leave for Scotland?” Having nothing to do was difficult, as Aidan had said. She really wanted something, or better yet someone, to smash.
“Not for a few hours, I’m afraid.” His eyes and mouth were rimmed with lines she didn’t normally see there and she’d never seen him look so worn down.
“Which means you have time for a nap.” Elise sent a frisson of healing energy through her hand on his waist. “You need some rest before you go take on the kidnappers.”
“I don’t think I can sleep.” He grimaced. “But you should grab another hour or two if you can. And stop that. You’ll need all your energy too. Don’t waste it on me.”
She turned him to face her and lifted her hand to his cheek. “Let’s both go lay down. Maybe we can both relax enough to rest for a bit.”
The corner of his full, sensual lips quirked upward. “That might be a dangerous idea, leannan . My willpower isn’t everything it should be right now.”
The thought that he still wanted her sent a thrill down her spine. After all they’d been through, all they’d done to one another, the physical attraction was still there, as powerful as ever. She knew their differences were too great for them to ever think about a permanent relationship, but right now, that didn’t matter. The only thing she wanted was someone who cared, who could help keep her sane until she had Dina back in her arms.
She looked up into his eyes, letting him see the passion that she knew seethed in her own as well as the terror and strain. “I’m okay with dangerous. Let’s go to bed, Aidan. And no quitting on me this time.”
“Are you sure?” He brushed a strand of her hair back behind her ear. “No matter our past, I do care for you, Elise. I couldn’t live with taking advantage of you at a time like this.”
She laid her hands on either side of his waist and slid them up his ribcage, feeling the warmth of his body through the fine cotton of his shirt. “It’s not taking advantage if I’m asking you straight out. I need something, someone to hold onto right now, so I don’t go screaming insane. If anything, I’m taking advantage of you, of your inability to refuse a damsel in distress.”
“You may be the strongest woman I’ve ever known.” He cupped her cheek in his long, slender fingers. “And now that you’ve met the queen, you know what my standard for that is. I can’t help but wish things had gone differently between us.”
“I know. We met at the wrong place, or the wrong time and we’ve both got responsibilities that will always get in the way of our having a relationship.” She slid her hands around to his back as she stepped closer, until her breasts brushed against his ribcage. “But right now, we can be here for each other. Because whether you admit it or not, you’re almost as shredded by this as I am.” And that fact still amazed her.
“Whether she’s my daughter or not, it’s no picnic knowing a four-year-old girl is paying the price because someone is out for my blood.” He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “And it doesn’t help that I was so angry with you at the reception. I can’t help feeling it’s my fault, that I should have somehow been able to prevent this.”
“It’s not.” She laid a finger over his lips. “I should have told Meagan no when she asked me to bring Dina to the wedding. If I hadn’t been afraid to tell her why…Had I been honest with you from the beginning, things might have been completely different.”
“That’s a bit of an understatement, dear one, but it doesn’t mean they still wouldn’t have used her to get at me. Even as plain Aidan Greene, I could be a target in the human realm. I can understand you not wanting to live with that.”
She went up on her toes and kissed his chin, the only part of his face she could reach. “Maybe. But I don’t want to talk about it now. I don’t want to talk about anything, think about anything. Make me forget for a
“Not for a few hours, I’m afraid.” His eyes and mouth were rimmed with lines she didn’t normally see there and she’d never seen him look so worn down.
“Which means you have time for a nap.” Elise sent a frisson of healing energy through her hand on his waist. “You need some rest before you go take on the kidnappers.”
“I don’t think I can sleep.” He grimaced. “But you should grab another hour or two if you can. And stop that. You’ll need all your energy too. Don’t waste it on me.”
She turned him to face her and lifted her hand to his cheek. “Let’s both go lay down. Maybe we can both relax enough to rest for a bit.”
The corner of his full, sensual lips quirked upward. “That might be a dangerous idea, leannan . My willpower isn’t everything it should be right now.”
The thought that he still wanted her sent a thrill down her spine. After all they’d been through, all they’d done to one another, the physical attraction was still there, as powerful as ever. She knew their differences were too great for them to ever think about a permanent relationship, but right now, that didn’t matter. The only thing she wanted was someone who cared, who could help keep her sane until she had Dina back in her arms.
She looked up into his eyes, letting him see the passion that she knew seethed in her own as well as the terror and strain. “I’m okay with dangerous. Let’s go to bed, Aidan. And no quitting on me this time.”
“Are you sure?” He brushed a strand of her hair back behind her ear. “No matter our past, I do care for you, Elise. I couldn’t live with taking advantage of you at a time like this.”
She laid her hands on either side of his waist and slid them up his ribcage, feeling the warmth of his body through the fine cotton of his shirt. “It’s not taking advantage if I’m asking you straight out. I need something, someone to hold onto right now, so I don’t go screaming insane. If anything, I’m taking advantage of you, of your inability to refuse a damsel in distress.”
“You may be the strongest woman I’ve ever known.” He cupped her cheek in his long, slender fingers. “And now that you’ve met the queen, you know what my standard for that is. I can’t help but wish things had gone differently between us.”
“I know. We met at the wrong place, or the wrong time and we’ve both got responsibilities that will always get in the way of our having a relationship.” She slid her hands around to his back as she stepped closer, until her breasts brushed against his ribcage. “But right now, we can be here for each other. Because whether you admit it or not, you’re almost as shredded by this as I am.” And that fact still amazed her.
“Whether she’s my daughter or not, it’s no picnic knowing a four-year-old girl is paying the price because someone is out for my blood.” He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “And it doesn’t help that I was so angry with you at the reception. I can’t help feeling it’s my fault, that I should have somehow been able to prevent this.”
“It’s not.” She laid a finger over his lips. “I should have told Meagan no when she asked me to bring Dina to the wedding. If I hadn’t been afraid to tell her why…Had I been honest with you from the beginning, things might have been completely different.”
“That’s a bit of an understatement, dear one, but it doesn’t mean they still wouldn’t have used her to get at me. Even as plain Aidan Greene, I could be a target in the human realm. I can understand you not wanting to live with that.”
She went up on her toes and kissed his chin, the only part of his face she could reach. “Maybe. But I don’t want to talk about it now. I don’t want to talk about anything, think about anything. Make me forget for a
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