Coming Home (Sequel to This Time Around)

Chapter Eleven

He heaved and she sailed out over the middle of the deep end. The water flashed in the sunlight and then she sliced through the surface with hardly a splash. The water was almost as warm as a bathtub, thanks to his magic, and when she surfaced, she tread water, shoving her hair away from her face with one hand as she said, "You are dead man, Jötunn."

Loki didn't look at all contrite as he cleanly dove into the water and surfaced only a few inches from her. "Do your worst, Midgardian," he challenged with a grin.

She grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed as hard as she could and he played along by allowing her to shove him under the water. Aislinn and Selig jumped back into the pool as Loki surfaced, and he slid an arm about McKenna's waist, bracing her against him as he whispered, "You're a good sport, darling girl."

"I was bored over there." She peered at him over her shoulder. "And besides, you'll get yours."

His laugh was as warm as the water. "I certainly hope so."

"Get him!" Selig shouted and he and Aislinn attacked. With an overly-dramatic yelp, Loki let them tug his arm from McKenna and sank below the water's surface once more. McKenna smiled as Selig and Aislinn peered down, the water going calm.

"Where did Daddy go?" Aislinn asked, looking over at her.

McKenna shrugged. "I think you guys might have shoved him all the way back to Asgard."

Selig looked up, his expression full of concern. "We didn't push that hard."

"I think you guys are stronger than you thought. You better find him."

Before either of them could move, Loki shot up from the bottom like a torpedo, grabbed Selig to fling him, and then did the same to Aislinn, which left them all shrieking with laughter so hard that Selig sucked in a mouthful of chlorinated water and promptly choked.

Loki grabbed him, bracing him against his shoulder as he whacked him firmly on the back. "Easy, Sel, easy. It's never a good idea to drink the pool."

Selig nodded, coughing as he clung to Loki's neck. "S-sorry, D-daddy."

As his coughs subsided, Selig drew in a deep breath. "I'm going to get out for a while."

"Me, too" Aislinn swam to the steps and climbed out. She grabbed her Frozen towel and brought Selig his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles towel. "Sewig, pway with me?"

He sighed. "Okay. What do you want to play?"

Aislinn shrugged. "Dunno. Cars?"

Selig lit up at that. He loved Matchbox cars almost as much as he did the Turtles and so he nodded. "I'll go get them!"

McKenna smiled at Loki. "I love when they get along."

He swam over to her and caught her around the waist to pull her against him. "Enjoy it while it lasts."

"I always do." She spun in his arms to face him and draped her arms about his shoulders. It was almost criminal, how this man could look amazing no matter what. While she probably looked like a drowned rat, he looked almost edible, with water beading on his cheekbones, spiking his eyelashes into thick black points.

"What?"

"What, what?"

"Why're you looking at me like that?" he asked, his right eyebrow creeping up slightly. "Are you feeling frisky?"

"You look good enough to eat, Loki. How do you even do that?"

He grinned. "I am a god, love."