Highlander's Magic (Highlander Heat #2)

“You’re really giving me this?” Damn. How adorable was that?

“It’s all yours, for some information. I want to know more about you. How much time do you spend here?” He passed me my water flask. “I mean as compared to Dralion.”

“About half.” I took a couple of sips and set it aside. “Why?”

“I’m curious. Where do you usually—”

“No. Don’t ask.”

“—sleep?”

I almost bopped the cookie over his head, but it would be a terrible waste. I couldn’t do that to the cookie. “You don’t want to know, Cole. You really don’t.”

“Don’t dare me. Leaving me guessing will only backfire on you.” He rolled me in under his shoulder. “Spill. Curb my curiosity.”

“You don’t fight fair, but you’re also lucky I understand.” I rested my cheek on his chest and snuggled. “I have a room on the homestead’s second floor. A perfectly safe room. In Dralion, I have my own quarters in the barracks. And when I manage to pop in to see my parents, I catch a few winks in the sleep-out next to their cottage. That’s provided there’s a spare bunk. It kind of gets overrun by my three younger brothers, so I just go with the flow. All I’ve ever really needed is a pillow and a warm blanket. I even love sleeping out on the range when we’re mustering.”

He caressed the back of my neck, his fingers warm as he grazed them back and forth against my skin. I almost purred. “See, that wasn’t so bad.”

No, not bad at all. I liked being with him. “I’m glad you’re here, Cole.”

“So am I,” he whispered. “So am I.”

His statement rang with truth, as mine had.

Trouble, big trouble.

The breeze picked up, and I breathed deep, testing it with my heightened senses. Thankfully it was still perfectly clear of even the smallest taint of smoke.

“Lieska, it’s Goldie.” She fired up our link.

“Hey, Goldie, we’ve still got clear air at the river.” Goodness, what was she going to say about Cole?

“Good. I want you to remain alert though. You know the drill.” I sure did. Bushfires could rage for days or weeks, and smoke could drift some distance from the heart of the blaze. New fires often spread through the ash in the air. “Lieska, and about being alert. Hope told me about Cole. Give me the run down.”

“Um…well…ah…”

“Spit it out. Are you two together? Or is there still a chance I can harm him and you won’t get angry?”

“He’s helping out. He’ll be gone once the fires are out, and no, you can’t hurt him.” I’d never let her touch him. He was my mate, and I’d keep him safe.

“As long as he’ll be gone, that’s music to my ears. I knew you’d be sensible about this. Hope and Faith are a lost cause, but you, no. I can trust you to do the right thing.”

“Your tone is far too gleeful.” I rubbed my chest, hating the ache that the thought of his leaving brought.

“Lieska, having Davio Loveria and Silas Carver around means two protectors too many. Who on earth would want to be soul-bound to the enemy? Not me. Hey, if you need a pep talk, call out. I’ll set you back on the straight and narrow in no time. I’ll chat to you later, okay? I’ve got cattle on the move.”

“Yep, later.” The straight and narrow was looking less straight and narrow by the second.

“Who are you talking to?” Cole flipped his bedroll over top of us, cocooning us in its warmth. Well, he clearly wasn’t moving. And now I didn’t care to fight him on it. Each hour that passed, was another hour closer to when he’d be gone, and I didn’t want to miss a moment of the time we had left.

I stroked his chest, calming at the solid feel of him. “Goldie. She said to remain alert. Between the four of us, we should take a two-hour shift each and keep an eye out.”

“Close your eyes and rest. I’ll take the first shift. Silas.” He called out to him over my head. “I’ll wake you for the second shift.”

“Great. You do that.” He and Hope had bedded down much the same as us.

I hooked my thumb through the belt hoop of Cole’s jeans and played my fingers over his hip. “Are you sure you want to go first? I don’t—”

“I’ll go first.” He kissed the tip of my nose. “Sleep well, my mate.”

I closed my eyes and relaxed.

So peaceful.

His mate, yes, even though not for much longer.





Chapter 4


Warm breath fluttered across my cheek and Cole’s arms banded tightly about me. I stretched my legs and rubbed my feet over his. Each time during the night when I’d stirred, he’d urged me back to sleep. He and Silas had continued taking shifts, one after the other and neither would be denied. Stubborn times two. The night was almost over though, a hint of light along the horizon giving evidence sunrise was close.