“Ahh,” he muttered, inordinately disappointed, then irritation seeped in, followed by a slithering panic.
If not Gus, then who the bloody hell, am I?
He looked out at the trees, rising tall to the bruised sky, then at what he could see of the rocky bed he lay in. Nothing looked familiar. No’ even the beautiful woman leaning over him.
“Brie.” He tried her name on his tongue, searching for a hint of familiarity. “Doyeken who I am?WhereI am? Why I am here?”
Her wide, expressive eyes spoke for her, as he followed their transformation from confusion to realization, to…compassion? “I—well, Gus actually—found you lying here. From your clothing and your accent, I’d guess you’re Scottish, but no, I don’t know you, or why you’re up here. You seem to have taken a pretty bad fall. There’s a gash on the back of your head that probably needs stitches. I don’t know if anything is broken.”
Besides his pounding head, he had a monstrous kink in his neck. Mayhap, if he moved... Gritting his teeth, he shifted his shoulders—
“How about taking things one step at a time. Where do you hurt?”
Everywhere.But nothing so much as his head. “ ’Tis only the light that bothers me, but dinna fash. ’Twill pass.”
“Really? That’s it? Judging by this bed of rocks you’re lying in, that makes you pretty lucky. Oh, wait! I forgot! Can you cover your eyes with your hand for a sec?”
Though confused, he complied, wincing at the stiffness in his shoulder. She moved away and pulled something from beneath the blanket. “My jacket,” she explained. “I totally spaced putting my sunglasses in my pocket earlier. Let me see if they’ll stretch a bit so they won’t be too tight.”
He felt her lean over him again. “Okay. Try these.” She pressed something into his hand. “Keep your eyes closed until you get them on. I’m sorry if they pinch a little.”
“I dinna ken. What did ye say this is?”
“Sunglasses. Just put them on.”
Still confused, he hesitated.
“Here. Let me. Move your hand.”
Something scraped along the sides of his head and settled on his nose. Glasses. He knew glasses. Strange how recognizing something that simple, relieved him. But how would they help with the sun? Cautiously, he opened his eyes. The sun’s glare was dimmer, no’ quite so painful.
Glasses for the sun. A wonder, indeed.
“How are they?” Brie asked as Gus whined and nosed his shoulder.
“Fine, lass. A boon. My thanks to ye.” He rested his hand on Gus’s head, becoming more aware of his surroundings. Birds chirped above him and something small chattered and scurried through the brush. Despite the sun, the air felt cool and the rocky ground beneath him, wet and cold.
Everything smelled of a recent rain. He ticked off the odors he recognized, hoping they would trigger a memory. Forest scents. Grasses. Wood. Wet pine needles. Mud. A wet dog. None of which formed a whole picture in his mind of how he knew them or where he’d experienced them before.
There were smells he dinna ken, as well. The unpleasant acrid scent that accompanied the noisy contraption rumbling behind Brie. Shrubbery he couldna put a name to. Her scent when she’d leaned over him. Soft. Enchanting. ’Twas on the blanket covering him, as well. He resisted the urge to pull it closer to his face.
Questions swirled in his brain, sucking him in like a whirlpool. Who was she? How had she and Gus found him? What was this place? What was he doing here? How did he end up in these rocks? Why dinna he ken anything before awakening on strange ground with this monstrous ache in his head?
Anger, frustration and helplessness engulfed him as he clenched his fingers and tensed the muscles in each limb to test their strength before moving each one an inch or two. He was sore, surely bruised, but he dinna believe anything was broken.
“Everything feel okay?” Brie asked. “Do you feel strong enough to try getting up now? We should get you to the cabin and take care of that gash.”
“Cabin?” he asked, looking at her as more questions flooded his muddled head.
“Yes. Where I live. For the summer, anyway.”
“Have I been there before?”
An odd look crossed her pretty face. “Not that I’m aware of.”
Her arm came around him as he raised his head and struggled into a sitting position. He swayed, clamped his jaws together at the increased pain the movement caused and tried to wait out the wave of dizziness.
“Doing okay?” she asked, holding him tighter.
