"Galloping gargoyles, Duncan!" Megan spun around to stare at him with wide open eyes. "This place is amazing!"
"Yes, I have to admit it looks impressive." Duncan couldn't help his indulgent smile at her enthusiasm.
When an old Muggle friend had offered him the use of his villa in Antibes for a long weekend, Duncan's first impulse had been to decline politely. What was the point in spending time in a Muggle house, of all places? But the proposed date had neatly coincided with a short holiday for the students at Beauxbatons, so he did have time to kill. And besides, he'd realized that it would be a chance to be alone with Megan for two whole days, maybe the only chance they'd ever have. She'd been thrilled with the idea, and had agreed only too happily, even if it meant lying to her parents about where she'd be spending the weekend.
"It's fantastic!" Megan was beaming all over. "Just look at the view! I bet we can see the sea from our bedroom window."
The house really was charming, with huge windows overlooking the bay, prettily tiled floors, and elegant but understated furniture. A lush garden surrounded it, and the swimming pool and the adjacent patio area looked incredibly inviting after their journey here. To keep a low profile, they'd opted for Muggle transport rather than flying or apparating, and it had taken ages to get here.
"Look! There's even a piano. And a fireplace. We can have a fire if it gets chilly at night." Megan looked and sounded like a child opening her presents at Christmas. "And I bet there's a nice big bed somewhere." She winked suggestively at him, and he had to revise his earlier observation. Not a child. Definitely not.
"Let's have a dip in the pool first," Duncan suggested. "What do you say?"
"Oh yes!" Grinning, Megan disappeared around the corner into one of the bedrooms. "I'll get changed. See you in a minute."
When he came back to the pool, dressed in a pair of plain black shorts, she was already there, gingerly dipping her toe into the water. "Hey, it's warm!"
"Yes, I believe it's heated somehow. The wonders of Muggle technology." He raised an eyebrow at her attire. "That's your swimming costume?"
It was a tiny bikini, emerald green like her eyes, and with only the barest minimum of fabric involved. Not that he was complaining, but Duncan did feel a mild pang of nostalgia for the days when swimwear still left something to the imagination.
"Yup." Megan twirled around to show off her body. "Don't you like it?"
"It's cute." He shook his head, chuckling dryly. "But you might as well swim naked."
"You think?" Megan's smile widened. "Good idea. I've never gone skinny-dipping before."
Before Duncan had grasped the meaning of her words, the bikini had already come off, and she was sliding gracefully into the pool. All he could do was stare as she disappeared under the water, only to emerge moments later at the other side of the pool, shaking out her hair with a smile of sheer bliss on her face. He couldn't help but smile himself. She's irresistible.
Megan hadn't been able to resist rattling Duncan a little. He could be a bit of an old fogey at times, and he really needed to loosen up if he wanted to have fun. Besides, it felt good to be naked. The water was like a cool caress on her bare skin, and it was so much easier to move without having wet fabric clinging to her body. The pool was nice and big, not particularly deep, but enough to swim. She did a few laps, then stretched out on her back, drifting in the sunshine.
There was a splashing noise, and then Duncan was there, pulling her into his arms. He was naked, too, naked and warm against her body. She couldn't resist sneaking a glance downward, and had to bite back a giggle. Men always looked a bit silly naked, in her opinion, and to have everything floating around freely in the water didn't improve things. Still, his hands on her breasts felt wonderful, and his mouth on her bare shoulders even better, and maybe it was time to get out of the pool?
Wiggling from his arms, she grinned at him. "Race me to the stairs?"
"You bet." His smile disappeared immediately, making room for an intensely focussed expression. Uh-oh.
Megan had learnt swimming in the ocean near her parents' place, and she was skilled and fast, but even so, he nearly beat her to the stairs. Climbing out, she splashed him in the face with water to delay his chase and then set off at a fast run around the pool.
"You little-" Duncan cursed and spluttered, rubbing his eyes.
He was hard on her heels, though, and she kept glancing back as she weaved around the deckchairs. Maybe she shouldn't have, because suddenly, her left foot slipped in a puddle, and the world tilted sideways. Her knee came down hard on the stone floor, and she cried out in pain.
"Megan!" Duncan was at her side immediately, cradling her in his arms. "Are you all right?"
"Not sure yet." Flinching, she tried to move her arms and legs to take stock of the damage.
Her elbow and knee were grazed, blood dripping from the scrapes to mix with the water pooling under her. Her left ankle looked worse, though, bruised and swelling rapidly.
Muttering an astonishingly filthy curse under his breath, Duncan got to his feet, lifting her with a little grunt of effort. "Let's take you inside."
He carried her to the master bedroom and set her down gently on the bed, then disappeared for a moment. Megan felt like crying. Her foot was throbbing with pain, and she was mad at herself for being so stupid. Had she spoiled it all now?
"Hey." Duncan was back, with a towel wrapped around his waist and his wand in hand. Tossing her a second towel, he sat down beside her to have a closer look at her leg.
"That looks painful." He moved her foot in a slow circle, and Merlin, it hurt! It hurt so much that she felt tears come to her eyes. Angrily, Megan tried to shake them off.
"Shhh." Duncan gently cupped her cheek in his large hand, wiping off a stray tear with his thumb. "It's going to be okay. I can fix it." His expression was one of sheer tenderness, unlike anything she'd ever seen on him before, and Megan swallowed hard.
"Don't worry." His voice, too, was warm and soothing. "Just let me-"
Carefully, he arranged her ankle in a more natural position, taking care not to twist it too roughly. When he was satisfied, he pointed his wand at her injured foot and muttered an unfamiliar spell. There was a brief flash of pain, then he cast a second spell, and the pain and the swelling were gone. Just like that.
"Now move your foot." Duncan's attention was firmly fixed on her ankle. "This way. Now this way. Good. You'll be fine, I think."
Another quick spell took care of the scrapes on her knee and elbow. Experimentally, Megan moved her foot. It felt as good as new. She was a little tired and dizzy, but otherwise, it was as if the accident had never happened.
"It might hurt a little, later at night." Duncan ran a hand up her leg in a gentle caress. "Let me know if it does and I'll do some more healing."
"How come you're so good at this?" Megan was really impressed. She'd already worried that he'd have to take her to a wizarding hospital to see a proper healer. There was no way they would have been able to keep their relationship a secret if that had happened.
"Yeah, well." Duncan cleared his throat. "I learned to take care of simple injuries while I was doing research for my book. Saved me from a number of potentially embarrassing situations."
He didn't elaborate, but Megan had to smile at the mental images his words conjured up. "Makes sense, I guess."
"Now, rest a little. Put your foot up, so the swelling doesn't come back. I'll see about dinner." Slapping her lightly, he got to his feet. "You look a bit peaky."
He returned a little later, carrying a large tray containing a plate with sandwiches and some orange juice.
"Honestly, Duncan?" She rolled her eyes at him. "I'm not an invalid. I could have walked to the dinner table."
He shook his head. "Even if the pain is gone for now, your foot needs rest. Besides…" Handing her a plate, he breathed a quick kiss on her cheek. "Let me spoil you a little. I enjoy it."
Happily, Megan tucked in. The sandwiches were delicious, made with crisp French bread and generous amounts of ham, cheese, and lettuce. Duncan had one himself, then watched her eat until she sat back with a satisfied sigh.
"Ready for dessert?" Putting the tray aside, Duncan produced yet another plate from behind him.
"A chocolate éclair!" Megan squealed in happy surprise. "How did you-"
"I got it at the bakery near the train station while you were gone to get us a taxi. I'd just planned to have a quick coffee, but then I saw the éclairs and thought I'd surprise you." Duncan seemed a little embarrassed by the admission. "Go on. Eat it."
Megan didn't have to be asked twice. Carefully, she took hold of the pastry and took a large bite, moaning in undisguised bliss when she tasted the rich chocolate filling. It was creamy and delicious, and just sweet enough, and Megan was sure she'd never tasted anything as good before. The filling was a bit runny, though, and before she could catch it with her tongue, some of it ran down her chin, dripping on her bare breasts. She reached for a napkin, but Duncan stopped her with a hand on her wrist.
"Wait." His eyes had gone pitch dark, and he sounded rough. "Let me."
And then his mouth was on her, and he was licking her clean, his tongue circling her nipples with the utmost delicacy, lapping up the cream and driving her utterly crazy in the process. His beard tickled her a little, but she didn't care, because what he was doing with his mouth felt so sinfully good. Quickly, Megan finished the éclair, not bothering to wipe her fingers before she took hold of his head, pulling him closer, begging with her whole body for more. His hair was still damp from the pool, and his skin was cool under her touch, but when she pulled the towel aside, he was hot and hard against her thigh.
And she wanted him, with an intensity that made her shiver, wanted him now, without further delay. But when she tried to pull him between her legs, she twisted her ankle a little, and a small sound of pain escaped her lips.
Duncan froze immediately. "Careful. I don't want to hurt you."
"You won't." Merlin, she was burning already, and he hadn't even-
"I mean it, Megan." Pulling back a little, he gave her his strictest look, shaking his head when she huffed impatiently. "Look, I'm not saying we can't have fun, but we need to take things slow tonight."
"If you insist." She pouted at him, but just then, he lowered his head to her breasts again, and the heat of his mouth drove all further thought of protest from her mind. "Oh, Merlin, yes. Please."
Duncan smiled up at her. "See? I promise you are going to like it."
And he kept his promise. For what seemed like hours, he worked his way across her body, covering every inch of her in hot kisses, finding sensitive spots she hadn't even known existed. She longed to pay him back in kind, but whenever she tried to move, he glared at her, until she finally gave in and just lay back and enjoyed his efforts. Of course, judging from his rapid breathing and the heat in his eyes, he got plenty out of it as well.
When he finally decided she was ready, Megan was soaking wet, pulsing with desire, and honestly, if her ankle had decided to act up again, she wouldn't even have noticed. But Duncan kept up the careful pace. Spooning her from behind, he made sure she was comfortable before he lifted her upper leg a little and began to push inside her.
And it felt… Merlin, it felt so incredibly good. Megan wasn't a fan of slow, languorous sex as a rule, but now she realized that the long build-up was really paying off. Every nerve inside her seemed sensitized to the point of pain, and she could feel Duncan's cock like she'd never done before, every inch of him as he slid deeper and deeper, stretching her ever so slightly, until he was fully settled inside her.
He pulled back with a sigh, and then repeated the motion, just as patient and controlled as before. And then again, and once more, until she was panting hard and trembling all over. It felt amazing, mind-blowingly good, but at the same time Megan was pretty sure she couldn't come like this, not without-
As if he'd read her thoughts, he reached around her, placing a firm hand on her core and muttering a spell under his breath. It was similar to the one he'd used on her that first time, in his office, creating a gentle vibration. But this time his hand was right on her clit and Megan gasped hard at the sudden intensity.
"Good?" His voice in her ear was a caress in itself. "Tell me if you want more."
"Yes. Please. Just a little…" The buzzing gradually increased, and Megan was rapidly losing the ability to talk coherently. "Oh Merlin, yes!"
Her orgasm hit her with such force that she almost blacked out. Pleasure raced through her veins, over and over, setting every single cell in her body on fire, consuming every thought and feeling. Duncan held her all the way through it, whispering soothing nonsense in her ear, until it was all over, and she gradually came back to her senses.
Only then did he pull back, leaving her feeling empty and wrung out. He was still hard, though, still shaking with want, and she couldn't possibly leave him like this.
"Give me a moment." Her voice sounded scratchy and unfamiliar. "I can-"
"No." He shook his head. "Just lie back. I know exactly what I want."
Megan raised a surprised eyebrow, but she did as he told her. What is he up to now?
Duncan took a moment to reorient himself, taking a few deep breaths. Holding Megan tight, feeling her come, hot and tight around him – that had been incredibly exciting, and he'd been close to following her, so close that he was still tingling all over. But he needed more, just a tiny bit more, and Megan was clearly too exhausted to give it to him. Still, there were ways and means…
Carefully arranging her on the sheets, he knelt between her spread legs and took hold of himself, trembling with anticipation. Megan's eyes widened when she saw him, and the knowledge that she was watching him made it all so much sweeter, so much more exciting. It was a huge effort to draw it out yet a little longer, because every nerve in his body was screaming at him to hurry up. But he forced himself not to go too fast, not to yank too hard, to be as patient with himself as he'd been with her.
"Sweet Morgana, Duncan." Megan's gaze was firmly fixed on his hands. "This is so hot."
He wanted to reply, wanted to say something witty, but the capacity for speech had left him for the moment. And now he simply couldn't be patient any longer. Thrusting hard into his own fist, he moaned out loud and Megan echoed the noise. One more thrust, one quick twist of his wrist, and the world went blindingly white. And he was coming, coming in thick spurts all over her thighs and stomach, and yes, it was exactly as he'd pictured it, so hot, so filthy, so fantastically, amazingly good.
Megan didn't flinch, didn't even bat an eye, just watched him from her large green eyes as he came down from that incredible high. They cleaned up with the help of the towels, and then he sank down on the sheets next to her again, pulling her into his arms.
"Wow." Megan sounded dreamy and relaxed. "You know, every time I think it can't get any better, and then…" She rubbed her head affectionately against his shoulder. "Can I ask you something?"
"Feel free." Duncan had to agree with her assessment. He hadn't had such great sex in years.
"The spells in your book, like the one you just used on me? How did you get the idea for them?" Megan cleared her throat. "I mean, they're pretty damn amazing, but how-"
"Muggle sex toys." Duncan grinned at her surprised face. "I was sleeping with a Muggle girl, back when I wrote the book, and she had all kinds of interesting devices. We used to play around with them, and I kept thinking it was a pity that the wizarding world had nothing of the kind. So, I came up with the spells."
"And I'm sure there's a lot of people out there who are sincerely grateful for your efforts." Megan yawned, curling up against his side. "Gosh, I'm knackered."
"It's late." He was feeling pretty tired himself. "Go to sleep now."
Megan had slept in his arms before, at least for a few hours, but this time it was different. She was restless, and kept whimpering in her sleep whenever the painkilling spells wore off. Duncan did his best to calm her down, renewing the spells and humming lullabies until she'd settled down again. But he didn't really get a lot of rest himself, and when she finally sank into a deep, relaxed sleep, it was almost dawn.
In the pale light of the morning, he gazed down on her face. Megan was even paler than usual, and she looked utterly exhausted, with deep shadows under her eyes. She seemed so young, so vulnerable like this, and it made his throat go tight. Damn it, what am I doing here? If her injury had been more serious… if they'd had to go to a hospital… if someone had found out about them… He really had to get his act together. He needed to think, long and hard, and he needed to act like a responsible adult.
But not now. Now he was simply too tired. Closing his eyes, he finally drifted off to sleep.
Hugs and thanks to my wonderful beta suilven. :)