Redeeming Vows (8 page)

Catherine Bybee

watched. Only when Fin moved closer did he hear a shimmer of their conversation. “…what do they put in the water here?”

“I don’t know. Scotland sure grows her men big.”

Liz laughed at her sister’s comment before realizing that Fin stood near enough to hear. His eyes darted away.

“You have word from Lancaster?” Fin asked.

Logan accepted the ale from Alice with a wink before answering his question. “Aye. Seems Lancaster has finally found someone to take Regina off his hands.”

“Who is the
lucky
groom?” Fin’s sarcasm grew thick.

“Finlay MacCoinnich, Regina is a fine lass, show some respect,” Lora scolded.

Ian laughed. “Fin would be more pleased than any of us to know she’s accepted a husband. Perhaps now she’ll stop staring at him.”

Fin endured the jesting, knowing how true the words were. Regina’s attempts to gain his attention in the past weren’t exactly subtle.

“Who is the man?” Fin asked again.

“A Lord Brisbane from the south.”

“English?” Ian asked.

“Half, methinks. Regina will be his second wife.”

“I’ll bet she’s not pleased with that.”

“’Tis Lancaster’s arrangement. He’s asking all his allies to join him for their festivities.” Logan’s eyes sat on Elizabeth. His grin spread. The hair on the back of Fin’s nape stood up.

“All his allies? Why?”

“There are rumors of an unsettling in the lowlands.”

Eyes shifted around the room. Liz slid her gaze to his in question.

“Unsettling?” Ian leaned forward.

“Perhaps we should discuss politics after Logan 60

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has settled and a meal can be taken in honor of his homecoming,” Duncan said, quickly changing the subject. From the expression on Liz and Tara’s faces, their worry far exceeded his. Their battles since arriving in his century had all been magical. Yet he knew from numerous conversations with his brother that their concern over warring with fellow men paralyzed them with fear. Fin wondered if their knowledge of history was the cause.

“Well said, Duncan.”

“I suppose that’s our cue to leave.” Liz stood and drew her sister up with her. “It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Logan.”

Logan tilted his head. “The pleasure is all mine, my lady.”

A blush reached Liz’s face before leaving the room. Myra and Lora stepped toward the kitchen and Simon and Amber took the hint and disappeared as well.

“Seems yer household has doubled since I was last here.”

“Our family has grown,” Ian said simply.

“Now that the women have gone, tell us. Is there trouble?”

“In truth, I do not know. Lancaster didn’t seek my counsel but informed me that he wanted yours, Ian. He said it had been far too long since the allies had gathered and the excuse of a wedding would cloak the task.”

“It sounds as if he thinks spies are watching.”

“Maybe.”

“When is this wedding to take place?”

“The end of next month. Brisbane’s land is a week’s ride.”

Fin pulled in a deep breath and glanced around the room. This isn’t what they needed with Grainna’s wrath as well.

“Have I missed something? Is there other 61

Catherine Bybee

trouble?”

Gregor lifted a brow. “There have been…strange happenings here.”

Fin tensed.

“I’m sure these will pass, Gregor. However, we will need to leave the keep well guarded in our absence.” Ian stood, ending their discussion.

“Welcome home, Logan. After our evening meal we’ll discuss more of your travels over something a little stronger than this.” Ian put his cup of ale on the table before leaving the room.

****

“Of course,” Myra explained. “When an ally requests your presence, ’tis expected. Lord Lancaster may have sired worthless children, but he is still a man with great power. We wouldn’t want him as our enemy.”

Liz’s head started to pound. “God, don’t we have enough to worry about?” Myra sat beside her and Tara explaining the finer points of medieval etiquette. “What does that give us, four weeks to get ready? Being out in the open where Grainna can find us sounds like too big a risk.”

“It does feel like we’ll be exposed.”

“Will we go alone?” Tara asked.

Myra’s eyes grew large. “No! We’ll travel in the greatest numbers we can. If Lancaster worries of trouble, and his message sounds as if he’s concerned, going alone could prove deadly.”

“Then we’ll have to step up our practice. I don’t want Simon going all feathery in a crowd of people.”

“Try not to worry. Lancaster’s concern may simply be about what has been happening here.”

“Or maybe Grainna’s been attacking more than just us.”

“I understand that Brisbane’s land is south and closer to the coast. At least we’ll enjoy some of the 62

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sea during our travels.”

Tara sighed, “God, I miss the ocean.”

Liz shook her head. “I never thought I’d move from California. I haven’t been to the beach since Simon went to surf camp when he was ten.”

“Our beach is cold and much more violent than yours.”

Liz cocked her head to the side. “No chance for a quick dip then, huh?”

“You mean swim?”

“Yes.”

“I doubt you’d want to, even if we could find a quiet cove.”

Liz couldn’t help but feel a bit more liberated knowing that their trip would get her away from the keep. Having grown up and living her entire life in suburbia, rushing from one thing to another, it would be nice to move around again. The thought of even getting her feet in the sand brought a smile to her face.

“What is it?”

“I’m daydreaming.”

“About Fin?”

“No.” But Myra smiled.

“Did you see him glaring at Logan?” Tara’s question sounded innocent enough, but Liz knew better.

“Was he?”

“Don’t play dumb to me. What is going on with you two?”

Liz stood and tried her best to hide the heat flooding her cheeks. It didn’t work.

“Oh my God, he kissed you again, didn’t he?”

A rebuttal died on her lips.

“Lizzy, why didn’t you tell us?”

“What’s there to say?”

Tara rolled her eyes. “How about, when? Where?

How far did it go?”

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“My God, I think we’re fourteen again.”

“Give it up. We’re all sisters here.”

“We’ve had this discussion before, Tara. Fin and I barely get along.”

Tara folded her arms across her chest and sent her a knowing smile.

“We fight all the time.”

Tara’s eyes slid to Myra. Together they said nothing and at the same time, everything.

“It’s chemistry. Nothing else.” Bubbling over in the flask, chemistry. Spontaneous combustion, chemistry.

“You hated chemistry.”

Liz shut her eyes and took a deep breath. “Fin’s attraction to me would end the second either of us gave in.” Liz knew his type.

“Are you going to give in?”

Good question.
“Maybe I should. Scratch the itch and move on.” The plan held a certain appeal, kind of like addressing the elephant in the room in order to get around it.

“Hmm.”

Liz’s gaze settled on her sister’s smug look.

“What?”

Tara put her hands in the air in mock surrender. “I didn’t say anything!”

But you thought something.

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Liz stepped out of the kitchen, nearly falling over Logan in her path. “I’m sorry.”

“’Tis I who’s in your way, my lady.”

“It’s Liz.” She didn’t think she’d ever get use to people calling her
my lady
.

Logan’s brow rose, resulting in Liz wondering if she should have given him the freedom to call her by her given name.

“Such a wonderful name, Liz.” Logan lifted a hand and brought it up to her cheek.

For a minute, Liz stood in absolute shock. It had been so long since a man, other than Fin, had taken interest in her on a physical level that she didn’t see it coming. But with Logan’s blatant stare and her lack of backing away, the man took it as an invitation and moved closer. Liz retreated and let her smile fall.

“I should check on my son.”

Logan dropped his hand, but not his cocky smile.

His frame rivaled Fin’s, wide shouldered and narrow hipped. He was completely easy on the eyes, and in another life, Liz would welcome his advance. Now, she simply saw a man who wasn’t Fin.

“Ye have a fine son. It must be difficult caring for him on yer own.”

“Simon makes it easy.”

“Yer pride in him shows.” Logan’s gaze dropped to the bodice of her dress, his thoughts clear for her to see. The modern woman in her wanted to suggest the man talk to her face and not her breasts, but 65

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thought that maybe she was a being a bit harsh.

Considering everyone was making such a fuss over him, Liz said nothing.

“I should check on him.” Liz lowered her eyes and stepped toward him, hoping he’d move. For one brief moment Logan didn’t. On a sigh he pivoted, giving her very little room to walk around him.

She felt the weight of his stare on her back. She wanted to be pissy about his attention, but her ego had her smiling.

“What’s so funny, Elizabeth?”

Fin’s tone stopped her cold. “Fin?”

His eyes bored into hers and they were not happy.

Behind her, she heard Logan’s retreat. Once the door closed, Fin reached out, took her by the elbow, and pulled her into a vacant room.

The minute they were alone, she tried to tug her arm away from Fin, but found his iron grip impossible to escape.

“What is wrong with you?” he spit.

“I could ask you the same thing.”

“Being alone with a man who isn’t your kin leaves room for rumors.”

Liz felt every breath he took, and they came quickly. His angry eyes searched hers.

“You’re not my keeper, Fin.”

His jaw clenched and he took a step closer.

Liz swallowed and backed up. Only the wall stopped her from moving farther. The predatory glare in his eye sent a shiver down her spine.

“Logan’s attention shouldn’t be encouraged.”

Fin
was
jealous. And ticked. The combination took her back.

“He’s only flirting, Fin.”

Verbalizing what they both saw brought a flash of emotion over his features. “Does it please you to have his interest?”

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His knee brushed against her long skirt. The heat off his body bearing down on hers brought tiny sparks of awareness all over the surface of her skin.

“It doesn’t suck to know someone desires you,”

she managed.

Fin dropped her elbow and placed his palm on the wall behind her. His other hand brushed along her face with one long knuckle. His touch was slow, calculated. He bent forward until his breath touch her cheek. She couldn’t control leaning into to his touch any more than she could control the need to swallow.

“I’ll be happy to give you more attention, Elizabeth,” his words whispered over her lips, hovering, waiting, until finally they met. The spicy taste of liquor swept into her mouth with his tongue.

His massive frame leaned into hers scorching everywhere they touched.

Every coherent thought fled and Liz arched into him with a whimper. This was good. So very, very good. Her body felt alive with excitement and anticipation of where he would touch next.

His hand slid down her waist, kneading her flesh through the cloth. Fin lifted her skirt until she felt his rough fingers touch bare skin. His fevered kiss continued, never letting her up for air. Liz wrapped her arm around his back and pressed closer.

The proverbial elephant in the room was definitely being talked about now, maybe not talked about so much as explored.

Fin moved his lips to the side of her neck. A sharp nibble on the lobe of her ear shot straight to her core and had her writhing with desire.

“Is this the attention you need? Is this what you want?” His words still sounded angry, but his mouth was touching her in a place she hardly remembered was there.

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Fin’s hand, under her skirt, rounded over her hip and squeezed. “Is it, Elizabeth?”

What was the question?

“Or maybe this is what you want.” Fin’s nimble fingers rounded in front and met the heat pooling at her center. When the length of one finger slid up and into her body, her knees buckled, bringing her in closer contact with his whole hand. “Oh, God.”

Liz’s head rolled back, eyes closed, while she writhed closer.

Fin drew circles with his thumb while penetrating her in seductive strokes.

Liz felt his erection strain against the fabric separating them. As her hand slipped down and brushed against his length her breath caught. Fin’s fingers and thumb moved faster. Her long overdue orgasm, which started deep in the pit of her stomach, now blossomed with every pass of his hand.

His heated breath marched in time with hers until she felt her passion swell.

Her body climbed over the invisible wall and stilled right as Fin pushed her over.

Body shuddering, Liz muffled her cries of release into his shoulder. Her body clenched around his magical fingers.

Fin held her there, pinned against the wall, his breath against her neck as the tremors subsided.

His hand slipped away, leaving her damp and empty.

When she finally worked up the nerve to open her eyes, Fin stared down at her. Knowing. He brought his fingers to his mouth and drew the digit past his lips.

For a moment, Liz felt her body clench all over again.

“I’ll give you all the attention you need, Elizabeth.”

Fin pushed away and her skirt fell in place. He 68

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licked his lips before opening the door and leaving the room.

Liz let her frame slide down the wall until she sat firmly on the floor. Her gaze focused on a simple unlit candle across the room. Before her breath resumed its normal pattern, her adrenaline rose again.

“The gall of that man,” she hissed between clenched teeth.