“I think he needs to be medicated.” Emma stared down the hallway at the dark blue door separating them from the sullen doctor. “What the hell is his problem? Was he that worried about the possibility of funding another doctor?”
“Are all American women as dense as you?” Repositioning her fleshy, support-hose encased legs, Moira grunted as she stooped to gather the scattered files.
“Moira!” Emma couldn’t believe Moira’s scolding tone. The ever patient, always smiling grandmother never raised her voice to anyone but Alfred. Was everyone in a lousy mood today?
Red-faced and huffing, Moira straightened, hugging the armload of papers to her chest. “Can ye not tell that he likes ye? Have ye never seen jealousy before?”
“Jealousy? How can he be jealous? We barely made it to speaking terms before the cease fire ended.”
Jerking her chin down in a decisive nod, Moira fixed Emma with a tight-lipped scowl. “Aye. Jealousy. I told ye from the verra beginning that Dr. Mac would find ye a tempting lass.” Pointing her handful of files first toward the closed office door down the hall and then back at Emma, Moira’s voice pitched slightly higher as her temper fueled her words. “And even an inexperienced woman such as yourself should know that no man likes for anything to be taken right out from under his nose…whether he’s laid claim to it or not!”
Emma shifted her gaze from Moira’s frustrated face to the dark blue door at the end of the hall. Doubt weighed heavy in the pit of her stomach, unfurling its claws into a raging beast of uneasiness churning into her chest. She didn’t need or want Dr. Alex Mackenzie’s interest. Life was complicated enough right now just trying to sort out her existence with Torin. She needed to nip this conversation in the bud before it went any further. “I hope you’re mistaken, Moira, because I don’t believe in getting involved with co-workers. Many a medical facility has sufferedwhen staffers have become more interested in chasing each other than doing the job at hand.”
The color faded a bit from Moira’s cheeks as she tapped the edge of the papers on the counter. With a disgruntled shrug, she pursed her lips while stacking the files into a tidy pile. “I am verra sorry to hear that, Dr. Emma. I think ye’re missing a fine opportunity to get to know a verra special man.”
Poor Moira. Emma heaved a weary sigh as she pinched the bridge of her nose. The woman suffered from a terminal case of cupiditis. If she wasn’t neck deep in a matchmaking scheme, Moira wasn’t happy. With a glance toward the still closed blue door, Emma blew out another heavy sigh. And apparently, she’d convinced Alex he needed to give chase. What a freaking mess that she really didn’t have the time to deal with right now. “I appreciate the fact that Dr. Mackenzie is a fine man, Moira. And I respect him for his work. But I am adamant about not dating a co-worker. It’s just not a good idea.”
“Fine.” Moira waddled around the counter and plopped down into her overly padded rolling chair. Adjusting her glasses to the end of her nose, she bobbed her head up and down while glaring at the flickering computer screen. “Your first patient will be here anytime. Ye’d best review the file while you’re having your coffee.”
Great.Now Moira was mad at her too. The day was off to a brilliant start.
Chapter
Thirty-Five
“The first time is easier to find the harmony of the stones if ye close your eyes and just feel. Ye must learn to trust yer senses.” Torin took her hand and pressed it against the cold, rough surface of the megalith towering beside them.
Emma swept her gaze to the top of the eerie spire then back down to the hard-packed ground from where it sprouted. A shiver prickled across her skin, standing every hair on end. Something just wasn’t right about this. It was just too—out there. But what if all the mystical mumbo jumbo Torin spouted was true? What would she do then?
His expression fairly glowed with hopeful anticipation. Was it too late to turn back? A guilt-filled whisper ofyou owe himpoked the most sensitive part of her conscience. How could she refuse this man who had not only saved her life but also set her soul on fire? “Torin, are you sure about this? Just because I have this necklace, doesn’t mean I’m a…you know—just like you.”
He squinted toward the direction of the sun, then placed his hand over hers. “’Tis almost time for the alignment of the equinox. We should be close enough for ye to tap into the wheel’s full power.”
“What wheel?” Emma shivered again. Her body reacted to Torin’s touch, damning to the wind all the doubts racing through her mind.
Torin smiled down into her eyes. A knowing glimmered in the depths of his gaze as he glanced at his hand atop hers. His smile widened as he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “The seasonal wheel. The energy of the shifting year. ’Tis an unstoppable force of the universe.” He fingered the amulet at her throat and gave a slight nod as a faint glow emitted from the center of the stone. “And if ye were not a true guardian, your amulet wouldna live and breathe whenever your skin touched the heartstone.”
Emma’s stomach flip-flopped at the emotions in his deep, throaty voice. Or was it because of his touch? She wished she hadn’t worn such a heavy sweatshirt. The early fall breeze nudging her suddenly seemed overly warm. Stretching the ribbed neckline away from her throat, she pushed his hand away from her necklace. “It’s awfully warm out here. Could we please just get on with it?” She struggled to ignore his scent and the feel of his muscular body brushing against hers. Her mouth watered at the prospect, making her give herself a stern mental shake. Acting like a lusty coed on a manhunt during summer break was not only ridiculous but embarrassing.
Torin’s laughter rumbled across the hillside. “Aye, little Emma. Just follow my instructions and ye will get a glimpse of the wonders I’ve foretold.”
Returning her hand to the shoulder-high spot on the obelisk, she sucked in a steadying breath and nodded. It was now or never. Maybe once he discovered she was justplain old Emma; he would realize the mistake he’d made. A snarky voice of uncertainty nagged at the back of her mind. Would he still be interested inplain old Emma?Shaking free of the malicious whisperings of potential failure, she spread her fingers acrossthe cold, grainy surface of the monument at her side. “Okay. I’m ready. What do you want me to do?”
“Close your eyes,” he repeated, covering her hand with his.
As soon as she closed her eyes, an iridescent light show of vibrant colors exploded through her mind. She gasped, lost her balance, and nearly fell as multi-dimensional bursts of fiery reds, searing oranges and blinding whites hurtled past her in a tunnel of sparkling lights. She couldn’t see anything, and yet she saw it all. Every retina-piercing explosion enveloped her in a blast of mind-numbing colors. A spinning sensation threatened to knock her feet out from under her. Taking care to keep her eyes tightly closed, she batted her free hand through the air and clutched the edge of the stone for support. “Torin?”
“Keep your eyes closed. The energies are merely greeting ye. They have waited a long time for ye to seek them out.”
The soothing warmth of his breath against her cheek neutralized the panic pounding in her chest. He wouldn’t let anything hurt her. The heat of his hand pressing hers transmitted security to her brain. The firm weight of his other hand supported the small of her back. She was safe. No matter what, she needed to keep that in mind. With Torin, she was safe.
Her breathing slowed, as did the hammering of her heart. Thank goodness.Now that she didn’t feel as though she was suffocating, she could pay more attention to her surroundings.
The streaming explosions of mind-boggling colors gave way to what appeared to be a velvety black carpet dusted with twinkling white lights. She floated into the center of the cocooning blackness pierced with a galaxy of stars. Surrounded by the winking sparks of whiteness, she stretched out her hands. The points of light showed through her flesh as though her body consisted of nothing more than a pale pink mist. “Torin?” Her voice echoed through the space and faded off into a tinkling softness like faraway wind chimes rustling in a breeze.
“Your spirit walks. Your soul has freed itself from your body. Dinna fear it. I am here to watch over ye and keep ye safe.” His rumbling brogue filtered through the starlit darkness like a warm caress. “Stretch your hands out in front of ye, lass. Concentrate on your fingertips. Ye will see they vibrate with the golden glow of a guardian. All will know ye as a mystical being and help guide ye along your way.”
Torin was right. Her fingertips glowed, luminescent and golden against the blue-black void surrounding her. When she waved her hands across the space in front of her, a stream of shimmering particles echoed her movements, trailing her hands with phosphorescent shadows. A sense of buoyancy lifted her, propelled her through the endless space as though she levitated among the stars. She had never experienced such a breathless freedom; a shiver of excitement rippled through her.
