Gawen's Claim: Highlander Fate, Lairds of the Isles Book One Read online

  * * *

  The next day Lila and Gawen rode out to Coira’s cottage. It was indeed on the edge of Gawen’s lands, and it took some time to get there. Lila tried not to stare at Gawen as they rode, her body still inflamed by the memory of their kiss in his study. His eyes had burned on hers when they’d met at the stables and he’d bid her a good morning, but other than that heated look there was no overt mention of the passionate kiss they’d shared, something that Lila tried to not let disappoint her.

  When they arrived at the quaint cottage, a woman with intelligent and warm brown eyes and dark wavy hair streaked with gray opened the door, looking pleasantly surprised at the sight of Gawen.

  "Gawen," the woman said warmly. “’Tis lovely tae see ye. I wasnae expecting yer visit. Please, come in."

  Lila momentarily stilled at the sound of the woman’s accent; it was most definitely the Highland brogue, but it differed from the other accents she'd heard.

  They trailed her inside to a large drawing room, where she sat them down and brought them cups of water and ale.

  “Coira, this is Lila, a friend of my family’s who's visiting me from England. She's searching for someone. We wanted tae see if ye ken anything of her,” Gawen said.

  Coira’s eyes settled on her for an unnervingly long moment before she smiled. Her next words sent a shiver down Lila’s spine.

  “I donnae think she’s from England at all, my laird,” Coira said calmly. She leaned forward, her eyes still intent on Lila's. “What year are ye from, my dear?”

  Chapter 13

  In the space that followed Coira’s words, Gawen and Lila sat in frozen, stunned silence.

  "I'm sorry for nae telling ye who I truly am, Gawen," Coira continued, not taking her eyes off Lila, who had gone pale. "But these are dangerous times tae admit ye're a witch."

  Gawen shook his head in disbelief. His father had told him there were no stiuireadh dwelling on their lands. Perhaps he hadn't known. Coira and her husband, Raibert, had always been unassuming, staying out of clan conflicts and social matters other than to occasionally attend feasts at the castle.

  “I come from the year 1920,” Coira continued. “I came tae the Highlands in the year 1370; I wanted tae experience the past. I didnae expect tae fall in love. I wed a Highland noble and came with him when he relocated to Skye. We have two grown children who now live in Edinburgh.”

  “I take it yer husband kent?” he asked, thinking of Raibert, a kind man who’d served his father well.

  “Aye. Please donnae be angered with him. He kept my secret tae keep me safe.”

  But Gawen could feel no anger toward her departed husband. His gaze slid to Lila; he now understood how it felt to want to protect your woman.

  "Why didn't you leave and return to your time?" Lila asked. "After your husband died?"

  “By the time my Raibert died, I’d lived here for over twenty years. I was a foolish girl of twenty when I left my own time; I came intae my womanhood here. ’Tis my home now,” Coira said simply. “Why are ye here? Gawen says ye’re looking for someone?”

  Lila explained the anomaly her coven leader had detected, the dark witch on these lands, and the evil she’d sensed with her spells. Coira’s face grew pale at her words.

  "I've been trying to find her but so far . . . nothing. Most of my Locator spells haven’t worked. I’ve resorted to gossip to see if anyone’s noticed any strange newcomers. It’s what brought me to you.”

  “Lady Inghean, I take it,” Coira said, a look of bitter amusement flickering across her face. “That woman has disliked me ever since I refused a social visit with her years ago.”

  “Believe me, I understand. Inghean isn’t a woman who takes social rejection well,” Lila said wryly. She leaned forward, studying Coira with hope. "Have you sensed anything that could help me find this aingidh?”

  "No. I'm afraid my magic isnae verrae strong. It took much of my power tae merely come tae this time. But I do have an old grimoire ye can look at. There may be spells in there that can help."

  “I’m not very strong either,” Lila admitted with a shaky laugh. “My coven may have made a mistake in sending me here.”

  Gawen frowned, starting to reassure Lila, but Coira was already speaking.

  “I donnae think that’s true,” Coira said, arching a skeptical brow. “Do ye ken how I kent ye were a stiuireadh? I could sense yer power. I’ve only traveled through time once, and I had tae use the portal at Tairseach in the Highlands. I’ve nae practiced much magic since. But ye’ve been practicing yer magic since arriving here, I assume?” At Lila’s nod, Coira continued, “Ye’re more powerful than ye realize.”

  Lila didn’t look convinced, but she gave her a polite nod. Gawen’s frown deepened; he didn’t like Lila’s persistent self-doubt. Why couldn’t she see how strong she was?

  “I managed tae bring this with me through time,” Coira said, getting to her feet and opening the drawer of a side table, removing a small grimoire that she handed to Lila. “But I’ve never had cause tae use it. I hope there’s a spell in there that can help ye.”

  Lila thanked her as they both stood. Coira reached out to take Lila’s hand, giving it a squeeze.

  “I hope ye’ll come visit me. I’m sure there are many tales we can share.”

  “I come from the twenty-first century,” Lila said, as Coira’s eyes went wide. “There is much I can tell you—I’d love to come visit. I think I’d enjoy visiting with you more than with Lady Inghean.”

  Coira and Lila shared an easy laugh before Coira turned to face Gawen.

  “Gawen . . .” she began. He saw the unease in her eyes and knew what it meant.

  "Ye have my word I willnae tell anyone who ye truly are," he reassured her.

  "I thank ye," she said, the tension in her expression vanishing. "And Lila, I hope ye find her. I loathe witches who twist their power to carry out evil.”

  As they left the cottage, Gawen was still reeling at the realization that someone he’d known most of his life was a stiuireadh. Before he’d met Lila, he would have been furious at the notion of a stiuireadh living on his lands. But he knew Coira well; she was a good woman, as was Lila. His bitterness toward the stiuireadh still lingered, but he now knew two who didn’t possess the manipulative cunning he’d assumed they’d all possessed, given their power to bend time to their will.

  His gaze shifted to Lila, who still looked pale as she mounted her horse. He’d tried to keep a polite distance from her, but that hadn't quelled his desire. It seemed the more he tried to distance himself from her, the more he ached for her. He didn’t have to accompany her to Coira’s home; he’d fibbed about Coira’s disposition toward strangers; she was welcoming and friendly to all. He’d just wanted to spend time with Lila; his attempt at distance be damned.

  Fire blazed in his belly at the memory of their kiss the day before. If it wasn’t for Aonghus’s interruption, he didn’t know if he could have stopped himself from taking her. And given the way she’d responded, he knew Lila would have happily indulged him.

  A swell of lust washed over him. He tried not to let his gaze linger on the alluring swell of her hips or her taut breasts as they rode away from Coira's home. He'd assumed Coira's true identity would have consumed his thoughts during the ride back to the castle, but it was his traitorous desire for Lila that seized him instead. He had to force his gaze away from her as they rode, and by the time they returned to the castle his cock was painfully stiff against his kilt.

  "I'm going to look over Coira's grimoire," Lila said politely, after the stable boys had fetched their horses and they made their way into the castle.

  He gave her a gruff nod, watching the sway of her hips as she headed inside ahead of him. Frustration surged within his belly; he'd just learned there was another stiuireadh on his lands, and he still couldn't control his desire for Lila.

  "Send word tae my nobles; I want tae go for a hunt on the morrow," he practically barked at a servant who approached him.<
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  During the hunt he could keep his ears open and determine if there were any traitors among his men. And a hunt could help clear his mind, giving him space from Lila's tempting presence, though he knew that nothing could truly stymie his need for her.

  * * *

  Early the next morning, Gawen rode out alongside Aonghus and a group of his men for the hunt. He took in each of his men, his gut lurching at the thought of any one of them betraying him. He prayed that he discovered nothing suspicious during this hunt.

  He wondered how Lila was faring, if Coira's grimoire had helped her at all. He smiled at the thought of her murmuring her spells, her eyes closed, her sensual lips mouthing the words. She may doubt her abilities, but she didn’t know how at home she looked whenever she performed her magic.

  Gawen had to make himself set thoughts of Lila aside as they reached the dense forest where he and his men usually went to hunt. They tethered their horses and spread out in small groups to stalk the deer who roamed this forest.

  “The bonnie lass who's visiting as yer guest—is she kin of yers? Has she a husband?” asked one of the men in his small group: Leith, a noble he'd known since he was a lad. Gawen found himself stiffening.

  “She has no husband, aye, but she is under my protection,” Gawen returned, his tone harsher than he intended. “She's only here for a short time until she returns tae England. Ye’ll keep yer sights away from her, Leith.”

  Leith looked surprised at his ire but gave him a quick nod of assent. Gawen ignored Aonghus’s perceptive gaze, focusing on the clearing ahead.

  He tried to concentrate on the hunt, to stamp out his jealousy at the thought of not just Leith noticing Lila, but any man noticing her. She was bonnie, and he was a fool to think he was the only one who'd noticed. He ignored the burning heat in his chest. Lila isnae yers, he chided himself. Ye have no right tae yer jealousy.

  But his simmering jealousy lingered for the rest of the hunt, and he snapped at Leith when his arrow failed to pierce a fleeing deer. Aonghus gave him a disapproving look and guilt flared in his gut. He’d apologize to Leith when they returned to the castle, but he’d make it plain that Leith needed to stay away from Lila.

  As the hunt concluded and he and his group returned to their horses, he stilled as he overhead one of his men, Niven, speaking in low tones to a companion.

  "He was supposed tae return from the Highlands days ago, yet no one's seen him. I went tae his home and he wasnae there."

  "Who do ye speak of?” Gawen asked.

  "My brother Sgaire," Niven replied, after a hesitant pause. "But he has a habit of enjoying brothels and ale. I assume he's been distracted and will soon return."

  Unease slithered through Gawen. Sgaire was Niven’s carefree younger brother who had a habit of imbibing too much drink at feasts. On more than one occasion he'd had him escorted out of the great hall. But Sgaire was harmless, or so he’d always assumed. He recalled the innkeeper, Bhreac, who’d told him and Lila about a man traveling with the aingidh. A chill coiled around his spine. Could the man have been Sgaire?

  "I'll send one of my men tae where he was last seen in the Highlands," Gawen said, trying not to betray his unease.

  "My laird, 'tis nae necessary. I shouldnae have mentioned—”

  "The safety of every man in my clan is important," Gawen said, leveling Niven with a hard stare.

  * * *

  Later, after he’d returned to the castle and had dinner alone in his chamber while he reviewed estate accounts he’d been neglecting, he sought out Lila to inform her of what he’d learned, though in truth he just wanted to see her.

  He found her in her chamber, seated in the center of the floor, murmuring the words of a spell beneath her breath. Her long hair was free of its braids, hanging down past her shoulders, her skin incandescent even in the chamber's dim light. His gaze trailed down the long column of her throat to the delicious swell of her breasts. His cock stirred as a hot, aching need tore at his chest.

  Lila's eyes flew open, her lips parting as she took him in with surprise. Just the sight of her parted, pink lips stirred his arousal, and he swallowed hard.

  She scrambled to her feet, approaching him with a polite smile. Her scent teased his nostrils: rosewater and honey. It took everything in his power not to pull her close and breathe her in.

  “Gawen?” she asked. “Is everything all right?”

  No, he wanted to say. I want ye tae the point of distraction.

  "I just learned that one of my men, Sgaire, may be missing," he forced himself to say, his voice sounding strained to his own ears.

  He told her what he’d learned about Sgaire not returning from the Highlands, and her eyes widened.

  “What if that’s him?” Lila breathed. “The man the innkeeper saw with the dark witch?”

  “I confess that I hope ’tis not so,” he muttered. "Sgaire may be a drunken fool . . . but I donnae think he's a traitor."

  “Can I go to his home? I may be able to pick up something if he is working with her.”

  "Aye," he said, his heart leaping at the thought of spending more time alone with Lila.

  He knew that he should leave her be. He'd told her what he'd come here to say. But Suanach's words returned to him—along with his jealousy.

  "Have any of my men . . . bothered ye?”

  "Bothered me?" Lila echoed.

  "Aye," he bit out. "Made any words or flirtations that were . . . inappropriate."

  “No, not at all," Lila said, giving him a reassuring smile. “I’ve gotten some odd looks about my accent, but everyone’s been kind."

  He gritted his teeth, wondering how "kind" his men had been. His burning jealousy must have been apparent because Lila frowned at him with concern.

  “Gawen . . . are you sure you're all right?”

  She stepped closer, and her enticing scent once again teased his nostrils. From his towering height above her, he could see the alluring swell of her breasts beneath her bodice.

  “No,” he rasped. “Ye donnae ken how lovely ye are, Lila. One of my men inquired about ye, and . . . I didnae like it.”

  A pretty flush rose to her cheeks, and she lowered her gaze.

  “Well, you don’t have to worry. I’ve just been focused on this,” she said, turning to gesture toward the grimoire that rested on the floor behind her.

  "Aye?" he asked, unable to stop himself from stepping forward, so that they were barely a hairbreadth apart. "And nothing else? Because I havenae been able tae focus on anything since ye arrived in that clearing.”

  He reached out, tracing the outline of her pink lips with his thumb. Lila stilled, an unmistakable desire filling her eyes as she raised them to meet his, and his control shattered.

  He reached out to yank her close to his body, claiming her mouth in a searing kiss.

  Chapter 14

  Lila’s heart thundered against her chest as Gawen kissed her, a rush of hot need searing her veins. She almost let out a cry of protest when he tore his lips away from hers, his green eyes heavy with desire.

  "Lila," Gawen rasped. "Tell me tae stop."

  Lila drew in a labored breath; there was a strained desperation in his voice, but there was also desire. Need. A need which matched her own. She was tired of battling her need for him.

  Keeping her eyes locked on his, Lila murmured a spell beneath her breath, and the door shut behind them. Gawen stiffened with surprise, his gaze sweeping over her with wolfish intent as he understood her meaning in closing the door.

  “Ye’re wicked, lass,” he whispered, before reclaiming her mouth with his.

  Lila leaned into him, her hardening nipples pressed against the solid muscle of his broad chest. She let out a startled cry as he suddenly lifted her in his arms, walking with her to the bed, his lips still melded with hers. She instinctively wrapped her legs around him, gasping at the feel of his hardness against her.

  "'Tis all for ye, my Lila," Gawen whispered, peppering kisses along her jaw to the base of
her throat, where he suckled at the space where her pulse hammered against her flesh.

  She whimpered as he lowered her to the bed. Her eyes clashed with his, and her heart did a somersault in her chest at the look of sensual intent in his eyes. But beneath the heated anticipation that surged through her, unease bloomed. As much as she wanted him—needed him—he needed to know that she hadn’t done this before.

  He started to lower his mouth to hers, but she evaded it, swallowing hard.

  "Gawen . . ."

  He mistook her hesitance and stilled, guilt marring his handsome features.

  "I'm sorry, Lila. I—” he began, starting to extricate himself from her, but she stopped him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

  "No, it's not that," she said. "I want you, Gawen. Badly. It's just . . . I've never done this before."

  He looked down at her with a frown, confusion flickering across his face.

  "Back at the inn, ye implied that ye've lain in bed with a man before,” he said slowly.

  “That doesn't mean I've made love,” Lila admitted, an embarrassed flush spreading across her face, lowering her gaze. Taking a woman’s virginity was more momentous in this time. Would he not want her anymore?

  Gawen reached out to tilt her head back to meet his eyes, and she swallowed hard at the fierce possessiveness in his gaze.

  "Ye're a virgin?”

  “That’s usually what not making love before means,” she said, trying to keep her tone light, though her heart was a battering ram against her rib cage.

  Now that the confusion had vanished from Gawen’s expression, he was looking at her as if she were delicious prey, and he was a tiger on the verge of striking. The look thrilled her, a sliver of delight coiling around her. His eyes gleamed with possession as he leaned down to again seize her lips with his.