And its terrifying counterpart—yearning to wrap his arms around her and never let go.
Cousin Alex keptwalking faster and faster, forcing Lottie to keep up.
As if even this lane were something that had to be conquered at a run.
Why did the man never rest? Why did he insist that life was to be lived at a break-neck speed?
She could hear the harshness of his breathing.
She deliberately slowed her steps, trying to communicate her wishes to him.
Slow down. Deep breaths.
If she thought it forcefully enough, would he listen?
But it was as if he were determined to ignore her.
He continued to push his body forward, the corded muscle of his waist tense under her fingers.
He was in a full-dragon mood at the moment. Ready to trample and rampage his way through some imagined threat.
She hadn’t seen him like this in weeks. But she was starting to understand that Alex Whitaker only behaved like this when something frustrated him almost to the point of madness.
Despite it all, being this close to him was a heady luxury. Her body flushed and warmed where they touched.
Part of her ached to curl even closer, to feel the support of his arms around her entirely.
Of course, in order to do that, Alex would need to stop going so fast.
“Slow down,” she muttered. “This isn’t a race. The carriage will wait for us, no matter how long we take.”
He continued on as if he hadn’t heard her.
“Alex.” Her voice held a warning tone.
“I dinnae wish tae slow down.” He tried to push out of her grip. “But you’re welcome tae take a wee rest here. I can wait for ye in the coach.”
“Stop it. I enjoy helping you.” She held on to him tighter. “But you must rest sometime. Life is meant to be balanced. You will eventually run yourself ragged if you keep on like this.”
“Lass, I’ve been working like this for years, and it’s never bothered me. I cannae see why it should now.”
“Why do you dislike stillness?”
“I dinnae dislike it. I simply dinnae ken tae it.”
“Alex—” She stopped, using the weight of her body to force him to stop, too. “I am in earnest. Why won’t you rest?”
He leaned away from her, dropping his arm from her shoulders, eyes steely and snapping. But Lottie refused to let go entirely. She kept a hand fisted into the clothing at his waist.
“If I didn’t know any better, I would think that you were running from something specifically,” she said. “Something more than just time itself.”
He stared her down, chest heaving. His gaze grew darker and darker.
“I’m not running,” he bit out. “As ye can see, I can scarcely walk.”
“You know perfectly well that’s not what I’m saying.”
“Well, then what is it?”
