He wasn’t certain what a car was, then remembered Keeva had told him it was a horseless carriage that folk in this realm used. “Horse and I do fine. He’s safe in the stables in Seven Cairns. Mairwen makes sure her people care for him whenever I am here.”
A loud buzzing came from the room with the rumbling white box she had called a dryer.
She patted Otto as she eased herself out from under him and rose from the couch. “I’ll be right back,” she told the dog. “Mr. Shadowmist’s shirt should be dry by now.”
“Mathison.”
She smiled. “Right. Sorry. Mathison.”
After she’d left the room to fetch his tunic, he scrubbed his face with both hands and suppressed a groan. He was not good at this getting to know one another at all. All he wanted to do was take her into his arms and love her pain away. They could talk to each other later. Could she not feel the mate bond pulling at her? Did she not wish to draw closer to him? Lore a’mighty, he knew the curse could only be broken by an otherworldly woman who refused to love, but he’d had no idea she would be this steadfast in her conviction to shield her broken heart.
Before he could wallow any deeper into this mess, she came back into the room, fluffing his garment. “Here you are. Dry and warm.”
“Thank ye, lass.” He slipped it on. The warmth of it made him wish it were her against him rather than a bit of linen pulled from the jaws of a white box. “Much better.”
Thunder rumbled again, drawing her attention back to the garden doors. “I’ve never seen a storm rage for so long. This is just…weird.”
Uncertain if she was referring to the Fates as in the weird sisters or some other meaning, Mathison rose from the chair and went to the doors to appear to study Mairwen’s storm. “It remains strong. Yer watchers may wash away.”
“My what?”
He clenched his teeth at his error. “The garden statues. I’ve always called them watchers.”
She joined him, standing close enough that her warmth reached out and tortured him, daring him to touch her. “Watchers,” she repeated. “That’s a good name for them. It is sort of like they watch over the place.”
The woman had no idea just how closely those stone gnomes and unicorns watched her every move and reported back to Mairwen and the other Weavers of the Council.
“Aye, that’s why I call them watchers,” he said, settling on the harmless lie. The sky darkened even more, and the rain fell as if it were poured from a bucket. Soon, it would be sunset. Returning to Seven Cairns wouldn’t take long in his wolf form since Mairwen’s plan to force them together had not worked. At least, in his opinion, it hadn’t. “I should go.”
“You can’t leave in this.”
“Lass…”
“Don’t lass me. If the storm doesn’t let up, you can stay on the couch. I’m not turning you out in this drowning rain when you don’t even have the protection of a vehicle.” She scowled up at him. “You’re not a danger to others, are you?”
“A danger to others?”
She shook her head. “Never mind. If you were dangerous, you would’ve already tried something stupid and made me hurt you.”
He tried not to laugh, and it came out as a choked cough. With his hand fisted to his mouth, he cleared his throat and coughed again.
“You think I’m kidding? I can take care of myself even with a big, brawny guy like you.” Defiance shouted from her. “I was an FBI agent for ten years. I assure you, I am well-trained to handle issues.”
FBI agent? What in the name of the Highland Veil was an FBI agent?
“She acts like it was a warrior of some kind,” his wolf said. “Should ye pretend to be impressed?”
“Quiet yerself,” Mathison thought to his wolf. He needed to concentrate on Calia and ripping through the curtain of darkness she kept between them. The infuriating woman could overcome her opponent through sheer stubbornness alone if she so wished. “I am sure ye are quite capable—and no, I am not a danger to yerself or anyone else.”
“Don’t patronize me.” Her eyes narrowed, and her delicate nostrils flared. She reminded him of a wee Highland calf determined to bluff others into believing it was the fiercest of the herd.
He lifted both hands in surrender. “I would never patronize ye, lass. I assure ye.” Fire flashed in her eyes, warning that he had stirred her ire. He took hold of the latch and pulled the door ajar. “As I said, I should go. I’ll not stay where I am not trusted…nor wanted.”
She butted her shapely arse against the door, shutting it with a hard thump. “I never said I didn’t trust you. I merely stated I could defend myself if necessary.”
He leaned forward until they were almost nose to nose. “I dinna stay where I am not wanted.”
“I want you to stay because I don’t want you to drown on your way back to Seven Cairns,” she said through clenched teeth.
