Page 45 of A Virgin for the Icy Highlander
Then, suddenly, Hunter opened another iron gate that creaked on rusty hinges and said, “We’re here.”
He dropped his arm to his side, and immediately her waist lamented the loss of his touch.
Grace squinted into the dense dark, seeing nothing that would have warranted such an extensive expedition. In the lantern light, she noticed the drooping wildflowers that wouldn’t be in bloom for months. She didn’t get to see any more than that, as Hunter raised the lantern and promptly blew it out.
Why did he do that?
Her heart fluttered in panic as her hand fumbled in the dark to try and find him, wishing he hadn’t released her.
“M’Laird?” she whispered. “M’Laird, why did you?—”
Before she could finish the question, tiny lights began to wink into life. Tinged with a greenish hue, more and more ignited, like a whole sky of stars emerging from the velvet night at once.
Grace clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle a squeal of utter joy.
All around, in every direction, those yellowish-green lights flashed in mesmerizing patterns, like ships sending messages to one another across a vast, black ocean. And she was in the middle of it, watching the lights dance and pulse, wondering if all that walking hadn’t guided her through some kind of veil, into a magical realm where fireflies danced in November.
“Howis this possible?” she gasped, careful not to raise her voice too loudly in case it frightened the wonderful creatures.
Hunter’s voice rumbled through the darkness, revealing his position. He was closer than she’d thought. “I dinnae ken. All I ken is that they’ve always danced here in the autumn and winter since I was a lad.” He paused. “Me maither once told me it’s because of the water that runs beneath the land here.”
“What do you mean?” Grace tried to figure out his exact position next to her. “Do you mean… there’s some sort of magic in it?”
She thought she heard him chuckle.
“I mean, the water’s hot.” There was a rush of air nearby, as if he were gesturing. “There used to be hot springs nae far away, but they collapsed years ago. Me maither said that’s why the fireflies glow here so late in the year, ‘cause it’s still as warm as the springs. Or it’s a habit they still havenae unlearned.”
As he said that, Grace realized she wasn’t shivering anymore. The airwaswarmer here, and there was certainly a warmth coming up through her shoes—nothing directly noticeable unless it was pointed out.
“I thought you were…” She shook her head. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter what I thought. Thank you, M’Laird. Thank you so much for showing me this!”
Forgetting her earlier concerns, a touch guilty that she’d thought he might be lying about the fireflies, she stood there and let herself enjoy the glorious display in its entirety.
There were so few things in nature that made a person feel like they were seeing something truly divine, and this hadto be one of them.
A moment later, spurred on by the exceptional, rare beauty of what she was seeing, she began to turn in slow, joyous circles. Holding out her arms, she pretended she was among the constellations, soaring through the night sky, touching stars, trying to understand their messages as they winked back at her.
“Truly, thank you,” she gasped, so overwhelmed with happiness that she wished she could capture and bottle the moment. She would save this joy for days when she might need a reason to smile and dance.
“It was me pleasure,” Hunter replied gruffly.
She had to chuckle at his tone, for who could be grumpy when surrounded by a true, natural miracle?
“I had no idea you could be so… thoughtful,” she said, half-teasing. “I think this might be the sweetest thing anyone has done for me.”
And I will never tell my friends that, lest they call me a traitor.
What she really meant was, it was the sweetest thing anymanhad ever done for her, but that might have lessened the impact. After all, it was not difficult to be sweeter, or better, than the men she had encountered.
“It wasnae me intention,” Hunter replied. “I just didnae want anyone else to show ye fireflies when they’re right here, close to me castle.”
She laughed. “Close by whose estimation? My thighs are going to be as stiff as posts tomorrow morning, though I’d wager they will benefit from the exercise.”
She jolted at the sound of something snapping and whirled around to the spot where she thought Hunter was. Her eyes had adjusted some, and the fireflies came to her aid, illuminating him in flashing glimpses, highlighting his faint silhouette in the darkness.
“Was that you?” she asked.
“A bit of the lantern snapped off,” he replied, his tone even harsher than before as she caught a flash of glinting eyes.
