She took the leash out of her pocket and marched down to the water’s edge, only to halt in surprise when she realized it wasn’t the geese that Bunny was barking at. It was something… else. There was a strange disturbance out in the lake, perhaps thirty feet or so from where she was standing. The water had begun to move, turning slowly like a whirlpool. The area wasn’t large, perhaps a few feet across, and the water around the anomaly remained perfectly still and smooth.
Jenna frowned. What on earth?
As she watched, the whirlpool began to spin faster, whipping the water into a frenzy of froth and tiny white waves. Then all of a sudden a spout erupted from it with a whoosh, only to fall back to the lake’s surface in a shower of silver droplets. When the spout dissipated, the whirlpool was gone, but something else had been left in its place.
A man.
Jenna’s eyes widened, her jaw dropping. What the hell? Where hadhe come from? The man was floating on his back, arms and legs spread-eagled, with his eyes closed as though unconscious. Golden blond hair floated around his head like some sort of halo.
“Hey!” Jenna shouted. “Hey! Are you all right?”
The man’s eyes flickered open and he rolled over, sinking under the water for a moment before coming up again, gasping and spluttering.
Shit!
Jenna waded into the shallows. “Hey! This way!”
The man struggled weakly towards her. When he was close enough, she grabbed his shirt and helped to haul him into the shallows. He collapsed, half-in, half-out of the water, gasping for breath.
Jenna crouched next to him. “Are you hurt? Should I call an ambulance?”
“Not hurt,” he gasped. “Just… help me up.”
He struggled to his knees, then braced one hand against the muddy bank for leverage. Jenna got her shoulder under his other arm and supported him as he pushed unsteadily to his feet. God, he was heavy! It was only when he was finally standing that she realized how big he was. Well over six feet, with wide shoulders and powerfully muscled arms, he was built like a boxer or a football player. And what the hell was he wearing? Some kind of strange, tartan wrap thing hugged his torso and then fell in folds to his knees where it was met by knee-high boots of soft leather.
“You okay there?” she asked, looking up at him.
Startling blue eyes met hers, as bright as the summer sky above. “Aye, I’m fine now. Just a wee bit dizzy from crossing over is all.” His blond eyebrows pulled down into a frown. “She could have warned me it would near drown me.”
Crossing over? What was he talking about?
“Are you sure you don’t want me to call an ambulance? You don’t look so good.”
“I am well, lass,” he rumbled. “But I thank ye for yer help.”
He had a deep, rolling burr to his accent and she guessed he must be Scottish. The tartan was a bit of a giveaway too, of course. He laid a big hand on her shoulder and then pushed away from her support. But he’d not taken more than two steps when he staggered suddenly. Jenna darted forward and got her shoulder under his arm again to steady him.
“All right, big man,” she said. “If you won’t let me call you an ambulance, you’ll at least come home with me and let me take a look at you. You clearly aren’t fine and no wonder either. Come on. It’s not far.”
He didn’t protest as she began walking back towards her house, and leaned heavily on her for support. Bunny trotted along at Jenna’s side, tongue lolling and head tilted to the side, clearly intrigued by this newcomer into her world.
By the time they reached the back door of her house, Jenna was breathing heavily and sweating. It had been hard work getting him here despite his protests that he could walk unaided, thank you very much. Yeah, right. If she’d stopped supporting him she suspected he’d have fallen flat on his face.
She kicked the back door open and managed to bundle him through into the kitchen and help him to one of the chairs at the table. He slumped down heavily, the chair creaking alarmingly under his weight, and leaned forward, bracing his elbows on the table. Bunny seated herself in front of him, tail wagging from side to side.
“My thanks, lass,” he rumbled. “It seems I’m weaker than I thought.”
“Really?” Jenna replied, crossing to the sink. “You don’t say. Here, drink this.”
She held out a glass of water which he took in shaking hands and began to sip. Slowly, he began to look a little better. His lips were no longer blue, and a blush was starting to creep across his cheeks. Butstill, perhaps she ought to just take a look—
No!she told herself fiercely.I’m not doing that. Never again, remember? If he needs healing, he can see a doctor like everyone else.
The man finished the glass of water and placed it on the table. He looked over at her with a wry smile. “I dinna suppose ye have anything stronger? Whisky, perhaps?”
“You supposed right.” She filled the kettle and put it on the stove. “I’ll make us some coffee. Although, I think I might have some tea around here if you’d prefer?” HewasBritish, after all.
“Tea?” he asked, in his rumbling voice. “What is this thing?”
