded her hand over it, tightened her fingers and got an instant response.

  She held his gaze with hers and, moving only her hands, she unbuttoned his trousers and pushed them and his drawers down over his hips. Her fingers roamed over his belly, his hips and teased his buttocks before returning to play with his shaft. When he tried to kiss her she avoided his lips and knelt at his feet. “Not yet,” she warned.

  While the fingertips of one hand grazed up and down his penis and around the head, the fingernails of the other tickled his balls until he closed his hands over her upper arms and brought her to her feet.

  “My turn,” was all he said.

  She stood still as he removed his clothes then undressed her with such adoration she could have come without his touching her. But touch her he did, as slowly and teasingly as she had him. Each bit of flesh he exposed was treated to a kiss except for one. He purposely avoided the one area of her body pulsing the strongest for his caress. Her curiosity was aroused as much as her pussy by the time he sat down on the lounge and positioned her with her back against his chest and her hips between his open thighs. She could feel his rigid cock pressing against her lower back, not where she wanted it but erotic all the same.

  His hands slid from her thighs up her abdomen and cupped her breasts. “Just relax,” he murmured as his hands continued up over her nipples, her shoulders and down her arms.

  “Watch the waves and imagine we’re floating on them. Feel the ocean rising and falling like the breath of the Earth itself…” His fingertips ran up and down her thighs, abdomen, breasts and arms, over and over as he spoke.

  She could feel it all, just like he said, gentle waves carrying them out to sea together. She felt the swell as his fingers slipped between her pussy lips and seduced her clitoris out to play. She felt the surge of energy build as his fingers went lower, dipping into her canal as his palm rubbed the little nub. The tide rolled in and flowed out again as his hand imitated the motion between her thighs.

  She was so caught up in the imagery she barely noticed when he shifted her onto her hands and knees then eased her hips back so that her cunt smoothly enveloped his cock and she was perched on his thighs. The position created a pressure inside her that was unlike anything she’d ever felt. And when she moved her hips she gave herself an exquisite sensation of pleasure. “Ohmigod,” she gasped and his hands immediately cov
ered her breasts and squeezed.

  “You’ve got the helm, captain,” he teased. “Take us home.”

  She had never laughed in the middle of sex but she couldn’t resist a giggle before accepting his challenge. She moved hesitantly at first, uncertain whether the spear of pleasure could be repeated. It seemed impossible but with each downward slide of her vagina his cock seemed to grow and press a nerve button deep inside her.

  She sensed him straining to hold back and loved him for giving this to her but with each wave crashing onto the beach she got closer to her own crest. From slow glides up and down, her hips gradually moved faster until she was slapping her bottom against his thighs, riding wave after wave, higher and wilder, finally taking them both roiling onto the beach.

  As Maggie floated back to reality she knew she’d never been so sated or happy but the overpowering feeling was exhaustion. She would have been happy to sleep right where they were but Noah had enough energy to get them back to their suite before giving in.

  * * * * *

  For the first time, Noah was still in bed next to her when she opened her eyes in the morning. She smiled and yawned and stretched with a satisfied groan. “I feel like I slept for a week,” she said.

  He leaned over and kissed her navel. “You almost did. It’s nearly noon. But I’m not one to talk. I just woke a few minutes ago. Must have been all the traveling we’ve done.”

  Everything came back to her in a rush and her fingers flew to her earlobe. No earrings. Was it all a dream? A moment later he dangled an antique diamond earring in front of her.

  “I took them off you before I closed my eyes. Didn’t want to take the chance of swallowing one of our souvenirs.”

  She relaxed a little but not completely. “I don’t know about you but I’m feeling…disoriented. We just had this amazing, totally weird week and then, bam, we’re back where we were before it happened. I assume we fixed what we were sent there to do but I feel like I was reading this exciting book then was left hanging at the end. I want to know what happened.”