Page 13 of Wild Scottish Gold (The Enchanted Highlands #7)

CHAPTER TWELVE

Kaia

“ I just want to start by saying that both of you have done a great job.”

My stomach twisted as Orla paged through both of our design proposals. It had already been an emotional day, and I hadn’t planned to end it with a meeting at Common Gin, except Orla had called us in for a design review as her schedule had shifted for the week and she needed to move forward. Finlay, the project manager and Orla’s partner, had joined us for the meeting. To his credit, he’d politely introduced himself, only briefly glancing at the bruises on my face, a flicker behind his eyes barely giving any emotion away. Thane, he’d already known, and they’d quickly caught up on mild chatter about the latest football match.

I couldn’t help but watch how Orla and Finlay were together. He was slick in the way of accomplished men who carried themselves with confidence and that sheen of prosperity. Even though his boots were scuffed, his clothes were impeccably fitted, and he managed to have style in the middle of a job site. Whereas Orla wore her hair plaited and dusty dark green overalls with scuffed work boots covered in doodles and designs. From the outside, I’d never have put these two together. Yet the quick glances, simmering in heat, and the light brush of his hand at her back spoke volumes. There was an intimacy here that wasn’t overt, yet you could see it if you looked for it.

It was what Orla had told me about working with someone you cared about. And Willow had echoed. It could be done, they’d insisted, but I just wasn’t ready to put my future in someone else’s hands. Already Thane was proving to be volatile, with the way he’d stormed across the workshop when he’d learned of my injuries. What would happen if we had a lover’s spat or a falling out? Would I be able to count on him to allow me to fulfill my lease? He could create all sorts of problems for me and shut me out of the forge, no matter what my lease may say.

Slanting a glance at his profile, I considered the direction of my thoughts. He’d been fiercely protective of his niece earlier and had attempted to be so with me. Was he really a man who wouldn’t honor a lease or would force me out of his workplace if we clashed?

My gut told me “no.”

The issue was, could I trust myself? My instincts? I’d ignored red flags before and been burned. I’d just have to be extra careful in this instance and proceed with caution. That was all. Pulling my thoughts away from Thane, I focused on where Orla tapped an illustration in my design book.

“These gates are fantastic, Kaia.”

Pride bloomed, and I smiled, leaning closer.

“I thought you’d like the design.”

“Aye, we weren’t expecting the name to be woven into the gates so seamlessly, but it’s clever. Well done.” Finlay nodded his approval, and I beamed at him.

Thane turned to me and I searched his eyes but only found the same approval there.

“Indeed. They’re beautiful, Kaia.”

“Oh.” My mouth went dry. I hadn’t expected his outright support of my designs. “Thank you.” My gut was screaming. See? This is the type of man he is. The type of man you want.

By the time we’d finished going through the options for the different areas of the distillery, my heart was singing. Orla and Finlay had mostly picked my designs, aside from a few ornate table legs for the main tasting room, a design for one of the supply room doors, and some cupboard doors for the botanicals room. If one were to put a winner badge on either myself or Thane, it seemed like I’d earned it.

Mentally, I did a little dance and a huge squeal, but instead I kept my face still and pumped Thane’s hand.

“Good job, Thane. I liked your designs as well.” I could be magnanimous in my win.

Thane’s lips quirked and he held my hand for a moment longer than necessary, his palm heating under mine, and little explosions of need burst inside me.

“I look forward to working with you on these,” Thane said. I pulled my hand back as my body flushed, the mere thought of working next to him sending me into overdrive.

“If you can get the final budget over to us, along with the estimated timeline, that would be great,” Orla continued and I dropped my hand, curling my fingers into my palm so as to hold Thane’s touch a little longer. Damn it, but I had such a visceral response to this man. I had to get my head in the game and make sure I stayed focused on the long-term goal—establishing a business and life here. My reputation mattered to me, and this was a huge opportunity to build a good rapport with my clients.

My clients .

Excitement bloomed. I’d done it. I’d landed a huge client just a few weeks into my Scottish life, and I’d make sure that I over delivered for them just to set the precedent that I was trustworthy, reliable, and damn good at my job.

So long as I had the right tools and the space to work in, that is. Sliding another glance at Thane as he walked out of the distillery with Finlay, I worried my lower lip. I had such conflicting feelings when it came to him, but with Orla picking my designs, it helped clarify my path forward.

“Are you all right? After the attack?” Orla pitched her voice low beneath the bustle and hum of the construction site. Her dog, Harris, kept pace with us, undisturbed by the cacophony of noises. The distillery was well under way, the project coming to life, and I was itching to add my design elements to the space.

“I am, thanks. It was scary, that’s for sure. Largely because it happened so fast and was so unexpected,” I said. “Finlay didn’t seem thrown off by it.”

“I warned him. Sophie called all of us after it had happened, so Finn knew what to expect. I figured you wouldn’t want questions about it, and I wasn’t entirely sure what you were sharing with Thane.”

“Appreciate that,” I murmured, as we drew close to where the men had stopped at the parking lot. Raising my voice, I continued, “We’ll get the final workup to you tomorrow?” I looked to Thane, and he nodded in agreement.

“Great. Looking forward to working with you both.” Finlay shook both of our hands, and then stepped back. I caught how his hand automatically went to Orla’s shoulder before he quickly dropped it. She must have schooled him about touching on the worksite. Smart woman. I couldn’t count the number of times a customer had looked past me to the men on my projects to ask for insight. Orla seemed like she ran a tight ship, and I imagined she likely had a “no touching” rule for a reason on site.

“Shall we have a meeting in the morning to finalize things?” I turned to Thane after Orla and Finlay had walked away, keeping my tone light.

“Och, I’ll be following you home, darling.” Darling. I shivered at the way his mouth formed that delicious sound when he called me that. I blinked up at Thane, trying to ignore the instinctive urge to lean closer into him. Being close was magnetic, and it was a struggle to tamp down my attraction.

“There’s really no need for that.”

Thane raised a hand and brushed a finger, featherlight, down the side of my chin, and I quickly glanced over to the distillery to see if anyone was watching us.

“You promised me you’d tell me what happened. We can do that here or at your cottage. Which do you prefer?” There was steel beneath his words, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to shake him until I gave him an explanation that he could accept. My stomach twisted. I didn’t want to lie to him, but how would he take this whole magickal Order story? He’d been somewhat dismissive of the Kelpies when we’d heard them shriek in the early hours of the morning the other night.

“Um, my cottage I guess.” I pressed my lips together, nervous.

Thane’s eyes flew to my lips and his hands tightened into fists. “Don’t fret, Kaia. I’ll be taking care of whomever did this to you.”

Oh shit, he was taking my nervousness about telling him as truth that someone had done this to me. I needed to nip this in the bud before it flew out of hand.

“I’ll see you at my place.”

Hopping into my ancient car, I argued with the gear shift until I managed to get the car moving, and then tightly gripped the steering wheel for the rest of the ride home, Loren Brae a blur past my window as I tried to work out what to say to Thane. By the time we arrived at my cottage, Thane’s truck right on my bumper, my tension had ratcheted up.

It was one thing speaking to my parents about magick and ancient Orders and all that, as I never questioned whether they would love and support me. They’d always been a constant champion of me and my life choices, and their unwavering support had given me the backbone to be the woman that I was today. But it was entirely different to float the concept of magick out in front of someone like Thane. And at the same time, I suspected if I tried to lie to him about it, he was just going to bulldog me until he got to the truth anyway. Otherwise he’d be interrogating every man in town until he found someone who took responsibility for my injuries.

Murdoch swooped as I shut off my car, and despite my nerves, I smiled at the bird as he bounced around by my front door. I’d begged some blueberries off Lia before my meeting with Orla at the castle, and now I dug in my bag.

“Hi, friend,” I said, holding out the bag. “Look what I got for you.”

He cares about you.

I glanced over my shoulder to where Thane sat in his truck, watching me and the raven, clearly not wanting to interrupt us. It showed he respected me, I realized, to not immediately storm me even though he had questions he wanted answered. Instead, he waited while I quietly fed Murdoch blueberries.

Again, my stomach twisted. From what I could tell, Thane was a good man.

“I’m not sure how much that matters or not,” I whispered to the bird as I opened the bag of blueberries. “We need to just be colleagues.”

He’ll protect you.

“Do I really need protecting? Aren’t I the one with the powers?”

Murdoch hopped forward and took one of the blueberries gently from my fingers.

There are different kinds of protection, little one.

I raised an eyebrow at that. Was the raven really calling me the little one? Though I supposed I did look quite tiny when he was flying overhead. Murdoch finished his blueberries and flew to a branch, clearly ready to settle in for the conversation.

Thane got out of his car, and I tensed as he strode over, his serious expression deepening the craggy edges of his face.

“Want to see the backyard?” I asked, inanely, I supposed, but I didn’t want to go inside with him. Not with this much emotion pinging around inside me. It was a toss-up whether I wanted to jump into his arms and hug him for wanting to look out for me or push him back so I could live my own life free of overbearing men.

A colleague, I reminded myself. I dug my hands in my pockets and strolled around the corner of the cottage, not waiting for his answer.

And came to a dead stop at the sight that greeted me.

Thane slammed into me, not expecting my sudden stop, and I stumbled forward, but his arms were already around my waist, pulling my back to his chest, cradling me close. He tightened his grip, and shifted our bodies, just a bit, so our shoulders angled toward the backyard.

The backyard where a softly glowing unicorn stood, angling her head at us.

Yup, that’s correct. A freaking unicorn.

My breath stuttered, my heart expanding at the sight, and I winced as though I was looking directly at the sun. She was incredible, a sight beyond belief, yet the longer we stood there the more soothed I became.

Her coat was opal white, a soft rainbow of muted colors shifted through her mane, and her horn was like a glimmering pearl. She tossed her head, shaking her mane out, and stomped a hoof.

“Her eyes,” I whispered, covering Thane’s arms with my own, hugging him back.

“A thousand worlds held within.” Thane’s voice was at my ear, his breath warm against my neck. He wasn’t wrong, either. It was as though she could see our very souls, and I desperately hoped she didn’t find us lacking.

Once more she bobbed her head at us, signaling some unknown message, and then turned and bounded into the trees. Trembling, I stared after her, surprised to feel tears prick my eyes.

I’d never seen something so beautiful. I wanted to memorialize this moment, to figure out how to forge it in gold or iron, to bring it to life so I’d always have it with me.

Thane turned me, and bent, bringing his forehead to mine.

“Did that just really happen?” Thane whispered.

“Incredible,” I breathed.

His lips brushed mine, feather soft, and I jolted, forcing myself to step back. We’d just come from a meeting where I’d signed one of my biggest clients ever, and I needed to hold my boundaries. Unicorn or no unicorn.

“Sorry,” Thane said instantly. He stepped back, raising his hands. “Got caught up.”

“I … I have no idea what to say.” I glanced over my shoulder at the line of trees bordering the property. “Is this a normal thing for Loren Brae?”

“Och, lass.” Thane barked out a laugh. “Not that I’m aware of. I’d have thought I’d well and truly lost it had you not been standing here with me.”

“Wow, just wow.” I turned and began to pace the back garden. It was a bit of a wild spot, as I hadn’t had time to cut back the bushes or tame the long grass, but an old stone walkway and patio area allowed for some space. I needed movement to work out this frenetic energy that kicked around inside me, a mix of anxiety, awe, and unfortunately, arousal. I quite simply was over-the-moon attracted to Thane. “Every day, things just get wilder here in Loren Brae.”

“What do you mean by that?” Thane leaned against the back wall of the cottage, giving me the walkway to pace, and I glanced up at a flutter of wings in the air. Murdoch had perched himself on the roof.

“Can I ask you something?” I stopped my pacing and looked at Thane. I continued when he nodded. “The other night? The Kelpies? Do you really think they’re fake?”

“No, I don’t.” Thane sighed, his lips pressing into a worried line. “I want to, and that’s the truth of it. I want to think this is all just a make-believe thing made up to scare the wee kids home by bedtime, but it’s hard to dismiss. No matter how much I try.”

I held his eyes for a moment, needing to make sure he wasn’t having me on, and when I saw the confusion and frustration there, echoing his words, I nodded once and resumed my pacing.

“It’s the Kelpies that did this to me, Thane.” There. Just ripped the Band-Aid off.

His hands were at my shoulders in a matter of seconds, and he was turning me to him.

“Surely you’re joking?” The color of Thane’s eyes seemed to deepen, matching the storm of expressions that warred on his face.

“I’m not.” I swallowed and forced myself to keep speaking. “I’m … well, see there’s kind of this magickal task force that’s been put together to help conquer the Kelpies. And, well, I’ve been recruited.”

I wasn’t quite ready to mention the Stone of Truth. I figured I could take this in steps and see how he handled it.

His fingers tightened slightly at my shoulders, and he tilted his chin up as he replayed my words. Murdoch let out a call, like a low knocking sound, reminding me he was here for me, I supposed.

“You have magick? As in, you’ll be dancing under moonlight and singing spells and making things float in the air?”

My lips quirked.

“I don’t think that’s how it will be manifesting for me, no. I think, from what I can tell, it will be tied to what I can make.”

“Alchemy.” Thane nodded in understanding, and I supposed it made sense he’d immediately tie that together. I wouldn’t be the first blacksmith in history to potentially have magickal power. But now that he said it, it did make all those old myths ring a touch more true. I’d have to go back and read some to see if any resonated with me.

“Maybe?” I shrugged one shoulder, conscious of his hands still on me. “I haven’t yet been able to transmute anything. But I did infuse the pendant I gave Audrey with some power.”

Thane’s eyes widened.

“You gave my niece a magickal protection pendant?”

Shit . I gritted my teeth. Hopefully he wouldn’t be pissed at me.

“Just a touch. For courage. And to ward off negative energy. Nothing bad, I promise.”

“That’s bloody awesome.” A smile bloomed on his face, shifting the contours of his face. “Thank you.”

Relief filled me.

Thane reached up, bringing one finger to my chin, and angled my face into the sunlight, examining my bruises more closely.

“This looks really bad, Kaia. Was it scary? I hate that I wasn’t there for you. I had no idea the power they had, and now I don’t want to let you out of my sight. Does this mean they’re after you? Will they single you out specifically if they know you’re hunting them?”

I blinked at the barrage of his questions. They made sense—I had phrased the Order of Caledonia as a task force—and now I’d need to explain that the Kelpies and I were working toward the same goal.

One a touch more aggressively, is all.

“We aren’t hunting them.” I shrugged again and took a step back, breaking contact with Thane. I needed a little space to breathe. His nearness often overwhelmed me, and I needed my head on straight to explain this in a manner that hopefully wouldn’t violate too many confidences. “Um, so, we kind of have the same goal. Us and the Kelpies.”

“I’m sorry, what’s that now?” Thane held a hand to his ear, pretending like he hadn’t heard me.

Murdoch gave out a series of calls again, those deep knocks reverberating across the backyard, and Thane turned to look up at the glossy bird on my roof.

“Do you know this bird?”

“Um, I do, actually.” Probably not the best time to tell Thane that I could also speak to animals apparently. “I’m calling him Murdoch. He’s been bringing me little gifts, and I feed him.”

“He’s cool,” Thane said, turning back to me. “Big.”

“Yes, ravens are much bigger than crows. Anyway, um, so … right. Listen, Thane, a lot of this is not public knowledge. I don’t know how much I’m allowed to tell. Let me just say that there are people here who are tasked with protecting something very important in Loren Brae. And because that particular thing has been largely left unguarded the last few years, the Kelpies have come to do the guarding. Once the task force is back to its full power, the Kelpies should disappear. Or go back to sleep. Or return to wherever they go.”

“Protecting something very important.” Thane repeated the words as he puzzled it out. “It’s not like a nuclear bomb or something like that?”

“Oh, hell no.” I laughed and reached up to wind my hair around my finger. “Trust me. I’d be the last person to get recruited as a secret government spy or whatever.”

“Then what could be that important?”

I pressed my lips together, unsure of what I could say. I wanted to ask Sophie about it first.

“Right, you can’t tell me. I’m guessing it’s a treasure of sorts then?”

“Closer,” I said, pursing my lips in agreement. “Listen, if I can tell you more, I will, is that fair?”

“Aye, that’s fair. I’ll stop pressing. But tell me about the Kelpies and more about your magick.”

“Not sure on the magick. Still learning there. I talked to my mom about it, did a little digging, and it turns out one of my ancestors might have had magick too. Like she would go around protecting homes and stuff.”

“A sigil.” Thane nodded. “Sounds like a hearthward.”

“A hearthward?”

“Aye. It protects the home from evil.”

“Hmm.” I nodded, thinking it over. The idea resonated. “I like the sound of that. Maybe I’ll try to work on something like that next.”

“I’ll take one. For Lauren and Audrey.”

“Noted. As for the Kelpies…” I shrugged. My stomach twisted as I thought about the sickly swell of panic seeing a two-story wall of water rise above me. “They’re really fucking scary.”

“Are they big?” Seeing my distress, Thane reached out and rubbed his hands down my arms.

“Massive. Two stories. And they just … slammed over me. Took me down. I busted my face against that stone wall that lines the loch.”

“Och, love.” Thane brushed my chin with his hand, his eyes full of concern. “That’s terrifying.”

“I know. And supposedly I’m meant to help keep them back. But I did nothing. I didn’t know what to do. It just happened so fast. It was Sophie …” I trailed off, wincing.

“Ah, Sophie’s involved in this.” Thane nodded. “I’d heard tell of it. At least an excitement upon her arrival. That tracks.”

“Please don’t say anything,” I said, miserable. “I don’t know who knows what and I don’t want to get her or anyone else in trouble.”

“Not a word.” Thane tilted my head so my eyes met his. “Promise.”

“Thank you.”

“I will say though, I don’t like this at all. It shouldn’t be on you, or her, to be fighting these Kelpies. They’re clearly dangerous. I’m surprised Lachlan hasn’t put a stop to this.”

I laughed and stepped back, some of the tension easing.

“Have you seen Lachlan? He’s besotted with her.” I’d only met Lachlan twice now, but he was head over heels for Sophie. She could tell him she was flying a dragon to the moon, and he’d ask what to pack in her bag for her flight.

“It’s not right. We should be able to help you. Look at the nick of you, Kaia. Your face is a mess. It could be even worse next time. I won’t be having it and that’s the truth of it. You’ll need to go.”

“Excuse me?” I raised my eyebrows at him.

“You need to go. Until this is sorted out. It’s the only solution. You’ve already been hurt once.” Thane’s chin took on a stubborn angle.

“I am not leaving.” I pointed a finger toward the front of the house. “But you can if you keep up that talk.”

“It’s not right, darling. It’s just not. I should be doing something to help you. Loren Brae isn’t safe for you. You need to leave.”

“Well, I’m not, so get used to it.”

“Aye, you are.” Thane leaned closer, frustration on his face.

“No, I’m not.” I leaned in too and stomped my foot for good measure.

“You’re going to leave even if I have to pack you up myself.”

“I’d like to see you stop me from staying.” I whirled and marched toward the cottage. I was two feet from the back door when he caught me, turning and lifting me so my legs straddled his waist and my back was pressed to the cool bricks of the cottage.

His mouth was on mine before I could protest, and I met him heat for heat.

“Damn it, lass, you’ll be the death of me.” Thane arched into me, his hard length rubbing against me, and I moaned. Rolling my hips against his, I shuddered at the delicious press of him against me. Reaching one hand down, I fumbled at the button of my jeans. I wanted him.

I was lying to myself every time I told myself he was just a colleague.

Thane broke the kiss, and seeing what I was about, he stepped back and let me slide down his body, so I could kick my jeans off. Digging in his back pocket, he unzipped his pants and quickly sheathed himself with a condom, before hoisting me back up and pressing me against the wall.

“I should take care with you,” Thane gasped against my mouth, teasing me where I wanted him most.

“I’m stronger than I look, Thane.” I tightened my admittedly muscular thighs around him and pulled him closer. “And I don’t look weak.”

“No, you don’t.” His hands gripped my butt, digging into the ample flesh there. “You’re strong.” He thrust and my eyes rolled back in my head.

“I am.” My head lolled back as he thrust again.

“And soft.” His mouth was at my breasts kissing me through my shirt.

“And ample.” Another slick thrust. “And all-consuming. All woman.”

I moaned as he picked up the pace. Pleasure built inside me, a coil ready to be sprung, and I tightened around him. A cool breeze shifted across my exposed skin, and being outside, surrounded by nature only heightened my pleasure. This felt raw, animalistic almost, like he couldn’t tear himself away from my body. The very thought of how much he wanted me took me right over the edge and I cried out as I came undone.

Two more thrusts and Thane followed suit, burying his face into my neck, his moans muffled as he sought his release. When he finished, he just held me there, pressed between his hard body and the rough stone of the wall.

“Did I hurt you?” Thane asked, drawing in a breath.

“God, no.” I laughed, leaning back to look up at him. “That was incredible.”

“But your back? Your soft skin? Against the stone?”

“I’m fine. Trust me, I’m more than fine.” I patted his chest and wondered how long he could hold me here like this. I was not a light woman, but he seemed to have no problem throwing me around with ease. “Thane. What are we doing here?”

“Likely making mistakes.”

His words landed, hurting me, even though I’d been the one to push back against a relationship just as much as he had. Taking a deep breath, I covered my wound with a soft smile.

“Agreed.”

I saw a flash in his eyes and wondered if my ready agreement had hit him the same way his words had me.

“So. Colleagues?” I asked, trying to restore the boundary. Which was just a bit hard to do when the man was still inside me.

“Mmm.” Thane made a noncommittal noise and withdrew, allowing me to slide to my feet. I bent and picked up my jeans, pulling them on quickly while he righted himself. “Kaia, I’m serious about you leaving. I don’t think it’s safe here for you. I don’t know how to protect you from the Kelpies so the only logical solution is for you to leave.”

“Then you’d have to leave too.” Annoyance flashed through me. “The Kelpies aren’t just after me. They’re after anyone who threatens what they’re protecting. Don’t you see? I could very well be saying the same for you.”

Thane scoffed, as if the very idea that he wouldn’t be able to protect himself was a joke. I sighed. Men .

“Thank you for your concern, Thane. But I’m fine. And we’ve got a job to do for Common Gin. When do you want to start?”

“I’ve got the men finishing two big projects for the Kinross farm tomorrow and the next day. So we likely won’t be starting any actual design work until next week at the earliest. Let’s meet for measurements and stock estimations tomorrow afternoon then?” Thane said the words reluctantly, as though he’d honestly expected me to listen to him and pack my bags that very second.

“Perfect. I’ll see you after lunch then. In the meantime, I need a night to unwind.” I slanted him a look and patted his chest. “Alone.”

“Understood. You’ll call me if you need me?”

“I’ll be fine, Thane.”

“Nevertheless?”

“I’ll call you if I need you.” I sighed.

“Thank you.” Thane looked like he was going to lean in to kiss me, but I just shook my head, gently nudging him backward with my hand. Turning, he walked away, and in moments I heard his truck door slam and tires crunching on the gravel. Taking a shuddering breath, I stood where I was for a moment, blinking up at murky clouds gathering in the sky, the promise of rain on the horizon.

Murdoch swooped low, making his odd knocking call.

“Tell me you didn’t watch that.” I gritted my teeth, my cheeks heating in embarrassment. I’d forgotten about the raven.

Obviously not. I have little interest in the couplings of humans.

An idea occurred to me. I was still too keyed up to sleep, and it was only late afternoon.

“Want to come hang out?”

That would be nice, thank you for the invitation.

With that, I walked around the cottage and opened my door to the raven, marveling at what a turn my life had taken. Stepping inside, I glanced once more down the drive toward the loch, but Thane’s truck was long gone, and the surface of the loch was smooth. For now, I could rest.

I firmly closed the door behind me and slid the latch closed.