When Kane had heard Jamie calling out, his mind had gone blank but for one purpose: protect her. His imagination had run wild with all types of scenarios that could play out, all of them centered on her being in grave danger. The last thing he had ever expected was to barge into her room and find her completely sopping wet. And completely naked.
That had hit him like a ton of bricks.
But the shock had quickly dissolved into maddening lust as he drank in every inch of her voluptuous body. Her breasts were exquisite, large, and pert, the perfect size for his hands. The cold air made her pink nipples pebble and he wiped a hand over his mouth, trying not to imagine how they would taste. Her rounded hips flared out like an hourglass and her legs were muscular and long. He was partially shocked again but also intrigued to see her cunt bare, a rather new trend that surprisingly made his mouth water. And then there was her ass… Christ, it was round, large, and just as perfect as he had envisioned through her jeans. He could immediately see himself bent over it as he took her from behind. The thought alone made him rock hard and he stifled the low growl in his throat to the best of his ability.
"I-I thought you needed help," he croaked. Even to his own ear, his voice sounded raspy.
He could see her throat move. "Yeah, I think I do."
Their gazes locked.
It had been a long, long time since Kane had seen a naked woman, especially one so beautiful. But he had the feeling that even if he was used to it, he would still be as knocked off his ass as he was at this moment.
This woman had taken his breath away.
"C-could you…?" she asked as she gestured toward the towel a few feet from her.
Shaking himself out of his lust-fueled haze, he jumped to grab the towel and hand it to her. Hoping to be chivalrous, he looked away as she wrapped it around herself, the silence between them as thick as fog.
"Thank you," she whispered. "Um… could you help me get to the bed?"
If Kane had thought this woman had knocked him off his ass a few moments ago, he now wondered if she'd caused him to black out. "What?"
Her cheeks blushed a bewitching pink. "My ankle is still broken. I need help…"
"Oh, aye." Without another word, he lifted her up out of the tub.
The only thing worse for his cock-stand than seeing her completely naked was now holding her and knowing what she looked like underneath the towel. Kane hardened himself against the feel of her curves in his arms, the roundness of her bottom tucked in his elbow. He knew with one swipe of the towel, he could have her naked again and that thought simultaneously shamed and excited him.
He laid her down very gently and she tried to avoid his gaze, holding her towel so tightly to herself that he could see the veins in her wrist pop.
"The clothes Catrina left me are right there." She pointed to the standing dresser but not before giving him a quick glance.
Her cheeks were inflamed but he could see her chest heave and her throat swallow again. Her pupils were the size of marbles. Christ, he was in real trouble.
He nodded sharply and handed her the clothes, turning his back to her just as Catrina entered.
"Laird! What-what are you doing in here?"
They both began to speak at once while Catrina looked at them in shock and some amusement, to his frustration. But he finally managed, "Ms. Campbell needed help getting out of the bath, what with her ankle and all… I heard her hollering for help."
Catrina nodded understandingly, but could barely suppress the grin that tugged at her mouth. "Aye."
That was his cue to leave. Without another word, he stormed out of the room and sequestered himself in the opposite wing of the castle. As far away as he possibly could.
Deidra's suggestion from the morning came back to him unwittingly. After speaking to Deidra and then cleaning up the mess he had created, Kane had been hellbent on preventing himself from trying to take advantage of the opportunity fate had dropped on their laps. Yes, the residents of Gealach Lán did deserve freedom from the curse but he did not. That had cemented itself when he surveyed the demolished car and the book Jamie had brought with her. The book was so close to revealing the truth that with no time she would be able to find out what was going on. She'd know what he was. When he had read that excerpt he had become determined to keep his distance and avoid the young woman as much as possible. Did he want her? Yes. Was she intriguing? Yes. Could she break the curse? Yes. However, a monster like him deserved none of it.
But seeing her just now… The desire to have her had reached a fever pitch. How could he resist a woman that beautiful staying underneath his roof, especially when she was vulnerable and at his mercy? And worse, when she was clearly attracted to him as well.
Kane hated himself for it but he knew he could seduce her. The girl was stubborn and strong-willed but a good kiss could have her melting in his arms in no time. Aye, it had been a few centuries since he'd lain with a woman, but he could remember a few tricks. Seeing her in all her glory had certainly triggered some of those memories again. The chemistry between them was too undeniable. The look in her eyes had told him all he needed to know and he still ached to stoke those flames. If she was hungry for him as he was for her… For the second time that day already, he found that he had to assuage his own need. Except for this time, he'd have his very recent memory to serve him.
____________________________________________________________________________
"So, what can you tell me about this lass?"
Mary MacDonald's eyes shifted nervously as she stood in front of Sorcha. Her hands fussed with the pockets of her long skirts, a remnant of a bygone era in which she had been much more comfortable. Especially right at this moment in front of a Gealach Lán legend. Mary's parents had warned her and her sister about the woman since they were wee girls, and even though Mary looked into the face of a woman just a few decades older than herself, she could sense the power emanating from her. The danger.
Mary internally chastised herself again for falling for the witch's trap.
Sorcha raised her eyebrows. "Well?"
"I haven't met the girl yet," Mary answered truthfully. "I only know what I've heard from the others, from Deidra."
When Sorcha gave a look of annoyance, Mary hastily added, "Deidra said she was lost, that she ended up at the pub and got trapped when the storm hit. And in the morning her car was ruined by the… beast."
"Hmm."
"Deidra thought the Laird could help her since he's the only one in town with a car but apparently it wasn't working. So he offered to let her stay with him instead."
"Is that so? What does this girl look like, according to Deidra?"
"Young, very pretty. She's an American. Deidra says she's got quite the mouth on her."
"What else has Deidra told you?"
Mary hesitated before replying, "That the Laird likes her. She encouraged him to try and woo the girl in order to…"
"In order to do what?" Sorcha snapped.
"In order to break the curse."
Hate flashed in the witch's eyes and Mary kept her composure tenably, doing her best to hide her shaking hands.
"Well, that won't do, will it."
"She-she tried to run off yesterday, apparently. But Deidra said she broke her ankle."
"Was she running from Murdock?"
Mary shrugged, hoping that answer didn't get her killed.
Laird Murdock had never told anyone who had placed the curse on him, but the townsfolk had suspected for many centuries that the witch Sorcha had been the culprit. She had been gone for many, many years but had returned for good around fifty years ago, taking up residence in her old hovel on the edge of the woods. Some whispered that she had been the Laird's intended when she'd placed the curse on him, though the Laird would never confirm such rumors. He avoided any talk or interaction with the witch and advised the others to do the same. Mary had paid heed to such advice for her entire life. Until now.
Mary had been giddy with excitement when she had thought she had seen a beautiful fox in the woods earlier that day. All her life she had hoped to see one, and she could not resist the chance to get as close as possible. But the fox had been a ruse. Sorcha had been the fox, luring Mary to her home where she could be held and questioned. Threatened.
She watched now as the witch stood up and walked to her small, rustic kitchen. She pulled out a basin with a mortar and pestle and began accumulating various herbs. A fire was boiling water over the hearth in a large cauldron. As she combined and ground the herbs, Mary could see the water bubble violently. Then the witch placed the mixture into the cauldron and stirred.
"I'm going to make the girl a very special soup to help her heal," Sorcha informed Mary as she began quickly chopping vegetables while the water was sizzling. "Would you grab me a chicken from the garden?"
Mary obeyed, bringing in a flustered chicken as quickly as she could. She stood motionless as the witch took the chicken and sliced its head off clean.
"Are-are you going to kill her?"
Sorcha smiled as she plucked the chicken's feathers and began ripping apart its limbs, stripping the meat and chucking it into the cauldron. Water splashed onto the hearth and hit the ground with a hiss.
"I see no reason to kill the girl. Not yet, at least. I simply want to help her along. A broken ankle is a terrible injury."
Mary wanted to sigh with relief but was still suspicious. "So you're not going to hurt her?"
Sorcha's eyes met hers. "Not unless she gives me a reason. As long as the girl is gone by the summer solstice, we won't have any problems."
The summer solstice was a little over a week and a half away. It was customary for the town to put on a modest festival to gather and celebrate unless there was a full moon.
"And… what do you need me for?" Mary ventured shyly.
Sorcha stirred the cauldron, occasionally sprinkling salt and fresh herbs. "You are going to deliver this soup to Jamie, offer her best wishes and a speedy recovery, and ask her about home. Get her talking about her family, her friends, maybe even an old boyfriend."
Mary knew that Deidra had been excited about the prospect of Jamie's stay, emphasizing to her sister that the Laird was already showing signs of affection towards the girl. "I think they both like each other," Deidra had said excitedly. Mary could not remember the last time she had seen such hope in her sister or anyone else in Gealach Lán for that matter. The whole pub had been buzzing that afternoon after the Laird had left. What if this girl was the answer to all their prayers? If she and the Laird were already fond of each other, could they fall in love? Had the broken ankle been an answered prayer? Could that finally mean a normal life for them all?
"I-I don't know if I can do that, though."
The witch looked up at her sharply. "Why not?"
"Well…"
"Let me make this easy for you, Mary MacDonald," Sorcha said lowly as she moved closer. "If you don't do this, I will have a reason to kill someone." She brought the knife down hard on the table, her gaze never leaving Mary.
"Have I made myself clear?"
Weakly, Mary nodded.
____________________________________________________________________________
The Laird avoided Jamie for almost the remainder of the day. After their… run-in, she had not seen him again until Catrina had informed her that she was invited to dine with him that evening. As much as she wanted to say no, she was still a guest. A guest whom he had saved and put up in his home as she recovered from an injury. Refusing would look even brattier than storming off into the woods.
Of course, Catrina had taken far too much pleasure in the formal invite. The maid had said nothing since she had walked in on the earlier debacle, but Jamie swore she could see the ghost of a smile lingering on the woman's lips when she brought up the laird. She'd barely concealed her amusement at the blush that had painted Jamie's face.
After reluctantly accepting the invitation, Jamie had to bring up the elephant in the room. "You can say it, you know."
"Hmm?" Catrina looked as innocent as a lamb.
"You have something you want to say," Jamie insisted. "About… earlier today."
"Oh, no, miss. The Laird's business is his own."
"Uh-huh."
She knew that Catrina had thoughts on the whole matter because Jamie sure did. She had tried all day to forget what had occurred that morning, hoping that occupying her mind in whatever way possible would help her somehow forget. She'd asked Catrina if she could help with chores, she had read some of the books Effie had brought her from the Laird's library. Hell, she had even taken up the maids' offer on using their ancient TV and its VHS player. The movie choices weren't great but she'd welcomed the opportunity to pretend that Kane Murdock had not walked in on her earlier that morning and had not seen her completely naked.
The nudity had been one thing. Jamie wasn't ashamed of her body, but she was definitely self-conscious like most girls. She had never made it a habit to go around flashing. Her spring breaks had been woefully lacking in skinny dipping and Girls Gone Wild. Bikinis were about as far as she would go in public, and it had been a few years since she'd been with a man. Even then, sex towards the end with her ex had been rather sparse and she struggled to remember what he looked like naked. But Murdock had seen the full monty. No soft lighting or cover of darkness. He had gotten the up-close-and-personal view.
However, it wasn't the nudity that gnawed at her all day, driving her crazy with her incessant thoughts. It was the way he had looked at her.
Jamie couldn't remember a man ever looking at her the way Kane Murdock had. It went beyond attraction. It was hunger. Pure, naked desire. Her throat had gone dry at the look in his eyes, the tension that thrummed off him, and the tick in his jaw that meant he was clenching it as if his life depended on it. The heat had radiated off of him, so much so that even his touch had felt like a brand. She ached to feel that touch everywhere. Then she'd seen the unmistakable bulge in his pants. A big one. Yeah, he had not come running with a gun in his pocket; he was just very pleased to see her.
What scared Jamie the most was the way his desire had inflamed hers. The unspoken attraction that had been simmering between them since they met had been on full display as he'd gazed at her hungrily. And sweet God, if the look in his eyes didn't make her shiver with need. She couldn't remember the last time a man had turned her on so badly, and the man had only looked at her! She couldn't stop herself from imagining how he would be if they were actually in bed. The thought alone had gotten her aroused, and she had tried with every single ounce of her being to hide it from him. If he knew what she was thinking, how she'd started to fantasize about that prodigious bulge of his…
No, that was the last thing Jamie needed. She might be stuck in this place but she wasn't going to complicate everything further by sleeping with the Laird. God knew she wanted to - and the feeling seemed quite mutual - but she still knew very little about the man. He could still be a cult leader or serial killer for all she knew and she was relying on his hospitality. If they slept together it would cause nothing but drama, and she really didn't need any more of that. Not after the few days, she'd already had.
There was also still a needling concern about him Jamie couldn't shake. She had the sense that he was hiding something and that the entire village was in on it. He still hadn't explained his reaction to the library inquiry or what they had been running from in the woods. No one had thought to bring up the beast again and how it could have possibly destroyed her car. And she knew there had to be explanations as to why no one else drove or had internet. For God's sake, she'd watched A Room With a View on VHS! She needed answers and having probably very hot, very wild sex with Kane Murdock was not going to solve those.
All of these thoughts continued to plague her as Catrina and Effie helped her dress and get her downstairs to dinner. The dining room was as intimidating and impressive as the rest of the castle. Wooden beams ran across the ceiling as a large fire flared in the hearth. A long and massive table sat under beautiful, bronze chandeliers lit with candles and a wipe tapestry covered the adjoining wall between two windows that looked out over the grounds. The maids had set the table just for Murdock and Jamie but the settings were immaculate. More candles lit the center of the table and Jamie could see the silver dinnerware gleam with fresh polish.
"Wow," she breathed.
But the room paled in comparison to Murdock. He stood at the head of the table, stiff and proud, tapping into some past training as a nobleman of means. He'd shaved his stubble, outlining the chiseled lines of his jaw even further. His hair was combed, gleaming black under the candlelight. And he'd dressed up. His clothing was dated - just like everything else around this place - but obviously of expensive material. Even better, it was flattering. His dark trousers hugged his muscular legs and his dress shirt seemed to make his shoulders broader. She felt as if she had stepped into a Jane Austen novel.
He pulled out a chair next to him and gestured to it invitingly, even though he still didn't smile. Was he nervous? As embarrassed as she still was? Was he picturing her naked all over again?
"Quite the spread," Jamie said, feeling not a little uncomfortable in front of such pomp and circumstance.
"All Catrina and Effie's doing."
Both women handed her over to Murdock and he gingerly helped her into her seat as she tried to ignore the heat she felt just from his touch. Jesus, even the feel of his hands made her go weak.
"How are you feeling?" he asked her once they were both seated. Effie and Catrina immediately went into serving mode.
"Besides the ankle, not too bad," she admitted. Of course, she didn't mention the other issues driving her crazy.
He poured her a glass of wine and raised his own for a toast. "Slàinte mhath."
Good health. She couldn't help but smile.
"Catrina mentioned that you still speak Gaelic."
"Aye. My father insisted. English was a necessity but he wanted us to speak our native tongue in our home."
Interesting, Jamie thought. It was rare for most modern Scotsmen to still speak Gaelic. The language had gone out of fashion as British colonization took over centuries ago.
"And your parents… where are they?"
Something flickered in his gaze. "Passed, unfortunately. A long time ago."
"Oh, you just don't seem… that old."
The corner of his mouth lifted a bit. "I'm technically thirty-three years old."
"Technically?"
"Well, sometimes I feel much older."
Jamie could sympathize with that to some extent but the comment still made her wonder.
"And you?" he asked. "What's your age?"
Another odd way to phrase something. Jamie added that to her mental inventory. "I'm twenty-four."
"And you're not married?" he asked as Effie brought out the first course.
"No." She fought the smile that tugged at her lips. "Never been married. You?"
"No." The muscle in his jaw clenched. "I was engaged several years ago but we ended it."
"Oh, I'm sorry." That was a lie. She was anything if sorry. And from the look in his eyes, he knew it. "Must be hard to date someplace like here, though. Do you have to set your Tinder settings to like a hundred miles?"
His brows furrowed in confusion.
"You've never heard of Tinder?"
He shook his head, still confused.
"I-I guess I don't understand. Why are you all so… behind?"
The question seemed to bother him as he had stiffened visibly and Jamie wondered if she was being too nosy again. It was a bad habit. As odd as this place was, it wasn't polite to interrogate every aspect of their ways. She chided herself internally.
"I'm sorry, I can be kind of blunt." Their gazes met. "I shouldn't probe so much, especially when you've been so accommodating."
He softened somewhat and a glint in his eye twinkled. "Aye, I've noticed. You're one of the most… forthcoming women I've ever come across."
"Hmm, that's a nice way of saying 'obnoxious.'"
He grinned. Well, at least he thought she was hot.
"It's alright. Even my parents feel the same way, I'm sure."
As they started to eat, he asked, "Are they back in America?"
She nodded. "They got divorced a few years ago, so they live in different cities now. Dad got remarried and has been starting on his new family."
"New family?"
"Yeah, the old one wasn't enough apparently." Did she sound bitter? The last thing she wanted to talk about was her parents' heinous divorce and the chaos it had wreaked on their entire family. Her dad had also made it no secret that he disapproved of her career choice, her siblings' lives, her mother's new boyfriend, and the entire family in general. "It seems I'm nothing but a disappointment to him."
She had expected him to divert the conversation or make some condescending comment, but instead, he'd nodded and taken on a pensive, compassionate look.
"Aye, 'twas the same with mine."
"Really?"
"I was supposed to follow his example - be his heir, marry, have children, carry on the Murdock name with prestige and honor. But when I… botched the engagement, everything went to hell. I shamed him. More importantly, I shamed the family name. He could never look at me the same way afterward."
Hesitantly, his eyes met hers and Jamie felt a wave of emotions hit her. Compassion, heartache, understanding, grief. But most importantly, she felt seen.
Without thinking twice, she took Kane's hand in her own.
"I know exactly what you mean."
His hand tightened around hers, and for the briefest moment, his thumb brushed over her own.
Uh-oh. She quickly snatched her hand away and took a long swallow of her wine.
"I-I'm sorry for that too," she muttered.
But his gaze had not left hers. His eyes were hooded as he responded, "I think we've become well acquainted enough with each other for that."
Oh, God. He had definitely not forgotten about the peep show this morning.
"I'm sorry for that as well. I shouldn't have - "
"I'm not," he interrupted, and he leaned back in his chair, casually sipping his wine as his eyes bore into her.
Holy crap, he was flirting with her! "You're not?"
"No, 'tis been far too long since I've seen such a beautiful woman in the flesh."
She hid the shiver that ran through her body and chucked back another long swallow of the wine. She wasn't sure what was worse: how sexy he was or the fact that he was clearly hitting on her. She downed the rest of her drink.