“ ’Twould no’ hurt ye t’admit when I’m right, ye ken?” Graham swatted her rump with an affectionate smack as they reached a level shelf of rock wide enough to sit upon and take a rest.
“Don’t hold your breath.” Lilia wagged a finger in his face, then twisted open the straw to the water bottle swinging at her waist. “It’s a wise man that knows when to celebrate his victories in silence.”
Graham snorted out a laugh and leaned back against the sheer rock cliff at their backs. His face grew serious as his meandering gaze settled on the squawking terns, following their slow graceful circles across the cloudless sky. The birds dropped, one by one, in targeted dives into the sparkling waves, then burst back up through the surface with their glistening lunch wiggling in their beaks. Graham reached over and gently squeezed her knee. “Ye ne’er said. Shall we be returnin’ to the future tonight? Or will we be staying here ’til the morrow?”
Lilia shrugged. “I hadn’t really thought that far ahead. I guess it doesn’t matter. Angus probably wouldn’t care either way. He seemed excited to go off exploring on his own. What would you like to do?”
If Graham wanted to stay another day or so, other than the fact they’d run a little skimpy on supplies, it really wouldn’t be a problem. All she’d been concerned about when they’d finally agreed on this plan was following Eliza’s last wishes.
Hunger burned in Graham’s gaze as he slowly trailed a finger down her arm. “If ye wouldna be against the thought, I’d rather we stayed on here a wee bit. Just another day or so, mind ye. We’d be alone—and uninterrupted. If Angus fails t’find whoever ye sensed, the man will find somethin’ else t’hunt or fashion a spear for fishin’, ye can be sure of that. He’ll no’ be a bother to us.”
Then his gaze dropped and his brow knitted into a frustrated scowl. Graham pulled his hand away, his mouth twitching into a deeper frown beneath his moustache. “Forgive me, mo nighean bhan. Ye must surely think me a selfish man t’hunger for ye whilst yer grievin’.”
Lilia snugged up beside him on the ledge, leaning her head against the hard muscles of his shoulder. “It’s okay.”
And it was. Since they’d met, they’d never really been alone—not really. There had always been either friends, phone calls, text messages, or the weight of Eliza’s impending passing right there with them. She understood completely what he felt and not just because she was an empath. There was a serene isolation to this place—as though the world had paused in its spinning and told them, “Tarry awhile. Learn of one another. Breathe.”
“I only wish…” Graham stopped and blew out a heavy breath. He fisted a hand against his chest. “Ye fill my heart, love. My soul is at last sated and I burn wi’ the wantin’ of ye.” He shook his head. “I canna help m’self, mo nighean bhan. I was put here t’be with ye. I can no’ imagine life without ye.”
A contented smile warmed Lilia’s face. She looped her arm through his and hugged him to her. “I love you too.”
The sun rose high overhead, nearly at its zenith. They were close enough to the glistening sea to hear the waves alternately crashing then shushing against the rocks of the shore below. Lilia shifted sideways and stood. “We need to go now. We’re almost there.”
She felt the pull of Eliza’s place calling—the large outcropping of stone Eliza had described so many times, Lilia felt as though she’d sat there with her, staring out across the water. Even with the cancer tormenting her with excruciating pain, when Eliza had spoken of where she’d often played as a young girl, her face had lost the deeply etched lines of suffering and illness. She’d smiled as she’d gazed off into space, her weary eyes shining with the memories of her youth.
As they descended the last bit of the incline, Lilia pointed a bit farther down the shoreline. “There. That’s Eliza’s place.”
Graham nodded as he rested his hands atop the rough staff he’d carved for himself. He leaned forward, propping his chin atop his hands. “Aye. ’Tis a fine place. I feel the peace of it m’self.”
Climbing carefully across the wet boulders, slippery and treacherous with the wearing of the sea and the leavings of seaweed and foam, Lilia wedged her walking stick between her back and the handles of her backpack then stretched with hands, knees, and feet to scale the stair-step layers and wrinkles of Eliza’s rock. When she finally stood upon the dry, sun-bleached summit of the flat-topped boulder, the refreshing wind and salt spray greeted her as though they’d been awaiting her arrival.
Love. Gratitude. Joy. The powerful emotions embraced her, lifted her up, and filled her heart with the certainty that all was as it should be. Eliza was well now—and happy. And Eliza would never really be gone.
“She’s here.” Tears welled up, then overflowed and streamed down her face. She closed her eyes and allowed the gentle breeze to kiss them away. “She’s here,” she whispered again as she held her arms open wide, her hands lifted to the warm caress of the sun.
Graham gently pulled her backpack away from her body, set it at their feet, and steadied her back against his chest, his arms loosely wrapped about her waist. “Aye, love.” He shifted against her with a deep intake of breath then a satisfied sigh. “Her spirit smiles here.”
It was time. With trembling fingers, Lilia opened the canvas bag at her waist and carefully worked free the wooden box. The rich honey sheen of the oak grain shimmered like gold in the sunlight. How proper and fitting, because Eliza’s heart had been pure gold.
Crouching down, Lilia slowly opened the lid, carefully emptied the sealed bag of ashes inside the box, then turned it to face the sea. The sound of the waves suddenly seemed livelier as a gusting breeze encircled them, dipped down into the opened box, and drew out the ashes into a dancing ribbon of silvery gray out across the water.
The sea birds’ cries and the crashing waves sounded like peals of laughter as the wind whipped around them one last time, blew the tiny vessel clean, then slammed the lid shut. Then all stilled. The sea grew silent and the sound of the birds disappeared.
A faint kiss brushed Lilia’s cheek and a feather-light touch rippled across her hair. Eliza’s softly chortling whisper tickled against her ear. I love ye as me own, dearie. The wind picked up along with the rippling waves lapping against the rock. And I’ll be watchin’ o’er ye—ken it with all yer heart. Then the sound of Eliza’s faint laughter floated out across the sea.
Chapter 20
“Where shall we spend the night?” Lilia shielded her eyes against the afternoon sun as she scanned up and down the rocky coastline. “I’m not much on caves. I’d rather sleep under the stars as long as the weather holds.”
Aye. He would as well. He’d spent several centuries residing in caves whilst in dragon form and he had no wish t’return to such a dwelling even for just one night. Graham snorted out a huffing breath at the memory. Caves held a particular stench about them and he’d ne’er cared for the smell of them a whit. He pointed to a dark green crease higher up the mountainside, farther to the east of the slope they’d just traipsed down to reach the shore. “There.” He nodded wi’ the certainty. “That looks promisin’. The way the mountain cradles that bit a land, the wind willna trouble us no matter how fierce the gale decides t’blow.”
“It looks like there might even be trees up there instead of scrub.” Lilia picked her way across the rough rocky ground, steadying herself with her staff as she hopped from stone to stone as nimbly as a wee Highland goat. She looked back at him and smiled. “Maybe there’ll even be a freshwater spring. That beats stale bottled water any day.”
Graham’s heart lightened at Lilia’s relaxed demeanor. He’d no’ realized until just now how his dear love had always carried herself with such a poised, tense stance as though ready to lunge into battle. He chuckled to himself. Perhaps the old woman Eliza had known what a tonic this place would be to Lilia. “We’d best be about it, then. By the time we reach our spot, ’twill leave me precious little time t’hunt for our supper.”
Lilia
turned and pointed her walking stick at him as though plotting her aim to thump him on the head with it. “You know better. I brought hard cheese, a tin of biscuits, and some protein bars. There will be no hunting of anything for supper other than fresh springwater.”
Graham grinned. She’d reacted to his subtle giggin’ just as he’d wished. His love didna eat meat—the entire why of it escaped him but he’d fathom a guess it had somethin’ to do with her heritage and the mystical connections she held sacred. He didna care if they shared a supper or no’ this evenin’. All he needed was her. “Aye, lass. I’ll find ye the sweetest water ye ever tasted. I promise it, sure as I’m standin’ here.”
Further chatting fell away as they scrambled up the drastic incline of the rocky shelf looking out across the beach below. They zigzagged up, easing even farther to the east of the rugged terrain than they’d first planned. The steep, weathered side of the cliff made for deceptive footing.
“Whew. I’m going to need a swim after this little climb.” Lilia fisted a hand against the small of her back then peeled her T-shirt away from her body. “I stayed pretty cool on the way down but going back up is giving me a bad case of swamp ass.”
“Swamp ass?” Graham repeated. What sort of ailment was swamp ass? He leaned to one side, eyeing her verra fine curves. Her arse looked as squeezably fit and biteable as ever to him.
“I’m working up a sweat and it’s trickling south.” She gave him a look that clearly said she couldn’t believe he didn’t know what she meant as she dug into the small zippered pouch in the side of her backpack and pulled free a colorful cloth. She folded it lengthwise, then smoothed it across her brow and knotted it at the back of her head. “Viv packed an extra one. Do you want one to keep the sweat out of your eyes?”
Graham swiped his hand across his forehead. Aye, his head was warm and wet but he’d no’ wear such a thing across his brow. A leather strap to hold his hair? Maybe. Somethin’ that looked t’be a colorful rag for a bairn’s doll? Never. He shook his head and winked. “I thank ye, but no.”
Lilia rolled her eyes. “You won’t look like a girl. It’s a dark blue one. See?” She pulled free the long bit of cloth that could nearly pass for a length of dark braided leather. Almost.
She’d read him so easily. He relented and took it from her. Some things were no’ worth the battle. He dried his head with his forearm, snugged the cloth about his brow, and knotted it. He wiggled his forehead. Perhaps ’twould no’ be so bad. At least there were none about t’see him. He tilted his head away from the wind and the shore below and listened.
Aye and fer certain. ’Twas the bubblin’ song of a nearby burn he heard. If the gods smiled upon him, ’twould be a sheltered pool of water hiding within the bit of wood where they planned t’spend their night. His love had mentioned she’d be a needin’ a swim. Such a diversion held infinite possibilities.
“Come.” He urged her forward with a nod. “We’ve no’ much farther and I do believe I hear the sound of the water yer seekin’.”
Lilia gave him a look of disbelief. “All I hear are the waves below. How could you possibly hear a stream up the hillside?”
Uneasiness held Graham’s tongue as he shrugged away her words. Lilia’s kennin’ he was once a dragon was one thing. She’d accepted his history well enough—more than likely because her own ancestry was filled with things not so easily explained. But sharing the traits that had stayed with him once the curse was broken…he was none too sure she’d be so acceptin’. Keen hearing, a predatory sense of smell, and a set of eyes sharper than a hawk’s. The gods had granted him all these gifts when he’d permanently been returned to the form of a man. Perhaps ’twas a bit of an appeasement for all he’d endured.
“Graham?” Lilia sidled closer, frowning up into his face with concern flashing in her eyes. “Why have you suddenly gone so uncharacteristically silent?”
Graham pulled free and trudged onward. “I dinna ken yer meanin’.” Damn her for seein’ through him so easily. What the hell was he? As clear as a fresh Highland stream?
Lilia grabbed hold of his arm and pulled him to a stop. “You know about all my oddities and yet you’re still here. You haven’t run away screaming or threatened to burn me at the stake. Why would you think anything could make me run from you?” She lifted her chin and narrowed her eyes. “You know I’m not a coward.”
“Aye. Yer no’ a coward, love.” But that didna matter. Acceptin’ her was easy. He, on the other hand, had made far too many mistakes and foolhardy choices t’make her unconditional acceptance of him a matter of no concern.
“Super hearing is not going to scare me away.” She snuggled up against him, the inviting scent of her overly warmed body making him ache to strip away her clothes and bend her over the nearest boulder.
He threw down his staff, encircled her in his arms, and pulled her close. He buried his face in her neck, nuzzling her salty-sweet flesh with a deep, appreciative inhale. “I fear when ye ken the traits I still possess from when I was the beast, ye willna be so inclined to remain m’wife.”
She sighed as she melted against him, molding her curves into him as though she too wished they stood skin to skin. “You don’t still breathe fire, do you?” A soft giggle escaped her as she teased the tip of her tongue upward along the tensed muscles of his throat.
Graham filled his hands with the mouth-watering curves of her sweet arse and pulled her harder against him. “I canna breathe fire any longer but I grant ye this, ye’ve warmed me well and good t’the point where I’ll no’ guarantee I willna burst into flame.”
“Then let’s find this water you’re hearing so we can cool each other off.” She nibbled her way around his neck then sucked his earlobe until he thought he’d surely strip them both down right where they stood and bury himself inside her.
“Patience, my fiery beast.” Lilia licked his throat again, then pushed away and scurried ahead a few paces. “Find me a pool and we’ll see about putting out that fire.”
“Ye ken me too well.” Graham strode after her, then motioned a bit farther to the east. “There. In that bit of wood. There’s where we need go.”
Lilia studied where he pointed, her eyes narrowing as she carefully tucked her walking stick snug between her back and her pack. “Did you happen to bring any of our lovely little purple packets?”
Purple packets? Graham frowned as he mentally sorted through the items he’d instructed Angus to pack for the both of them. Realization of what she was talking about dawned on him, eliciting a frustrated groan. Those damned condoms. He’d no’ thought to bring any of those stockings for his cock. “I brought none.” How could he have forgotten about the wee socks that guaranteed him access to heaven on earth?
Hope nudged him forward a step. “Did ye happen to mention to Vivienne we might be needin’ them so she’d put a few in yer pack?”
Lilia made an apologetic face as she shook her head. “Since Angus was coming with us, condoms weren’t really up there on my things I’m gonna need list—sorry. I didn’t realize we’d be able to distract him so easily by sending him off into the Highlands.” She closed her eyes and silently tapped her thumb across her fingertips as though tallying up her thoughts. A promising smile lit her face as her eyes popped open. “But by my calculations, we could probably get away with playing a little fast and loose just this one time.”
“Fast…and…loose.” He didna ken what she meant for certain but the term sounded as though he’d no’ be disappointed.
Her smile turned into a wicked grin. “Well. Not too fast.” She looped her thumbs through the straps at her shoulders, then winked. “Race ya!”
Then she bounded off, scampering over the rough terrain and laughing as she swerved and loped around wildly tufted hillocks and partially overgrown boulders.
Ye wee minx. Graham charged after her, the sound of her teasing laughter spurring him on. The ever-thickening tight underbrush and fully leafed-out saplings slowed his progress. Clumps of wild g
rasses were knotted through tangled branches and roots. The deep green ground cover clutched at his boots, threatening to latch hold of his feet and send him tumbling.
By the time he wrestled his way through the clinging branches and vines, Lilia was nowhere to be seen. “Lilia?” He searched the serene peacefulness of the grove’s heart. Thick, velvety moss coated the boulders and fallen trees surrounding the gently sloping banks of a rippling pool. The water danced and bubbled at the narrow end where it tumbled free of the earth, gurgling and frothing down the staggered slabs of stone vainly attempting to hold it back.
“Lilia! Answer me, love. I dinna care o’erly much for a game where I canna find ye.” He circled the pool, dropping his bag and staff to the ground as he scanned the mountain’s hidden bit of heaven sheltered by the walls of the steep ravine and the thick canopy of trees. Then he spotted them. Hastily kicked-aside boots, a discarded sock and jacket, then a bit farther around the circumference of the pool, the remainder of his beloved’s clothes.
As he turned, she broke up through the water’s surface, head thrown back, eyes closed, a smile curving her full ruby lips. Her blonde hair streamed down across her shoulders and swirled through the water like liquid gold poured from the heavens. Graham wet his mouth, already tasting the creamy breasts shining just below the surface of the clear water.
“Are you going to stand there staring or are you going to get in here with me?”
Tossing away his clothes, Graham lunged into the water, completely submerging as he swam toward her. Eyes open, he easily found her, her fair skin shining like a beacon, guiding him home to where he belonged.
He teasingly circled her, her pale legs slowly pumping and her arms gently paddling back and forth to keep her floating upright. Graham swam up beneath her, sliding his hands up the smoothness of her legs as he pushed his face between her thighs and blew bubbles against her delicious lady parts.
My Seductive Highlander Page 18
