Page 77 of Bond of a Bewitched Highlander

The salmon flopped on the bottom boards before he grabbed it and tossed it overboard.

"Chief, that was my supper!" Andrew, the clansman beside him, grinned.

Elsea laughed, too appealing by far.

Squelching a half smile, Brodie gave her a sideways glance.

"Reminds me of the time Gavin dropped the live trout down your shirt," she said.

"Aye, he's a prankster." To release the fish, Brodie had unbuckled his belt and dropped his kilt, right in front of Elsea and everyone. She had blushed scarlet while all the clansmen guffawed, along with Torr and Gavin. "I never repaid him for that delightful favor," Brodie said.

She chuckled again. "Cat told me Gavin is married now and his curse broken."

"Aye."

"She said she was married to Torr, but naught about his curse."

"'Tis broken, too, but that happened after you saw them. They were only pretending to be married back then. They wed after they arrived here."

"Oh." Elsea observed him, searching his gaze. "Are you nay glad their curses are gone?"

"Of course." He frowned. "Why do you ask?"

"You seem displeased about it."

He shook his head. "I wish them the best of everything. They're like true brothers to me."

'Twas simply that they wanted him to destroy his curse, too. But he was not yet ready to give up being a selkie.

The men's rowing song continued, though more of a hum now, so that no one on shore would hear them. He and Elsea settled into an uncomfortable silence. Drawing away from him mentally, she stared toward the shore, which he wanted her to do, searching for the castle. But all that was left unsaid between them agitated the tension within him.

They surveyed the rugged coastline for an hour or more, going past a few castles along the way. Some were ruinous and abandoned, while others were inhabited. They were traveling farther north than he would've guessed they would need to.

Elsea finally pointed at an ancient keep with tumbled down walls. "That's it there."

"Dunrhyne," Brodie said. "He must have purchased it recently." A score of years before, it had belonged to the MacCulloch clan.

Half the roof was missing from the dark-stoned building, but smoke wafted from a couple of the chimneys. The whoreson or his minions were in residence.

"There's a galley." Brodie took the brass spyglass from his sporran, extended it, and inspected the beach and the castle close-up. Aside from a couple of horses picking grass near the walls, the area was deserted.

"Are they still there?" Elsea asked. "Can I have a look? I've never used a spyglass."

"Aye." He handed it to her. "Close one eye and peer through."

She held her breath as she moved the spyglass into position.

His gaze dropped to her rosy lips when she licked them. She gently bit the lower one, holding it between her teeth. Saints, but that action riveted him with a sharp kick of arousal.

He should not consider biting lips when around her.

She gasped, her mouth opening halfway.

"What do you see?" His gaze darted to the castle, and something moved in the distance.

"A guard on the battlements. 'Tis Randall!" She handed Brodie the glass.

"Who's Randall?" he muttered.