by Willa Blair
Abby took the last cookie from the plate and wondered how they’d eaten them all without her noticing.
“Sorry, I guess you’re right. Now, what else did Darach say?”
Arianna smiled. “He said that he wanted to take you to dinner tonight before he and Conner went out. Sean and I are to go with you but sit at a separate table. He doesn’t want your dinner interrupted by any unwanted guests.”
Dinner? With Darach? What would she wear, where were they going, and what would he say?
“Abby, you okay? You went all quiet on me.”
“Did he say where we were going to dinner?”
“Antoine’s.”
“Oh Lord, I have to find something to wear. It’s a pretty ritzy place.”
“I’m sure Darach wouldn’t care if you wore jeans.” Abby knew Arianna was trying to be helpful but it wasn’t working.
“Look, if he’s taking me to Antoine’s it’s a big deal. I want to look my best.”
“Okay, so go get ready. He said he’d be here around seven or so.”
Abby’s gaze flew to the wall clock. It was almost six now. The staff meeting had gone over.
“Yikes, I’ve gotta hurry.”
She gave Arianna a brief smile and then ran for the stairs. Abby did a mental run-through of formal dresses her closet held and groaned. There was only one dress that would do and it was way too short.
Forty minutes later she stood in front of her mirror staring at what couldn’t be lowered or raised.
“I don’t know why you’re upset, the dress looks great on you.” Arianna’s support was welcome but how she wished she’d had time to go shopping.
“Are you sure it’s not too short…too low in the neck…”
“It’s fine, Abby. Darach will love it.”
She hazarded another glance in the glass. The silver-blue shade did work okay with her hair, it was just a lot shorter than she was used to wearing except at the club. And that was different, she played a part there. The neckline was a bit lower than what she was used to also.
The downstairs clock chimed seven times and the doorbell rang at the same time.
Before she could plead a case of nerves and back out, Arianna caught her arm and tugged her out into the hall. When Abby tried to retreat, the immortal stared her down. “You either walk down the stairs or I’ll teleport you. And I can’t promise it won’t mess up your hair when I do.”
“Fine, let me grab my purse.”
Arianna’s laughter followed her as she grabbed the clutch bag. “You might want to put a smile on your face. At the moment you look like you’re facing a squad of demons.”
****
“Lighten up, Darach. You act like this is your first date.”
Darach almost chuckled but his nervous system was rebelling. “Ye wouldna be that far off the mark. ’Tis my first real date. Briene and I only saw one another in the presence of our families. We never ‘went out’ as mortals call it today.”
The halfling made some sort of choking sound. “Shit man, that’s rough. No wonder you look like you’re freaking out.”
He gave Sean a look he hoped would shut him up, but it did the opposite. “Okay, just take some deep breaths. Everything will be fine. Just be yourself.”
“Does that drivel work for ye?”
“Hell no, I never tried it. I heard it on a talk show. My track record for dating isn’t much better than yours.”
Finally another glimpse into the halfling’s life. It seemed he had probably been as lonely as Darach was before he met Abby.
Before he could do it himself, Sean punched the doorbell a second time.
“Keep your sword sheathed. We’re coming.” Arianna’s acidic tone finally got Darach’s mouth to relax in a smile.
When the door swung open, however he had eyes only for Abby. She literally took his breath. The silver threads of her dress mingled with blue, emphasizing her hair and eyes. Her lips were painted a pale pink, and her eyelids were softly touched with a color similar to her dress. The soft smile she gave him shot an arrow straight to his heart. Not to mention other parts of his anatomy. All day long he’d been semi-hard, the dream always on the back burner of his thoughts.
“Hi, Darach. Evening, Sean.” Abby greeted both of them but kept her gaze on him. He should have been more nervous but for some reason all his fears of what tonight might bring disappeared.
“Evening, Abby. Ye look even more beautiful than I could ever imagine.”
The blush staining her cheeks made the blood rise in his lower body. Abby’s innocence, her beauty, the sparkle in her eyes when she gazed up at him, made Darach want to take her away. So far away no one, not even Michael, could find them. Then he would love her like she’d never been loved before.
“Don’t you think we ought to get a move on? Your reservation’s at a quarter after seven and it’s almost that time now.” Arianna’s interruption was unwanted but needed, for his only thought was to take Abby into his arms and make love to her for real.
“Aye. We should leave now.” He took the coat Abby held and helped her into it. After making sure the house was secure all four of them headed for the trolley stop.
“If ye like, ’tis a pretty mild night, we could walk to the restaurant.”
Abby smiled. “I’d love to.”
Amidst the grumbling from the other two in their party, Darach caught Abby’s hand in his. She gave his fingers a light squeeze, and he pulled her a bit closer. The ever-present scent of jasmine floated in the crisp air sending a shock of lust once again to his manhood. He prayed again that the dinner would go as he wanted. Darach was tired of waiting to make Abby his.
“Thank you.”
So immersed in trying to control his desire, he almost missed her soft words.
“For what, Abby?”
“Asking me to dinner. It’s nice to forget about everything going on and just enjoy being alive.”
Darach couldn’t agree more. “Ye’ve had a hard time, Abby. I hope it will be over soon.”
“So do I, Darach. I just wish I knew you were going to survive whatever happens next.”
The exterior of the restaurant came into view. “Next, we have dinner and enjoy some of the city’s nightlife.”
****
Darach’s last bite of chateaubriand tasted like the peat-bogs in his homeland. At first the succulent dish went down easy, but the more he thought about the rest of the evening and what he wanted to ask Abby, the more it felt like he was going to choke.
“This is delicious, Darach. I’m really enjoying myself.”
He tore his gaze away from his plate and turned to Abby. Abby, whose eyes sparkled as brightly as the chandelier shining overhead. It reminded him of how she’d looked in the light of dawn creeping into her bedroom window during his dream.
“I be glad. We both needed a break from all that has been going on.”
“Well, if that’s the case, why do you look like you swallowed a frog?” Her question wasn’t sharp, but he could almost see the wheels turning in her head.
“’Tis nothing to do with ye. Or rather it does, but not in a bad way.”
Abby took a sip of the white wine he’d ordered with their meal and then looked back at Darach.
“Care to talk about it? I know that I’ve been a veritable witch to you. I also know my actions and bad judgment have not helped matters with the demons or Angus, but I think I’m beginning to understand why you have to do it.”
So shocked was he at Abby’s words, his tongue felt frozen to the roof of his mouth. This was wonderful news, but centuries as an executioner made him leery of just accepting her seeming about-face. He wanted to know why.
“Thank ye, Abby. Now to turn your words on ye, care to tell me why ye had a change of heart?”
Her smile started the heat roaring back through his blood and finding a home between his thighs. Good thing the tablecloth hung long enough to cover his blatant lust.
“I realized that to do noth
ing, you would not be the man I care about. You would not be the man who rescued me and that young girl on the night we met. Nor would you have cared so deeply about Cecil and the other deaths.”
Her words went straight to his heart. He didn’t know what had caused this revelation, but he was glad all the same. It would make the rest of the evening easier—he hoped.
“Again, my thanks. At first I didnae want to embrace the new life I was given, but Michael made me realize that although I couldna save me family, I could save others. And after a millennium of doing so, I cannae see me doing anything else.” He leaned forward and caught Abby’s hand in his. “There have been so many times I couldna save the innocent. I arrived too late, or they didnae want to be saved, blind to the evil coating their actions with honey. But for all the ones who were stolen from the dregs of Lucifer’s clutches, I give thanks to God.”
Abby took the linen napkin and as he watched swiped at her eyes. He wanted to hold her but not here. “Will you be wanting dessert, Abby?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Good, then let’s walk.”
He motioned for the maitre’d, handed him a bill that would more than paid for all of their dinners, and then stood to his feet. As soon as he pulled Abby’s chair back, Sean and Arianna were next to them.
“Abby and I are going to take a walk.”
Sean gave him a look signifying he understood the emphasis on walk. “Okay, Arianna and I’ll bring up the rear.” The halfling didn’t have to tell Darach it would be a very distant rear. Close enough to keep an eye on them but not to interfere.
“Let’s go, Abby.” He helped her on with her coat, grabbed her hand, and literally stalked out of Antoine’s.
“Darach, can you slow down a bit. I can’t run in these shoes.”
Darach looked down at Abby. Her short breaths made her breasts rise and fall dangerously above the neckline of her dress. God’s teeth, he wanted her. Wanted her so badly he could taste it.
“Sorry, I just…” Instead of finishing what would be an embarrassing and inadequate explanation, he scooped her up in his arms.
“Now, ye willna have to run.” He tried to slow his own steps but the thought of kissing her lips, exploring the curves playing peek-a-boo with him wouldn’t stop. His gaze searched for and found a bench just barely out of reach of a street lamp. He cast a look over his shoulder, nodded toward the seat, and wanted to shout halleluiah when Sean stopped Arianna from following them. He knew the halfling would make sure they were safe.
Darach held onto Abby as he sat on the cold iron seat. Before she could even think about saying anything he brought his lips down onto hers. He savored the sweetness of the wine she’d had with dinner, but he wanted more. He eased his tongue inside her mouth, the tempting heat pulled him further into a desire fast rioting out of control—but he couldn’t stop. He needed to taste her, to touch her, and he did.
Cradling her against his chest he pushed the edges of her coat aside. His kiss deepened and she moaned as he sought and found the crowning tip of her breast. His thumb and index finger pulled and tweaked it until it rose higher. Abby’s whimpers were swallowed up as he explored the hollow of her mouth. Darach’s desire manifested into a full-blown hard-on that pressed against Abby’s buttocks—seeking to find the honey that would quench its fire.
As he pushed upward, Abby pressed herself against his hardness. The urgency in Darach’s eyes had barely touched on what she felt as he’d taken her in his kiss. His hand on her nipple made her weep with wanting him. She pushed against his hold, then turned to straddle his lap. The cool air caressed her thighs but did nothing to beat back the heat pummeling her body. She reached between them and rubbed the hardness rising to touch her aching center.
Darach’s groan was music to her soul. He still wanted her no matter what she’d said to him in the past. She continued her strokes through the soft leather of his pants until he snatched her hand away. His breaths were as raspy as hers before he placed a soul-melting kiss on her palm.
“Abby, ye are killing me. We have to stop before I take ye right here in the open for all to see.”
“I suppose that would be a no-no?” Her question came out in a husky whisper. She held her breath, hoping he would say no, that he would take her.
“Aye, it has to be. Not only are we drawing a few speculative gazes from some passersby, Sean and Arianna are headed this way.”
Heat touched her cheeks as she realized what she must look like, her breasts half out of her dress, her thighs bare and clinging to his like a harlot on the prowl. Lord, he must think her an awful tease.
“Oh God, I’m sorry. I never…”
His quick kiss silenced her apology. “Ye did nothing wrong. I started this, and God’s teeth, no matter how much I want to finish it, this is not the entire reason I brought ye out here.”
“It’s not?” She purposely inserted teasing into her tone. Darach’s expression had gone all stony again.
The smile he graced her with came right before he tweaked her nose. “Ye shouldna taunt a desperate man. Ye could wind up into more trouble than ye want.”
Abby couldn’t resist. “And who said I didn’t want trouble with you?”
Darach caught her close and hugged her so hard he almost squished her ribs. “Enough, Darach, I need to breathe.”
His apology was uttered with a chest vibrating chuckle. “All right my love, let’s get ye presentable.”
Her gasp of alarm as she heard their friends approach preceded her hastily rearranging her cleavage, as Darach eased her off his lap and smoothed the material of her dress over her hips, before pulling her down to sit between his thighs. Almost immediately she felt a hardness growing against her backside.
“Damn. You better sit here.” Darach moved her to his side but slung an arm over her shoulder. Making her feel warm and loved.
“Okay you two, it’s time to get home.” Sean’s words were a bit staccato in tone.
“What’s wrong?” Instead of answering Abby Sean looked directly at Darach. “We’ve got about ten demons headed this way. I don’t think they know you’re here, but let’s not take any chances.”
“Right. I will teleport with Abby, if Arianna will give ye a ride.” The other immortal didn’t look enthused about the idea, but she motioned Sean to step closer.
“We will meet back at the house.” Darach’s words were swallowed up as he pulled her closer and then poof! They were off.
****
Angus was at the end of his rope and his temper. Nothing he’d done had been successful in bringing Darach to him. The ploy to take Abigail from her home would not even be worth trying a second time. He had to get her out in the open, somewhere she would not be on her guard. The club she worked at was a possibility, but he bet she’d be flanked by the woman immortal and Darach. But he would come up with something—he’d come too far to fail.
Michael rubbed his hands together in glee. Finally. The Highlander had done something right. Although, he didn’t exactly approve of the physical methods his immortal had used, at least the end results were what mattered. Now, he could ask Abby to marry him again. And even though he didn’t put them together in the first place, Michael felt like he deserved a bit of the credit also. Heaven’s blessings, he did love a good romance.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The four of them sat around her kitchen table munching on cookies, and for some it was ice tea, for others beer. She supposed Sean had materialized the six-pack. Regardless, Darach was on his second bottle and looking like he wanted to chew nails.
“I suppose the demons can’t get through the safety guards.” Her answer fell into the silence that had been dominant for the last ten minutes.
“No, they can’t. I strengthened them after we got back, and with the old ones already in place, it would take a miracle for them to breach the grounds.”
“Thanks, Arianna.”
While the men continued to sit there like knotholes on a fallen tree, Ab
by tried again for a topic. She thought of everything from the weather to her job as she flailed for a conversational piece. Her job! Oh Lord, she’d forgot all about the club. Chaz would kill her for not showing up tonight. The clock on the wall read nine forty-five; she should have been there by eight o’clock sharp. Her boss would never let her excuse of a date stand.
“Listen, I need to call the club. Chaz is going to read me the riot act for missing work.”
The trio staring back at her looked confused. “Hello, my second job. The one I forgot all about when I went out with you, Darach.”
For the first time since they’d arrived home, the man actually smiled. “Good, ye didnae need that job, Abby.”
“I do need it, and what if I just want it?”
“I will not argue with ye over this, Abby. Ye do not need the job.” Darach’s grin disappeared.
“And just who died and made you my boss?” Abby spit the words out. The evening, which had gone downhill after Sean spotted the demons, slid another hundred feet.
Darach opened his mouth to reply, and Arianna grabbed Sean’s wrist and they disappeared.
Abby jumped to her feet, but before she could flee he was at her side. “Abby, ’tis not what I wanted from our evening. Please, will ye just listen for a moment?”
A sigh of air teased her hair before she nodded.
“Good, then come with me, please.”
Again a nod. Darach wasn’t sure if she was giving in because she wanted to or because she felt she had no choice. In reality she didn’t, for he would not leave her another night without speaking his heart and mind.
He towed her through the house until he reached the back closed-in porch. He settled himself into the corner of a lounge rocker, and tugged Abby gently down beside him.
“Now, please hear me out before ye start arguing.”
“Fine.” Abby kept her gaze away from his.
“Can ye not look at me?”
She faced him and the hurt look in her stare caused another wound into his already abused heart.
“I only want to take care of ye, Abby. I ken I come on like a brutish fiend at times, ’tis a throwback probably from me Highlander heritage, but ye have to ken, I would die for ye. Never, not even with Briene, have I felt love this strongly.”
