Fire Maidens Scotland (Billionaires & Bodyguards #6) - Anna Lowe Page 0,78
spent a good hour holding each other. Whispering. Touching. Making sweet, slow love. Afterward, she’d slept like a baby. And now…
She touched Lachlan’s arm. What now?
He rolled onto his side, facing her, and smoothed her hair back. “Now? We make up for lost time.”
She grinned, sliding her leg over his. Was he thinking what she was thinking?
Exactly, as it turned out. Just as hot, hard, and deep as she’d imagined — but much more quietly, given the thin walls of the barracks. Lachlan had shared a lot of experiences with his comrades, but that was one thing they would keep private.
Not that it wasn’t glaringly obvious when they eventually rolled out of bed, glowing and smelling of sex. But, heck. Love was love, right?
The rest of the morning was a blur. The rest of the day, really. Showering, checking on Duncan, helping Gemma whip up a huge batch of pancakes for everyone, followed by more debriefs and patrols. As head of security, Lachlan spent most of the day on the go with Henry, making sure the island was truly rid of its invaders.
Want my mate, Holly’s dragon sulked.
She shook her head. Lachlan’s job was important, and he’d promised to make up for it with time off soon. Besides, that gave her hours to spend with Gemma, who filled her in on what was expected of a Fire Maiden.
“Forget about what’s expected,” Gemma started. “Most of it is hopelessly old-fashioned. The part that matters is caring. Contributing to projects others overlook.” Then her eyes sparkled. “Last but not least, enjoy life with your mate.” Holly blushed, but Gemma laughed. “I’m serious. It’s a job requirement. A happy Fire Maiden is an effective Fire Maiden.” She glowed. “Best job in the world.”
Gemma explained about ancient spells that protected the descendants of Queen Liviana, and how those spells benefited everyone — shifters and humans alike. Over the years, those spells had faded, but they revived when a new Fire Maiden took up residence.
Holly had gulped. “Ensuring peace and prosperity for an entire country? Me?”
Gemma shook her head. “All you can do is your best. And it’s not all up to you. The spells help, and you’ve got Lachlan. On top of that, you’ve got the Guardians — not just here in Scotland but all over the UK and Europe. And you’ve got us.” She motioned toward Liam and Tony. “Lachlan, Liam, Marco, Finn, Tristan, and Sergio — the guys have known one another for years. You and I are newer to all this, but it’s like a sisterhood.” She laughed. “Literally, I guess, if we trace our families way, way back. Natalie in Paris, Lena in Rome, Laura in Portugal, Grace in Ireland — we’re all there for one another. And who knows? Other places in Europe might discover long-lost Fire Maidens too.” She glanced at Tony and winked. “Destiny seems to consider the men of Lachlan’s troop worthy consorts. And you know what? I think so too.”
Holly broke out in a huge smile. That, she couldn’t argue with. And as for her own future…
She gazed out over the island and exhaled slowly. So much to learn. So much responsibility. Did she have what it took?
Just then, Lachlan came loping over on what appeared to be the world’s most critical mission. But he didn’t head into the communications center or assign his men further tasks. Instead, he rushed over and swept her into a huge hug and a kiss that never seemed to end.
That was his mission. Her.
She glowed, kissing him back.
“Sorry. I needed that,” he murmured when they finally parted. Then he sighed and rested his forehead against hers. “I promise we’ll have time for us soon.”
Gemma backed away with an amused smile, giving them their space. Mungo, on the other hand, leaned against Holly’s leg, swatting them both with his tail. Holly didn’t care who might have noticed. She just hung on to her man.
Then a new thought hit her, and she raised her head in alarm.
“Whoa. Wait. If your family is descended from Liviana, and Trevor’s family is too… God, does that make us cousins or something?”
Lachlan laughed. “If we’re cousins, we’re at least a hundred times removed. We’re safe.”
As if to prove the point, he’d kissed her even deeper and held her close.
The sun shone down on them, and a gull cawed overhead. Mungo wagged his tail steadily in a way that said Home. Family.
Lachlan looked up, and his eyes shone with the same two words. Home. Family.