by Dare, Lydia
"Ye're incorrigible."
"Hmm," he agreed, lightly kissing her lips. "One of my better qualities."
"Ben, dinner's gettin' cold."
After devouring his meat pie, Ben looked at the blueberry cobbler in front of him. Even as tired of blueberries as he was, it smelled wonderful.
Across the table, Elspeth kept her eyes on him, making certain he ate every berry on his plate. She was more vigilant than his old governess, a whole lot prettier, too. "I promise to eat every bite, Ellie." He brought a forkful to his mouth.
She momentarily glanced down at her plate. "Where did ye go with Alec MacQuarrie this afternoon?"
"I might have a surprise of my own," he said, before shoveling in more cobbler.
Her green eyes widened. "A surprise?"
One he would be happy to give her when the time was right. The thoughtful gift from Sorcha went a long way toward a peace offering. Now he was even more convinced that he'd done the right thing when he'd bought the large plot of land outside of town earlier in the day. "But I'm not ready to tell you about it yet."
He still had a few things to work out. Still, it seemed almost preordained when he and Alec
happened
upon architect John Burton on Queen Street later that afternoon. If he didn't know better, he would think his old friend had somehow set up the chance encounter. The meeting turned into lunch, which turned into Mr. Burton promising Ben a set of designs for a large Gothic Revival mansion in the Scottish baronial style. That is,
if
Ben decided to build.
He could almost envision Elspeth in their new home now, standing on a veranda and looking up at the moon. They would be happy there for at least half the year.
"Well, in that case, once ye finish dinner, I'll need ta get ye in bed—"
"I'm done," he said, pushing away from the table.
He'd never tire of her innocent blushes. "
Havers
, Ben! I have an ointment I need ta apply ta ye."
He made no attempt to hide his lascivious grin. "An ointment, you say?"
She nodded.
"And you're going to apply it to my skin?"
Elspeth picked up the dishes from the dinner table and started toward the kitchen. "It's made of aloe and ginger and geranium—"
"More flowers?" he asked with a frown.
She dropped the dishes by the stove and turned to face him. "I canna help it that the healin' properties I need are found in flowers, Ben. The aloe plant is ruled by the moon, and its healin' uses are well known. The ginger is ta increase energy. Also ruled by the moon, the geranium will increase yer confidence."
"My confidence?"
She stepped toward him. "Ye
are
a Lycan, Ben. That hasna changed. Ye need ta believe in yerself, in yer ability ta transform. The willow in the bed should help with that as well. Willow contains the strongest natural properties for shape-shifting."
So Sorcha's gift hadn't really been to help him get a better night's sleep. No matter, he'd still make the best use out of the bed. "So this ointment," he began, tracing her lip with a finger. "Will you apply it for me? Or will you leave me to my own devices?"
Elspeth kissed his finger and wrapped her arms around his middle. "It would be best if ye had a healer rub it inta yer skin."
"What luck," he replied with a wink. "I happen to know a healer."
"Do ye, indeed?" she giggled.
"Hmm. The prettiest girl in all of Scotland." He scooped her up in his arms and started for their new willow bed.
"Ben!" She swatted at his chest. "The ointment."
"We'll get to it later," he growled.
Thirty-three
Arm in arm with Sorcha, Elspeth walked through the Ferguson orangery. The wonderful scents of tropical plants and flowering bushes were delightful. "So do ye think the bed worked?" Sorcha asked.
Elspeth had to look away, knowing her blush would give her away. "Aye, the bed worked just fine." It had worked even better than she'd planned, in fact. With all the extra space, Ben had done things to her that she'd never imagined were possible.
Sorcha stopped in front of a bush and lovingly ran her fingers over a bud. Instantly it doubled in size then opened to reveal a breathtaking white orchid.
"Will ye stop tryin' ta show off?" Rhiannon said from behind them.
Elspeth couldn't help but laugh as Sorcha puffed herself up. "What are ye doin' here already?"
Rhiannon shrugged. "Cait said this was when we were ta meet."
They were meeting? Elspeth hadn't gotten a summons. "Do ye ken why?" she wondered aloud. Caitrin had been fairly surly when they'd lunched the day before, and she had no desire to hear another long list of complaints about her husband.
"She's been so irritable lately, I dinna ask."
Elspeth couldn't blame her. "Rhi, since ye're here, I wanted ta ask ye a favor for tomorrow night."
"The full moon?" Rhiannon questioned, one eyebrow rose in question.
"Aye. Can ye make it a clear night? I'd like ta keep the clouds from interferin'."
Rhiannon grasped her hand. "Ye doona even have to ask, El. I already had it planned. Yer wolf willna have any problems with the weather."
She couldn't quite believe it. They'd all been so opposed to Ben not that long ago. "Have ye had a change in heart about my husband, then?"
"He seems ta make ye happy."
More than she could have ever imagined, his moodiness notwithstanding. "Aye, he does."
"And he was so nice ta me yesterday," Sorcha said with a smile. "And he's so handsome. I'm wonderin' if I can find a Lycan of my own. Dinna ye say he has brothers?"
Before Elspeth could even reply to that, Caitrin called from the door. "There ye are. I should have known Sorcha would be holdin' court in here." She walked farther into the orangery with Blaire following in her wake and turned to Sorcha. "And, no, ye canna have a Lycan of yer very own."
Sorcha's bottom lip poked out.
"Why did ye call us together, Cait?" Elspeth asked, crossing her arms across beneath her breasts. She was a bit unsure of how to respond, since Caitrin hadn't even bothered to call her for the meeting. Had she thought El wouldn't come?
"I had a vision." Cait's gaze rose sharply to meet Elspeth's.
Elspeth raised a hand and forced a sarcastic gasp. "About me? No!" She lowered her arms and moved to walk past them all. "I doona want ta hear it."
Caitrin's hand clutched her arm in a furious grip as she walked by. "Ye have ta hear it. Ye doona have a choice."
"I doona want ta hear ye speak poorly of Ben," Elspeth hissed as she shook Cait loose from her arm. "Ye may no' like it, but he's my husband."
"And ye'd put him before yer own safety, because ye want ta help him. We'll no' let ye do that." Elspeth's eyes searched through the faces of the girls present, surprised to see that none of them, not a single one, would meet her gaze.
"All of ye plan ta interfere? That's the way of it?"
"I wouldna call it interferin'…" Sorcha kicked a clump of dirt in her path.
"We need ta ken what ta expect on the night of the full moon," Caitrin said bluntly.
"I doona ken what ta expect myself !" Elspeth cried. "I have never attempted ta heal a broken Lycan!"
"I can get a clearer vision of it if ye'll let me look inta yer future."
"I'll no' participate," Elspeth said. "Ye can plan my future without me." She stomped past them and toward the door.
Caitrin's voice stopped her. "I did see somethin'."
Elspeth stopped, her hand on the doorknob. She didn't turn to look back at them. "What did ye see?"
Elspeth's heart nearly broke when she heard Caitrin's voice crack. "I saw him hurt ye."
Elspeth didn't turn back. She stepped through the door and closed it behind her. Only when it was firmly shut did she allow herself to rest heavily against the surface and drop her face into her hands.
Ben paced back and forth in fro
nt of Elspeth's little cottage. He'd started inside the house but had quickly become overwhelmed by the diminutive size of the dwelling. He felt as though the walls were closing in around him. He'd never felt such a huge desire to be outdoors.
Whatever Elspeth had been doing, it was working. He'd never felt his Lycan side quite as strongly as he did at that moment. He'd worked all day to tamp it down, but he had to admit he loved the feeling. He'd thought he'd lost it forever. He thought that side of himself was gone, but it wasn't.
Elspeth had found it for him. She'd healed him with her silly flower baths, ointments, and blueberries. And she'd healed him with her heart.
He had no doubt that she was his Lycan mate. In his mind's eye he saw himself with her under the light of the full moon. The shadows would part and the moonlight would shine upon her light skin. There he would strip her bare in front of him and take her as his mate. He would pierce her flesh with his teeth and make her his.
Ben grew more and more aroused as his mind wandered. It was physically painful to think about taking Elspeth under the light of the full moon. Twenty-four more hours and he would be one with her; he would press into her body and she would lovingly accept him just as he was.
He imagined her opening her body to him, wrapping her legs around his waist.
The sound of a carriage drew him from his lustful thoughts. He groaned as MacQuarrie's coach rumbled to a stop in the drive. MacQuarrie was the last person he wanted to see. The driver hopped down and opened the door. Ben pressed the heel of his hand against his erection, mentally willing himself to calm down. He buttoned his coat and adjusted the folds to hide the tent of his trousers.
Elspeth's red head popped out of the coach. He would have to thank his old friend for the loan of his carriage. He hated the thought of her walking home when nightfall was approaching.
Then MacQuarrie stepped out behind her. What was she doing alone with Alec?
Elspeth smiled softly and crossed to him, rising on tiptoe to touch her lips to his.
"Where have you been?" he asked. Even he could hear the tone of his voice and knew it was too abrasive, but he couldn't seem to help himself. "With MacQuarrie?"
"No." She smiled, sliding an arm around his waist to turn toward Alec. "Mr. MacQuarrie stopped and offered me a ride home when I left Sorcha's. Thank ye," she said softly to him.
Ben tipped her chin up with a crooked finger. Her beautiful green eyes were rimmed with red, and her nose was abraded, maybe from blowing it. "What happened to you?" he barked. His gaze immediately rose to Alec. "What did you do to her?"
Elspeth's clutch on his arm grew tighter when it appeared he would have charged Alec. "I'll tell ye inside." She turned toward the house. "Thank ye again, Mr. MacQuarrie."
"Any time, Lady Elspeth." The man had the nerve to wink at her. A low growl burned in Ben's throat. With a question in his gaze, Alec asked, "See you tomorrow, Ben?"
Ben ignored him and ushered Elspeth through the door. She disentangled herself from his grasp.
"Why have you been crying?" he growled.
"Oh, it's nothin'," she said and absently waved her hand. It was definitely not
nothing
to him. Anger washed over him and was nearly as potent as his lust. The two emotions warred to determine which would ride the surface of his mind. He raked his hand through his hair.
He crossed the room to her and pulled her into his arms. "It's not
nothing
if it makes you cry." She relaxed against him, which helped to ease his anger a bit, but not the lust that crowded his mind.
His hands moved to her bodice and began to quickly untie her laces.
"Now, Ben?" she laughed. "I'm barely in the door!"
"You're in far enough," he growled.
The red around the corners of his vision should have warned him that he was too far gone. It should have told him that he wasn't himself. It should have told him that he was out of control. But he was too far gone to pay it any heed.
He met a stubborn knot in the laces that held her dress closed and lowered his teeth to it. He bit cleanly through the material with one bite.
"Oh, Ben!" Elspeth cried. "Doona ruin my dress!" Her fingers rose to finish the job he'd started. He batted them away before he simply tore the gown in two. The sound of rendered material hung in the air.
Ben stopped and closed his eyes tightly.
"Are ye all right, Ben?" Her soft hand touched his face. He turned his head and nipped her palm. He closed his eyes tightly.
"I'm all right," he said slowly. Was he?
Ben cupped her face and pressed his lips to hers. He took her mouth with much more force than he'd ever taken another. But she merely met his tongue without complaint. Inside, the beast in him rejoiced.
He drew her bottom lip between his teeth and nipped it.
"Ow!" she cried, raising a hand to her mouth.
"I'm sorry," he immediately confessed, a twinge of guilt making him wince. "I didn't mean to hurt you."
"Slow down a bit, will ye?" she smiled. "I think I need ta catch up."
Slow down? He would sooner chop off a limb. If he didn't have her soon, he would explode. Her dress lay in a heap at her feet while she stood before him in her chemise and drawers. He removed them quickly and efficiently before he lifted her in his arms and walked to the bedroom.
He tossed her into the middle of the bed and climbed atop her. With a quick flip of his thumb, he released himself from his trousers and pressed against her.
"Ben?" She stopped him.
Did she say something? He'd ask her to repeat it later. He was very close to completion. He was close to taking her. He was close to being inside her. He growled as he bent his head and pulled her nipple into his mouth.
"Easy, Ben!" she gasped. "That's a bit rough."
He eased his grasp on her and took her hips in his palms, tipping them so he could slide his full length into her at once.
"Ouch!" she cried from beneath him. She wiggled her body until she slid from beneath him, where she could rest against the headboard, her legs drawn up to her chest, clutching them tightly.
"I want you," he growled as he reached for her.
"Oh, ye remember I'm in the room now, do ye?" she spit at him before she scooted to the edge of the bed and stood up. Light suffused the room. "Look at me," she commanded, her biting tone pulling him from his single-minded objective.
He ran his gaze from her disheveled fiery hair to her breasts, which wore red marks from his rough kisses. He clearly saw the outline of his hands on her hips. Thank God she didn't have bruises.
"What have I done?" he asked as he stood up and raked a frantic hand through his hair.
"It's all right, Ben," she said, her finger trailing down his forearm. "I want ye ta make love ta me. Ye just need ta slow down a bit."
"It's too close to the moon," he snapped. "I can't be in control this close to the moon."
"Ye can, Ben," she encouraged him.
He'd come close to bruising her beautiful flesh, and she still wanted him.
