Highlander's Kiss (Clan Matheson #1)

She plopped back onto the bench at the stern and rubbed her achy head. Jeremiah MacKenzie’s attack had caught her unawares and hitting her head a second time hadn’t been all that helpful. ’Twas just as well she hadn’t reopened her wound.

“Does your head hurt?” Tavish tied the ropes off to hold the sail in place then dropped in beside her. With the rudder in hand, he guided them alongside the rugged coastline toward one of her favorite places. “I noticed you’re rubbing it.”

“Nay, my head is fine.” She shoved her hands in her lap. She didn’t wish to speak of Jeremiah’s attack, not when she’d rather embrace this moment and the precious time she’d been afforded with him. “Will your kin be missing you and Tor back home?”

“They’ll know where we’ve gone since we ran straight out into the courtyard chasing you, Cherub and Kirk.”

“What of your parents? I didnae get to meet them while I was in your time.”

“You wouldn’t have anyway. Mum and Dad are away on holiday, touring a place far from these shores, two countries yet to be discovered in this time.” He spread his hand over hers in her lap. “Mathesons have traveled the whole world over and continue to do so.”

“Which countries are they visiting?”

“Australia and New Zealand. They’ll be back in another month, or maybe two. They’re enjoying their travels too much to return, although that might change when they hear I’ve found my mate, and that Tor will soon be searching for his chosen one. They’ll want to be close, offer their aid if we need it. For certain they’ll want to meet you.”

“I would love to meet them too. Tell be about the countries they’re visiting.”

“Australia and New Zealand are right around the other side of the world. Australia is around a hundred times the size of Scotland, while New Zealand would be three times the size of our fair land. There are so many countries and large continents that have yet to be explored, places I would love to explore with you when we return to my time. One can almost travel around the entire world in twenty-four hours should they wish to.”

Surely he jested. “One cannae even travel the length of Matheson land in one day, let alone the entire world.”

“We fly by airplane, a large contraption that can seat hundreds of people and fly thousands of feet high above in the sky.” His aura remained pure, ringing with complete honesty.

“And you’d truly take me in such an…airplane?” She’d always been such a curious child, yet her parents had never taken her or Arabel far from their Matheson lands due to the skills they held. Holding a touch of fae blood was both a privilege and a burden and they took extreme care as to who might see all that they could do.

“Of course.” He pointed ahead. “That looks like an interesting place to stop.”

A white sand beach curved around a glorious bay scattered with the odd boulder while a jagged rock wall rose high behind it and a river gushed into the swirling incoming tide to one side.

“That cove is one of my favorite places. Deep underground there is a large array of caverns just beyond the rock wall, caves that hold both hot and cold pools. I’ve explored this place often with my parents. Arabel too.”

“I’d love to see the caverns, although no swimming just yet for you. That wound isn’t to get wet. It needs time to heal.”

Thunder rumbled along the horizon and the clouds above swirled into a muddier gray. A drop of water splashed her nose and another hit her cheek. “We need to hurry and make landfall, otherwise I’ll get wet regardless.”

“We’re almost there.”

“I cannae wait to show you the caves. I’m so glad we’ve come.”

“As am I.” Tavish adjusted the rudder and sent them cruising toward land then lowered the sail and steered them into shore. Once the hull scraped the sand, he bounded out and hauled the boat half up onto the beach. The waves rolled in and splashed his leather trews as he held out his arms for her. “Come here, my true mate. I’ll carry you.”

She scampered to the bow, climbed onto the seat then jumped into his arms.

He caught her with a chuckle. “You’re clearly eager to be back on dry land.”

“Nay, I’m eager to be here and alone with you.” She kissed his cheek. “Thank you for bringing me. I needed this, to get away for a little while.”

“Let’s seek shelter.” He set her feet down on the soft sand then leaned into the skiff and collected his war coat and a Matheson plaid, which he slung over his shoulder. After tying the mooring rope to a boulder and fully securing their skiff, he guided her across the beach to the cavern’s entrance carved into the solid rock cliff face.

She skipped across the white sand and ducked inside just as the clouds opened up and the rain slashed down. “We made it, just in time.”