“Ah, so there is someone.”
She hesitated. Ross had come close to kissing her a few times during his stay on Lochguard, but he had never seen it through. Every time she’d accepted that they’d only be friends, the blasted male would take her hand, and a sizzle would travel up her spine, confusing her.
Her beast spoke up. There’s nothing saying you can’t be the one to kiss him. Times are different now.
Ignoring her dragon, she tried to think of how to reply to Stuart’s supposition. She could say yes and drive him away. On the other hand, if Ross fancied someone else, it would be nice to have someone to talk to. After all, she and Stuart had been close once.
She wanted to slap her cheeks. For nearly thirty years, she’d never once thought about pursuing another male. And yet there she was, thinking about two in a day.
Goodness gracious, she wasn’t much better than a teenager.
Clearing her throat, she answered, “You focus on your meeting and negotiations and we can talk later.”
Determination flashed in Stuart’s eyes. Maybe he’d taken it as encouragement.
Stuart nodded. “I look forward to that.”
Lorna had no idea if Fergus had heard her conversation with Stuart or not, but her son never turned around to interject. Unlike Fraser, Fergus knew how to hold his tongue. Well, unless his mate or family’s lives were at stake. Then all bets were off.
The lad was more like his father than he’d ever know.
They arrived at one of the entrances to the Protectors’ central command. Unless she wanted gossip to spread like wildfire and reach Meg Boyd’s—her friend but also rival’s—ears, it looked like Lorna would have to continue her conversation with Stuart later.
Her dragon spoke up. It also gives me time to change your mind.
Who says I’ve made up my mind?
Interesting. You’ve sworn off males and love for nearly thirty years. Maybe Stu is what you were waiting for? The human would bring risk, but a dragon-shifter would be safe.
At one time, Lorna might’ve thought that about Stuart MacKay. When she’d kissed Jamie MacKenzie and fallen into the mate-claim frenzy, she’d cared about him but hadn’t yet loved him. It hadn’t taken long for her auburn-haired dragonman to win her heart, but for a brief amount of time, she hadn’t ruled out going back to Stuart if Jamie didn’t work out. All dragon-shifters had the right to refuse their true mate if they didn’t fit well. While fate usually did a bang up job, there were always cases when it didn’t work out. Some clans might force it, but in recent history, Lochguard hadn’t been one of them and still wasn’t.
Yet, as she looked at Stuart from the corner of her eye, Lorna had to admit he’d aged well. The laugh lines around his mouth and crinkles at the corner of his eyes only added to his appeal.
Of course, Ross had a dimple in one of his cheeks when he smiled. And his brown eyes were more like whiskey than chocolate.
Her dragon huffed. Then go after Ross. He wants us.
What are you talking about? Ross has never once moved to woo me. Every time I thought he’d kiss me, he backed off. We get along. That’s it.
For such a clever female, you’re missing something.
She mentally rolled her eyes. And what’s that, you oh-so-clever beast?
Until a few weeks ago, Ross didn’t know if he had a future. Now that he’s cancer-free, he does. You saw the look in his eyes earlier when you didn’t order him out. He fancies us.
Lorna nearly missed her step and her dragon laughed before adding, You know it’s true. The question now is, do you want Ross or Stu?
She dismissed the choice as ridiculous since Lorna didn’t need a male in her life to complicate things when they reached the meeting room. She forced herself to pay attention to her son and the current negotiations. Her silly male problems could wait.
Her dragon merely sat at the back of her mind with a smug expression.
Lorna would deal with that headache later.
Once Fergus shut the door to the private conference room, they all sat down around the table before he spoke up. “Right, then. Let’s go over the points of our latest agreement and see if we can’t get it signed.”
As Lorna watched her son and her former lover discuss an alliance, she wondered what she’d do if her dragon was correct about Ross and Stuart. For the most part, the males on Lochguard knew she wasn’t interested. But Ross, and even Stuart, didn’t fit those parameters.
The real question was whether she wanted a new mate or not.
Lorna knew the answer but was afraid to admit it. While Jamie taking her away from Stuart had been bad enough, Lorna now had her children and nephew to worry about. They were all grown and protective of her. It was sweet, considering Lorna could take care of herself. But it was only a matter of time before their protective Stewart and MacKenzie genes kicked into overdrive. The last thing Lochguard needed was drama, let alone dragons challenging each other in the sky. Fergus might restrain himself, but Fraser and Faye most definitely would not.
Her dragon chuckled. Then you are going to pick one. I can’t wait.
Lorna resisted a sigh. She might have a few battles coming to her. The question was whether she looked forward to it or dreaded it.
Or, was it a bit of both?
~~~
Later in the day, as the sun moved lower in the sky, Ross picked up a twig from the ground and twirled it in his fingers. He hoped Lorna would come.
He’d left a note for her to meet him in one of the hidden clearings toward the back of the clan. Ross had spent every afternoon walking around Lochguard as part of his recovery and had stumbled upon the clearing by mistake.
It was a wide-open space, with trees ringing the edge. If ever there was a place he could convince Lorna to shift for him and only him, it was here.
He only hoped he wasn’t being daft, especially since the air was still chilly in early April and his joints didn’t tolerate the cold as they once had. The only saving grace was that it wasn’t raining, or he would have to postpone, which he wanted to avoid at all cost. He’d made his decision, and Ross intended to see his plan through.
He knew that unless Lorna shared both halves of herself with him, they would never have a shot at a future together. He needed to see Lorna in dragon form.
He was also determined to find out whatever she was hiding because he was positive she was afraid of something.
He paced back and forth. He wasn’t fond of the whole text messaging trend, so he’d written a letter and left it for her in the kitchen. Ross hoped she had found it, or he’d be waiting a long time.
Glancing at his watch, Ross noted that Lorna had three minutes before she’d be late. The closeness worried him since Lorna was punctual to a fault.
However, he heard someone pushing through the underbrush. Looking up, he spotted Lorna walking toward him with a curious expression.
Despite being wrapped in a big coat, the combination of the wind gently blowing her graying blonde hair and the flush on her cheeks sent a rush of heat through his body. Before he could think too hard about it, he blurted out, “You’re beautiful.”
Lorna frowned as she stopped a few feet from him. “Pardon?”
Ross’s heart beat double-time inside his chest. It’d been a long while since he’d had to woo a lass, but he wasn’t going to let that stop him. “With you always going on about how keen your hearing is, I know you heard me, woman. You’re beautiful.”
Lorna searched his eyes before answering, “Aye, I heard it the first time. But I’m wondering why you said it.”
Taking a few steps closer, he reached out and tucked a section of hair behind her ear. Lorna drew in a breath, and he smiled. “That’s what I thought.”
She took a step back. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Ross Anderson. You left me a cryptic message to meet you in the middle of a blasted clearing. Why am I here?”
“Because,” he answered as he closed the distance again, “I want to see
you shift.”
Lorna tried to move away again, but Ross reached out and pulled her up against his body. As he stared into her eyes, uncertainty flashed. Considering how strong of a woman Lorna was, Ross didn’t like it.
Lorna spoke up before he could speak again. “I’ve told you once, and I’ll tell you again—I don’t shift much anymore. My old bones can’t take it.”
Her pupils flashed to slits and back. A corner of Ross’s mouth ticked up. “I think your dragon is already calling you a liar.”
“So you speak dragon now?”
“Don’t be silly, Lorna. But what else could your dragon be saying? Especially since all the other clan members our age shift all the time.” He moved a hand to her back and stroked. He waited to see if she’d still or pull away, but Lorna’s expression didn’t change. It gave him the encouragement to keep pushing. “I want to know why you keep dismissing it. You rarely ever lie that I’m aware of. So, why are you afraid of showing me your dragon, Lorna MacKenzie? Is it because I’m human?”
Her brows furrowed again. “Of course not. Being human or dragon doesn’t influence my opinion one way or the other.”
“Then what it is?”
After holding his gaze a second, she sighed. “You aren’t going to let me go unless I shift, are you?”
“No,” he answered with a grin.
“You do remember that I’m stronger than you, right?”
He growled and moved his head closer. “We’ve long established you’re stronger than me with better hearing and eyesight. You don’t have to keep kicking a man down.”
Snorting, Lorna patted his chest. “But it’s so much fun.”
Moving his hand from her back to her cheek, he murmured, “I can think of something else that’s fun.”
Desire mixed with confusion filled Lorna’s eyes. “You’re being cryptic again.”
“Then let me show you, woman.”
Before she could push him away or reply, Ross lowered his head and kissed her.
~~~
Lorna had been arguing with her dragon when Ross finally kissed her.
She half-expected for guilt and betrayal to course through her body, but as her human’s lips touched hers, a yearning long buried rushed forth.
It was desire.
Ross was gentle at first, but the instant she leaned against him and threaded her fingers through his hair, he grew bolder and slid his tongue into her mouth.
Each hot, firm stroke stirred both woman and beast. It’d been far too long since she’d been kissed by a male.
Her dragon growled. Then start kissing him back.
Lorna wasn’t sure if she remembered how to kiss a male properly, but decided what the hell, and met Ross’s tongue stroke for stroke. As he groaned into her mouth and pressed her closer against his body, she couldn’t miss his erection pressing against her belly.
Her dragon hummed. Yes, yes. After all this time, we can have sex again.
Her dragon’s words sent a thread of shyness through her body. Lorna MacKenzie might be brash and able to handle her unruly brood, but she was most definitely not a sexual goddess.
Ross must’ve sensed her thoughts because he broke the kiss and murmured, “What’s wrong, Lorna?”
Since her hand remained threaded through Ross’s hair, she gently stroked his scalp. The motion helped her to focus her thoughts. She decided to tell him the truth. “It’s been a long time, Ross. And I’m not as young as I once was. Even for a dragon-shifter, birthing and raising three children takes a toll on a female.”
He snorted. “You really don’t know how lovely you are, do you?” He traced the lines around her mouth and eyes. “Each one of these represents a story and at least a dozen memories. I much prefer my women with personality and a history over fake beauty any day.”
She studied him. “I can’t tell if you’re sweet-talking me or being serious.”
He rolled his eyes. “I’m not exactly the sweet-talking type of man when it comes to you, Lorna. After all these months together, I thought you’d realize that by now.”
Lightly slapping his chest, she replied, “It all came on a bit suddenly, you devil. After all these months, why now?”
Searching her eyes, Ross answered, “Until my cancer was gone, my hands were tied. I didn’t want you to grow close to someone only to have them ripped from your side again, lass.”
“Like Jamie.”
“Aye, like your mate Jamie.” He paused a second to take her chin in hand. “Tell me about him.” She opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off. “And don’t dismiss it. It’s clear as day you still think of him often, as you should. But not talking about him means you can’t share your love with the world.”
She looked at him askance. “Since when did you become so wise?”
“I have my moments,” he said with a wink.
Lorna chuckled. “You must’ve been quite the charmer with the lasses when you were younger.”
“Aye, I was, and I’d like to think I still am. But it was a quiet woman who eventually caught my eye. However, we’re not talking about Anne until you tell me about Jamie.”
Jamie. Just remembering his final smile as he’d rubbed her pregnant belly twisted her heart. “He was a fool.”
“Pardon?”
She looked up again. “It’s true. I loved him more than life itself, but rather than wait out a lightning storm, he charged home the second he heard I was in labor.
“He said he’d seen his first two children born and wouldn’t deprive the youngest of his presence, or he’d never hear the end of it whilst the girl was growing up.”
Ross smiled. “Knowing Faye as I do, she probably would’ve brought it up all the time.”
“Aye, she would have.” Her throat closed up, and her voice cracked. “But if he’d waited for an hour or two, the storm would’ve passed, and he still would’ve made it home in time. The idiot.”
Her dragon rumbled, No one can change the past. You know that.
It still doesn’t mean I can’t wish for it to be different.
Gathering her close, Ross laid his cheek on top of her head. His warm presence comforted her. “Even with him gone, you know he loved you and the bairns.” Ross paused, stroking her back. “My demon is that I could’ve done more to protect my wife, and I didn’t do it.”
~~~
Ross may have accepted his late wife was gone, but the guilt sat heavily on his shoulders.
For Holly’s sake, he’d hidden it deep inside. His Holly-berry had been distraught enough with the news of her mother’s murder. She didn’t need a remorseful and grieving father to add to her troubles.
He’d never really talked about his guilt. And yet, he knew Lorna well enough to know she wouldn’t push him away and run for the hills. She’d hear everything before making a decision.
Speaking of Lorna, she pulled back and met his gaze again. “I somehow think you’re inflating the situation, human.”
He raised his brows. “So you dug into my past, did you?”
“Of course not. But given how protective you and Holly are of each other, I can’t imagine you failing your late female on purpose.”
He shook his head. “Anne feared for her life toward the end, what with that man stalking her. I couldn’t make the bloody police see the threat and take it seriously. Only when it was too late, and Anne had been murdered did they look into it.” He moved a hand to run through his hair. “I could’ve moved to a different city to protect my wife. But I had been more concerned about an upcoming promotion and worried about our finances. It all seems ridiculous in retrospect.”
“Your female was murdered by an obsessive stalker, aye? I somehow doubt he would’ve given up easily. Unless you moved to America or some other far off location, he would’ve found you.”
“I don’t know about that,” Ross said. “He probably wouldn’t have trekked to rural Wales to find her.”
Lorna clicked her tongue. “In this day and age, even back when yo
ur wife was taken from you, it’s easy enough to find people with the internet. You would have to change your name and maybe even your appearance to truly disappear. Few can manage that without the government’s help.”
He shook his head. “I refuse to believe there was nothing we could’ve done.”
“Listen to me, Ross Anderson. I know the game of what-ifs better than anyone. I could’ve told Jamie to stay away, or I’d kick him out of the cottage. Or, I could’ve had the doctor convince him I had plenty of time before I would give birth. But I did none of those things. Would he still have flown back in the storm? Maybe, maybe not. But I’m sixty years old and like to think I have some wisdom. Time machines don’t exist, and that’s the only true way a person could change the past.”
Ross tilted his head. “I call bullshit.”
Lorna clicked her tongue. “Watch yourself, Ross. Even without shifting, I can extend a talon or two. You don’t want to upset me.”
“You’re acting as if I’m the unreasonable one, yet you won’t even bloody shift into a dragon even though that’s half of who you are. I think it’s related to Jamie’s death, which means you haven’t accepted the past as much as you would like me to believe.” Lorna hesitated, and he decided to push. “You want to convince me differently? Then shift and prove you’ve moved on. Then you can start lecturing me about my own guilt.”
Lorna searched his eyes. “I’m not sure I like how you’re trying to manipulate me, Ross Anderson. I’m smarter than that.”
“Oh, I know you’re clever. But it doesn’t mean that I won’t try.”
With a snort, Lorna pushed against his chest. “As long as you know you can’t win against me.”
He raised his brows. “Oh, aye? I think I have a few tricks to prove you otherwise. Shift, my dear, and you’ll find out before long. I may even have you begging.”
As Lorna’s pupils flashed, Ross resisted a smile. He’d like to think her beast was on his side. From what he’d gleaned from his time on Lochguard, the dragon halves were extremely sexual. Lorna may be older and out of practice, but Ross was confident that as soon as he had her naked and to himself, Lorna would be a firecracker. Her dragon would only make her more so.
The Dragon's Heart (Lochguard Highland Dragons #3) Page 2
