HauntedLaird (8 page)

“You okay?” Her question came on a heavy breath and he knew
he’d pushed her too fast in the dark.

He breathed deep for a second, trying to will his body to
calm before he faced her. Cupping her chin, he replied, “Aye. Do ye be in need
o’ a break, wee one?”

“No, I can manage.”

Her words claimed one thing but her actions spoke another.
Padon knew she was tired but wouldn’t admit it. Stubborn. Willing to continue
even though her body begged for a rest. Her shoulders sagged. The exhausted
sound in her heavy breathing let him know she struggled to maintain the pace
he’d set. He liked her willingness to continue even though she seemed worn
thin.

Och
, he wished she breathed heavily for another
reason that he’d induced. Padon gently brushed his thumb across her lip. It
seemed to beckon to be kissed yet he fought the urge. They were not alone.
Pulling his gaze from hers and dropping his hand to his side, he stared at the
sky, trying to determine the hour and their location in reference to the stars.
They’d made decent time in their travels but daylight would be upon them long
before they reached Fin’s grandfather’s farm. Making a decision he knew would
torment his already hardened condition, Padon maneuvered his sheathed sword to
hang across his chest, then turned and squatted in front of Lynn.

Looking over his shoulder at her, he said, “Lass. Ye are
tired and we’ve a long path ta follow. Please let me be a horse ta carry ye
whilst ye rest.”

“I-I—” she stuttered as if searching for the right way to
say something. “I’m too heavy for you to carry. I’ll be fine.”

He laughed lightly then clasped her behind the knees and
pulled her closer. “Milady, ye weight be o’ no factor ta mi. Now, let’s no
waste time. Hop on.”

He tugged at her knees and was happy she did what he wanted.
When she had a good hold around his neck, he lifted to his feet with her legs
wrapped around his waist. Damn, the heat of her felt good against the small of
his back. Padon swallowed and prayed for the strength to ignore the things her
body was doing to him. They had to travel faster and this was simply the best
way to continue. At least that’s what he tried to convince himself though in
the back of his mind, he really liked the brush of the apex between her thighs
against him with every step. And with those breasts pressed tight to his flesh,
his imagination took off like a hawk in flight after prey.

Why hadn’t he thought to carry her against his chest instead
of on his back? She’d probably fit perfectly and bounce sensually against his
cock in tune with his gait. Padon admonished the thought and tried desperately
to think of anything but sex. With Lynn on his back, that wasn’t happening.
Each step was a task in self-control but did nothing to cool the desire pumping
from his bawls to his shaft.

This was going to be a long, long trek through the woods.

Lynn snuggled against him. His warmth was a welcomed cloak
that cut some of the night air chill. His scent filled her nose. Woodsy.
Masculine. Umm. He smelled delicious. His muscles bunched beneath her and
brushed her rhythmically as he moved smoothly along the trail that only he
could see. If Travis and Fin were not behind them, she knew she would have
kissed him when they’d stopped.

He’d tripped. She was sure of it, but he claimed he was
okay. Was he not telling the truth? He didn’t seem like the type to lie. Was he
just as tired as she? From the way he moved, sure-footedly and with the grace
of a wild animal native to these woods, she got the impression he could go all
night. Her eyes widened at the idea of marathon sex with Padon.

Lynn closed her eyes. Her mound bumped against his back with
every stride he took, causing her clit to throb. The constant rub of her
nipples against him made them ache for more. The strap of his sword’s sheath
added to the friction and for a split second the image of her hands bound above
her head with the length of leather shot behind her closed lids.

Bondage. She’d never even considered it. Was Padon into it?
God, what was she thinking? It had to be a mind trick played on her senses from
the significant amount of tiredness knotting her limbs. She normally didn’t
think like this, like a horn-dog in need of a good lay.

Padon increased his pace. When they reached an open area, he
ran across. His hands moved from her knees to cup her ass, lifting her higher
on his back. Her pussy rubbed the buckle of the strap of the sheath. The faster
he ran, the harder she bounced. His fingers kneaded her bottom and if they
followed the curve inward just a little bit more, he’d realize just how wet
he’d gotten her without even trying.

The moment he reached the cover of the woods, he stopped.
Moonlight shone on his face as he looked over his shoulder at her. Their gazes
locked on one another. Lynn’s heart pounded as if she’d been the one doing the
sprint across the field. Padon stretched and she followed suit. Ever so
lightly, their lips touched at an odd angle for a moment but it was enough.

Travis and Fin burst from the field into the woods at a
gallop, startling Lynn, who jerked from the kiss.

“Man,” Travis gasped as he wheezed in and out, “for an old
guy, you’re fast.”

“Aye, when need be. But I no be fast at everything,” he
stated with a sly wink at Lynn, who hid her smile in his hair. On a low whisper
meant only for her, he added, “There be things in life that need be savored
slowly.”

He readjusted her on his back, keeping his hands firmly
planted beneath her bum with his palms open, giving her the perfect seat. Now
if he’d just keep those damn thick thumbs of his still, she could probably think
of something other than sex, but she doubted it. Slow, sensual circles near her
anus kept her body humming with need. From the look he’d shot her over his
shoulder right before their lips touched, she knew he knew exactly what he was
doing to her.

Now the trick was, how were they going to get out of these
woods, find a place to hide and somehow steal some alone time before the sun
hit the sky? If nothing else, she wanted to taste those sexy lips of his.

Chapter Eight

It was just before daybreak when they finally stopped. They
were running out of time and it became evident they weren’t going to make it
out of the woods by first light. It had taken them longer than anticipated. Fin
led them to an old hunting shack located on the farthest outreaches of his
grandfather’s land. Fin told them that his father and grandfather built the
shack but had not used it in years, because he and Travis tended to follow the
game deeper into the woods and camped when they hunted. Even though it leaned
to the left and a tree was the only thing keeping it from falling over, it
would have to do for shelter for Padon.

Fin opened the door to the one-room wooden abode. “Travis
and I will take turns keeping watch for those two. But I doubt they’ve got the
balls ta come after us.”

Travis clapped Fin on the back. “You rest first once we set
up the tents. I’ve got this watch.”

Now that they were at a point to rest, Lynn was glad they’d
taken a few minutes to gather the tents from their campsite when they came upon
it. Earlier, she’d been scared the stop would give Lonnie and Timothy a chance
to find them
if
they were even still in the area. Even though there had
been no signs of those two, the group wasn’t taking any chances. Travis and Fin
had been quick about gathering what they needed and they’d moved on in a rather
timely fashion. Fin’s opinion on it was that without the visual signs of the
campsite where they’d kidnapped Lynn, those two wouldn’t be able to determine
if they were headed back in the right direction or not.

“The shack be yours.” Fin nodded toward Padon. “It may be
good ta keep you out o’ sight. We’ll set up the tents back in the woods a ways
from here so if’n those two do stumble upon us, they’ll find that camp first.”
He nodded to Travis and they turned to walk back into the woods.

“Aye,” Padon stated as he released Lynn.

Her arms ached from circling his neck for hours. His hands
may have made a fine seat but she’d still clung to him for security. The
imprint of his hands lingered on her butt and she swore she still felt the tiny
swirls of his thumbs. She closed her eyes. How did he do that the whole time?
Didn’t his fingers get tired? The sensitive area between her ass cheeks was
glad they didn’t. She liked the way he kept her on edge, sliding his thumbs
close to but not touching her anus. She’d wanted him to slip them farther
inward, caressing along her slit until he reached her clit and soothed the
rising pressure, bringing her relief. It throbbed to the point just sliding off
him nearly made her come.

Not wanting him to see how much he affected her, Lynn walked
on shaky legs into the shack. Two old cots lined opposite walls. A
rickety-looking wooden table with two matching chairs sat in the middle of the
room. On the far wall hung a rusted cabinet. Both doors were open, showing
nothing was in it. A potbelly stove sat in the corner directly across from the
corner touching the tree. It was probably the only other thing keeping the
shack upright with its solid-looking stovepipe angled through the ceiling.

Warm hands slid around her waist from behind, startling her
at first. He tugged her close and she couldn’t miss the hardness beneath his
kilt pressing against her bottom. It pleased her to know he was as horny as
she. She liked the feel of him wrapped around her, holding her, but there was
something she really wanted and time was running out. Lynn turned in his arms.

She didn’t have to ask. It seemed he wanted the same. Padon
leaned, pulling her up in his arms, bringing her onto her toes. Lips touched
lips in a kiss she never wanted to end. Soft and tender quickly became
passion-filled need. Each giving and taking, communicating their desire for one
another through this kiss. Tongue caressed tongue in a sensual dance,
increasing her hunger for this man.

His hands slid down her back to cup her ass, holding her
tighter against his hard-on. Damn, he felt great. Even though her hips ached
from having her legs wrapped around his waist for most of the night, she
desperately wanted to hop back on except this time she wanted to ride his cock
and not his back. One hand left her rear and slid between them to caress her
through her jeans. Thick fingers rubbed firmly in just the right spot. The
pressure in her clit grew even more, but it didn’t take much before it
released, bursting like an overstressed dam. Moisture soaked her panties. She
broke free of their kiss, gasping and flushed, not believing he’d done that to
her without making skin-to-skin contact.

She dropped her gaze to the floor, unable to look at him.
This wasn’t like her to act like such a loose woman, but he seemed to bring out
the pure sex-driven side of her nature. His finger eased beneath her chin and
gently forced her to lift her head, but she kept her eyes closed. Padon didn’t
give her a chance to retreat into herself.

He brushed a kiss across her lips. “I told ye before, there
be no shame in this, Lynn.” He kissed one closed eyelid then the other. “’Tis
natural ta want ta be in another’s arms.”

Padon captured her mouth in a tender kiss she was helpless
to resist. His lips demanded she return their favor. His tongue caressed hers
into reacting. Lynn was lost in his arms, not wanting him to stop, but he did.
When he pulled away, she was breathless as was he, which made her smile. It
seemed the overwhelming sexual effect was mutual.

He lowered to her ear. In his rich baritone, he simply
stated something that touched her and sent a thrill straight to her core.
“There be some things in life that need be savored slowly. Ye be one o’ those
treasures. I failed ta realize that at our first coupling. Be advised.” He
grinned wickedly. “Our next shall be a savoring o’ ye attributes, mi wee one,
until we both be sated.”

Lynn shivered from his honest admission as desire flowed
through her veins. This man had her hot and ready, but they were out of time.
Electricity sizzled in the air and her heart skipped a beat. She held her
breath, hoping against hope that the curse wouldn’t happen.

He stepped back, placing a wide gap between them as the
first rays of sunshine snuck in through the windows, open door and cracks in
the walls. Right before the curse took him, he met her gaze with one filled
with lust and sexual promise.

“Be safe ’til next we meet at the fall o’ night, mi wee
one.”

Lynn watched in awe as the curse engulfed him in a casket of
stone. He stood arrow straight, hands held together in front of his kilt, and
she noted he’d moved his sword into its proper position on his back. She
circled his frozen figure and was simply amazed at the powerful magic that
occurred before her eyes. Dragging her fingertips along his body as she walked,
she sensed he rested within this unwanted cocoon but knew he wasn’t at peace.

And he wouldn’t be until the curse was broken and the
MacGillivray descendant had taken his last breath. Lynn leaned against his
chest, pressing her cheek and ear to the area where his heart should be. Did he
breathe while entombed? Was he conscious?

She swore she heard his heartbeat, low and faint, deep
within the solid wall around him. A single tear slid down her cheek as she
straightened, looking into those lifeless eyes that earlier held such heat and
desire. She couldn’t imagine how awful it must be to be locked away for so many
years only to be partially freed. He’d experienced two nights of freedom only
to be turned back into a stone statue with the rise of the sun.

Half a freedom.

The words echoed in her ears. His sister Akira was right.
This was half a freedom. No man deserved to live like this, ever. Lynn eased
onto one of the chairs and hoped it held her weight. If it took everything she
had, she planned to help release Padon completely from this curse.

No matter what it took.

After staring idly at him for several long minutes, Lynn got
up and closed the door. She set the rusty latch in place and shoved a chair
underneath the knob as an added measure of protection. But from the looks of
it, a good brisk wind would undo the door without much of a challenge. She
tugged the old curtains closed, hoping to keep unwanted onlookers from peeping
in and catching sight of Padon. If Lonnie and Timothy got past Travis and Fin,
she didn’t want to make it easy to find Padon. Not going to happen on her
watch. She was the second line of defense.

Lynn noted a thick stick lay on the floor beneath each
window. She picked one up and placed it securely between the top of the window
and the upper edge of the windowsill as an added measure to help the lock hold
shut. She repeated the process on the other window and felt a smidgeon more
secure in her surroundings.

Beating one of the cots with the broom she found in the
corner, she dusted it off and lay down. It wasn’t much for comfort but it would
do. She rolled onto her side facing Padon so she could keep an eye on him. The
sun beat on the shack, warming the inside to a cozy temperature, making her
sleepier. Unable to fight it, her eyes grew heavy and exhaustion seeped through
her, commanding that she rest.

* * * * *

Travis and Fin worked together to quickly set up the
makeshift camp several yards away from the shack. They wanted to remain within
earshot in case Lynn needed them. Thankfully, the trees shielded the shack from
direct view. They knew where it was, but for the untrained eye, it didn’t stand
out and could go overlooked.

“You know,” Travis said as he tossed his gear into one of
the tents. “It just struck me, why did you kidnap Lynn? She didn’t know where
ta find the cave. Why not take me, instead?”

“She was easier. At least that’s what we thought. Who knew
the lass would put up such a fight?” Fin grinned then shook his head. “It was
Lonnie’s idea. He figured she would make fine bait ta get you ta cooperate in
finding the cave.”

“Guess he never realized he already had the perfect bait for
me while he had you in his midst,” Travis quipped then kissed Fin long and
hard. When they separated, Travis leaned, keeping Fin in his arms and arched
his eyebrow. “I’m confused. How did he know about the cave in the first place?
Did you tell him?”

“Nay. He was in the pub when you told Lynn the tale about
your night in the woods.”

“How in the hell did he overhear that?” Travis knew he’d
kept his voice down and had made sure no one was close when he told her.

Fin stepped from the hug and returned to setting up camp as
he spoke. “You know those stupid gadgets that claim ta increase hearing so you
can listen in on someone else’s conversation without them knowing?” When Travis
nodded, Fin continued. “Apparently, they work. He had one in his ear as he sat
at the bar behind you and focused on your conversation.”

Travis’ jaw dropped. He was at a loss, not believing
something he’d seen in the
Odd Gadgets and Gizmos
magazine actually
worked. Worse yet, an idiot like Lonnie had used it and listened in on his
conversation with Lynn.

“Why me? How’d he know I knew anything about where a
MacKinnon was hidden?”

“He didn’t,” Fin replied. “He got that thing that day in the
mail and decided ta try it out. You just happened ta be in the wrong place at
the wrong time. I’d already been given the assignment ta keep an eye on them
and knew they liked ta hang in that particular pub. It just worked out we also
led our groups there at the end o’ the tours. They never suspected they were
being watched.”

“How’d you end up pairing with them?”

“I noticed he was up ta something when he kept looking at
you and tugging on his ear. After you left, I wandered over, acting drunk, and
got a bit o’ info out o’ him while Timothy was in the loo. We knew each other
from society meetings and I made him think I wasn’t happy with the society
anymore, just like he and Timothy weren’t. He was more than happy ta share what
he’d learned while using his new toy. He and Timothy planned ta follow you into
the mountains and find out what was hidden in that cave. You never told me, why
were you going back ta the cave and taking Lynn with you?”

“Jasper sent me on a quest ta find a woman who truly
believed in the supernatural and return ta the cave with her. He promised no
harm would come ta her and the reward would be substantial.”

“And if you didn’t do as he requested?” Fin’s eyebrow arched
as he looked directly at Travis. “You no be one ta chase after some grand
reward.”

“Let’s just say while intoxicated I was led ta believe I’d
be severely punished if I failed.” Travis smiled weakly, not proud of how he
let a ghost put such a fear in him. “Jasper never told me what he protected.
How did those two idiots know?”

“They didn’t,” Fin answered. “They were hoping it might be a
missing MacKinnon statue.”

“And if it wasn’t?”

Fin shrugged. “They were going to steal whatever Jasper
protected and sell it. In their minds, if a ghost stood watch over something
then it was probably valuable. Problem with those two, they aren’t true
believers and they hooked up with the wrong team. Timothy wasn’t happy when he
learned how much Lonnie told me, but I pointed out my worth ta them as a guide.
Without me, they’d be lost in these mountains. At least that’s what I convinced
them ta believe.” Fin grinned from ear to ear.

Travis laughed as he slapped Fin on the back then tugged him
into another loving hug. “You sly ole fox. You should’ve been a spy.”

“Nay.” Fin snorted, leaning back. “They work ta hard. I like
what we do, at our own pace and being our own bosses.”

“I have ta agree with you on that one,” Travis said on a
heavy sigh. He paused for a moment then asked, “You think they have the smarts
ta find us?”

“Timothy, no, but that Lonnie’s a mean one. Mean don’t need
smarts, just dumb luck and cunning ta guide their darkened hearts.”