Highlander's Charm (Highlander Heat #3)

“You said fire, so I’m staying.” She curled onto her side, his tartan wrapped tight. “Could you grab me some hot chocolate too, please. That’d really help warm me up.”


“Mayhap I spoke too soon. Rest.” He kissed her, his lips so gentle on hers. Then he disappeared into the dark.

She yawned. Rest sounded wonderful.



Hoping to catch a small creature, Calum set a snare then collected twigs and a couple of logs. He snatched his bag, spare plaid, and the sack of clothes Margaret had packed for Lila from his horse. Margaret’s words returned to him. Lila was headed to Ardnamurchan. His woman had spoken of his enemy’s land when he’d first rescued her from Duart Bay, though why her grandmother had intended to travel there, he couldn’t fathom.

At the cave, he knelt and rested his cheek near Lila’s lips. Her breath fluttered across his skin and relief poured through him. If he’d been any later in finding her, he’d have lost her.

Quickly, he dug a small pit in the sandy dirt. He pulled the stringy bark off a log, struck flint with his dirk, and coaxed the sparks to life. He built the fire into a crackling blaze with the twigs and wood.

“Mmm, Calum.” She wriggled and stretched.

“Aye, I’m here.” He spread his spare plaid closer to the heat of the flames, scooped her up and laid her in front of him. With his body curved around hers, he tried to share as much of his own heat as he could.

“That’s good. Sooo good.”

“You should have remained at Duart.” He tucked a lock of her black hair behind her ear then wiped grit from her cheeks and chin.

“Sorry, what? Did you get the hot chocolate?”

“You’re teasing me?” Aye, she was, going by the mischievous tilt to her lips. “What is this hot chocolate you speak of?”

“You have to try it. You take chocolate powder and stir it into frothy milk then toss a big gooey marshmallow on top. Delicious. The waitress at my local coffee shop makes the best ones.” She pushed her hands from the confines of his tartan and wiggled her fingers before the flames. “After I fell into the stream I thought Nanna was here, or I was back home, or something. Remind me to never drink icy water on an empty stomach again.”

“What I’ll do is never allow you to swim in the loch again.”

She squirmed around. “I couldn’t stay at Duart, not when I have to get to Ardnamurchan.”

“Margaret told me where you’d gone. Why do you believe your grandmother left for MacIan’s territory?”

“If I told you, you’d get angry, and right when I want to show you some appreciation for saving my life.” Her silver eyes lit. “Want to know how?”

“By showing me your heart shaped mole?” Nay, he shouldn’t encourage her. She needed to rest.

“I missed you, Calum.” She leaned in and kissed him. “After I swam away, I felt as if I’d left part of me behind. Each mile dragged.”

“You willnae leave me again.” He brushed his lips across hers, wanting desperately to imbibe further and drink in her sweet taste. An urge to show her exactly how much he’d missed her burned through him. Aye, this was their cave, the one where he would—damn it, she was still weak and needed to conserve her strength.

“That mole on my belly”—she melted against him—“I want you to see it. Can you help me take this wetsuit off? I want to feel more of the fire’s heat on my skin.”

“I—I set the snare.”

“Then I’d say it caught me.” Her sweet mouth lifted and he traced her plump lower lip.

No more. He had to get out of here. He shot to his feet and dived out of the cave.

“Hey, where are you going? That’s not the kind of snare I meant, mister.”

“I’ll return with food,” he called back. “If you wish to change, there’s clothing in the sack Margaret packed for you.”

Her sigh followed him into the dark as he marched on. From his pocket, he seized his charm and smoothed over the inscription.

Perhaps he should wish for more visions, so he’d be forewarned if Lila ever attempted to leave him again.

A soft snap dinged from the direction of his snare. He tramped across to it, removed the rabbit, took it down to the water’s edge and skinned and cleaned it. Determined to have his questions answered, he returned to the cave.

Lila sat cross-legged before the fire, her wetsuit discarded near their bags. His plaid was still wrapped around her but her golden shoulders and bare back were exposed where it looped down. She wore naught underneath as his vision had shown. Then she glanced at him and smiled. “Nice catch.”

“You didnae change.” He chose some sturdy sticks and fashioned a spit for the rabbit.

“Would you hold me?”

“Nay.” The longing in her voice almost turned him from his task. He had cold oatcakes in his bag, but she needed warm food in her belly. He jammed the rabbit into place and set it to cook over the fire.

“Please, Calum. I don’t care for this distance you’re now putting between us.”