Page 17 of Lost with a Scot
Several hours later, he woke to the sound of crying. The candle on the table beside him burned low. Wax pooled at the base of the candleholder. Only a faint flame’s glow, aided by moonlight, showed Anna on the bed. She was curled up tight, her body racked with sobs, her face contorted in pain.
“Anna, Anna, my wee darling, wake up.” He shook her shoulder as she continued to softly weep in her sleep.
It took a moment before she could shake off the nightmare. “Aiden!” She threw herself into his arms, and he nearly fell off the side of the bed.
“I’m here, lass. I’ve got you.” He moved himself to the center of the bed and pulled her onto his lap so he could hold her better. “What were ye dreaming about?” he asked when her hitched breathing calmed.
“Fire... fire everywhere. Someone I love died. I can’t remember. I can’t—” She buried her face against his throat. “Oh, it was too awful.”
Aiden tightened his arms around her, wishing he could take her pain and carry it himself.
“Well, ye’re safe now. Whatever happened before, ye’re safe now.” He kissed the crown of her hair. It seemed such a natural thing to do. But when she lifted her head up to see him, her lips brushed innocently against his cheek, and he felt his body harden with desire.
“Are we truly destined for each other?” she asked.
He gazed at her face in the moonlight. He remembered the Romani woman’s eyes as she’d spoken.“You will die for her...”And he knew it was true. She was his, this mysterious stranger, and he would do anything for her, even give his life.
“Do ye ken what selkies are?”
She shook her head.
“They are people of the water who live in a seal’s skin but can shed that skin to become human for a time. When ye washed up before me, I thought at first ye might be a selkie princess.” He smiled softly, hoping the change of subject would distract her.
“A selkie princess?” She smiled drowsily. “That sounds rather nice.” She yawned again and laid her head on his shoulder. “Will you hold me a little while longer? I think I might not have any more nightmares if you do.”
“Aye. I will hold ye all night if ye wish.”
“Thank you.” She pressed a kiss to his throat and, after a moment, he felt her body completely relax. She slept on, clutching him like a favorite child’s toy. He didn’t mind.
Somehow he managed to doze off in that position until after dawn, when a surprised feminine screech sent him bolting awake.
“Aiden Kincade!What do you think you’re doing?”
His eyes flew open. He tensed at the sight of two people hovering in the open doorway of his room.
CHAPTER5
Aiden shot out of bed. He put his body between Anna and whatever threat had entered their room, but he relaxed as the sleep left him and he realized who it was.
“Easy, brother. The innkeeper said ye were in this room so we thought to see ye first before we saw to our own room. We didna ken ye were entertaining a lassie.” Brodie’s laugh made Aiden lower his fists. Lydia, the Englishwoman Brodie had recently married, stood next to him, her eyes wide in scandalized shock. She was the one who had yelled at him.
“What are you doing, Aiden?” Lydia asked, clearly stunned. “And who is that with you?”
“Aiden?” Anna’s anxious voice grabbed his attention. She had the covers pulled up to her chin, not in fear, but shame and worry.
“’Tis only my brother Brodie and his wife, Lydia. Give me a minute to talk with them, lass.” He braced a hand on the headboard as he leaned forward and kissed Anna’s forehead, and then he shooed his brother and sister-in-law back out into the hall, where he closed the door. Lydia was still flabbergasted, but Brodie was holding in a laugh.
“I’m glad to see ye enjoying yerself for a change, little brother.” Brodie grinned wickedly until his petite wife jabbed a sharp elbow into his stomach. “Oof!” He doubled over as air whooshed out of his lungs. Then Lydia rounded on Aiden again.
“Really, Aiden, bringing a woman of the night toyourroom... I never thought you might take after Brodie and would sleep with justanyone.” She shot a pointed look at her roguish husband.
“Have a care, wife—that’s yer husband ye’re talking about,” Brodie warned, but his eyes promised only sensual punishment. “Also, yer making a wee bit of an assumption there, arna ye? A lot may have happened since we left. Mayhap my brother has found a bride!” Brodie’s tone was full of teasing, as if the idea of Aiden marrying anyone was a lark.
“My bonnie Lydia,” Aiden greeted magnanimously and pulled the prickly woman into his arms until her disapproval softened and she hugged him back. “Honeymooning has suited ye well. Ye look happy.” He meant it too. Lydia had carried many burdens after her mother died. Marrying a bounder like Brodie who loved to tease and spoil her rotten had been good for her spirit and her heart.
Lydia blushed. “It was wonderful, wasn’t it?” she asked Brodie. Her husband leaned down and kissed her cheek, his hard features softening.
“It was.” Then Brodie cleared his throat. “Now, tell us who’s the wench in yer bed?”
