Embrace the Highland Warrior (3 page)

“Want us to leave?” Marcas asked.

“No,” Shay said, quickly. “You don’t have to leave.” The last thing she needed was to be alone and naked with Cody.

Marcas and Lachlan turned around, but Shay could hear them whispering. Cody scooped her up. She squealed and grabbed his neck, to keep from falling. She saw Lachlan start to turn, until Marcas kicked him. “What are you doing?” she whispered furiously, trying to cover all her pertinent parts.

“Getting us out of the lake before we freeze our asses off.” He trudged through the water, keeping his gaze straight ahead. “Stop squirming. You’re slippery as a bloody eel.”

At the water’s edge, he set her gently on her feet. He helped her into her sweater, and she was so cold she let him. She didn’t bother with her bra.

“Here,” he said, handing over her panties.

She snatched them from his hand, afraid he would offer to help with them as well. She wiggled into them, trying not to look at his bare backside as he dragged his underwear over damp skin.

“You decent yet?” Marcas asked.

“No!” Cody said, after glancing back to see Shay tugging on her jeans. He was already snapping his.

After Cody and Shay dressed, the brothers discussed the best way to get Shay back to the house. “We could haul her out on the four-wheeler,” Lachlan offered.

Great
, she thought.
Like
a
deer
carcass
.

“Battery’s dead,” Marcas said. “We can carry her back to our house. It’s closer.”

“Thanks, but it’s really not that bad.” Shay pasted a blank look on her face as she slid her throbbing foot inside her shoe. “See?” She moved around a few steps, gritting her teeth so she wouldn’t wince. “You go on. I want to sit here awhile and enjoy the night.” She needed to be alone so she could think. Her homecoming was turning into a nightmare.

“I’d rather you came back with us,” Cody said. “You don’t have a flashlight, and your ankle—”

“I’ll be fine,” Shay insisted.

He glanced at the sky. “Don’t be long; a storm’s blowing in.”

“You want to tell us what that was about?” Lachlan’s voice carried on the rising breeze.

Shay sat down on the pier and shook her head. What was she doing here, besides leaping from the frying pan into the fire? She couldn’t trust her emotions where Cody was concerned. Had she not learned this lesson before?

She sat for several minutes, trying to decide if she had the guts to stick with her plan and make peace with her past—especially given the fact that her past wasn’t what she had believed—or just cut and run. She stood up, turned to go back, and found herself face-to-face with a tall, white-haired man.

***

“It was nothing,” Cody said.

Lach snorted. “Didn’t look like nothing to me, both of you stark naked in the lake.”

“She fell.” Cody gave them the nonchalant look he’d practiced while dressing, but his face felt like dried cement.

“I guess the water dissolved her clothes,” Lach said.

Cody thumped Lach on the shoulder. “I was taking a swim and didn’t know she was there. Mind your own business. I don’t ask about every girl I see you with. That’d take the rest of my life.”

“They’re not Shay,” Lach said, crossing his arms over his chest. “You two looked pretty cozy.”

“He’s got you there,” Marcas agreed. “This isn’t just any girl. Shay’s family.”

Family. If only they knew, but they didn’t, and he wasn’t about to explain it now. “It was nothing,” he said again, though it felt like a whole lot more than nothing. “But just for the record, hands off, Romeo.” He gave Lach a hard glare.

“Hey.” Lach threw his hands up. “I wasn’t the one plastered all over her at the lake.”

***

A moment’s panic turned to recognition, though Shay hadn’t seen him in years. Old Elmer was tall, with the kind of face that looked ancient but never seemed to age. When Shay was a toddler, she thought Old Elmer was Santa Claus, and when she got older, she decided he was Merlin. He’d lived in these woods for as long as she could remember, though he was rarely seen. What was he doing here now?

“Elmer, you startled me.”

“Haven’t seen you around for years,” he said.

“I live in Scotland now. I just came for a visit.”

“Scotland.” His green eyes were steady, penetrating. “Your home’s here.”

Shay glanced in the direction Cody, Marcas, and Lachlan had gone. She wasn’t feeling good about either place at the moment.

“You ought not come in these woods alone. Bring one of them boys with you. There’s dangerous creatures out here.” He stared at the woods in front of her, as if he could see through the curtain of darkness. “There’s a storm coming. You best hurry home.”

She followed his gaze, and when she turned back, he was gone. Shivering, she wished she’d gone with the boys. Her ankle was throbbing. She limped along the path, occasionally reaching out to caress a clump of pine needles or the bark of a favorite tree. She loved the rugged landscape of Scotland, but she’d spent most of her life in these Virginia woods. The memories here were part of her soul. She heard a whisper. Old Elmer? Cody? Had he come back for her?

“Cody?” She stood still and listened, but there was only silence. It must have been a dead tree creaking. There it was again. “Cody, is that you?”

A tree limb snapped close by, and she jumped.
An
animal
out
for
a
midnight
snack
, she thought, limping faster. She didn’t want to be that snack.

Shay peeked behind her and saw a shadow dart across the path. It stood upright. Human. “Lach, if that’s you, knock it off.” Another whisper sent her scampering behind an oak. She flattened her back against the rough bark.
Calm
down, Shay. You’re in the woods. Animals live in the woods, and a lot of them are nocturnal
.

But animals didn’t whisper.

She scurried from her hiding place at a fast hobble as leaves swirled angrily around her ankles and trees twisted in the wind. She heard another sound, like breathing. Or was it her? The moon had vanished, leaving the night black as she moved off the trail, taking a shortcut back to the house. She felt something closing in behind her, but was too frightened to turn. She ran faster, sweat beading her brow, drying in the wind that whipped at her like claws. A white owl swooped down, and a sharp pain shot through her arm as she dove to the ground. Screeching noises echoed around her in the darkness, like birds of prey fighting. Tearing at the dirt, she scrambled to her feet and ran. Branches clawed at her face and arms. A figure stepped onto the path in front of her, and she screamed as strong arms grabbed her.

Chapter 2

“Shay?”

She gripped Cody’s waist, trying to catch her breath. “You scared the daylights out of me. What are you doing here?”
And
where
were
you
ten
minutes
ago?

“I came to make sure you got home before the storm hit. You okay?”

“I heard something and got spooked.” She should have stepped away, but she stayed a few seconds more, comforted by the solid feel of his body, his steady grip on her arms.

“You? Spooked?”

“This big white owl almost took my head off.”

“I’ve spotted one around here, but they usually avoid people. Let’s hurry; it’s going to rain.” His hand dropped to her back, but after all the running, all she could manage was something between a drag and a hop. He turned the flashlight toward her feet. “Damn it, Shay. You’re still as hardheaded as a bloody ram. Why didn’t you tell me it hurt that much?”

“It wasn’t that bad then.” Before her mad sprint through the woods. For the second time in one night, Cody scooped her up in his arms.

“Put me down.” She hoped the request didn’t sound as halfhearted to his ears as it did to hers.

“No,” he said, stepping over a fallen tree. “I do believe my lady lies about her ankle.”

He was one to be accusing her of lies. She wanted to be irritated, but he was so darned warm, and she was cold and tired. “
My
lady?
”

“What? You thought I’d forgotten Lady Shay?” The lights from the airstrip behind Cody’s house came into view. Nina’s wasn’t much farther. “I didn’t forget. You made us play knights at least once a week.”

“I got sick of always playing soldiers and spies. At least knights dressed fancy.”

“You were never a proper damsel, anyway. You were too good at fighting and throwing knives.”

It hadn’t helped her handle a real-life threat.

Cody kept the conversation flowing as they continued toward the gate leading to Nina’s house. He carried Shay across the yard and inside the house, closing the door with one foot before mounting the stairs.

“Thanks for checking on me. I’m just going to take a bath and snuggle up in bed.”

He pushed her bedroom door open with his shoulder. “You got a man hiding in the closet?”

“What?” She gave him a startled glance.

“Last time I checked, it takes two to snuggle,” he said, gently depositing her in the adjoining bathroom.

When had he last checked, she wondered, feeling a stabbing sensation in her chest. “A pillow works just as well.”
And
it
doesn’t tell lies
. Her stomach rumbled.

“Hungry?”

“A little.”

“We have plenty of food at the house, unless Lach’s gone on a feeding frenzy.”

“He still does that?”

“Unfortunately.”

“Thank you, but I’m sure there’s soup in the pantry.”

He touched his shirt, damp from carrying her. “Don’t you have anything dry to wear?”

“Just Nina’s sweater. I’ll throw my stuff in the dryer after I take a bath.”

“I’ve probably got some old sweats at the house. And you’ll need something orange. Don’t want you getting shot. Bow season’s in.”

Shay doubted she would be here long enough to get shot by a poacher. A poacher. Was that what she’d heard? Had she surprised someone looking for a place to hunt? Or had she just disturbed the owl?

“Sit down. Let me see your foot.” Cody guided her to the toilet, took her swollen ankle in his hands, and eased her shoe off. For the first time, she noticed his boots, square-toed. A ribbon of fear curled around her spine.

“You should have told me how badly you were hurt,” Cody said, breaking the spell. “I would’ve carried you back.”

Precisely the reason why she hadn’t mentioned her ankle.

“I should take you and get it X-rayed.”

“It’ll be fine in the morning.” She had always healed quickly, physically. Emotionally was a different story.

“Take a bath, then I’ll wrap it. You’ll need to stay off it for a day, at least.” He crossed to the large bathtub and turned on the water. “Want a bubble bath? You used to love that stuff.”

Shay sighed. He wasn’t going to leave until she was settled. “Check under the sink. Nina may have left some.” Shay sat quietly, watching as he dug in the cabinet, muttering to himself.

“Here we go.” He sniffed a bottle and then poured in half.

He stood, watching the bubbles rise faster than the water. “Think I put in too much?”

“A tad. Are you going to leave?” The bathroom wasn’t small, but it felt like a closet with Cody standing so close to the tub large enough for two.

“Do you need help?” He cleared his throat. “Getting in, I mean.”

“I think I’ll manage.”

A spark of mischief lit his eyes. “I don’t know. For someone so agile, you don’t do so well with water. I’d hate to call Nina and tell her you drowned in the bathtub.”

“Get out of here!” Without thinking, she swatted him playfully, as she would have in the past.

“I’ll be outside. Yell if you need anything.”

After he left, Shay removed her damp, dirty clothes and slowly lowered her body into the water. Her right arm stung. There was a long scratch at the top. Had the owl done that, or a branch? She leaned back and closed her eyes, letting the warmth seep into her bones. Her head slipped lower and lower into the water as she listened to the rain pattering at the window, the rhythmic sound reminding her of whispers and the brush of wings.

Her
throat
tightened
as
she
approached
the
three
graves. What did she hope to find? Reconciliation? Closure? To make sense of the lies? A whisper brushed her ear, a fluttering sound, and she tilted her head, listening. Skin prickling, she turned. A statue stood in the corner, an angel watching over the dead? She didn’t remember seeing it the last time she was here, but it had been years before, and her head had been blurred with pain. A soft breeze ruffled her hair and stirred the dying October leaves. Just leaves rustling, not whispers. After the last few weeks, she jumped at every sound.

She
studied
the
names
engraved
on
the
larger
headstones, then knelt before the tiny one cradled between them. Her finger traced the worn name—Dana Michelle Rodgers—under the angel’s outstretched wing, thinking she should have some sense of recognition.

After
all, it was her grave.

Something
flashed
in
her
mind, a memory, a dream—fire and pain. Shay shook her head and frowned. Some guardian angel. The clouds shifted, and a shadow crossed the angel’s face, as if he didn’t appreciate her disrespect. She heard the whisper again. It came from near the statue. Was someone hiding there? What if it was him? She squinted, trying to focus, and then watched in horror as the statue turned and looked at her.

A pounding noise yanked her from the dream. Shay sat up quickly, bumping her ankle on the edge of the tub. She gasped in pain.

“Shay, you’d better answer, or I’m coming in.”

“I’m fine. Just give me a minute.”

Still trembling from the dream, she grabbed the side of the tub and the built-in soap dish for support and eased up on her good foot. She was in mid crouch when the soap dish broke. She fell back into the water with a screech.

The door banged against the wall, and Cody rushed in. He stopped, sucked in a breath, and stared at her naked body, limbs askew. “Shi—”

“Get out!”

“I thought… sorry.” He turned and smashed into the door casing. “You and water,” he said, holding his forehead as he shut the door.

A blush warmed her entire body. She hadn’t laid eyes on him in nine years, and now he’d seen her naked twice in one night. She quickly dried off and put on Nina’s sweater, belting it tight. Shay pulled her wet hair into a ponytail, brushed her teeth, and then gathered her damp clothes. Blowing out a breath, she opened the door.

Cody had turned her bed down. He gave her an awkward glance. There was a red mark on his head where he hit the doorjamb. “Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

“You screamed.”

“I did?”

“Bloody murder.”

“I must have been dreaming.”

“Sounded more like a nightmare. I found soup and some Tylenol.” He pointed to the tray next to the bed.

“I need to wash my clothes first.”

“I’ll stick them in the washer on the way out. You heal fast, but you need to get off that ankle. It’s probably sprained.”

She sighed, dropped her dirty clothes in the doorway, and crawled into bed still wrapped in Nina’s sweater.

“You’re gonna sleep in that?” he asked, one brow cocked.

She knew what he and his brothers slept in. Same thing they swam in. “I’m cold,” she said defiantly.

He shook his head and pulled the covers up. He brushed her arm, and she winced. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s just a scratch.”

“Let me see.” He eased the sweater aside. Shay clutched the sheet to her chest to keep from exposing a breast. “You need a bandage. I think Nina’s got a first aid kit downstairs.”

She rolled her eyes and picked up the bowl of chicken noodle soup. There was no swaying Cody when his mind was set. She’d finished most of her soup by the time he returned.

The mattress gave as he sat on the edge. He bandaged her arm first, his fingers gentle but sure. She had always loved his hands. She’d seen him snap a board in half and minutes later, splint a robin’s leg.

“I guess you have to treat a lot of field injuries in your job,” she said.

He looked startled.

“Special Forces… I imagine there are times you can’t just go to the local hospital.”

“Aye,” he said, uncovering her swollen ankle. “Good thing I got lots of practice bandaging you.” He gave her a crooked grin.

“I bandaged you more than you bandaged me. Remember when we were kids, sneaking out to save the world, signaling from our bedrooms with flashlights?” They spent half their childhoods saving the world from evil, be it fire-breathing dragons, evil monsters, or top-secret enemy spies. With Cody at her side, she had felt invincible.

“Nina would’ve had both our hides if she’d caught you bypassing the alarm, shimmying down that old oak to meet me.” His hand touched hers, his finger finding the scar on her palm that she got during one of those escapades. “What the hell happened to us, pip-squeak? I know I was irresponsible, but I tried to make it right. Why did you shut me out? Did you hate me that much?”

Shay glanced away, feeling tears prick her eyes. At one time, she had been closer to Cody than anyone in the world… before
that
summer
, when everything fell apart. “I didn’t hate you. I was confused and angry. You lied to me.”

“Some things are more important than the truth.”

“We were best friends. We never kept secrets.”

“I’m sorry, Shay. We did what we thought was best.”

“Did you ever think what it was like for us? Losing someone who’d been there all our lives? Having you wash your hands of us and walk away?”

He dropped her hand. “For weeks after you left, your aunt begged my father to go after you, to make you come home.”

“I didn’t know. No one came after me.”

“My dad said it was your choice. You were eighteen, an adult, and we’d hurt you enough, though it wasn’t intentional. We needed to give you room to think and make your own decisions.”

She had decided to stay away, to avoid them all. Until the letters Cody hadn’t gotten.

“We can’t change the past, might as well forget it and enjoy your visit.”

“I guess that’s why I came. To see if I can forget.” Or had she come because this was where she felt safe?

“If you can’t do it for yourself, do it for Nina. Your leaving nearly killed her.” He stood. “I’m going to turn in. I haven’t slept much lately.” He looked like he hadn’t slept for a week. “Yell if you need something. I’ll be down the hall.”