HighlandHeat Page 4

  Of course that wasn’t possible. No matter how interesting and outlandish some of the clothes being shown in the windows were, her mind wasn’t going to be pulled away from thinking about him. Grace knew she was curious about him and how one short interlude had made her hungry. She wanted satisfaction for all her sexual needs, even the more intense desires. She had to erase him from her mind before she did something she’d regret later, because right now she doubted that would be possible.

  Arriving at her shop’s door, she opened her small purse and pulled the keys from it. Using one to open her shop, she found it interesting how her time with the man had been both too long and not nearly long enough. She’d come away from their time together with a belief that he possessed a powerful dose of control over himself and others as well. Secretly, it was that power she wanted to test. He seemed to know what he wanted and looked as if he wouldn’t hesitate to make it happen.

  The dominating presence she’d settled around him actually suited him. She found it incredibly sexy and attracted her like a bee to honey. She was sure there was something else there, something very intense hiding behind his composed façade and would’ve enjoyed discovering it.

  Well, it was his loss that he’d crushed whatever could’ve been between them before it had even begun.

  * * * * *

  Hamish had his mobile out and was making a call as soon as he settled in the back of the car. It was urgent he find out all he could about the lady he’d just met and insulted. The need to know the details about someone he found attractive was a new phenomenon for him. Women came and went, who they were or what they were about played little part in what he looked for from them. Everything about tonight was different and he didn’t feel inclined to alter the path he’d found himself on.

  The number he phoned rang three times before his assistant, who was also his nephew, answered.

  “Hey, Hamish, you’re calling late. Everything all right down there?”

  It was and it wasn’t. There’d be no rest for him until he found all he could about Grace. The intensity he felt had him offering an abrupt greeting before giving the young man instructions.

  “Duncan, I need you to do something for me. Gather all available information on Grace Strachan.” He mentioned what little bit he knew and hoped it was enough to help the other man find something more about her. A few questions came back and he answered them as best he could.

  “Yes, definitely Scottish and I believe a milliner, a hat maker. It sounded to me like she did business in both Edinburgh and London, but I’m not entirely sure. Get me everything you can find about her. Addresses for home and work, phone numbers, family history, anything. Whatever you can get, I want. Call me back on this line as soon as you have something.”

  Silence filled the car as he listened to the young man ask the question he’d anticipated. Duncan wanted to know what it was all about, except he wouldn’t share the feelings she’d planted in him. Not yet and maybe never. “Later, okay? I appreciate your help this late at night.”

  After disconnecting the call, Hamish needed to find a way to relax. He slipped the small mobile into the inside pocket of his formal black jacket, stretched his legs, leaned back and closed his eyes on a sigh.

  Normally, whatever or whomever he wanted was there to be had. Apparently he’d become used to not having to put himself out for someone’s attention. Now he had to jump through a few hoops to get what he wanted and realized he thrived on the hunt. Adrenaline pumped through him, making his need for this particular woman grow. There was something about her that spoke to him. Obviously he found her attractive, although it felt like more than that. She was the type of woman he dreamed of having in his life.

  The dream of having one lady in his life that he could share everything with, the good and the bad, had always been just that, a dream. Tickling at the edges of his mind was a picture of him closing his eyes each night with her lying at his side and having the sun wake them up beside each other. What was even more interesting was that there had never been a woman in his life who came close to bringing the concept of domesticity to him.

  Hamish wasn’t sure how comfortable he was with this idea, he’d have to delve deeper into the development later when he was alone and clearheaded.

  There was, however, no doubt in his mind that Grace Strachan would entice more than his cock to come out and play. To have traversed the complicated world of business was tricky enough, but apparently to have come out on top as her friend claimed provided tantalizing clues to her personality. She wouldn’t give up easily nor would she step back and always let him have his way, not with that fiery manner he’d glimpsed.

  Unfortunately, right now there was nothing more he could do except wait to hear back from his nephew. Working on leveling out his breathing, he revisited what had bothered him all night. This idea that he was hunting a mate. He’s not the type of man who spent time focused on him or how he felt. There were some things he didn’t want to know the answers.

  However, as he remembered everything that happened earlier with Grace, he realized he actually wanted to examine every strand of emotion racing through his body that led back to her. Each thread felt alive, full of verve. It was unlike anything he’d ever experienced before and wanted more of it.

  The oddest part of this situation, which should’ve thrown up a multitude of red flags, was how it didn’t bother him how quickly and thoroughly he’d been drawn to her. All effort spent trying to do what was expected of him as a respected businessman had been pushed out the window without a second thought when he looked into her beautiful gray eyes.

  This change from his usual pattern fit comfortably with him. Pursuing Grace felt more like destiny than anything else. He liked the excitement she brought with her. It was a euphoric feeling and addictive. The way his heart raced, his body tensed and his mind tried to solve her puzzle made him ravenous for more.

  He looked at her and saw a beautiful woman with vivacious energy and spirit. Whatever it was that had passed between them during their brief interaction back in the ballroom, it already felt like she was going to be important to him. Who knew what was going to happen, not him, but maybe she’d be the woman who’d become more than just someone to fuck and leave.

  After having that one far-too-brief conversation with her, the world appeared different, as did his place in it. Dreams and hopes now seemed possible. Everything appeared much more intense and lively since meeting the fiery lady in green, and he couldn’t wait to see what happened next.

  Grace Strachan. Yes, the name suited her quiet, ethereal beauty. Her quick temper was just as intriguing. He smiled, reached down and gripped his hard-on through his kilt. While she encouraged his imagination to run wild, he was happy not to restrain it. Why not let it go wherever she led? Flashing across his mind was what he wanted to happen and soon. This woman who was so full of life on her knees, hands behind her back, begging for his cock. That was what he wanted.

  Surrounded by his passionate and lustful needs, he had a brief unrealistic flash where he wondered if he’d suffocate and die without her touch. The need was that intense. He struggled for his next breath. Nothing was going to happen this evening, so he had to get a grip on himself and calm down. Later, when he was home, he could use his hand to alleviate the pain between his legs. On second thought, he’d wait until she could take care of it.

  Lost in their individual thoughts, he and Alain sat in silence as the car slowly made its way through Kensington. Shopfronts and sidewalks had people heading out for the evening or just walking through the chilly night. They entered the Brompton section of the city and the roads eventually became more residential. By the time they pulled in front of an old Victorian building on Cadogan Gardens, his patience had stabilized.

  Stepping out of the car, they made their way up the front steps, through the front door and into the lobby of the private club where Alain stayed when in London. His cousin preferred the relaxed and familiar ambiance not often found in
hotels, no matter how nice they were. They walked down the short hallway and into the library, which now held the bar.

  “Two pints of Black Sheep, please. We’ll be over at the corner table. Thank you.”

  In no time at all, they sat in large well-worn leather chairs, tucked away in one of the dark corners. Like him, Alain didn’t need to delve into the obvious subject consuming the space between them, they’d get to it soon enough. In the meantime, they watched the football highlights and enjoyed their dark ale. After ordering and drinking most of a second round, he knew the tension surrounding him had lessened considerably, so the inevitable questions began.

  “You ready to talk about her yet?”

  Hamish ran his hands through his hair, quickly using his fingers to make sure the hard ridges were under control.

  Alain had a reputation within the family for having infinite patience, while he had to work hard to maintain control of his emotions. This wasn’t easy for him to do and never would be. His family and friends knew why he tried so hard to keep calm under the most trying times. They helped him when he was at his most vulnerable and helped hide the fact he grew the horns of a ram when he became too emotional.

  Taking a drink from his pint, he thought about how he’d found himself in the position to maintain a relaxed frame of mind.

  With his birth and the appearance of little boned horns popping out each time he cried came a great deal of confusion and fear. Eventually, when he finally began to thrive, the need for secrecy became important. His family and the medical personnel who’d been there with him, had circled around and all vowed confidentiality. There was the luck thing again.

  He and Alain took their connection to another level. They were closer than friends or even brothers. They were simply there for each other, no questions asked and no conditions applied.

  Even at thirty and successful, he couldn’t imagine not having the other man’s guidance. Things could quickly spiral out of control in his world if he didn’t have such a strong person who truly listened to him. There were no judgments passed between them because they were friends and family. Having his cousin beside him was very important to him and his sanity.

  “Yes, I think so.” Hamish finally answered, then took a deep swallow from the pint in front of him and leaned back, ready to unburden himself. “It’s all new to me, so I’m still trying to figure it out. However, I do know one thing for sure. I’ve never felt anything like this before. For the past couple of weeks I’ve thought something was happening inside me, something different, and whatever it was left me feeling edgy. I didn’t have a clue what it was or why I was feeling so restless. Then tonight it ramped up until I saw her. From that time on, I haven’t been able to think of anything other than having her. Literally possessing her for myself.

  “Alain, my brain tells me this can’t be right. I’m a man. I walk on two feet and use logic to reason through my actions and choices. I know the difference between how an animal and human would act in this type of situation. And yet there’s this thing inside me that says I’m hunting her as if I were a wild beast.” He took another drink of his beer, still working to maintain his composure and hold it together. Out of habit, he used his hand to feel a hard ridge on his temple, making sure the boned horns weren’t getting out of control.

  “Are they growing?” Curiosity was in Alain’s question, but so was the necessity to have an honest answer.

  “No. But like my cock, the horns aren’t going down either.” Hamish spoke in a low voice with a note of confusion.

  “Are you all right?”

  “Yes, yes, I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt and there’s none of the anxiety I’d normally feel when they’re pushing for air in public. Maybe I’m totally at ease with whatever’s happening to me because it involves her.” While he took another drink of ale, he stared at the television screen without really seeing anything and tried to make sense of what had taken place tonight. Actually, there was no chance of that happening, especially since logic wasn’t a part of any of this.

  “There’s frustration and satisfaction, desperation and calmness, inevitability and unpredictability, all mixed up together with a healthy dose of lust and desire for her. I think I’m handling the situation as best I can and yet I screwed up back there, which says I’m not doing it right.”

  “Give yourself a break.”

  “I can’t because I want her too much. Alain, can you believe it, I’m worried that I’ve screwed it up. I don’t worry about anything, least of all when it comes to women. I just do what I think is right. But this woman is a problem. A gorgeous difficulty that I can only think of how I’m going to fuck her first.”

  “Hamish, I have confidence that you’ll make it right.”

  “Hopefully I’ll get that chance. I feel like I’m no longer in control of my life and that scares the shit out me. That doesn’t work for me. I was handed a plate of problems at birth that meant it was for me to take charge and make my own destiny. It’s all up to me. I have the power to make things happen for me. Then I see this woman and imagine her settled perfectly at my side. Suddenly I’m sure no one else will suit me as she does.”

  “Wow! You’ve just—”

  “No, don’t even say it, Alain.”

  “But—”

  “No, trust me, I know how ridiculous this all sounds and can’t do anything about it. You see, in the chaos, I understand at least one thing. All this emotion and upheaval is because I need to earn the right to have her in my life.”

  “Are you kidding me?”

  “No, I’m fucking not.” The frustration was raw and on the surface, so he ran his fingers through his hair to check on the horns. They were holding steady, but maybe not for long because he couldn’t stop his annoyance or see a way out of it. “I feel like I’m going crazy here. None of this makes sense, but I’m going with it until I can figure out what’s what. In the meantime, I’ll do anything to have her and won’t stand by for time or niceties to delay me. I want her now. Right now, and the longer it takes, the more out of control I feel and act.”

  “Humph, noticed that back at the party.”

  “I’m telling you, nothing like this ever happened to me before. The second I looked into those soft gray eyes of hers, I was hard as a rock and ready to mark her as mine. Do you see what I mean? What the fuck is that? Mark her? That isn’t me. I don’t think that way. It’s crazy, and yet even now, my heart races with a need for her. If I didn’t know better, I’d think I’m I'd think I'm in season. You know, in heat like an animal.”

  “No, you aren’t an animal, Hamish.”

  “I know, I know. I’m a man and I can control that other side of me. When I think of being able to claim her as mine, I feel at peace. Shit, Alain, it all happened in an instant. Without any warning, my world changed the minute I looked into those beautiful pools of tranquility. I don’t think I’ll feel at ease until she’s at my side.”

  “Okay, she brought the sun and all that shit into your dark dismal existence, so what went wrong? Women don’t walk away from you, Hamish. Never.” Alain polished off his pint and waved toward the barman for another round.

  “I called her a lesbian.” Hamish admitted with shame.

  “You what?” Shock was written all over the man’s face and so it should. It still surprised him that he’d acted so brainlessly.

  “I know it was stupid.” Finishing off his own beer, he looked pensively into the bottom of the empty glass.

  “Shit, no joke. I think we can agree that was definitely not one of your better lines.” Taking the two fresh pints from the barman, Alain set them on the table and then each man handed over their empties.

  “Okay, I’ll bite. Why did you say it?”

  “The woman with her, Penny something or other, mentioned going to find the man she’d picked out for Grace. Rich and single were his qualifications.”

  “Ah.” Hamish could tell his cousin had no problem figuring out why he’d screwed up. If there was one thing he c
ouldn’t stand, it was to not be accepted for him, flaws and all. To see superficiality in another person left Hamish cold, angry and ready to distance him from them as quickly as possible.

  “Threw me into a spin and I couldn’t recover.”

  “Have you now?” Alain asked before taking another drink.

  “Yes, kind of. She definitely gave me a piece of her mind and it was a spectacular sight. While she didn’t deny my outrageous claim, I’m sure she wasn’t indifferent to me either. Her nipples were hard, poking straight at me from beneath the silky thin gossamer covering. Trust me when I say they rivaled my rod for sturdiness.”

  The other man laughed loudly. To make matters worse, if it weren’t for his mistake, he might’ve had one of those delightful nipples in his mouth right now.

  “Seriously though, I insulted her and that was wrong on many levels. I must make amends, especially if I wish to make a space for myself in her life.”

  “Wait a minute. Calm down, I think you’re moving too fast.”

  “No, I’m not, just the opposite. I’ve told you what’s going on inside me. I think all of this is much more than a need to play with her body for some physical relief or sexual gratification. All that I’m feeling, experiencing, revolves around that one beautiful petite lass with silky white-blonde hair and flashing gray eyes. To once again be on stable ground can only happen when I have her in my life.”

  “Don’t put all your—”

  “Stop right there. I’m an adult. I can handle disappointment. However, in this case, with this woman, it feels right to think big. To reach out for the whole prize. Alain, it’s all so good to think about her. I can almost taste the satisfaction I’m sure she will bring.” Without thinking, his hand once again rose to stroke a ridge hidden beneath his hair. “If I’m wrong, then I’ll deal with it. But I don’t believe I am. That isn’t my ego speaking, it’s just what I feel. For now, all I ask is that you support me in this pursuit.”