A Highland Werewolf Wedding - By Terry Spear Page 0,96
orders.
“I’m going,” she reiterated, not about to be stopped in her mission.
Cearnach cleared his throat and said to Guthrie, “We’ll be right down.”
If he thought to change her mind, Cearnach was welcome to attempt it, but she wasn’t buying it. She half expected Cearnach to close the door, ending the discussion with his brother. But he didn’t.
“Ian won’t like it,” Guthrie said to Cearnach.
“He doesn’t have to like it.” Elaine spoke as if the conversation included her. She wasn’t being left out of this. “The car is registered in my name. I want to make sure everything’s there.”
“You can do so once the car is within our gates and everything is secure. He’s your pack leader now, lass.” Guthrie acted as though she needed reminding.
“See you in a moment,” Cearnach said to his brother. The door shut, then Cearnach opened the curtains to her side of the bed and smiled down at her. He was all warmth and energy, and if not for the car business, she would have tugged him into bed again.
Frowning up at him, she let out her breath. “I won’t be coddled.”
“Or dictated to,” he said.
“Right.”
He touched her cheek with a gentle caress, eyeing the bruise that remained. “If you have your heart set on doing this, hurry and get dressed as Ian won’t wait for us once he’s decided to do something.”
She quickly climbed out of bed, then headed for the bathroom. “He really doesn’t expect a force of Kilpatricks and McKinleys to attack, does he?”
“As a battle-trained warrior and leader of men, he always prepares for the worst.”
She didn’t believe anyone would attack whoever retrieved the car. Not when the castle was so well defended. And not if Robert wanted to meet with her.
She quickly washed off in the shower, barely drying herself, then struggled to get into a pair of jeans and sweater, her skin still wet in places.
As if he knew her thoughts on the matter, Cearnach said, “We wouldn’t put it past them to offer a show of force. They will not like that they had to return your car here instead of you coming to them.”
She joined him in the bedroom and sat down, but before she could slip on a pair of boots, Cearnach leaned over and pulled one on for her. He wasn’t just doing so to help hurry her along. Smelling her scent, he was checking how she felt about this whole issue. He would recognize that she was both afraid and pissed.
She ruffled his hair with her hand. “I’m not worried.” She slipped her other boot on. Well, maybe a little worried. She was concerned for everyone’s safety, should her kin attack them. She was much more pissed, and she hoped that scent reigned over all else.
“You smell delicious,” he murmured, looking up at her as he crouched at her booted feet, his hands shifting to her knees, then sliding higher.
He pushed her knees apart, suggesting he wanted her again. Moving in between her legs, he cupped her face in his large hands and kissed her mouth tenderly and lovingly, his tongue darting into her mouth gently, and then hungrily as a groan escaped his lips. Liquid heat poured through every inch of her, making her instantly wet for him. He smiled, so wickedly sexy, and took another deep breath of her, his smile growing.
“You are so bad,” she said, shoving at his shoulders, but she didn’t budge him.
“What?” He feigned innocence as he rose and towered over her, pulling her to her feet.
“For making me want you so badly.”
He chuckled, grabbed her hand, and headed out the door.
His mother was on her way down the hall and quickly said, “I want to speak with Elaine.”
“Later, my lady mother.”
His mother furrowed her brows. “She can’t go out there. It’s too dangerous.”
“I will protect her.” He headed down the hall.
His mother snorted. He glanced over his shoulder at her.
“They’ll pull something. They’re pirates,” his mother warned.
“Aye, of that I’m well aware.”
When she and Cearnach left the keep and made their way across the inner bailey, she saw a small crowd of men and wolves gathered near the gates to the entrance of the bailey. She realized after they opened the wooden gates that the defenses protecting the front entrance included three portcullises with an area in between each other where invading armies could be scalded with boiling water or struck with arrows, reducing their chances of successfully entering the inner bailey. All of the portcullises were down.