“Well, shit.” Vivienne tossed the tongs in the sink and scowled down at the ruined bread. “So much for a homemade breakfast.” She wiggled a finger at Angus then jerked her head toward the door. “Come on, handsome. How do ye feel around coming with me? We’ll run and fetch breakfast for everyone.”
Angus visibly swallowed hard then wiped his palms on his plaid. “When ye say run . . . do ye meanrunor are ye suggesting we travel in one of those gut-wrenching monstrosities?”
Vivienne laughed as she scooped the strap of her purse up over her shoulder. “The bakery is just around the corner and it’s a beautiful day. We can walk.”
Angus’s face lit up and he bobbed his head. Gallantly extending his arm, he politely bowed. “Aye then, allow me, m’lady. ’Twould be me honor to escort ye.”
Giggling as she pecked a kiss on Lilia’s cheek, Vivienne winked at Graham. “We won’t hurry back. I’m sure you two have a lot to chat about.”
Graham nodded. Wise lass, this woman was. “Aye. That we do.”
As Vivienne and Angus left the kitchen, Lilia shot Graham ago to helllook that made him laugh out loud. He held out a hand and nodded at the table. “Come now, lass. Let us sit and get to know one another better.”
She pointedly brushed past his hand and returned to the cups she’d lined up on the counter. “How do you like your coffee?” She pulled a pitcher free of the strange silver machine and poured the ominous-looking black liquid into two of the cups.
“Coffee?” Graham repeated. The stuff looked like pitch, a bit on the watery side but pitch just the same. He pulled out a chair from the table and eased down into it. “I canna say that I’ve ever had such a drink.”
Lilia set two steaming cups on the table then yanked open the door to an enormous silver box filled with an unearthly light and racks full of colorful items. Some things he recognized—most of them, he did not.
She emerged with a tiny pitcher no bigger than her hand. She set it on the table beside a matching covered bowl and metal spoon. “Then you’re in for a treat. I’ll doctor your coffee like Granny used to do mine when I was a little girl.”
Graham watched with interest as she poured what looked like cream into the black liquid, turning it a swirling, rich caramel color. Then she added two heaping spoonfuls of a granular-looking powder and stirred. She smiled as she slid the cup toward him. “Try it. It’s just like Granny used to make.”
Graham cautiously sipped the steaming concoction, pleasantly surprised at the sweet creamy taste. He returned the cup to the table in front of him. “Verra nice, indeed. I thank ye.” The silence of the kitchen stretched into long uncomfortable minutes. Lore a’mighty, what should he say to win her? He knew how to charm his way into a lass’s bed but he’d be damned if he knew how to claim a woman’s heart. Perhaps if he spoke about her family. Aye—that be it.
“Yer wee niece Chloe bade me tell ye that Master’s Jamie, Caeden, and wee Rabbie dinna deserve any presents from ye this year. She said the lot of them are wicked little beasties that deserve nothing more than having their arses tanned.” Graham’s heart warmed at Lilia’s quick bubbling giggle. Lore, the sound of the woman’s laugh was sweeter than a Highland spring trickling down the mountain.
“Need their arses tanned?” Lilia chuckled even more before taking another sip of coffee. “Did Chloe really use that term or are you embellishing?”
Graham placed his right hand over his heart. “I swear to ye the wee minx used those verra words. She’s none too fond of her little brother, Rabbie, nor her two cousins since the day they made off with her favorite doll and tossed it down the garderobe.”
“They’re not even three years old yet. Wasn’t Coira watching them?” Lilia went to the cabinet and pulled out a yellow box. She slid her finger around the edge, pulled back the lid, and slid it onto the table. “Shortbread cookies. Perfect with coffee.”
Graham chuckled. “I think poor Coira is stretched a wee bit thin of late managing that herd of lively bairns.” He pulled free one of the cookies, studied it for a moment, then popped it in his mouth.Not bad. He pointed back at the box. “Ye’ve a fine cook able to bake such treats.”
“Store bought.” Lilia waved a hand across the opened box of cookies. “I don’t cook and neither does Vivienne—obviously.” She leaned her chin against her fist and smiled. “Tell me more about everyone back at the keep. I miss them. I haven’t been able to hop back in quite a while and the fire portal just isn’t the same as being there.” She quickly looked down into her cup but not before Graham noticed the sheen of unshed tears glistening in her eyes.
“Why do ye stay here . . . in this time?” He had always wondered what had kept the last Sinclair woman from joining her family in the past.
She frowned down at the table, one finger lightly tracing the rim of her cup. “Have you ever justknownsomething was supposed to be a certain way? I mean . . . just felt it in your heart without really knowing why?” She stared at him with a troubled look, brow furrowed and eyes pleading for him to understand.
“Aye.” He reached over and smoothed a forefinger lightly across the back of her knuckles, silently wishing he could brush away her troubles just as easily. “I have. Much like our being together.” He knew damn good and well she’d felt that same energy the first time they’d touched. That energy that said both their souls had been matched long ago and were destined to be reunited.
She drew in a deep breath, staring down at his finger lightly stroking her hand. “I’m not talking about us. I think I’m meant to stay in this time. Granny even said she felt it.” She ducked her head and pulled her hand away, taking a quick sip of her coffee then shrugging as she lowered the cup back to the table. “And anyway, I know for certain I can’t leave here until Eliza moves on.”
“Tell me about this Eliza.” Graham scooted his chair closer, reclaimed her hand and brought the cool softness of her fingers to his lips. His heart soared, then pounded harder when she didn’t pull away this time. The tingling jolt of their earlier touch was gone but the warm soothing connection—the deep knowing in his soul—still held strong.Aye.This woman was meant to be his. He had never felt anything like it.
A sad smile pulled at her mouth as her gaze dropped and seemed fixed on something only she could see. “Eliza MacTavish has been my guardian angel, my confidante, and my source of sanity for a long time now.” Lilia’s voice broke and she hitched in a shaking breath as she closed her eyes. “And I can’t imagine life without her. I don’t know what I’m going to do when she dies.”
Graham rose and knelt in front of her. “Ye will not be alone. I will see to it that ye are never alone. I swear it, ye ken?” His heart ached at the pain in her eyes. He reached and gently cupped her face in his palm, smoothing his thumb across her cheek. She shed no tears.Such strength . . . such fear to be seen as weak. He inched closer, sliding his fingertips into the silkiness of her hair. She still kept her pain inside and refused share it. “Let me in, lass. Let go of yer pain. I can ease yer troubles if ye’ll but let me in so I can take the pain away.”
“I don’t even know you,” she whispered, blinking hard and fast against the moisture shining in her eyes.
“Ah . . . but ye do.” He drew closer still. “Ye need only search yer heart and yer memories. Our souls met before time began. We merely need to rekindle the memories for our hearts to know each other again.”
She abruptly drew away, rising quickly from her chair. Avoiding his gaze, she hurried over to the silver machine holding the pitcher of coffee and added a bit more of the steaming dark liquid to her already full cup. “After my morning visit with Eliza, I’m going to meet Alberti and Vivienne at the center—a workout arena that Alberti owns. We have to practice our battle for tomorrow night’s competition and then we plan to relax with a friendly paintball war. You’re more than welcome to come with me and join in if you’d like.”
So that was how it would be. He had no idea what the hell she was talking about but he kent for certain she was changing the course of their conversation and running away from whatever demons only she could see. He slowly rose and hooked his thumbs in his belt, determination clenching his teeth until his jaws ached. The lass thought to avoid anything that made her feel. Aye—well—she would soon discover he would not tolerate being avoided for very long. “I fully intend to stay at yer side. Wherever ye go, I shall follow.”
