“Bloody hell, love. I can’t just let it go.”
“You have to. For me. She and I will deal with it.” She raised an eyebrow and tried to divert the subject. “So, Payton was your conference call?”
He studied her for several seconds before shaking his head. “No, Payton was the call that happened ten seconds after I hung up with my conference call. How she always knows when and where to find me is a little disconcerting.”
Charlotte bit back her sudden insecurity.
“What’s the matter, love?”
“Is she in love with you?”
“What? No!”
“Are you in love—”
“No!” he exclaimed. “Bloody hell, lass. No.”
Charlotte stared at her feet in an effort to hide. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.” Niall lifted her chin and stroked her cheek. “You’re it for me. I couldn’t love another woman even if I tried.” He took her hand and laid it against his heart. “Feel.”
She closed her eyes and was humbled by the overwhelming sense of his love for her. She felt silly that she’d even questioned him.
Niall chuckled. “Don’t ever feel silly for your emotions, sweetheart. You are entitled to feel how you feel.”
She felt the heat touch her cheeks as he kissed her palm and then her lips, softly and sweetly. “Where’s your ring?”
“Oh,” she squeaked, and slipped it from her pocket, sliding it back on her finger. “I didn’t want the third degree from my family.”
He frowned, but didn’t object. “Would you like to know why Payton called?”
She shook her head. “You don’t have to tell me.”
“I want to tell you.” He smiled. “Samantha’s pregnant. She will give birth to the heir in about four months.”
“Oh, wow. Is everyone totally excited?”
Niall nodded. “Only family and a few of us considered family know. The official announcement won’t happen until she’s three months in. For the Cauld Ane, that’s the halfway point.”
“What? Pregnancy’s only six months long?”
Niall nodded.
“Ooh, sign me up.”
Niall laughed. “I fully intend to. I’d like twelve bairns, love.”
“Um, no. Two.”
“Six?”
She giggled. “No. Two.”
“All right, twist my arm. Four.” He led her to the sofa and pulled her down beside him. “Now, tell me what happened.”
Charlotte settled her head on his shoulder. “Nothing much. Just found out my dad’s not my dad, and that my mother’s a cheater.”
Niall raised an eyebrow. “We’ll gloss over the mother comment, eh? What do you mean, your father’s not your father?”
Charlotte relayed the story her mother had told her earlier, her heart racing at the horror of being hit. “None of this makes any sense, Nye. I think I’m going mad.”
“Come here, love,” he said, and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her against his chest. “You’re not going mad.”
“Well, then there’s been a frickin’ huge conspiracy going on my entire life.”
“How do you mean?”
“Well, for one, Grace’s mom must have known about it, and I know she’s super open with her kids, so Grace probably knew about it too.” She buried her face in Niall’s chest. “I can’t believe she’s been lying to me too.”
“Baby, you don’t know she has.” He lifted her chin. “Why would you assume Grace would have been told if you weren’t?”
She shrugged. “I have no idea. You’re right. Grace probably wouldn’t have kept something like that from me.”
“Probably?” he challenged. “Don’t borrow trouble. Give her a ring and ask her.”
“You mean, the way you’re planning on calling Max to hash it all out once and for all?”
He frowned.
“Too soon?” she retorted.
“Perhaps a bit.”
“Well, we’ll wait a little while, huh?” Charlotte wrinkled her nose. “I just want to wallow in irritation for a few minutes, then I’ll call Grace.”
“All right, love. Wallow away.” Niall chuckled and pulled her closer. “What else is bugging you?”
“All this crap with my sister. She lied to Mom about Nikolai’s age... par for the course, really, considering she learned to lie from my mom, but still, this guy just doesn’t sound right, you know? Especially knowing what we do now. And my mom was fine with him when she thought he was nineteen. She has no common sense when it comes to men, and Vandi’s following in her footsteps. It’s mind-boggling.”
“Are you going to meet this Nikolai character?”
“If Vandi will let me.”
“Not without me, though, eh?”
“No, Dragon Vanquisher. Not without you.” Charlotte rolled her eyes. “I doubt it’ll happen any time soon. Vandi has suddenly gone quiet on the information front, which I don’t like.”
“She’ll come around.”
“Maybe.” Charlotte glanced up at him. “Can I ask about your conference call, or is it private? I could feel your stress.”
“Not much to tell, love. Just a shipment that has been delayed.”
She snuggled back against his chest. “So, would you think it forward of me if I asked to stay here tonight?”
Niall laughed. “Terribly.”
She smiled. “So, that’s a yes, then?”
“Of course it’s a yes.” He kissed her temple. “You’ll need to give me a few minutes to hide the breakables, though.”
“That only happens if we make out.”
“My point exactly.”
She cocked her head. “Well, now who’s being forward?”
“Damn straight.” He leaned down with a grin. “Maybe I will bind you here.”
“I really am okay with you doing that,” she said.
“You are? Even with the threat of pain?”
She nodded. “Can we? Tonight?”
He grimaced. “I really feel like we need to wait.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s important you’re safe.”
Charlotte frowned. “Does it irritate your friends?”
“What?”
“You being so damn noble all the time.”
“Believe me, nobility has nothing to do with it,” he said.
She shifted so she could straddle his hips. “Come on, baby, you know you want this as much as I do.” She grinned and leaned down to kiss him.
He broke the kiss and settled his hands on her thighs. “I do want this. But I also want you to feel safe, and if you’re in pain, I want you taken care of.”
“You’ll take care of me,” she argued as she ran her lips across his neck.
“Of course I will. But I know the other women have felt better with people around them who have gone through this.” He grasped her hips. “Sweetheart, we need to slow down.”
She let out a low growl and shook her head. Niall felt her frustration and heard a rather unique curse word when he pulled her freezing cold hands from the waistband of his pants. “Baby, I can’t do this here,” he repeated.
“Yes, you can.”
Niall cupped her chin, bringing her face level to his. Her eyes fluttered red. She tried to pull away, but he held firm. “Look at me, Charlotte.”
She did, albeit reluctantly.
“Það er allt í lagi. Róaðu þig. Þú ert örugg.” (It’s okay. Calm yourself. You are safe.)
Her pupils dilated and her breathing increased, so Niall repeated his instruction. He stumbled over the words slightly, since he wasn’t used to speaking Icelandic, but he had a feeling that in order for her rage to settle, he had to use the ancient language to calm her. He didn’t know why the phrase popped into his head, but he went with it.
Her irises blazed red as she scowled. “Nei, þú færð ekki að gera kröfur, Niall. Þú ræður ekki yfir mér.” (No, you do not get to make demands, Niall. You cannot control me.)
&n
bsp; “Charlotte, þú ert ofsafenginn. Róaðu þig niður.” (Charlotte, you are raging. Calm down.)
“Nei!” Charlotte snapped as she stood, her hands fisted at her sides.
Niall rose to his feet and took her hand, which she pulled from his grip rather violently. He was at a loss as to what to do. She was strong, both physically and emotionally, and he was overwhelmed with what she was projecting.
Baby, I really need you to calm down.
Her eyes flashed to blue for less than a second and then went back to red. With no other ideas, Niall wrapped his arms around her and kissed her again. He felt her body respond before her mind as she molded into him. Within minutes, he wondered if this was such a good idea. She was surprisingly fast at divesting him of his shirt.
“Charlotte,” he said against her mouth. Her lips traveled to his neck, while her hands slid to his chest. “Baby?”
“Þú talar allt of mikið” (you talk too much), she complained, and kissed him again.
Niall realized he had no power over her... or himself at this point, so he lifted her high enough for her to wrap her legs around his waist and carried her into the bedroom. He’d sort out how she spoke Icelandic later. Now was a time to distract her. If he couldn’t bring her out of her trance, he’d just have to bind her.
CHARLOTTE FELT PANIC seconds before her dream came into focus.
The warrior appeared before her and smiled, which made her heart race even faster.
“Nye?” she whispered. “I’m afraid.”
Strong arms wrapped around her, felt but not seen, and she stared up at the familiar face of the man who’d been haunting her dreams. He was looking behind her, so she followed his line of sight and gasped. Blake Harris stood there, his hands fisted at his sides and his face contorted with rage. Before she could react, her attention was pulled back to the giant.
“Ekki vera hrædd, litla,” he said. “Pabbi mun vernda þig.” (Do not be afraid, little one. Papa will protect you.)
“But who are you?” The man began to disappear and she panicked again. “Wait.”
“Ég mun sjá þig fljótlega.”
“What do you mean you’ll see me soon? Where are you going?” she called, but he melted into the mist, as did Blake.
Charlotte forced her eyes open, her breath coming in short pants.
“Charlotte?”
“Hmm?”
“You okay?” Niall rolled her to face him, his arms still firmly around her.
His chest was bare, and she couldn’t help herself from reaching over and touching him. His skin was so smooth and taut, his muscles beyond “cut.”
“Wow,” she rasped, and sat up, realizing she was in her bra and underwear, under the covers. “Why am I naked?”
“You’re not really naked, love,” Niall countered.
She pulled the sheet to her chest. “Why am I in my underwear, then?”
Niall smiled. “Because after you ripped my shirt to pieces, you started in on your clothes. I managed to keep you from destroying your jeans, but your top is a goner.”
“I did this?”
“Aye, lass, you did. You divested us of most of our clothing, all the while speaking Icelandic. Quite remarkable, actually. I managed to get you to sleep, but for a minute there, I thought I’d have to bind you.”
She flopped back on the pillows and covered her face with her hands. “What is going on with me?”
“I don’t know.” Niall pulled her closer, leaning down to kiss her quickly. “I think I’m going to have to bind you soon, though. Either that, or we’ll be forced to keep our distance. I only brought a limited amount of clothing, and I’d rather not have to go shopping while I’m here.”
Charlotte ran her fingers over his stubbly chin. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry, love. Last night was fun, even if it was a little frustrating.”
“Have you ever seen anything like this before?”
He shook his head. “No, but I’m probably not the one to ask.”
“Why? Because you haven’t slept with a lot of women?”
“No, because I haven’t slept with any.”
“What?” she exclaimed. “Seriously? Why not? I mean, not that I would want you to or anything, but you’re like a million years old, a famous musician, and groupies are whores.”
“Aye, they can be.” He settled his head in the palm of his hand. “And a million might be a bit harsh.”
“Okay, only hundreds,” she joked.
He grinned. “When I turned twenty-five, I made a choice to wait. I couldn’t bring myself to sully a woman who wasn’t mine, and I didn’t want to disrespect my future mate by sleeping with a human just because I could. I saw the state of the women Max left in his wake. So, I didn’t.”
She sighed. “Are you for real?”
He chuckled. “It doesn’t mean I wasn’t tempted, sweetheart. I am still a man.”
“But you had self-control. Most men don’t.” She smiled. “It just makes me love you more.” She groaned. “Shit!”
“What?”
“I wanted the first time I told you I loved you to be romantic.”
“It is, love.” He leaned down and kissed her. “Say it again.”
She grinned. “I love you.”
He kissed her again. “I love you too.”
Charlotte tugged him closer, wrapping her arms around his back and kissing him deeply. Things were just getting interesting when her phone rang. She ignored it and ran her hands down Niall’s chest. Without warning, he slid from the bed and held his hands out to keep her from following. “Take a minute,” he suggested.
She sighed. “I’m okay, babe. But you’re right. Let’s get up and order room service. I’m starving.”
He smiled. “I love that idea.”
She sat up and climbed off the mattress. “Do you have a shirt I could borrow?”
“What, and cover up the best view I’ve ever had?” he challenged.
She shrugged. “Hey, you won’t bind me, so no gawking at the sweater yams until that happens.”
He laughed as he handed her a T-shirt. “Sweater yams?”
“It’s a line from a television show, I think. I don’t know. Grace and I use it all the time... it seems appropriate on occasion.”
“It’s funny.” He leaned down and kissed her quickly.
She ran her finger over the birthmark on his ribcage. “Have you always had this?”
“Aye, lass. All Cauld Ane men do.” He glanced to where her fingers were. “A birthmark of some sort, that is.”
“Really? It looks like a pineapple.”
He chuckled. “Me mum used to say she thought it looked like the Scottish thistle. She said it was proof of where I was from.”
“That’s so sweet.”
He nodded. “Do you like it?”
“Yes, why?”
“Because you will have the same one once we’re bound.”
“I will?”
He nodded and touched her ribs. “It will mirror mine.”
She sighed. “So, no chance of it morphing into an American flag, then?”
He laughed. “No, but that would be something, eh?”
Charlotte nodded as she ran her fingers over his mark again. “I love it.”
He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Let’s eat.”
Niall ordered room service while Charlotte checked her messages. Davis had called her about the weekend church services, but asked her to call him back rather than respond via e-mail. She dialed his number.
“Charlie, hi,” he said. “Thanks for getting back to me so quickly.”
“No problem,” she said. “What’s up?”
“Well, I have a bit of a dilemma.”
Charlotte chuckled. “Uh-oh, that sounds ominous.”
“Two of my vocalists bailed as did our drummer, and I’m having a devil of a time finding anyone to fill in. It’s a big weekend this weekend, and we’re a little frantic.”
Both Kris and
Rose attended Davis’s church and Charlotte and Grace had sung there on occasion, but Charlotte had always felt it was too big for her...not that she went to church as much as she probably should.
“Anyway, Kris mentioned you might know a drummer, and I could really use you as well.”
“I’m not sure the drummer I know has ever played worship music, so I’m not sure he’d even want to do it, but let me ask him and I’ll call you back, okay?”
“No problem,” Davis said. “And you? Will you save me? I’ll pay you.”
Charlotte smiled. “Yes, Davy, I’ll save you.”
“Thanks, Charlie. Okay, just let me know about the drummer.”
“I will. ’Bye.” Charlotte hung up just as Niall did. “Can you play anything?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Is this random-question Thursday?”
She grinned. “Yes.”
“Okay, I’m game,” he said, and sat on the sofa. “Yes, I can play anything. Why?”
She joined him. “I don’t mean as in instruments. I mean songs. We need a drummer for the weekend and I’ve been asked to sing.”
“I’ve never played in church,” he mused.
She frowned. “That’s what I thought. It’s fine, I’ll let Davis know.”
Niall grabbed her arm. “That doesn’t mean I can’t or wouldn’t like to.”
“Really?”
“Aye, lass. I rather fancy the idea of hearing you sing, especially if I get to stare at your lovely bottom for an entire weekend.”
Charlotte giggled. “You’ll be behind plexiglass, so I don’t know how much of a view you’ll get.”
“I have my ways.”
“I bet you do.” She smiled. “So, can I tell Davis yes?”
“Aye, lass, you can.” He checked his watch. “Do you have a local music shop where I can purchase a few things? I will need sticks and a pedal.”
“Yep. There’s a Guitar Center in Portland,” she said as she grabbed her phone and texted the worship pastor. “We can go today if you want.”
“Perfect.”
“Do you travel with your in-ears? If not, we’ll have to get you some.”
“I have mine. I use them for a lot more than playing. They’re much better than headphones or ear buds to listen to music or watch movies. I also try to be prepared in case of situations like this.”
She leaned over and kissed him. “You’re a regular boy scout, aren’t you?”
Bound by Dreams (Cauld Ane Series, #5) Page 14
