Trulie sank back into her pillows and closed her eyes with a smile. “You are awesome, Sis, and you have no idea how much I appreciate this.”
From the looks of the dark circles under Trulie’s eyes, Kenna had a pretty good idea. She eased out of the room and closed the door with a soft click. “Your mama needs to realize it’s okay to let people help her.”
Chloe noisily sucked on her fingers and opened her deep blue eyes even wider.
“I agree completely.” Kenna followed the owl down the hallway and descended the tower steps. “It’s high time you saw the gardens and, if we’re lucky, maybe even a butterfly or two.”
Kenna shielded Chloe’s face with a corner of the blanket as they stepped out into the bright sunshine. It was a beautiful day. Perfect weather to get some air, enjoy her sweet little niece, and, hopefully, sort through the mess of confusion muddling her thoughts.
Every time Kenna remembered the information she had snagged from her brief viewing of Colum’s mind, her emotions yanked her in a thousand directions. Indignant jealousy burned through her. Hordes of women, all in various stages of undress and moaning with pleasure, writhed around the hallways of Colum’s memories. Then just as she had seen enough to make her want to snap his neck, she would come across a precious memory showing just how selfless and protective the infuriating man could be.
Colum was fearless. She had viewed where he saved Gray’s life on several occasions. And man-at-arms or not, the man had a soft side too. Kenna had felt his pain as he’d bowed his head beside a fallen warrior’s body, then struggled to relay the man’s death to his widow. She blinked away the painful scene and took a deep breath. A knot of frustration tightened in the center of her chest. Mouthwatering tingle or not, Colum was complicated. Impossible to neatly label asYes, he is a keeperorNo, he’s a jerk—get rid of him!
Kenna cuddled Chloe closer, pecking a light kiss on the downy velvet of the babe’s head. “How ’bout here, sweetie? The shade of this old tree looks like the perfect place to enjoy the garden.” She picked her way through the knobby root system splayed across the mossy ground like long arthritic fingers. Shrugging the backpack to the ground, she settled down on the low stone bench wedged into the deep “v” of the great oak’s trunk.
Chloe’s owl lit on the branch just above them, sidling up and down the gnarled limb as though inspecting and patrolling the area. The regal bird finally perched on a knot, stretched its wings, then settled them in place with a shake.
“I think Mr. Owl approves,” Kenna said, rubbing her heels together until her doeskin shoes peeled off. She wiggled her toes on the soft, spongy carpet of moss surrounding the great tree. Thank goodness, she had convinced Coira to leave off her stockings. She hated those itchy things.
The cool velvet of the moss sent a soothing wave of contentment into her system. The ancient energy of the land, paired with the briny breeze playfully tugging on her curls, massaged the tension from her shoulders. A relieved sigh escaped her. Yes.This quiet time in the garden was exactly the therapy she needed.
Chloe wiggled a tiny hand free of the blanket and waved it about. She licked the tip of her tongue past her petal pink lips as though tasting the air. Her contented coo kept pace with the gentle soughing of the wind through the newly leafed-out trees.
Kenna repositioned the baby in the crook of her arm and leaned back against the solid trunk of the mighty oak. “Okay, Chloe. Tell me what you really think about him. Is he evil or good? I trust your judgment completely when it comes to Mr. Muscle.”
“I can answer that, lass. All men are both evil and good, for it takes the darkness inside a man to properly balance the light and make him whole.” Colum stepped out from behind the tree with narrowed eyes and his corded arms folded across his chest. “And pray tell, who is this Mr. Muscle?”
Kenna jerked ramrod straight on the bench, immediately curling a protective arm in front of the baby. “Dammit, Colum. Hasn’t anyone ever told you it is rude to sneak up on a person and scare the living daylights out of them?”
“’Tis not rude. ’Tis usually a matter of survival.” He slowly moved away from the massive width of the gnarled tree. “And I was here first.” The wind rippled the thin linen of his shirt across his shoulders and flapped his plaid around the muscular curve of his thighs.
She wet her lips and swallowed hard. The off-white linen of Colum’s tunic made his wide expanse of hard-muscled chest and squared shoulders look as though he had been dipped in white chocolate—and she loved white chocolate. Kenna licked her lips again. But she’d bet her favorite nail polish that a taste of Colum would beat any chocolate she had ever eaten.
Colum’s deep, rich chuckle interrupted her erotically sweet musing.
“You were not here first. I would’ve seen you.” Lordy, she sounded like Lilia and Mairi fighting over the best spot on the couch. She relaxed Chloe back into her lap, leaning the child semi-upright in the curve of her arm so the babe could enjoy a look around.
“Ye were not looking where ye walked. Ye were talking to the wee one.” He drew closer and smiled down at the baby. With the tip of his little finger, he gently trailed it across the palm of the baby’s hand. His voice lowered to an awe-filled whisper. “Ye are a bonnie wee lassie, I grant ye that.”
An aching shiver rooted deep in Kenna’s core, then heated its way through her body. She did her best to control her breathing, but if Colum couldn’t hear her heart pounding, the man was stone-cold deaf.
His gaze slid from the baby’s face and locked with hers. A corner of his smile twitched the barest bit higher. Just as Kenna feared. Colum was by no means deaf.
“I came to find ye.” He knelt at her feet; his little finger still captured in Chloe’s tiny grasp. “Ye need to know . . . ” He faltered and lowered his gaze back to the baby as she squirmed in Kenna’s lap.
Kenna waited. The man’s pained expression made her heart swell. “I need to know what?” She struggled against the temptation to peek into his thoughts. No. She needed to play fair.
Without looking up, his smile disappeared. A troubled scowl took its place. “I ken ye saw my memories. Ye witnessed all that I have ever done.” He weakly waved a hand as though shooing away a fly. “The MacKenna explained yer gift, and I ken what ye must surely think of me.”
How could he know what she thought of him when she didn’t even know herself? Yes, she had seen a lot about the man kneeling at her feet that she wished she hadn’t. No amount of brain bleach would ever erase some of those erotic scenes. But she had also seen a better side to him. A side she might never have known if she hadn’t walked through his mind. She hadn’t missed the moments of intense loyalty, pride, and courage. When Colum was taken over by his emotions, he felt strongly and deeply. She shook her head and shrugged. “I don’t know what I think of you.”
He inched closer and, ever so slowly, reached for her. His voice returned to the low, deep whisper of just moments ago as he gently cupped her face. “All I ask is for a chance to make ye see.”
“Make me see what?” She fought the urge to lean forward and meet him halfway. The honey caress of his rich voice mesmerized her into a blissful state of breathless cooperation.
“Make ye see that I can change. I am not the man I once was. I am not . . . evil.” His warm lips brushed across hers, triggering a burning ache deep within. A delicious hotness swirled through her like sensual lava.
An indignantrowrvibrated up between them. Colum rocked back on his heels as though he had been slapped. Chloe batted both little fists back and forth, her small round face turning a deeper red as she twisted and growled again.
