Gathering her close, Ross laid his cheek on top of her head. His warm presence comforted her. “Even with him gone, you know he loved you and the bairns.” Ross paused, stroking her back. “My demon is that I could’ve done more to protect my wife, and I didn’t do it.”
~~~
Ross may have accepted his late wife was gone, but the guilt sat heavily on his shoulders.
For Holly’s sake, he’d hidden it deep inside. His Holly-berry had been distraught enough with the news of her mother’s murder. She didn’t need a remorseful and grieving father to add to her troubles.
He’d never really talked about his guilt. And yet, he knew Lorna well enough to know she wouldn’t push him away and run for the hills. She’d hear everything before making a decision.
Speaking of Lorna, she pulled back and met his gaze again. “I somehow think you’re inflating the situation, human.”
He raised his brows. “So you dug into my past, did you?”
“Of course not. But given how protective you and Holly are of each other, I can’t imagine you failing your late female on purpose.”
He shook his head. “Anne feared for her life toward the end, what with that man stalking her. I couldn’t make the bloody police see the threat and take it seriously. Only when it was too late, and Anne had been murdered did they look into it.” He moved a hand to run through his hair. “I could’ve moved to a different city to protect my wife. But I had been more concerned about an upcoming promotion and worried about our finances. It all seems ridiculous in retrospect.”
“Your female was murdered by an obsessive stalker, aye? I somehow doubt he would’ve given up easily. Unless you moved to America or some other far off location, he would’ve found you.”
“I don’t know about that,” Ross said. “He probably wouldn’t have trekked to rural Wales to find her.”
Lorna clicked her tongue. “In this day and age, even back when yo
ur wife was taken from you, it’s easy enough to find people with the internet. You would have to change your name and maybe even your appearance to truly disappear. Few can manage that without the government’s help.”
He shook his head. “I refuse to believe there was nothing we could’ve done.”
“Listen to me, Ross Anderson. I know the game of what-ifs better than anyone. I could’ve told Jamie to stay away, or I’d kick him out of the cottage. Or, I could’ve had the doctor convince him I had plenty of time before I would give birth. But I did none of those things. Would he still have flown back in the storm? Maybe, maybe not. But I’m sixty years old and like to think I have some wisdom. Time machines don’t exist, and that’s the only true way a person could change the past.”
Ross tilted his head. “I call bullshit.”
Lorna clicked her tongue. “Watch yourself, Ross. Even without shifting, I can extend a talon or two. You don’t want to upset me.”
“You’re acting as if I’m the unreasonable one, yet you won’t even bloody shift into a dragon even though that’s half of who you are. I think it’s related to Jamie’s death, which means you haven’t accepted the past as much as you would like me to believe.” Lorna hesitated, and he decided to push. “You want to convince me differently? Then shift and prove you’ve moved on. Then you can start lecturing me about my own guilt.”
Lorna searched his eyes. “I’m not sure I like how you’re trying to manipulate me, Ross Anderson. I’m smarter than that.”
“Oh, I know you’re clever. But it doesn’t mean that I won’t try.”
With a snort, Lorna pushed against his chest. “As long as you know you can’t win against me.”
He raised his brows. “Oh, aye? I think I have a few tricks to prove you otherwise. Shift, my dear, and you’ll find out before long. I may even have you begging.”
As Lorna’s pupils flashed, Ross resisted a smile. He’d like to think her beast was on his side. From what he’d gleaned from his time on Lochguard, the dragon halves were extremely sexual. Lorna may be older and out of practice, but Ross was confident that as soon as he had her naked and to himself, Lorna would be a firecracker. Her dragon would only make her more so.
She raised her chin. “I’ll shift, but first, I want another kiss. And not just a peck on the cheek either, but one to please my dragon.”
Grinning, Ross cupped her cheek. “I knew you couldn’t resist my charms, lass.”
Lorna rolled her eyes. “I could do without the cockiness.”
“Aye, maybe you could. But I like to think it adds to my appeal.”
“Hurry up and kiss me, you old fool, or I’ll rescind my offer.”
Leaning down, Ross murmured, “We can’t have that, now, can we?” He nipped her bottom lip. “Brace yourself, love. Your dragon is going to like this.”
Taking Lorna’s lips in a rough kiss, Ross wrapped his free arm around her waist and pulled her closer. He explored her mouth, taking in her taste and heat. Lorna was sunshine mixed with cream.