Present Day, North Carolina
Laurie rubbed the furrow lining her forehead and slumped into the sofa cushions. Gah, she must be going crazy. She poured herself another glass of wine and took several quick sips.
Was she hallucinating?
Even with the poor lighting, she found the man fabulously attractive. Scrumptious. He could have walked out of the steamiest romance novel. Intense, dark eyes—if only it had been light enough to see the color—set in a face only the Celtic gods could have molded. The sexy cleft in his chin made her mouth go instantly dry. The mere thought of him left her breathless and achy with need.
Had she really reached out to a stranger? How stupid. What if he was a nutcase?
She flicked her gaze to the dark windows then the locked front door. The house was secure.
A psycho? She hoped not. The man seemed familiar. She felt as though she'd met him before. Though where could that have been?
The adrenaline kick waned, taking her energy with it. She yawned and finished the wine. Maybe there was no danger. The man might be one of Iain’s unusual friends dressed in a reenactment costume.
Nothing more? Well, there was the pink light to consider and the weird barrier at the gate.
Imagination. Mentally shaking herself, she prepared for bed.
Unable to fall asleep, she lay beneath the covers and stared at the spinning ceiling fan, replaying the evening’s events in her mind. The more she thought about it, the surer she was the whole affair was nothing more than a figment of a way-too-overactive imagination. With time, she succumbed to physical and emotional exhaustion.
A perfectly placed kiss at the nape of her neck caused her sex to clench. The cool, silky sheets did nothing to relieve the heat. He lay behind, her bare back pressed tight against a broad chest, each individual chest hair teasing sensitive skin, sending tiny shock waves along her spine.
“Ah, you’ve returned.” She squirmed, and her dream lover groaned.
“Careful, lass. I wish to last the night.” He laved a shoulder and nipped the skin.
He whispered words in a language she didn’t know, yet understood in a place deep within her heart. Words of romance and promises of exquisite pleasure. Wave after wave of yearning spiraled through her, straight to the center of her soul.
Turning her to face him, he captured her in a tender embrace. His teeth toyed with an earlobe, and she dug her nails into the flesh on his back. He released a primal growl then continued kissing the way around her neck to the hollow of her throat. A velvety tongue played havoc with her senses. Every nerve ending tingled with pleasure.
With a shockingly rough touch, he caught a breast in his palm, and rubbed the tender nipple with a calloused thumb. Taking the hardened tip into his mouth, he sucked the flesh into a tight sensitized nub. My, God. All thought scattered.
“You’re killing me.”
“Nae. Loving you.”
He placed his palm intimately against her. She inhaled his manly scent—pine and fresh air. No cologne could be as enticing. Repositioning their bodies, he pressed his erection against her softness and thrust. Her gasp was swallowed in an open-mouthed kiss.
More. She wanted more.
She grasped his hips and tugged, drawing him deeper into her body and into a rhythmic dance. He took her to places she’d never imagined. To heights—
The alarm pierced Laurie’s fantasy. She reached over to the nightstand and slammed her hand against the off button. Urgh! Another sex dream and they hadn’t finished.
Still hot. Still wet. She pinched a pebbled nipple with one hand and slid two fingers from the other between her thighs. She panted, arched her back, and rode her release with a scream.
When euphoria wore off and embarrassment settled in, she threw off the covers and jumped out of bed. She sniffed the air, catching a hint of that same exotic perfume from the room at the inn where she’d first dreamed of the man. Strange.
And another strange thing—her dream lover looked like the man in the woods last night. Had he really been there or had a vivid imagination created him after her earlier dream?
So many questions with no easy answers.
* * *
Two weeks passed, Laurie almost believed she hadn’t seen a man. But...
Dammit there were other things to think about today.
She set aside the garden design she drew on graph paper the previous night and poured a mug of coffee. Dressed in an oversized t-shirt and a worn-out pair of jeans with a tear in one knee, she headed to the garden, wondering what new plant might be poking through the soil today. It seemed like every day something new showed its face to the sun. Today, Caitrina was taking her to visit garden centers. Laurie couldn’t wait.
Once she’d gotten to know Caitrina better, Laurie realized her initial gruff disposition was a facade. She was sweet underneath and they were becoming good friends.
Laurie savored the hazelnut-flavored coffee and the warmth it provided as she strolled along the paths and contemplated the garden’s progress. Early morning fog drifted over the beds, adding a touch of charm.
It’d been the right decision to stay in North Carolina.
Though she couldn’t ignore her dreams or the strange man no one at the inn seemed to know. Laurie pinched the bridge of her nose. Could he be a figment of her imagination? Was it possible he was nothing more than a manifestation of the stress she’d been under at her job?
Had she made him up because she was lonely? That didn’t make sense, still…
With more time in the non-corporate world, would her life settle down, become normal?
She had to hope.
Morning sun burned through the mist. The emerging garden looked awesome. Maybe things had already begun to settle down and return to normal.
Lost in her thoughts, a tinkling noise near the rear gate startled her. A familiar hint of an exotic fragrance played on the breeze. As if in a trance, she rose and walked to the open gate.
Her dream man stood on a grassy knoll at the edge of the woods.
Laurie’s pulse quickened and the muscles in her belly tightened as she tried to move toward him. Again, the invisible barrier at the gate held her back. Their gazes met. His deep blue eyes devoured her. The intensity sent a thrill through her system. He reached out his hand and time seemed to stand still. His eyes are so blue.
A bright white light arced between them, and he faded away.
She stared at the spot where he’d stood. When she turned around, she released a surprised scream.
“Sorry,” Caitrina said. “I didn’t mean to frighten you. Thought we might want to get an early start. Have breakfast in the village before visiting garden centers.”
“It’s okay, you startled me. Laurie pressed her palm against her chest in an attempt to still her racing heart. “I saw that man again.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I don’t know what to think. Maybe I shouldn’t stay in Anderson Creek. Maybe moving here was a mistake. Maybe I should go to New York and find a good shrink.”
* * *
Patrick remained outside the walled garden, held in place by an unnatural force. The lass looked exquisite in the early morning light. Compelled to touch her, he reached for her, but a fierce jolt traveled up his arm and a bright light blinded him. Once his vision cleared, she was gone.
Strange. His visions of the lass only came to him in the Fir-wood, near the old hut and that cursed faerie knoll. And the woman, dressed in unusual garments, as if she were a lad. Odd, indeed. He was drawn to her. Not only was she beautiful, but he sensed a kinship between them. A longing to be loved.
Ach, he knew naught of the lass.
Patrick dropped his outstretched arm. What was he doing here, lurking, hoping to see her again? He should have given this place a wide berth instead of hanging about like a besotted fool. There were important activities requiring his attention—practicing sword skills, drilling his men, hunting.
The feud had been quiet of late, but that surely wouldn’t continue.
He didn’t have time to worry about the woman. Though Munn’s insistence that the fae were involved with the lass and perhaps his parent’s disappearance brought a disturbing thought. What had Patrick done to encourage their notice? Why would the fae become involved in his life?
Frustration plunged him into a dark mood.
He trudged toward the castle, but as he got closer, he lengthened his stride determined not to waste the rest of the day. Not to think about the lass who stirred his loins. When he arrived at the stables, he yelled for Stephen to join him. Patrick needed a distraction. A strenuous ride through the forest would serve him well. A hunt would clear his head.
And one never knew what one would find while hunting.