The Angel and the Highlander (12 page)

T
he meeting never took place. Another injured mercenary was brought to Everagis that night and the women worked endlessly on him, but unfortunately could not save him. It left them all upset, though oddly enough it was Talon, the recovering mercenary, who praised the women for their efforts and insisted that he would tell his leader how hard they had worked to save the man.

Terese noticed that Rowena went directly to Talon when they had finished and had shed tears on the large man’s shoulders. His thick, meaty hands had stroked her back and he had soothed her with gentle words. It was obvious that Talon cared for Rowena as she did him.

It looked like love had descended on Everagis and had yet to let go.

While Rowena was comforted by Talon and Hester and Megan saw to cleaning up, Terese and Piper went directly into the woods to take the news to Septimus so that he and his men could see to burying their comrade.

She had decided to be honest with Lachlan and tell him that the women were holding a meeting as they usually did to discuss matters of importance to Everagis. Surprisingly, he had understood and remarked that the meetings were probably one of the reasons that Everagis had prospered. However, he did insist that he would be waiting for her, no matter what the hour.

Septimus was waiting nearby and wasn’t surprised by her news.

“I didn’t think he could be saved, but I had to try.”

“You must always try,” Terese encouraged. “You never know, sometimes miracles happen.”

Septimus snorted. “I stopped believing in miracles a long time ago.”

Terese didn’t argue with him. He obviously had faced difficulties that had left him scarred as so many of them had been. Hopefully, in time he would heal. But at the moment she had another problem that continued to haunt her and the only way that she could settle it was…

“I need to speak with your leader,”

“He isn’t here,” Septimus said.

“When will he return?”

Septimus shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“I must speak to him,” she said anxiously.

“Why?”

“That is my concern.”

“He speaks to no one,” Septimus said.

“He’ll speak to me.”

“Such confidence.”

She ignored his sarcasm. “Let me know when he returns.”

“What makes you believe I will follow your edict?”

She grinned. “Because your leader ordered you to.”

Terese was exhausted by the time she and Piper returned to Everagis. Piper went straight to bed while Terese saw that everyone was settled and safe for the remainder of the night.

She found that Rowena slept beside Talon, while Megan slept alone. Hester had waited up for her.

“I was worried,” Hester admitted.

“There was nothing to worry about. Septimus hadn’t believed the man would survive.”

Hester yawned. “Then I retire in peace.”

Terese had thought to retire to her own bed, but she had promised Lachlan she would see him tonight. She knew he waited to make love, yet she merely wanted his arms wrapped around her. Much as how Rowena and Talon slept, wrapped safely together.

She hurried her steps to his cottage and entered quietly so as not to wake him if he should be asleep. She was surprised and disappointed to find his bed empty. She considered returning to her own quarters, but she was tired and she longed for his arms around her.

She shed her garments and crawled into his bed naked, snuggling beneath the blanket and hoping he would return soon.

Lachlan reached down and tenderly rubbed a silky strand of blond hair between his fingers before
he eased it off Terese’s cheek. He was relieved to see her there. He was tired, no exhausted, more from his endless and, it seemed fruitless, search for his brother. When Evan excitedly informed him that he thought he had picked up a track that he believed would lead them to the mercenary camp, he followed him, with considerable enthusiasm and hope. Unfortunately, it had taken them nowhere.

He hadn’t a chance to inform Terese of his sudden departure, since he hadn’t wanted to interfere with her meeting. He knew that she would come to him later and they would make love throughout the night.

But now?

He simply wanted to sleep. He felt exhausted and empty. Would he ever find his brother? The question and endless disappointment irritated him. However, finding Terese in his bed gave him a sense of peace, and all he wanted to do was crawl beneath the blanket and wrap himself around her. He stripped off his clothes and slipped under the blanket, easing against her. She was so soft and so warm and there was the scent of her; earthy and fragrant.

She turned in his arms. “You’re home.”

Her words hit him in the heart, for to her he was home, a place of belonging and love. And he felt the same; he was home here in her arms. While it filled him with joy, it also frightened him, for he repeatedly worried that she would not leave Everagis and he could not remain here.

“I’m home,” he said and kissed her cheek.

Her lips sought his mouth and she kissed him softly and sweetly and it was enough to spark his passion. He returned the kiss and soon their hands were roaming, touching, and their bodies drifting closer and closer until the only way they could get closer was…

He entered her slowly and their rhythm was gentle and loving as if their need was to never let each other go. Their passion built slowly, steadily, strongly until they both cried out in an explosive climax and collapsed wrapped around each other.

They snuggled in each others arms too tired to talk and so content that sleep claimed them instantly.

Lachlan woke with the scent of Terese filling his nostrils and he turned to nestle around her only to find her gone. He sprang up in bed and looked around the room, thinking she would be there somewhere, but it was empty; he was alone.

He didn’t like the sensation that rushed over him, almost as if she left him, ran away, and he jumped out of bed and hurriedly dressed in his shirt and plaid. Last he remembered they had been wrapped around each other after a quick but loving coupling. He never expected her to be gone when he woke. She often woke him in the morning, her hand laying claim to him and enticing him, not that he needed that much tempting. He was more than willing at any time of the day or night.

Even last night when he had been too tired and crawled into bed, once she had turned in his arms and kissed him, her hard nipples brushing across his chest; he had sprung to life.

He had expected to talk with her this morning. There were things he wished to discuss. Being it was well past sunrise she wouldn’t be in her usual spot on the hill. More than likely she’d be busy with chores and so he went in search of her.

Gray clouds hovered overhead promising rain sometime today and though rain was needed to nourish the seeded fields, he much preferred the sun. He stopped to speak with Boyd, letting him know that once the shelter the men were working on was finished, they were to do no more.

Boyd smiled and slapped his thigh. “Damn, we’re headed home soon, aren’t we?”

“Just do as I say,” Lachlan said and headed to the common shelter. He had no designated departure time set, but he knew that soon, very soon he would need to discuss it with Terese, at least the possibilities. And the thought scared the hell out of him.

What if she refused to go with him? He couldn’t believe that a possibility. He sensed that she loved him and after last night he believed it even more. In two or three weeks at the most, he should be able to set everything right so that she would be looking forward to returning home with him, especially when he asked her to marry him.

The thought still set his heart to thumping madly and his stomach churning like he had drunk too much ale. He hadn’t thought love would claim him just yet. Truthfully, he hadn’t thought love would claim him at all. He had planned on eventually picking a woman who would suit his needs and wedding her. Now, how
ever, he could see the benefits of loving the woman you wed, and he felt lucky to have found the perfect woman for him.

He even understood his brothers’ attachment to their wives, though he’d never admit that to them. They would tease him unmercifully and that he could do without.

“Lost in your thoughts?’

Lachlan swung around and grabbed Terese around the waist, drawing her near for a quick kiss. “I don’t like when you leave my bed before I wake.”

“I have chores and duties to attend to,” she said, hooking her arm in his to walk alongside him.

“Aren’t I chore enough for you?”

She leaned in to whisper in his ear, “You are no chore; you are a pleasure.”

His passion lit and flamed like a dry log whose heat spread rapidly throughout, though he attempted to contain it.

“Keep that up and I will drag you back to my cottage and keep you there the remainder of the day.”

“Promises. Promises,” she teased.

Thunder rumbled overhead and Lachlan glanced up at the gray sky that would undoubtedly shed rain soon. “The weather accommodates my need. Everyone will seek shelter from the storm. What else will there be to do then?…” He allowed her to imagine the rest.

“You tempt,” she said.

“I invite,” he corrected, thunder rumbling along with his words.

She let his arm go. “We shall see.”

He tried to reach out and grab her, but she laughed and took off insisting she had chores to do. He watched her disappear into the common shelter and once again glanced up at the darkening sky.

“Don’t fail me,” he warned and stumped off to find Evan.

Lachlan entered his cottage, shaking the rain off. He had been lucky to be nearby when the downpour started so he wasn’t soaked only damp along the shoulders and hair. A few minutes spent by the fire would take care of that.

He turned and stopped, staring at the small table spread with food, and was that a jug of ale he spied? He then looked to see that the bed was made with fresh linens and a fine green wool blanket folded down.

He sniffed the air. That was mutton stew, he was sure of it and then noticed the cauldron that hung over the flames. And there was a loaf of black bread on the table, not to mention tarts and sweet bread.

Lachlan looked around, not that Terese could hide anywhere; the room was too small. Was this a gift, a feast for him alone? He certainly hoped not.

The door suddenly opened and Terese popped in, rain dripping off her and holding a bunch of wild onions in her hand.

“I forgot these for the stew,” she said with a shiver.

Lachlan smiled and went to her. “You did this for us?”

“It’s raining,” she grinned. “What else is there to do?” She sneezed.

Lachlan reached out to her. “We need to get you out of those wet clothes.”

She skirted around him. “First I need to get the onions into the stew or the flavor will suffer.”

She went to the table and in seconds had the onions chopped and dumped in the stew. Then without thought she stripped off her clothes and hung them over a chair in front of the fire to dry.

Lachlan savored her every movement. Her body was exquisite, narrow waist, rounded hips that would surely serve her well when birthing. The thought startled him and grabbed at his heart. Was he really thinking of children with Terese? He grinned. Yes, he could easily see her rounded with his child, and he would love her even more.

Damn, but he did love her. How, when, where it had happened, he didn’t care. He only knew that he loved her down to his very soul and he’d let nothing, absolutely nothing stand in their way.

He stripped before he went to her and wrapped himself around her.

“I wondered how long it would take you to join me.” Her hand settled over his arms.

He nibbled at her neck and nipped teasingly at her ear. “Was I fast enough?”

“It’s slow and gentle I’m looking for, since the stew has time to cook yet and the storm looks as if it’s here to stay for a good while.”

“Then we have all the time in the world,” he said and believed it so, since he intended to spend the rest of his life with her.

He took hold of her hand and tugged her along to the bed. They settled beneath the folded blanket, though it was only their calves it covered. They lay on their sides facing each other. Their hands began to explore ever so gently and lovingly.

“I will never grow tired of touching you,” he said between nipping at her lips and then settling a kiss on her that turned more heated than he had planned.

Their passion took control and soon they were hungry and eager for each other. Their touches turned more demanding and their kisses more fiery. They both didn’t want to wait, couldn’t wait and they joined quickly; Lachlan slipping over and in her.

It was magical between them, but then it was always magical between them. Each time was special, different and more than satisfying. And he never wanted this to end between them. He wanted to love like this forever with her, and he knew it would be so. He knew their love was strong enough to make it so.

Before he slipped off her, with his breathing still labored he whispered in her ear, “I love you.”

He rolled off her onto his back and lay there spent and content. He could hear her breathing had yet to calm, and wasn’t concerned when she did not immediately return his declaration of love. She would in time; he was sure of it.

He wanted her to declare her love when she was ready, not because she felt obligated. She would need to choose her time to tell him what he already knew, and he would be patient. He wanted to savor the
moment as she did now, though she could be pleasantly surprised.

He turned on his side toward her, hoping to receive some comment from her and disappointedly saw that she was asleep, a slight purr pouting her lips. A pang of frustration struck him. Now he wondered if she had even heard him declare his love.

He could wake her, but he really didn’t have the heart. He’d let her sleep and when she woke they would eat and afterward make love again, and then he would tell her again, after their breathing had calmed, after she was once again fully rational, after she was completely satiated from making love…he would tell her that he loved her and wanted to marry her.