Bound by Blood (Cauld Ane Series) (17 page)

“I think I left my cell phone here,” she said.

“Come in.” He stepped aside and waited for her to enter.

“How do you feel, Samantha?” Fiona asked.

“Much better. Thank you.”

“Good.” Fiona stood and gathered her purse. “I’m going to take off. I need to meet Angus and take care of a few things.” She patted Kade’s chest. “I trust I’m leaving her in good hands, right?”

He rolled his eyes. “Aye. Now, out with you.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Samantha.”

“Okay.” Sam waved and Fiona left.

Samantha leaned against the sofa and he saw her hands shaking as she clasped them in front of her. “Och, Samantha, I’ve scared you. I’m so sorry.”

“No. You haven’t. Can I just get my cell phone and I’ll give you your space?”

He stood in front of her and grasped her hands, pulling them to his chest.

She pulled away with a sigh. “What are you doing?”

“I want you to feel my heart.”

She laid her palm over his chest, but Kade pulled it away. “No. Feel it with
your
heart. Close your eyes.” Her eyes widened and he knew she was leery of him. “Trust me. I know I haven’t earned it, but I will. Now, close your eyes.”

She did as he asked and he linked his fingers with hers and closed his eyes as well. As they stood toe-to-toe, he felt her fear begin to dissipate like a vapor into the air. He knew the moment she recognized his heartbeat. He released one of her hands and cupped her cheek, stroking it as he covered her mouth with his.

She responded just as she had the night before…still, the fact she didn’t hold anything back even though she didn’t understand what was happening was humbling. He lifted her onto the back of the sofa, giving him better access to her mouth, and slid his tongue across her lips.

Þú verður að vera minn að eilífu
. (You will be mine forever.)

He knew she heard the words and half expected her to break their connection, but she slipped her arms around his neck and wove her fingers through his hair. It didn’t last as long as he would have liked, however.

He felt a gentle tug and then she broke the kiss with a groan. “What was
that
? That was way more intense than before!”

“I have several things I need to explain.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

SAMANTHA PUSHED KADE away and jumped from the back of the couch. She needed distance. If she didn’t get it, she’d rip off her clothes then and there and given him anything he asked for. He started toward her, but she held her hands up and shook her head. “No way, buddy. Do not move another inch.”

He stalled, but his smile indicated he wouldn’t stay away long. “Can we talk now?”

She bit her lip. “Um, sure. But you stay there.”

Kade chuckled and ignored her demand. He strode toward her and pulled her onto the loveseat with him. Sam shifted so her back was up against one of the arms.

He draped his arm around the back of the sofa and smiled. “Do you want to ask questions now or later?”

“I don’t know.” She wrapped her arms around her knees. “I don’t know what to ask.”

“How do you like information delivered?”

She studied him for several seconds as she processed that question. He seemed to know her better than herself, and for some unknown reason, that didn’t scare her. Nothing about him scared her…when she was with him. “I think in this case, you should just talk and I’ll ask questions as they come up.”

“Fair enough.”

“One thing first,” she said.

He grinned. “You’re a fine kisser, lass.”

She nudged his thigh with her foot. “You’re not funny. What exactly am I hearing in my head?”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Oh, stop,” she retorted. “I can’t tell if it’s Icelandic or Gaelic.”

“You’re asking about the language…not the fact that you’re hearing voices?”

“I’m compartmentalizing. Besides, it’s
your
voice, not multiple ones.”

He ran his hand across the sofa pillow. “It’s Icelandic.”

“Why…how…am I hearing it?”

Kade set his head in the palm of his hand, but didn’t answer.

“Kade?” she pressed.

Before anymore could be said, the peal of her cell phone broke the silence. Kade rose to his feet and retrieved it for her. She noticed his scowl as he handed it to her.

She shook her head as she answered the call. “Hi, Cole.”

“Hey you. How are you feeling?”

“Much better, thank you.”

“I’d kind of like to see that for myself.”

Sam grinned. “I could take a picture and send it to you, if you like.”

“Not exactly what I had in mind.”

A gentle but firm squeeze of her ankle had her glancing into Kade’s scowling face. “What?” she whispered, but he just shook his head.

“Sam?” Cole said.

“Sorry. I’m here with my boss and he was asking me a question.” She gave Kade a challenging glare. “I’m all yours, Cole.”

Kade stood and strode out of the room. Sam sighed. He was the most confusing human being she’d ever encountered.

“Can I swing by and see you?” Cole asked.

“Ugh. Not right now. I just want to veg in front of the boob tube and potentially sleep.” Sam rubbed her forehead; a headache was fast approaching. “What about Thursday?”

“Thursday’s good. Are you sure you’re okay?”

She turned when she heard Kade returning. “Yes. I have a bit of a headache from the concussion. No biggie.”

He had a glass of water and held his hand open. Two white tablets sat in the middle of his palm.

“For your head,” he whispered.

Sam widened her eyes and then focused back on Cole.

“Okay. Well, call me if you need me,” Cole said.

“I will. ’Bye.” She hung up and stared up at Kade. “How did you know?”

“I can feel it.” He handed her the glass of water and took her cell phone from her. “Take them.”

“What do you mean, you can feel it?”

He narrowed his eyes. “Take the pills, Samantha.”

“Why are you mad?”

He sighed. “I’m not mad, sweetheart. I just want you to take the painkillers.”

He sat next to her, forcing her body into the back of the sofa.

“And if I don’t want to?”

He pulled the glass from her hand and leaned down, covering her mouth with his.

Gràdhach
,
take the pills
.

She pushed him away. “Was that Icelandic too?”

He chuckled as he wrapped his arm around her knees. “No. That was Gaelic.” He picked up the water and handed it to her. “Now, take the medicine.”

“But my headache’s gone.” He broke contact with her and she gasped. “Ow…ow…ow!”

He laid his hand on her ankle and grimaced. “I’m sorry.”

She popped the pills even though she no longer felt pain. “How are you doing that?”

“It’s complicated, and something I’m not sure you’re ready to hear just yet.”

“You’re not summoning something you shouldn’t be, are you? I won’t sit here and let you mess with the spiritual realm.”

He shook his head. “No. There’s nothing spiritual about this, and it’s certainly not evil. It’s physical, and it’s just between you and me.”

“Okay, even if I’m not ready to hear why, I’d still like you to tell me.”

“I want to set up a ground rule first.”

“Like?” she asked.

“Would you please stop referring to me as your boss?”

“But you are,” she argued.

“That fact is irrelevant, Samantha.”

Sam smiled. “What do you want me to refer to you as?”

“Fiancé?” he asked hopefully.

She snorted. “One, you haven’t asked; two, I’m not there yet.”

“Okay. Let’s figure out my label after I fill you in on a few things.”

“Start talkin’ ‘not boss.’” Kade leaned back and she grasped his arm. “But keep touching me. I like being pain-free.”

He grinned. “Keep that in the forefront of your mind for me.”

“I will. Now tell me.”

“You and I will be bound.”

Sam laughed. “With rope?” she asked. “’Cause I don’t really do kinky.”

He grinned. “No. We are meant to be together, forever.”

Samantha let out a quiet snort. “Okay, crazy stalker dude, you are out of your ever-blessed mind.”

He shrugged. “I said you weren’t ready to hear it.”

She pulled her leg away from his hand and stood. “We just
met
!” she argued. “You can’t honestly expect me to believe that we’re going to fall in love, marry, and live happily ever after just because you make some inane declaration that we’re going to be tied together—”

“Bound.”

“
Bound,
whatever!” Pain slammed against her temples and she tried to rub it away.

“Shhh…you need to calm yourself.” Kade took her hand.

Sam let out a sigh of relief as her headache disappeared again. “What
is
this?”

“When we met, the connection began, but the moment I touched you, our
örlög
…fate, was sealed.” He ran his thumb across her palm. “The reason our kiss today was different is because of the words spoken in the process.”

“Which words?”

“Þú verður að vera minn að eilífu. They mean, you will be mine forever. They are some of the first words we speak to our mates.”

“Mates?”

“Aye. Up till now, I’ve been attempting to take things slow. And when we make love, we will be bound.”

Samantha pulled her hand away. “So this is a weird way to get me to sleep with you?”

“No. You misunderstand. We won’t make love until I bind you…you have nothing to fear from me, Samantha.”

“Until
you
bind
me?
You mean to tell me you hold control over my choice?”

“Sam, no. You have control over everything…you have all the power, in fact,” he assured her.

Samantha was so confused, she couldn’t think straight. The craziest part was that she knew he was telling her the truth. When she touched him, she saw his heart, felt his conviction, and knew that honor and integrity were things he valued.

Kade pulled her against himself. “I know this is a lot to process.”

She tucked her feet under her bottom and nodded into his chest. The calm permeated her soul and she closed her eyes, allowing his strength to seep in. “I feel so…so…”

“I know. It’s what happens between two mates. I can take your pain away. Whether it’s physical or emotional. You can do the same for me.”

“That sounds a lot like you’re likening me to a chimpanzee or something.”

Kade chuckled. “We can choose another word. It doesn’t have to be ‘mate.’”

She glanced up at him. “What was the word you said before? The Gaelic one?”

“Gràdhach?”

“Yes. What does it mean?”

“It means ‘beloved.’”

“Why are the other words significant? Can you say them again, please?”

Kade gave her a gentle squeeze. “Þú verður að vera minn að eilífu.”

“Wow.” Her body tingled as he said the words slowly.

“They solidify the bond between us.”

“This is all a little much. I will admit I’m attracted to you…I mean, who wouldn’t be? But I don’t know you well enough to know if I love you.”

He kissed her cheek. “You’re lying now, love.”

She smacked his leg. “Could I get some semblance of privacy, please?”

“Probably not.” He chuckled.

“At least you’re being honest, I suppose.”

“I just happen to know how
I
feel, so I’m hopeful you feel the same.”

“Charming to the core, hmm?”

He stroked her cheek. “I love you, Samantha. Whether it defies logic or you don’t feel the same way, it’s the truth.”

She sighed and grumbled. “Bolt of lightning wrapped in a rainbow.”

“Hmm?”

“Pepper. She’s got a knack for coming up with slogans, and she used to always say that love is like being hit by a bolt of lightning wrapped in a rainbow.”

He kissed her, and Samantha’s mind became a puddle of mush…no, goo. It was still goo. She broke the kiss. “I don’t know what to say. I don’t know if I can process this.”

“There’s no pressure. We’ll get to know each other. You don’t have to make any decisions right now.”

“No, not that. Well, yes, that, but no…I don’t know. I can’t think straight right now. I can’t function when you kiss me like that.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Might help tilt the balance.”

Sam couldn’t help but smile. “You can find the humor in anything.”

“I try.”