HighlandHeat (12 page)

“A little this, a little that.”

“I seriously doubt there was anything little about what you
two did. I don’t want to know the details, but tell me how, after all that time
passed actively involved in more intimate pursuits shall we say, she doesn’t
know you have the horns of a ram. They are out when you come and I assume you
did quite a bit of that during your time together.”

“A mixture of things. If it wasn’t dark or the light on her
alone, then her hands were confined so she couldn’t touch me. Other times I
focused on keeping them from unfurling. I have to figure those were all enough
because she didn’t mention it during our conversation. She’ll see me again, so
I have to assume she still doesn’t know about them.”

“Oh man, I’m surprised you were able to pull it off.”

“Tell me about it. To me, it seemed like they were always
there, curled about my head and trying to impress her. I’ve never had to work
so hard to keep them hidden. That is a big problem because she likes my hair
and keeps trying to run her fingers through it.”

“Really?”

“Alain, I can’t explain to you how much I wanted to allow
her to do that. I almost relented at one point because I wanted so badly to
feel her hands on my horns.” Hamish couldn’t stop himself from rubbing a finger
over the blunt tip of the bone as he imaged her hands on him.

“Seriously? You hardly know her—”

“She’s a good person, Alain. You’ve seen that for yourself.”
Wanting to believe she wouldn’t turn from him and his horns in revulsion wasn’t
enough to push Hamish over the edge and tell her all of his secrets outright.
That was too big a step to make right now, maybe ever. “We’re going out to
dinner tonight.”

“That sounds good, if you can figure out how to get those
things down and to stay down.”

“You know to some extent I can keep the bones from pushing
for air by controlling my emotional responses to various things. For the past
couple of days I’ve tried everything to keep her from seeing them. It wasn’t
easy to do though. All the energy I spent doing this was exhausting. Maybe
because my attention was fully on her, pleasing her, I found it even more
difficult to do. In time, the random headaches the fighting against my nature
rolled in to one big one. I was weak and couldn’t let her discover the truth
that way.”

“Not that I don’t already know the answer, but I have to
ask. Was it worth it?”

“Let me tell you, Alain, no matter how much it hurt, it was
worth it to eat dinner with her in bed, take a shower with her, everyday things
lovers do together.”

“You haven’t had to expend so much energy to keep them down
since you were a kid.”

“It hurts more to do it now than it ever did back then.”

“Maybe because the horns are larger.”

“Could be, but I think there might be something more to it.”

“Like what?”

“I’m not exactly sure. When I think about sex, then Grace
comes to mind and the horns appear. When I think of how I’m going to spend my
day, there’s Grace. You see, all of sudden Grace and my life are all mixed up
together.”

“But you two just met, fucked quite a bit, talked a little.
That isn’t knowing a person. How can she be imbedded in your life so deeply, so
quickly?”

“I don’t have a clue how it happened, only that it did and
I’m not unhappy about it. It’s like we’re connected in some way and with that
brought out a new dynamic to my horns.”

“Explain.” Alain took another sip and turned to look at him.

“I’ll try. I see her, I need her and the horns push out for
air without delay. Of course my emotions are soaring out of control and that
could be a part of the bones coming out. Although I don’t think so. I’ve been
thinking about this and I keep coming back to the same idea. Remember at the
party when I said it felt like I was hunting something?” He waited for Alain’s
nod before going on. “Well, I was. It’s almost as if the part of me that is an
animal takes over where she’s concerned. I swear Alain, it’s like my horns have
a mind of their own and want to get her attention with their presence.”

“Shit, that’s weird, Hamish.”

“I know it. At the same time as the ram side is there,
trying to impress her with the horns, my body is doing the same thing with my
cock. Look at this. I’m still hard after two days with her.”

“Interesting. You may be on the right track.”

“I think so. I’ve become complacent about my horns over the
years, but I can’t remember them ever having pushed to be free so forcefully
before. With Grace, I have to struggle to keep them down and I’m not winning
the fight.”

“You might be right about it having to do with her. She’s
the one thing that’s new in your life.”

“If I need an answer for what’s happening, then it works for
me. That said, I don’t think I need to find answers or make excuses. What I
feel isn’t just physical. She makes me happy and allows me to think anything is
possible.”

“Be careful, Hamish. Seriously, if we were back home I
wouldn’t be so worried. Down here in London, so far from family and friends, I
don’t know. I just don’t have a good feeling about you being out in public with
the very person who’s making it difficult for you to keep them hidden.”

“Don’t worry, I have a plan. If I think it’s going to get
out of control, I’ll leave. What a fucking pain in the ass.” He didn’t want to
think about having to leave Grace at a moment’s notice, not after how she felt
this morning, waking up without him.

“I know it is.”

“It’s infuriating. I had to leave my woman all alone this
morning because of the horns. I hated having to do that and now I have to consider
doing it again.”

“Don’t worry. Those bones are nobody’s business except your
own and whomever you choose to tell about them. You’ll know when it’s right for
her to see them.”

“You’re right, you’re right, I’m just frustrated.”

“Okay, keep cool because getting pissed won’t do you any
good. I’m going to leave you to relax and get those things down before you need
to go out. Call me if you need anything. I’m staying down here for at least
another week, possibly longer.”

“You don’t have to stay on my behalf. I know you can’t stand
spending time down here in London.”

“No, work and stuff are keeping me here.”

“Stuff?”

“Leave it, Hamish.”

“Come on, Alain, I spill my guts about Grace and you listen,
then you help me figure it out. Why won’t you let me do the same for you?”

“Because I’m older than you, that’s why.”

“Bullshit!”

“Maybe, but for now it’s the only answer I have for you.”

“Go away, Alain.”

“I’m going. Let me know how everything works out tonight.”

“Possibly.”

“Have fun tonight.” His cousin laughed all the way to the
front door. “Tell Grace I said ‘hi’.”

“Yeah, yeah. Go!”

As soon as the door clicked shut, Hamish put his empty mug
on the coffee table and stretched out on the couch. With his arms folded
beneath his head, he closed his eyes and settled on an image of Grace, sleeping
curled on her side on his bed upstairs. He pictured himself walking in and
snuggling up behind her, pulling her close to his body and sleeping.

Hamish slept peacefully, calmed by the pictures in his
imagination, only to wake hours later feeling refreshed and on target for being
late for his date.

“Shit!” Looking over at the clock on the mantle, he saw it
was already six-thirty and dashed upstairs. As he took the stairs two at a
time, he ran his hands through his hair at the side of his head and found just
ridges. Those were okay, his hair would definitely keep these covered. He
pulled his t-shirt over his head, dropped it on the bedroom floor and stripped
off his sweatpants while turning on the shower.

In double quick time he showered, dressed, and in less than
forty minutes, was making his way through the city center’s evening traffic.
The slight panic dissipated the minute he pulled up in front of Frivolity and
saw Grace standing behind the front desk.

Stepping out of his car, he walked up to the locked door and
tapped on the window. The smile that spread across her face as soon as she
recognized him brought a sense of satisfaction and rightness to him. This was
his woman. With her came a sense of contentment. She made him happy, was
intelligent and enjoyed her work. And, wow, she had incredible cleavage.

When she walked toward him carrying her coat and purse, all
he noticed was the dark line separating her breasts. The black dress she wore
clung gently to her curves and showed her to be the feminine delight she truly
was. Using a key, she unlocked the door, turned off a few lights and left
others on before leaving.

Hamish didn’t see any reason to deny himself the pleasure of
pulling her close. He kissed both her cheeks and then softly on her lips. This
wasn’t a night about passion. It was much more than that. Tonight was the next
step in claiming her as his mate. They knew each other intimately, now it was
time to start letting her see what was inside him and having the opportunity to
explore her further.

“You look beautiful.” It was a simple compliment and very
true.

“Thank you.”

“Do you have a particular curry house in mind?”

“Have you ever been to Tamarind on Queen’s Street, off
Curzon?”

“No, you like it?”

“They have a great biryani.”

“Sounds delicious to me.” She had an addictive sparkle in
her eyes that drew him in even further. Hamish didn’t want it to end.

“It’s not far, you want to walk there?”

“If it isn’t too cold for you.”

“No, the fresh air will be nice after spending all day in
the shop.” Slipping her arm through his, they started down Old Bond Street and
took a casual stroll along Piccadilly. As expected, she felt immediately at
ease in his company. It could’ve been awkward, their having spent a couple of
days indulging themselves and their desires, but it wasn’t.

She breathed in the cool night air and allowed her mind to
clear and go where it wanted. There’d been a few times today when she’d caught
her breath while thinking how quickly and deeply she was falling for him. She
didn’t feel any embarrassment or shame for having had wild and wicked sex with
him so soon after meeting him. Nor would she dwell endlessly over her decision
to hand her trust back to him. Hamish Buchanan was special. There was more of
him for her to uncover.

As they headed for dinner, Grace knew that if he turned to
her and suggested they go back to his or her place, she would. It was simple
really, she’d do anything to be naked and under his control again.

However, when they weren’t up on the top floor of his house
playing their games, she’d like to spend time getting to know the man who made
her feel so much. He made her think, dream and wonder about a life with him and
how far they could take what they had together. There was something in him that
made her feel that whatever was happening between them was about more than sex.
This was her chance to delve in and unearth all his secrets. She was looking
forward to making her discoveries.

They were walking down the famous street at a comfortable
pace. She was very aware of him and how they moved together like a couple and
it felt good. Then he took the closeness she was experiencing a step further
and excitement bubbled up.

“How was your day?” He asked, leaning down to hear her
answer and looked genuinely interested. This was what he’d done that first day
at his home. He’d put her at ease by talking with her about everyday things.
She liked this about him.

“Great. I worked with a couple of customers and was able to
get some new drawings finished.”

“Tell me how it goes from your imagination to a hat atop
someone’s head?”

Her heart picked up the pace when he placed a hand over
hers, holding her connected to him. It was a simple move to make, and yet with
that minimal connection, she felt herself being emotionally drawn closer to
him. This was definitely the man she enjoyed spending time with and no longer
felt guilty about skipping work to be with him.

“These bloody horns! Alain, what can I do? I love Grace.
Love her and can’t bear the thought of her not being in my life, at my side, in
my bed. Shit! This is the woman I think about having children with and I can’t
stand the thought of her walking away from me!”

Not since they were young and discovering girls had he seen
Hamish so filled with anger over his lot in life. Alain watched as the other
man paced his office while he speared his fingers through his hair. Frustration
was obvious and Alain knew he had to do something before his cousin pulled his
hair out. Then there’d be no chance of hiding the horns.

He turned away and looked out the office window, searching
for something to say. This man was not merely his cousin, he was his best
friend. He’d do anything for him. Unfortunately, Alain knew he was going to
have to get tough and hand an ugly reality sandwich to him.

He might not know all that went on between them as a couple,
but one thing was clear to him. Grace wasn’t the problem, his cousin was.

“Hamish, have you two spent much time together out of that
playroom of yours? How can you be so sure of what she means to you if all you
know about her is discovered through is sex?” Of course, Alain knew Hamish
wasn’t merely sowing his wild oats. He’d understood from the beginning the
little blonde had a hold on his cousin as no other woman had before. The night
they met, he’d made a point to phone their grandmum Maisie and give her the
latest development. The older woman had been excited to hear about what had
happened at the charity event.

“Of course we have. We’ve been out on dates, talked about
everything, well, almost everything. I freely admit there’s been no shortage of
time spent upstairs. What can I say, Alain, she does that to me. It’s getting
easier, but I still have to work to keep my horns from bursting out at the mere
sight of her. The other night I walked into the room, it was completely dark
and I couldn’t see her, but I heard her breathing and out they came.”

“Would it be so bad to tell her the truth? I met her that
first morning when she wasn’t at her best and a handful of times since, she
seems to be an intelligent and decent woman who wouldn’t be quick to judge
another. Think about it, she’s Scottish and must know about the circumstances
surrounding your birth. The horns may not be such a shock.”

“I know, and yet I couldn’t stand it if she ever looked at
me with disgust or fear. No, those are two things I never want to happen. Grace
brings such an immense amount of joy and love into my world. For my own good
sense, I can’t risk her ever going away.”

Alain heard the pain in Hamish’s statement and collapsed in
the chair opposite his brooding cousin. He felt all the air leave his lungs in
one whoosh. He was shocked. This was the first time he’d ever heard Hamish
speak this way. His cousin had always faced the world head on and won every time.
The only weakness he knew the man held was in regards to his mum and what she’d
suffered.

Catriona’s horrible death had been a terrible price for a
baby to pay, and then being infected by the animals that had killed her only
added to the pain. However, there was something more to the man’s true
character than the tragedy surrounding his birth. He knew Hamish blamed his
horns for his father’s suicide. Maybe this had left a larger mark on his cousin
than any of them ever realized.

With Maisie at the helm, they’d all surrounded him, giving
the boy love and a strong sense of self-respect. Even through all this time,
none of the doctors and nurses who helped save him and cared so much for him
had ever revealed his secret. With so much support around him, Alain never
considered that Hamish might suffer from insecurity. It surprised him. His
cousin was always a pillar of strength, a true leader, sure of himself. He
always knew where he was headed and didn’t care what others outside the family
thought.

Until now. Until Grace.

Because emotions were running close to the surface, Alain
began with a softer approach than he’d planned a few moments ago.

“Talk to her. You understand people and can see beneath the
public veneer they wear better than anyone else. Do you truly believe she’d
shun you?”

“No, I don’t think she would. She’s a strong, smart woman, a
survivor. There isn’t a shallow or cruel bone in her body. All the same, I’m
not sure I can risk losing her because of these things.” Hamish raised his
hands and rubbed them over the boned ridges lying beneath his hair.

The past couple of months had been difficult trying to keep
them hidden from his lover. That said, he was glad for every second he had with
Grace and wouldn’t trade them for anything. He had memories of her, their time
together and would always hold them close, no matter what. Although, he
admitted to himself that he’d much rather hold on to her than recollections of
their time together.

“Hamish, this isn’t you. You’re a great man, confident, full
of power and self-assurance. I look up to you because at all times you know
what you want and have no problems taking hold of it with both hands. Get off
your ass and go over there. Talk to her!”

“I’ve already told her I’ll be there later. Today’s her big
day. She’s going to receive a royal warra—”

“Fuck all that, Hamish! Get in your car and go over there
now. This is the woman you love, right?” Hamish was surprised the usually calm
and lighthearted man acting so irritated with him, he could only nod and wait
to see what happened next.

“Go, support her, be there for her, show her she means
something to you outside of that dark bedroom of yours, and for fuck’s sake,
talk to her!”

“Alain, are you shouting at me?”

“Yes, I am! This man sitting here, willing to accept the
fact that he can’t reach out for what he knows will make him happy, is not my
cousin.”

Silence followed the unusual burst of irritation. He
listened to what his cousin said and quickly discovered that Alain was right.
This wasn’t how he conducted himself in things that mattered in his life. He’d
always been the type of man to step forward and work, fight for what he wanted.
And he knew that if he was to be happy, he needed Grace in his life. There was
no other way around it. To get his woman, he had to take a chance, open up and
tell her everything.

Abruptly he stood, stepped forward and slapped a friendly
hand on his cousin’s shoulder. “You’re right, I’ll see you later.” Without
another word, he strode from the room, down the stairs and out the front door.

Once he was in his car and heading to Frivolity, Hamish took
the time to think through what he wanted to say to Grace and how to say it.
Telling his lover he had the horns of a ram could be a bit shocking and so it
had to be done just right.

Suddenly Hamish realized he was missing something
significant and pulled over at the next set of shops. He needed flowers. This
was a big day for her, huge, and she should have something special to mark the
occasion. Besides, she seemed to have liked the other bouquets he picked out
and they might help ease the way for his revelation. He walked a short bit down
the road looking for a florist, but couldn’t find one.

This wasn’t good. He must have some posies to give her.
Seeing a small card shop, he nipped inside and asked the shopkeeper if she knew
of a florist nearby. Thankfully, the woman thought there was a nice one a few
streets away. He dashed over and bought a beautiful spray of white peonies with
a single thistle in the center to remind Grace of their home.

Back in the car, he checked the clock and found he had just
over four hours before the event would officially begin. Good. If she was too
busy to talk, he’d stay around to offer her any help, watch the ceremony and
they’d talk later. The presentation of a royal warrant was a big deal, one
Grace had worked very hard for, and he wanted to be there to support and
celebrate her success.

Old Bond Street was already blocked off in preparation for
the upcoming royal event. Instead of hassling with driving up and down surrounding
side roads looking for a place to park, he pulled into the alley and parked
there. As was his habit, he took a moment to run his fingers through his hair
and check the ridges to make sure his horns weren’t at the point of pushing
through. They were there, as they always were whenever he thought of Grace or
was in her presence, although not more than an inch or so.

Confident he was okay, he spent some time to find the calm
place inside himself, anything to help stave off the horns’ appearance before
he had a chance to tell her anything. Taking a couple of deep breaths, he soon
felt steady and stepped out of the car. After he collected the flowers from the
back seat, he pressed a button on the key fob to lock it and turned to head
down the alley. As he walked past the back door, he noticed it stood ajar.

It wasn’t like Grace to leave it open, but he guessed it was
a busy day for them, so didn’t think anything more about it. He smiled to
himself and decided to make use of the shortcut. Maybe he’d be able to miss
seeing the store manager, Aimee. The woman was a saucy handful and didn’t fail
to notice even the smallest thing. The other day she’d phoned Grace’s mobile
and when he picked it up because his lover had been tied to the spreader bars
at the time, the woman demanded he let her boss up for air and send her back to
the shop. He still had to laugh over the conversation. There was no doubt in
his mind that he’d walk a mile rather than face Aimee when he wasn’t in top
form.

Stepping into the back hallway, Hamish turned and shut the
store’s door behind him. There were the usual sounds of bustling activity and
nervous laughter coming down the long hallway from the front. Grace had a great
group of women who worked for her. They effortlessly and enthusiastically sold
her hats to everyone from high society mavens to tourists who walked in on a
whim. They made sure the right chapeau for the woman and event left the shop
for total satisfaction.

From what he could tell, it sounded like everything was
going well, although he hadn’t heard her voice in the mix. Hamish decided to
check her office first, make sure she wasn’t working at her desk before he
braved the estrogen overload zone.

With a knuckle rap for warning, he turned the knob and
walked into the room. The smile he was ready to offer his lover never fully
bloomed and her name froze on the tip of his tongue.

Instead of seeing his sexy and composed Grace sitting
sedately behind her desk, sipping a cup of tea, he found her standing in front
of a man holding a knife pressed against her throat. Gagged and hands behind
her back, his heart and mind saw her looking at him with fear in her eyes.

Seeing that terror was all it took for Hamish to let his
rigid control go.

Dropping the flowers on the floor, he shot forward without a
thought of anything other than alleviating her fright. He heard himself
growling like an animal as he rushed the man. He didn’t care because he felt
like an enraged beast ready to protect his mate at any cost.

“Stay where you are or I’ll kill her!”

The hand holding the knife shook wildly when he shouted,
except Hamish took no notice of his words. There was a weapon pressed against
his woman’s neck, that’s all that mattered. He kept moving forward, not caring
when he felt his horns burst from his temples.

“What the—stay back!”

“A-mis!”

Through the haze of anger, he noticed she’d already been
harmed. There were red scratches marking her neck that stood out like large
slashes against her soft skin.

Grace was hurt!

“Aagh!”

In a flash the horns had fully grown, curling along each
side of his head. There was no thought spared to the discomfort or concern he
felt at their appearance. All he could think of was rescuing his woman. He
leaped forward, took the hand holding the knife and broke it with a quick hard
twist. The weapon clattered to the floor as the intruder howled in pain. The
man immediately released his hold on Grace and sank to his knees.

“You hurt me!” He screamed with pain.

“You
hurt
her! I’ll kill—” Rage consumed him. Hamish
was blind to everything except the need to destroy the man who’d dared harm his
woman.

“A-mis! Ooo!”

Grace stepped up and put her head against his arm. He could
tell she was using it to dislodge the gag, but he couldn’t think beyond
obliterating the other man.

“He scared you, hurt—”

“Ooo!” She worked harder and freed her mouth. “No, Hamish,
don’t! Please, my love, please calm down. Let’s call the police so they can
handle it. Listen to me, please! He’s crazy out of his mind. It wasn’t even me
he was after. He wanted to disrupt the countess’s appearance today. Please,
Hamish. Look at me. It’s okay, I’m all right.”

He knew she stood beside him, touching him, and yet Hamish
still found it hard to focus on what she was saying. This man dared to harm the
woman he loved. He would not, could not, stand by and let him live. Then he
felt it. Her lips pressed against his arm while she quietly pleaded with him to
stop.

Looking down at her, he knew there was nothing else he could
do other than ease her distress. He had to pull himself back together for her.

“Shhh, it’s all right, Grace, shhh, I won’t hurt him. Now
turn around, I want to untie your hands. Then we’ll secure him for the
authorities. Okay?”

She looked up at him closely and, after a long minute, found
whatever she’d been looking for, most likely his sanity, before turning her
back to him. Once her hands were free, she twisted back to face him and wrapped
her arms around him, holding him closer than she ever had before. He closed his
eyes and felt her love surround him.

After a short period of time, Hamish realized he stood
before her with his horns fully revealed. He moved his head to look at her
closely and saw no signs of horror or disgust with his appearance. After a long
minute, he closed his eyes again and real joy sank in, filling him up. The
peace he finally found rushed through him, settling in the place where his
heart and soul had tensely waited to see if she accepted him and his altered
appearance.