HauntedLaird (7 page)

“’Tis time for ye ta go?” His voice cracked and Lynn sensed
he felt deeply for Jasper.

“Aye. The angels call. Ye are free. Mi presence be no longer
needed.” Jasper looked at Lynn. His eyes darkened with sadness. “Take care o’
him. See him home safely for mi.”

She stepped forward, reaching in the direction of Jasper’s
cheek. It didn’t matter her fingertips sank into his image and coldness shot
along her arm. “Tell him,” she simply stated as she held his heartbroken stare.
When he shook his head, she said it again. “Tell him. Leave this world in peace
with your heart free. Don’t let regret darken your heavenly travels.”

Jasper looked as if he wanted to protest but changed his
mind. He floated to kneel before Padon and took his face in his hands. Lynn
swallowed against the sudden lump in her throat at the beauty of what happened
in front of her. If Padon felt the chill she knew graced his skin from Jasper’s
touch, he didn’t show it.

“I have loved ye mi whole life and more,” Jasper said.
Passion and love filled each word of his declaration and Lynn had to breathe
deeply to keep from crying.

“And I have loved ye as close as one o’ mi
brathairs
,”
Padon answered. His rich baritone seemed to falter as he spoke.

“I know, mi
gaol—
love
,
m’caraid—
my
friend
,
” Jasper continued. His fingers on one hand disappeared when he
ran them through Padon’s hair, yet the hair didn’t move from the touch. “I have
been thy bloodless
brathair
. In mi heart, ye have been mi
leannan—
lover.”
Jasper rose. His image became less visible by the second.

Padon leapt to his feet, reaching for Jasper, but his hands
swept through his ghostly frame. “I knew, Jasper,” Padon admitted, raw emotion
lacing his words. “I knew. But I did no feel the same kind o’
gaol
for
ye.” His head hung low. “Please forgive mi.”

Jasper’s hand cupped Padon’s chin and though Lynn knew he
felt nothing but cold, Padon lifted his face to meet Jasper’s gaze. “There be
nothing ta forgive. We shared a friendship like no other.” Jasper smiled. “I am
free ta walk in the Garden o’ Angels. Ye are free ta follow thy heart, mi
gaol
.”

He leaned and brushed a kiss across Padon’s lips and Lynn
could no longer hold back her tears. The look in Padon’s eyes said it all. He
loved Jasper and that was a memory Jasper would take with him to the other
side.

Jasper floated until he was near the ceiling then spun at a
rapid rate of speed. Padon placed a fist across his heart and stared directly
at Jasper. “Thank ye,
m’caraid
. May ye rest in peace. Ye deserved so
much more than mi.”

“Nay,” came Jasper’s voice from the spinning ball of light.
“Ye were
m’caraid
and that was enough for mi.”

Jasper suddenly stopped spinning. He shot Padon a smile then
burst into a flash of brilliant colors and stars, which rained down upon them.
His spirit was gone.

Chapter Seven

She couldn’t be sure how much they heard or saw, but the
spell of the scene that had just played out before her was broken when either
Travis or Fin cleared his throat loudly. Padon swiped the back of his hand
across his eyes, and she knew he hid his tears from the men. But if he’d looked
at them as she did, he would have seen them both brushing tears from their eyes
as well. They understood the love between men.

She swallowed hard. Padon and Jasper never had a chance.
Though their feelings were not exactly the same for one another, they still
loved each other deeply. Their unrequited affair made her realize love was a
valuable gift from the heart, to be cherished when it hit. Mixed emotions had
her rethinking her feelings for Padon. What if this was more than just a sexual
attraction? What if she hadn’t cheated on Eddie’s memory
,
but in fact
started
a new relationship off with a
ban
g
?

He abruptly interrupted her train of thought.

“We must leave,” Padon stated then turned and headed for the
waterfall again.

No one questioned his direction. He walked along the ledge
that ran toward the waterfall. He glanced over his shoulder at them. Lynn
followed close behind with Travis behind her and Fin behind him. At the waterfall,
he gave them a nod then disappeared into the cascading water. Lynn paused for a
second, not certain if he remembered the way correctly. She’d had sex with
Padon in the waterfall, but hadn’t noticed a pathway behind it. She looked at
Travis and shrugged but wasn’t given a chance to say anything. A strong hand
reached from the water, grabbed her hand, tugged her into the steady stream and
through to the other side.

The wet stones made her slip and she fell against his slick
body. His arm held her securely around the waist. Water dripped from his hair,
giving him a playful yet sexy, roguish appeal. When his gaze met hers, moist
heat formed low in her pelvis. Lordy, he had a way of turning her on with
simply a look filled with sexual innuendo. His eyes darkened and his muscles
flinched tighter around her. He was about to kiss her and every ounce of her
wanted him to as she pursed her lips, making ready for his touch.

Travis and Fin pushed through the waterfall to stand behind
her. Lynn gathered her wits and pressed her palm flat against his healthy chest
and steadied herself before easing out of the safety of his hold.

“Thank you,” eked from her suddenly dry lips. If they hadn’t
been interrupted, she would have gotten another taste of his magnificent mouth.

He simply nodded and turned without a word. His gorgeous
back of wet, slick muscles disappeared into an opening in the wall that she
hadn’t noticed while washing and having sex. Well, the sex part had kept her a
bit preoccupied to the point she wouldn’t have noticed if a train had barreled
out of that tunnel. Travis nudged her arm with a flashlight from his pack.

“Here, you might need this.”

Lynn nodded. “Thank you. I forgot to ask if you wanted me to
carry anything.”

“Nay,” Travis replied. “You worry about keeping up with him
and let me and Fin do the hauling this time.”

She switched on the light and entered the mouth of the
tunnel. She located Padon standing at a fork in the extended cave. He held an
ancient-looking lantern in his hand and appeared to be trying to light it when
he looked her way. His brows bunched and he dropped the object. When she
reached him, he pointed at her hand.

“Magic?”

“No.” Lynn realized he wouldn’t know anything about the
gadgets of her time. She took a second to explain as she handed it to him.
“It’s a flashlight. You turn it on and off with this switch.” She placed it in
his hand, put her hand over his and maneuvered his fingers on the switch,
showing him how it worked. He played with it several times before finally
leaving it on.

He grinned at her and his expression was that of a
bewildered kid with a new toy. “This way,” he said with an edge of excitement
in his voice that had her smiling inwardly as he walked into the left corridor.

She followed, as did Travis and Fin. It seemed like hours
they traveled this route at a steady pace, which wouldn’t have been possible if
Padon hadn’t taken hold of her hand to help guide her through the rough
terrain.

The moon was high in the sky when they reached the other end
of the tunnel. Moonbeams shone down in an array of streaks of nightshade grays
and whites where she stood looking up at the opening in the Earth’s floor.
Padon handed her the flashlight, grasped her hand and pointed the beam at a
makeshift stairwell made from rocks and boulders. It was definitely manmade,
but looked as if it hadn’t been used in many years.

He moved to the stairwell and tested the first few steps
then carefully one by one ascended them. At the top, he stuck his head through
the opening. His arms went above his head and he seemed to hoist himself out
with ease. After several seconds, his head poked through the hole and he
motioned for Lynn to follow.

Not certain about the stairs, she decided if they held a man
Padon’s size then she shouldn’t be a problem. At the top, she shone the light
accidentally into his eyes and he winced.

“Sorry,” she said.

“Give mi your hands.”

She turned off the light and tucked it in her shirt between
her breasts so she wouldn’t lose it then did as instructed. She held her hands
above her head. Padon grabbed hold of her forearms and she clasped her hands
tight as possible around his. Smoothly, he lifted her free of the opening. He
set her on the ground beside him then leaned in to help the next person. She
stood and moved out of the way. But she couldn’t go far. Behind her was a wall
of stone. Across from the hole was a thickly woven semicircle of boulders,
trees and underbrush. She wasn’t exactly sure how they were going to exit.

With the last man out, Padon turned to the next task. He scaled
one of the boulders close to the wall of rock, using the wall for leverage as
he climbed. Once on top, he lay flat and it appeared as if he scouted their
surroundings before signaling it was clear to climb. He’d made it look so easy,
Lynn figured she’d give it her best shot.

Travis and Fin were behind her in case she slipped. When she
was near the top, Padon reached over and hoisted her the rest of the way. Going
down the other side was easy. Padon jumped and landed on his feet then turned
and held his hands out, motioning that it was her turn. Lynn took a breath and
a leap of faith that he’d catch her and landed in his arms. He didn’t even make
an
oof
sound as she thought he would by catching a full-figured gal like
herself.

Her breasts brushed against his chest, making her nipples
react. Being pressed against his naked chest and abdomen, her body was on fire
for him. This wasn’t normally like her. Lynn Woodberry didn’t act like a
hormone-driven wild woman over anyone, but Padon wasn’t a simple anyone. She
looked at the rugged face of the man whose arms she was in and tightened her
grip around his neck. Lord help her, the thoughts singeing her brain right now
would surely get her sent directly to hell—do not pass go, do not collect two
hundred dollars.

She did her best to sound calm when she said on a strained
whisper, “You can put me down now.”

Instead he held her closer, turned and walked a few feet
away before helping her stand. He made sure she had her balance before he let
go. Now if she could only breathe. That man stole the air from her lungs with a
single touch. Being in his arms, she felt like a tiny doll. It didn’t even look
as if he strained a muscle when he caught her or carried her. Lynn liked that.
She smiled up at him.

He leaned toward her and her mouth dried. Her eyes locked on
his sensual lips, that sexy cleft in his chin she wanted to taste with the tip
of her tongue. But instead of kissing her, he tugged the flashlight from where
it was sticking out from between her breasts. He flicked it on and gave her a
drop-dead-sexy smile. She was thankful it was dark enough he couldn’t see her
blush. That was twice now she’d hungered for his kiss and not gotten one. Damn,
this was going to be a long night.

Lynn watched his muscles flex as he helped Travis and Fin.
With every move he made, she had no doubt Padon somehow had visited her in her
dream the first night in the woods and when she slept on the ledge. He moved
the same way her dream man did when he saved her from the cliff. Strong and
effortless. She wasn’t sure how it happened but she was damn sure it was him.
Lynn tried to redirect her thoughts from kissing Padon, but it was difficult.

Forcing her eyes off Padon’s taut rear-end, she took a few
steps and froze as she realized she’d never gotten any straight answers from
Jasper. Something she’d wanted had slipped through her fingers and now was gone
forever. Lynn didn’t get the chance to dwell on it.

Padon grabbed her hand and they cut through the woods in the
dead of night. He didn’t trip or stumble and it looked as if being without
shoes was as natural for him as wearing boots was for her. Lynn had to
concentrate to keep up, especially in the dark. Though the moon was high and
they had flashlights it was still treacherous to her. The men didn’t seem to be
having any problem. But then again, they’d camped in these woods many times and
had to know the terrain pretty well.

Besides, they didn’t have a sexy man holding their hands,
dragging them through the forest, causing them inner turmoil. His touch was
making her insides go haywire. It didn’t help that when she stumbled, his
reflexes were fast and he kept her from falling. Those big hands on her body
made her hot to the point that if she wouldn’t look like a bumbling fool she’d
keep tripping over stuff just to have him catch her.

Lynn rolled her eyes at the thought. Now wasn’t the time for
her hormones to kick into high gear. But it was hard to control since she’d
already experienced a wonderful bout of sex in his arms. Her brain seemed to
only focus on that with every brush of his body to hers as they wound their way
through the woods. She knew they had to cover as much ground as possible before
daybreak, find a place to hide and hope Lonnie and Timothy weren’t bright
enough to track them.

Breathe, Lynn, breathe.
Think of nothing but
getting out of here.
Looking at the way the moonlight skimmed across his
naked back made that almost impossible as she followed him closely.

Padon knew this trail well, but time had hidden it from lack
of use. The growth of trees and underbrush caused him to redirect their path.
He managed to use the stars to help guide them in the right direction. Many
times he and Jasper made the trek to the cave while hunting. The ravine was a
menagerie of wild game upon which to feast. They’d taken what they needed for
their families and left the rest to grow bigger for next time. He never
imagined the cave would become his home for centuries. It hurt his heart to
know how Jasper felt and why he’d traded a peaceful rest in the Garden of
Angels to watch over and protect him. It was a debt he knew not how to repay.

Aye. He loved Jasper but not in the same manner. He’d
suspected for years Jasper was different. Hell, he knew in his heart how Jasper
felt, but simply accepted it without acting on it. Sex with another man did not
appeal to him. He chanced a look over his shoulder. Though sex with a certain
curly headed, robust woman named Lynn wouldn’t be something he’d turn down if
offered again.

A smile tugged at his lips at the memory of how the soft
sensation of her hair twisting in his fingers felt right before he released it
to spring back against her face.
Och
, what a beautiful face she had,
round in shape, with bright-blue eyes, a cute little nose and a set of full
lips he hungered to taste over and over. Sweet. She tasted sweeter than any
berry he’d scavenged in the woods.

He knew the sweetness of her lips was great. It set his
imagination on fire wondering about the flavor and exquisite taste of the
nectar from her treasure to the point his mouth watered in anticipation. He did
not know why she wore men’s trews but liked the way they fit her pleasantly
shaped bottom. A woman with a solid foundation always piqued his sexual
interest and Lynn was solidly perfect for him. A big man like himself needed a
healthy woman to satisfy his needs. He’d never touched a skin-and-bones lass.
That sort never sparked his lust. Nay, what he needed held his hand and hurried
along behind him. He knew she could handle him and that knowledge made him hard
between his thighs.

Though he tried to stop the flow of thoughts about sex and
Lynn, he couldn’t. The image of her breasts popped into his head, sending the
blood straight to his bawls. Her loose top did nothing to hide the sizable
breasts he’d enjoy spending hours tending to if she let him hold them in his
hands again. When he’d tugged the flashlight from between them, it had been a
chore not to slip his hand in and caress those luscious, tender mounds. His
mouth hungered with want for her nipples. Ahh, he wanted desperately to suckle
what he knew was perfectly proportioned to the rest of her beautiful body and
sized just right for him.

For the first time all night, he tripped. He righted himself
before he fell but not quickly enough to keep Lynn from bumping into his
backside. Her breasts pressed into his back. One on either side of his sword.
Her hand came palm flat to the bare skin at his waist and the warmth of her
touch added to his growing desire to sample all her attributes repeatedly. Her
breath skittered across his flesh. His shaft reacted instantly, making him glad
it was the dead of night and she was behind him and couldn’t see the prominent
bulge occurring in his kilt.

Not being able to control his cock’s reaction to her had to
be a side effect of being imprisoned for so long. Many times in his youth he’d
woken horny, but never this badly. Uncontrollable lust grew from the pit of his
bawls and spread warmth and need to every inch of him. He shivered against the
rush of heat thickening his blood and his shaft.