Page 15 of The Gloaming

“Ah.” One side of his mouth twitched up into a half-smile. “Well, tis to be expected, I should think.” His chuckle was warm and smooth, like caramel. “The bleeding seems to have stopped already, though—” He reached out toward my face and hesitated, withdrawing his hand as he straightened and stood.

I touched my fingers to my forehead, and they came away black and sticky in the darkness. Passing an assessing hand over the rest of my features, I caught several splinters embedded in my cheek and hissed at the sting. At least it was nothing Tom couldn’t fix with a couple of butterfly stitches.

Wiping the blood onto my already filthy jeans, and attempting to brush some of the dust from my shoulders and hair, I peeked at the stranger, who was looking back at me with equal curiosity.

“May I—?” His touch was light as he stepped behind me and assessed my injuries, his fingers trailing along my spine with a practised precision that was both clinical and intimate. I held my breath, hyperaware of every point of contact even through the heavy knit of my jumper, but nothing seemed to be damaged.

“Where did you come from?” I asked, pushing myself up on my uninjured arm. He held out a hand to help, stepping back as soon as I was upright.

“I saw you disappear into the gardens, afore. I didnae ken they were here and found myself intrigued,” he shrugged. “I’m sorry I wisnae following more closely. I could’ve helped.”

His story was believable enough, but I forced myself to look away. The light from above put the kitchen of the old lodge on full display, highlighting the disrepair. What had I been thinking, going out on that beam?

“It’s alright,” I told him. “Unless you were planning on catching me, it wouldn’t have made a difference.” I tried a few steps and found my ankle didn’t want to bear my weight. The stranger held out an arm for me to lean on. “Thanks,” I said, taking it without thinking.

“Still…” He cast a brief look at my hand where it rested on his arm, and to my face. “I’m Cole. And despite the circumstances, pleased to make your acquaintance.” He gave me a rueful smile and tilted his head to assess me, his eyes lingering on my mouth. “I must admit, I’m fair amazed you’reconscious. Is that an impolite thing to say?” I placed his Scottish brogue now, much stronger than Jim’s had been.

I laughed and winced when the pain from my ankle pulsed up my leg. “Oh, I blacked out for a moment there. Don’t doubt it.”

With Cole’s hold firm on my arm, he guided me out of the lodge, positioning himself between me and the unstable structure. The paths, with their cracks and overgrown foliage, were now more dangerous than before. Usually, having a stranger so close would make me uneasy, but without him, getting home seemed nigh on impossible.

“Are you a doctor?” I asked, remembering his quick, competent analysis as he adjusted his stride to match my shorter steps, creating a shield against the bitter wind.

He gave me a roguish grin. “That depends on who’s asking, lass.”

We’d reached the garden’s edge, and as I gazed up at him under the pale glow of the streetlamps, I noticed the smile lines around his eyes and mouth as he looked at me, bemused. I’d guess late twenties, early thirties, maybe a little older than me, and remarkably easy on the eyes. Dark waves of hair fell in a careless tumble past his ears, constantly threatening to obscure those striking eyes. A lock fell across his forehead as I watched, and he absently pushed it back, only for it to escape again moments later. The warm mahogany tones complemented his refined features well, andfuck, was that rakish little move distracting. I shook my head, as I realised he’d been scrutinising me just as closely.

“I can probably manage from here,” I said, pulling my eyes away. It was true, but my ankle was as good an excuse as any to prolong the conversation. I was leaning into him despite myself, though my clothes were still drenched and icy. Maybe I was concussed.

“Ah, but what kind of gentleman would I be, leaving a lady to brave these treacherous paths alone? Another ruin might fall on ye. Or mayhap a tree.” He grinned down at me, eyes crinkling. “I dinnae need the worry of a strange, pretty lass on my conscience. Bold as the moon you may be, climbing in the rafters – but soft as stardust and prone to breaking.”

I blushed hard, but I was pleased. “Are you always this poetic about potential concussions?”

“Only the bonnie ones,” he smiled.

As we walked, I couldn’t help but notice how his height andframe carried an effortless kind of strength. At least six foot four, maybe six five, his height gave him an agile grace that made my stumbling seem more awkward than ever. The thick navy jumper he wore beneath his coat pulled taut across his chest and shoulders, and there was something quietly devastating about the artistry of his face and the firm steadiness of his hands as he supported me. The cut of his coat had hidden it at first, but this close, I was intensely aware of the solid strength of his body against mine.

I wanted to keep him close, and it was more than the need for physical support. It was hard to explain, but Cole felt… safe.

“Do you mind if I ask what you were doing in the lodge?” He asked. “Seems a wee bit dreich to be out so late.”

“I needed to clear my head,” I lied. “Exploring sometimes helps.”

Cole nodded. “Aye, I ken the feeling. When your head’s so full…” he paused. “Howisyour head?”

“Fuzzy, but not too bad.” I touched my temple again, conscious of the streaks of dirt and blood on my face. “My arm took the brunt of it.”

He came to a stop and seemed to be appraising my outfit. “Are you cold? You must be soaked through.”

I grimaced, comparing my dirty jumper to his smart coat, which hung around him in perfect, tailored lines.

“I’ll be fine,” I clenched my teeth together to hide my shivering, but he wasn’t fooled. Barely letting go of my arm, he removed his coat in a singular smooth motion and draped it over my shoulders. I felt warmer immediately, but had to resist theurge to bury my nose in the collar, surrounded by his woodsy, pine-like scent.

For a few minutes, we made silent, steady progress along tidier paths. My ankle throbbed with each step, but it wasn’t enough to distract from my curiosity about Cole now that my teeth had stopped chattering. I tried not to steal glances at him as we walked, but several times I caught him looking back at me. Each time our eyes met, my stomach did a little flip. His half-smiles were doing dangerous things to my ability to focus on walking straight, injured ankle or not.Play it cool, Erin.

We stopped as we reached the edge of the park, and I gawked up at the fence I’d leapt so confidently before. Cole’s mouth quirked up into a grin – clearly, I wasn’t great at hiding my emotions from this guy.

“It was open when I arrived, I swear.” He held up a hand in mock solemnity. “We’ll find another way out. You cannae climb over a fence like that in this state.”

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