Two comfortable-looking twin beds stood in opposite corners, each paired with its own nightstand and cozy reading lamp. A slightly used but clean kitchen table and chairs inhabited the other side of the room. A door led to an adjoining bathroom lit by the welcoming glow of a hostess light. A dormitory-sized refrigerator hummed, stuffed with sodas and snacks. It squatted between two dressers with several tins of biscuits and sweets in a welcoming basket on top.
Brodie had placed their bags just inside the closet door that he’d left open for them to find. As Nessa looked around, she realized with pleasant surprise that they were going to have quite a bit more space here than they’d each had in their separate rooms at the inn.
“Are you hungry, Nessa? Looks like they’ve stocked the refrigerator and there’s a hot plate on the kitchen table.” Sorting through the contents, Trish emerged with a can of soda and popped the tab as she walked about the room.
Nessa shook her head and bent to unlace her boots as she settled on the edge of the farthest bed. “I think I’m just going to prop up here for a while and read through a few of these papers. I didn’t have a chance to go over them today and the students have been bugging me for my opinion.”
As she headed for the doorway, Trish tossed a separate key on the table and wrinkled her nose in Nessa’s direction. “Suit yourself, chick. I’m going to walk around to the shop and let them know we’re here and that the room’s going to be great. Why don’t you try to turn in early tonight? You’re really starting to look pretty rough.”
Nessa pinched the bridge of her nose, shut her gritty eyes, and forced a tired smile onto her face. “Thanks a lot for your honest observation. I’m fine. I have to get through these papers tonight so we can include them in the overnight packet to the university tomorrow. Tell the MacKays I said hi and thank them for the room. This’ll be great while we’re here for the rest of the dig.”
Nessa pulled her backpack up on the bed beside her. She wadded up the pillow and stuffed it behind her back. As she sorted out papers, she was careful not to look up. She knew Trish would notice she feared falling asleep. She knew it had to be a flashing red light strobing on top of her head. She heard Trish clicking her nails on the door facing while she waited. Not good. Trish always fidgeted when she worried.
Trish finally relinquished with a grudging sigh. “Whatever you say. I may be out for a bit. I’ll try not to wake you when I come in.” Without another word, Trish slipped out the door and eased it shut behind her.
Nessa plunked her head against the wall. She took a deep breath as she glanced around the room. This place was going to be too comfortable. She’d never manage to catnap in this cozy atmosphere.
Her eyelids grew heavier, as though weighted. They risked slamming shut. Her head noodle-necked off her chest. Nessa fought against the relentless fatigue. Maybe if she just closed her eyes for a couple of minutes, she’d doze just enough to stay conscious enough to control her dreams.
He stood a bit away from her. He kept his hands clasped behind his back; his head slightly bowed. It was almost as though he waited for judgment—waited for his sentence to be read. Her heart quickened as she realized she was well within his reach. Nessa’s hand fluttered to her throat. Her breath came quickly through her parted lips. Her heart pounded in her ears. She debated whether she should run. If she turned now, she knew she could escape. He couldn’t reach her yet.
But he just stood there. Sorrow and pain filled his eyes. His usual heart-quickening smile narrowed into a soul-wrenching line. Nessa waited. His anger had disappeared; he seemed so defeated. She swallowed hard and caught her lip between her teeth as she moved just a bit closer. Her fear of him lessened. The torment in his face tugged at her heart; the suffering in his eyes cried out to her louder than words. She recalled what the mysterious woman of the woods had said.
Nessa had to let him know what he’d done. “You frightened me. What you showed me you were capable of doing to Gabriel...your rage…your anger… It frightened me.”
For the first time since he’d introduced himself into her mind, she spoke to him while he was in her dream. She reasoned with him about what she felt. She had to make him understand.
She frowned and reached out to him as she tried to explain. “I don’t know what you want from me. You’ve been in my dreams since I was so young…but you’ve never been this way before. You’ve never been this difficult to understand.”
Latharn took a deep breath. He nodded his head just once, then lowered himself to his knees. He bowed his head and held out his hands to her, pleading for forgiveness of his sins.
Nessa’s eyes stung with unshed tears and she pressed her hands to her cheeks. A mountain of a man kneeling at her feet was more than she could bear.
She placed her hands in his. Her tiny fingers disappeared inside his muscular fists. She moved closer. As she bent, she pressed her cheek to his. Her breath caught in her throat as she touched the moisture of his tears. That’s all it took. Her fear was gone. This man was brave enough to show her his heart. He had bared his emotions.
“I wish you could tell me why you keep appearing in my dreams. It seems like you’ve been with me forever.” Nessa dropped to her knees, looking up into his eyes. She held his face between her hands, drowning in his gaze.
A sad smile played across his lips. Latharn shook his head as he turned to kiss the palm of each hand. He buried his face in her neck and crushed her against his chest. He covered her throat with desperate kisses, nuzzling a trail to her mouth. He closed his hungry lips over hers. He devoured her as though he were a man possessed. He claimed her with his kisses, deep and ardent. He branded his possession of her soul.
She clung to him as though he was a life preserver keeping her afloat on the sea of her emotions. She would open to whatever he asked. However, tonight Latharn was different. He didn’t go any further than the hungry possession of her mouth or the desperate, crushing embrace. Nessa sensed he needed this night to be different. His body tensed beneath her touch; he restrained his caress as if he wanted her to reason rather than just shatter into mindless bliss.
He raised his head and gazed into her eyes. Nessa flinched at the depths of pain and frustration etched in his face. He struggled, trying to communicate, to connect with her deepest emotions without the use of words. He took his palm, flattened it against his heart then placed it upon her chest. His brows drawn together in a questioning frown, he tilted his head and waited for a sign that she understood.
Her lower lip quivered at the very obvious gesture. Nessa whispered and covered his hand with hers. “Are you telling me you love me?” Her whisper caught in her throat.
One corner of his mouth pulled up into a relieved smile as Latharn nodded and brushed his lips across hers. He took a deep breath as though steeling himself against his own deepest fears. He took her hand and repeated the heart-touching gesture from her chest to his. Then he raised a brow and awaited her answer, anxiety filling his eyes.
A lone tear escaped down her cheek as Nessa stared at her hand splayed upon his broad chest. “You know I love you,” she murmured with a soft moan. “I just wish you were real.”
He squeezed his eyes shut, pulling her into his arms to cradle her against his chest. Holding her close, he stroked her hair as she gave way to tears. His arms tightened around her and he gently swayed as she softly wept in his arms.
“Nessa. Are you all right? Nessa. Wake up! Was it another nightmare?” Trish shook Nessa by the shoulders to pull her from the dream. As she pulled her closer, Trish raised Nessa’s head from her tear-stained pillows.
“I’m fine,” Nessa hiccupped through her tears as she accepted a handful of tissues to wipe her face.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Trish asked, sitting cross-legged on the side of the bed.
As she drew a deep breath, Nessa shook her head. “Not tonight. It’s still too fresh in my mind. It’s late. You go back to bed. I’m going to try to go back to sleep. Somehow…I don’t think he’ll be back tonight.” Flipping her pillow over, dry side up, she curled over onto her side.
