She looked delectable in her faded shorts and tank top. Her hair was down, the full length of it brushing the backs of her arms. She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen—or ever would see.
“I took care of MI5. I’ll find a way to take care of Taraeth.”
Kellan knew she was capable of a lot of things. Dealing with the Dark Fae, however, wasn’t one of them. He wouldn’t tell her that, not in so many words at least. She was a proud woman, and she had every right to be.
“The Dark are different than anything you’ve come up against before,” Kellan said. “You got a taste of them in Ireland. The difference is, their attention was diverted between the two of us. Taraeth is going to be hunting just for you. You’ll never see him coming.”
“I’m not a fool,” she said and glanced down. “Taraeth and all the Dark scare the hell out of me.”
This was the in he’d been waiting for. He took her hand in his, and said, “Then let me help protect you.”
In an instant, she jerked her hand away. “Is that what this is? Are you still deluded into thinking your promise holds? You saved me, Kellan. You got me away from MI5 and the Dark Ones. Your promise is fulfilled.”
“Bloody hell, woman, you’re maddening,” he said and then let out a loud sigh. “I want to protect you because I love you. I want to make sure no one can ever harm you again, and if you are ever fool enough to get yourself in trouble, I’ll be there to pull you out of it.”
She blinked. “What did you say?”
“I said, I’ll always be by your side.”
“No. That first bit.”
“That you’re maddening?” he asked. He knew exactly which part she wanted him to repeat. He hadn’t intended to blurt it out so casually. He’d wanted to do it with finesse, which had all gone out the window as soon as he’d laid eyes on her sitting on the swing.
The pulse at the base of her throat was erratic. “No. That middle bit.”
“Oh. Where I said I love you?”
She nodded. “Yep. That one.”
“I love you.”
“You can’t.” She paused and swallowed. “You can’t come here and say that.”
He didn’t think he’d ever understand women. She obviously liked hearing it, so why was she fighting it? “Explain it to me then.”
“You don’t like humans. You slept for centuries so you wouldn’t have to be around us.”
“I did,” Kellan admitted. “I never counted on you, lass. You are strong, honorable, clever, shrewd, beautiful, and resilient. You doona ever quit, and you doona ever give up. So why give up on me?”
She turned her head away, but Kellan saw the tears gathering. He pulled her into his arms and held her as her shoulders began to shake.
There was so much about this woman that he didn’t know, but he comprehended enough to understand that she was meant to be his. He knew he loved her, and if he realized nothing else, that would be enough.
Then it hit him that she might not love him. She’d enjoyed their lovemaking, but she’d never hinted at anything else.
“If you doona feel the same, I willna walk away. I will remain here and pursue you until I win you over.”
Denae lifted her head, her lashes spiky with tears. “You would stay?”
“Aye. I need you, Denae.”
“Con doesn’t want me there.”
“Con can go sod himself,” Kellan said flatly. “We had a … chat … before I left. He’ll welcome you.”
“By ‘chat,’ you mean you had a fight.”
Kellan glanced at the ceiling and shrugged. “You could say that.”
“Why?”
“Because I thought he’d sent you away.”
“Silly man,” she said and touched his cheek. “How could you not know I left because I love you? I wanted to make sure MI5 would leave y’all alone, and I wanted to lead the Dark Fae away from you.”
Kellan took her mouth in a scorching kiss, pouring all of his love, his desire, and his need for her into it. He wanted her to know through words and touch just how much he had to have her with him.
When he finally ended the kiss, her lips were swollen and he was backing her to the door of the house. He took her glass and set it on the arm of a chair before he opened the door and was hit with a blast of cold air.
Denae wrapped both arms around him and kicked the door closed as they entered the foyer.
“Will you come back with me to Dreagan?” he asked.
She nodded while jerking his shirt over his head. “Yes. Now, shut up and kiss me.”
Kellan was smiling when their lips came together.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Denae shouldn’t have been surprised when Kellan rented a private jet to fly them back to Scotland. Not that she paid much attention to the inside on the eight-hour journey. If she wasn’t sleeping, she was in Kellan’s arms.
Once they arrived in Inverness, Tristan was there to pick them up and drive them back to Dreagan. Denae didn’t know what to expect upon her arrival at Dreagan, but it wasn’t Con waiting to greet her.
“I told you, he and I had an understanding,” Kellan said as he held the Range Rover’s door open as she climbed out.