Awaken the Highland Warrior

“Russell’s.” She pressed her lips together and put away the first-aid kit.

“Why would you wear his shirt? He made you cry.”

“I grabbed the first thing I saw.”

“Did he hurt you?”

“Mostly my dishes and walls.”

She wasn’t telling him everything. “How often does he call?”

“Every day. I’ve tried changing my phone number, moving. But he always finds me. He’s the reason I’m off men.”

“Off men?” Surely she wasn’t one of those women, not after what she’d done with him in the bathroom. In his day, there weren’t many gays, as they called them now. Whoever came up with that name was one wheel short of a wagon. A man with a man, there was nothing happy about that.

“I’m avoiding men for a while.” She glanced at the big tub. Her cheeks turned pink, and she looked away. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I need to figure out what I want in a man before I let another one in my life.”

What about him? He was in her life. She hadn’t avoided him in the bathroom. Would she brush him off, brush off what they’d done like it was dirt? What did it matter? Nothing could come of it anyway.

She covered a yawn.

“We need to rest.” Maybe a good night’s sleep would help him remember he was a warrior, not a wronged lover. “I should sleep close by, in case they come back.”

She nodded but still avoided looking at him. “We can sleep in my room. There’s glass on your floor. I’m going to take a shower.”

Just what he didn’t need, another image of her naked. “I’ll block the broken window and then shower in the hall bathroom.” This would be his fourth cleaning today, more than he usually had in a fortnight or more. In the wilds he wouldn’t have bothered, but he couldn’t sleep in the same room with her when he was sweaty from battling demons. He shouldn’t stay in the same room with her anyway, but in truth he wasn’t confident more demons wouldn’t show up tonight.

He cleaned up the broken glass and shoved the dresser and mirror in front of the broken window. It wouldn’t stop a demon, but it might slow him down or give warning. He checked the floorboard. Only the necklace was missing.

After a quick, tormented shower, thinking about her doing the same, he took a blanket and pillow to her bedroom. The bathroom door was closed. He heard the water shut off, and he cleared his mind, focusing on making a bed on the floor. The door opened. Bree stood there wrapped in a towel, eyes wide, skin damp. “I… need my gown.”

Faelan tried not to stare at her long legs, dainty feet, and the swell of breasts he’d take a beating to kiss. He could see all of her but the bits under the towel, and his brain immediately started imagining the rest. He stepped closer, knowing it was a mistake. Her mouth parted, and her tongue darted out to wet her lips.

He followed the damp trail with his thumb. “What you said earlier, what did you mean?”

“What… what did I say?” she asked, taking a step back, staring at his mouth.

He moved closer. “You mentioned my getting this,” he brushed the front of his body against hers, “out of my system. With a woman.”

“I was curious if it would help or make it worse.” She took another step backwards, looking like a trussed rabbit.

Faelan followed, bringing their bodies close again. “Were you offering?” A stupid question after her declaration that she was avoiding men, but his brain wasn’t in charge now.

“I… I don’t know.” Her eyes said she did.

“I need to know,” he whispered. “Badly.”

Knowing how close he’d come to losing her, the torture of sitting next to that tub while she hovered over him and her soft skin covered by only a towel was too much. One kiss, then he’d focus on Druan. Faelan lowered his head. A wisp of a sigh escaped lips already opening for him, and all thoughts of demons and battles fled. Nothing mattered but her. Her lips, her body pressed against his, her stomach soft against his groin. She moaned and sank into him. He pushed against her, aching, as her tongue touched his. He put his arms around her shoulders to draw her closer, and she winced.

Faelan tore his mouth away, disgusted he’d let lust make him forget her injury. And his mission. How could he protect anyone when all he thought about was getting Bree to the nearest bed? Those halflings weren’t the last Druan would send or the worst. “I can’t do this to you.” Faelan looked at Bree’s lips, still open and moist from his kiss. “It’s not fair. And it’s late. We both need rest. Tomorrow we’ll have to find a place to stay. Would your brother let us stay with him a day or two?” He didn’t want to endanger anyone else, but he wanted Bree away from this. He was surprised Biff hadn’t stopped by already.

“I don’t have a brother.”

“What?”

“I lied.”

Chapter 13

“You lied?”

“I didn’t want you to think I was alone,” Bree said. “But I am, except for Peter and Jared. Jared’s out of town, and I didn’t think you’d want to stay with a cop. He already suspects you’re involved. So there’s nowhere for me to go.”

It was smart reasoning on her part, but a lie was a lie. Of course, he’d done nothing but lie since he’d met her, but he’d had no other choice. “You feel safe with me now?”

“Yes.”