Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

T he strength and confidence of his lips against hers ignited her senses with a jolt. She felt things to a degree she had never felt before now. His rugged scent overwhelmed her in the most delicious way, and she was able to hear a slight growl rumble deep inside him. His touch, the way he caressed her arm, was so intense that she felt as if she were naked, and she could not imagine its intensity if she actually was naked. Her heightened senses urged her to explore, respond, enjoy, and she did, losing herself in the kiss and his touch.

Sanity returned to her, though it was more panic, when she felt him rock-hard against her and she realized she was lying flat on her back on the couch with him on top of her. She tore her mouth away from his, panting too hard to speak, and she was grateful he moved off her and that he eased her up to sit.

“Forgive me, Olivia, and rest assured, I would never do anything without your permission.”

Something clicked inside Olivia. A male wolf only had sex with a female wolf if she granted him permission. If she showed any resistance at all, he backed away, and if she completely denied him, it let him know she was not the least interested, and the male wolf did not make another attempt.

“It isn’t that I don’t enjoy your kisses,” she said, finding her voice though wondering over her response.

“I’m too eager and you’re too confused,” he said with a soft smile that was meant to ease her, and it did.

“That about explains it,” she admitted.

He reached out and captured a strand of her hair that had escaped the clip that had fallen loose from their brief escapade, and he caressed it between his fingers. “Understand the wolf, Olivia, and you will understand me and come to realize so much more.”

She looked at him strangely. His words were puzzling and if she could figure out what he alluded to, then everything just might make sense to her.

“I don’t know about you, but my stomach is questioning what’s for supper,” he said.

Her body eased, though she hadn’t realized how much it had tensed, and her senses were no longer heightened. She was relieved, though, wasn’t she? The intensity of what she had felt with him was almost too much to grasp, too much to believe possible, and yet she couldn’t deny she had felt it and enjoyed it. She feared she might be in trouble.

Supper was more pleasant than she expected. They worked together like a couple long at ease with each other and sat at the kitchen table to enjoy supper and a wonderful conversation about wolves, not werewolves but wolves.

As supper came to an end, Tiernan said. “I was impressed with how well-versed you are about wolves, but I am even more impressed on your willingness to accept that some impressions of wolves are outdated and completely wrong. That you are willing to research and visit new theories, accepted or disproven, makes me admire you even more.”

“Conservationists cannot help, protect, or provide for species if they don’t come to understand their needs, their ways. It’s imperative for any species, even humans.” She chuckled. “Though humans are a far more complicated species.”

“On that I will agree,” Tiernan said, his head turning slightly as if he had heard something.

She reached out across the table and gave his arm a gentle squeeze. “You should go to them. They need you. I wish I could go with you, but I understand why that wouldn’t be wise.”

He rested his hand over hers. “In time.” He stood and nodded at the dishes on the table. “Leave this, I will see to it later.”

She stood as well. “It’s no problem to see to, and when I’m done, I intend to make myself a pot of tea to take to my bedroom and enjoy before I go to bed.”

He came around the table to stand in front of her and ran his hand gently along her cheek. “And there is where I would like to be… but not until you’re ready.” He kissed her softly. “Sleep well, Olivia. I will see you in the morning.”

She rested her hand on the table after he left the room, his kiss, his touch, leaving her a bit weak-kneed, and she smiled. She never thought a kiss could make a person feel that way. It wasn’t real. It was only in prose written in books. He had just proven her wrong.

Olivia finished in the kitchen, and it took two trips between the pot of tea and her tote and stack of books to finally settle for the evening in her bedroom. She cast a glance out the window to see the snow still falling, though not as heavily. Still, there was enough snow on the ground to prevent travel and surprisingly she felt relieved. She didn’t want to leave yet. She had more to learn, more to understand about Tiernan. Strangely, any thought of leaving him left her feeling upset. And there was still the prospective job offer he had made her.

Then there was something he had said to her that she heard clearly in her head. Understand the wolf, Olivia, and you will understand me and come to realize so much more.

The puzzling mystery that could make sense of everything and secure her the job if she so decided. She knew wolves, understood them so well that at times she thought she was one of them, though she was never foolish enough to believe it was true. It simply helped her to understand them better, establish a camaraderie with them, have them trust her and she trust them. Though she never forgot that nature had provided them with what they needed, an instinctive fierceness necessary to their survival.

She let the heavy drape fall in place and was about to sit and enjoy her tea when she spotted a book on top of the dresser that had not been there when she left. The name on the spine—Saoirse Sullivan—was all that was necessary to know what type of book it was. Saoirse was a famed wildlife photographer. She captured the most captivating photos of wildlife ever seen. Olivia had read a few articles on Saoirse, an Irish Gaelic name pronounced Sorsha and meaning freedom, which fit the woman perfectly. She was known for her beauty and her free-spirited soul.

Olivia didn’t need to see the cover to know what it was about, and she smiled when she picked the book up and saw a gorgeous gray wolf on the cover and the title… The Wolves of MacMadadh Preserve . Excited she would get to see some of the wolves here, she took it to the chair to sit and peruse while enjoying her tea. She opened the book eager to meet the wolves and stared in shock at the words and signature written there.

Tiernan, thank you for the dream of a lifetime. Love Saoirse.

Naturally, the first thought that entered her head was that the woman was thanking him for sex with a werewolf, but she could be jumping to the wrong conclusion. Besides, it wasn’t any of her business. She wasn’t in a relationship with Tiernan. So, why did the thought annoy her?

Annoyed or not, she looked through the book, the beauty of the wolves in the wild captivating her attention. She soon was envious not only that Saoirse had gotten to see the wolves, but that Tiernan had probably been the one to escort her around the preserve. Envious or not, the book was still amazing, and she hoped to see the wolves for herself. Though if she accepted the position here, she would see them every day, become part of their lives, part of their pack as Tiernan had said. The idea that was possible warmed her heart. She placed the book aside and picked up a book on wolves, knowing there was probably nothing new in it that she already hadn’t read but hoping it would spark something in her that might shed some light on the puzzling mystery.

Sleep soon tempted her eyes, and she hurried into her pjs and got into bed with all intentions of asking Tiernan about the book and Saoirse in the morning.

A light sound penetrated Olivia’s sleep, waking her, and when her eyes opened it was to see Laird, the large black wolf, or as Tiernan would have her believe, him in werewolf form, standing beside the bed, a soft whine coming from him.

She felt no fear, only worry for the wolf. She leaned over the edge of the bed and without thinking about it rested her hand against his face. “Is something wrong, Laird?”

He pressed his face against her hand, while keeping his green eyes focused on her, then he moved closer to her and brushed her cheek with the side of his face.

His warm fur tickled her cheek, and a tender whine whispered near her ear, sending gooseflesh racing over her. And whether it was wise or not, she pressed her cheek against his fur, drinking deep of his rugged scent, and whispered, “You do have my heart, Laird.”

One last brush of his face against her cheek, and he stepped away from the bed and stared at her for a moment before walking out the door that sat ajar.

She woke with a start the next morning and lay there wondering about last night. She didn’t have to wonder if it had been real, she could smell his scent on the sheet where he had rested his head.

With endless questions to ask Tiernan, she hurried to take a shower and hurried she did since the water wasn’t very hot, then dressed quickly in her black leggings and an oversized black and white tweed sweater. She left her hair to dry on its own after rigorously towel-drying it and, with a twist, secured it to the back of her head with a clip. She checked to make sure Tiernan wasn’t outside her door then gathered the tray with the teapot and mug and the book filled with the photos of wolves and followed the delicious scent that had to be coming from the kitchen.

She set the tray on the end of the long table and placed the book near the plates he had set for two.

“I heard you stirring so I got cooking,” Tiernan said without turning around.

Werewolves were known to have exceptional hearing. Was she really considering that he was a werewolf? He did have an impressive build, admiring the way his jeans hugged his backside, and his red knit shirt hugged his muscles and his broad shoulders. And she liked the way his unruly dark hair brushed along the tops of his shoulders.

“What are you making?” she asked, walking over to him.

He turned with a grin. “You need to taste some of the food that makes up a full Scottish breakfast, at least the foods Fay leaves for me in the fridge ready to heat and those I can cook without too much difficulty.” He pointed to the pans on the stove, “Lorne sausage, fried mushrooms and tomatoes, baked beans,” —he pointed to the bowl of eggs— “you might want to fry the eggs, I’m good at scrambled but fried is a challenge, and, of course, toast. I left out black pudding, tattie scones, though I do love those, and haggis, an acquired taste.”

She laughed. “I’m not going to be able to eat for the rest of the day.”

In no time, they were enjoying an array of food and hot tea.

“How can you kill an egg like that, woman?” Tiernan asked with a laugh.

Olivia laughed as well. “I cannot eat a fried egg unless it is thoroughly cooked.”

“You murdered it,” Tiernan said, smiling while he shook his head.

“But I cooked yours perfectly,” she said with pride.

“Aye, you did,” he said and nodded to the book on the table. “I see you found the book I left for you. I thought it could introduce you to some of the wolves before you meet them.”

“The photos are amazing. It’s like you’re right there with the wolves.”

“Aye, Saoirse is an exceptional photographer. She contacted me about a photo shoot with the wolves, but the only way I would agree to it was if part of the earnings went to the preserve. She laughed and told me she was about to offer that herself and we sealed the agreement.”

“She must have spent some time here to get just what she wanted,” Olivia said and finished the last of her toast before she said something she would regret.

“She was here for a couple of months.”

“That long?”

“Aye, she needed the time to get the amount of photographs she required.” Tiernan pushed his empty plate aside. “Jealous?”

“I certainly am not jealous and it’s none of my business,” she said a bit too defensively.

“But you are curious.”

Olivia gave up the pretense of not being interested. “Well, from what you told me about your sex life?—”

“A werewolf’s sex life,” he corrected.

She sighed, shook her head, and finished. “You make the most of the women who visit here.”

“Only those women interested.”

“And so, was Saoirse interested?” Did she really sound that annoyed?

“Are you asking me if I had sex with her?”

“It’s none of my business.” Hadn’t she already said that?

“Yet you want to know.”

Olivia shook her head annoyed that she had let it upset her. “My apologies. That is your personal business.”

“I never had sex with Saoirse. Neither of us were interested in each other. I could tell that from the start. She was here strictly to photograph the wolves. She is not aware that MacMadadh Preserve is a home to werewolves.”

“Maybe if she was here during the winter, it would have turned out differently.” Was that her being catty?

“No one stays here during the winter.”

“You allowed me here.

“You’re different.”

“How so?”

“I wanted you here.”

Surprise turned her silent, giving him enough time to continue.

“I enjoyed our visit last night and was glad to feel no fear from you when you touched me. And I must say, Olivia, you have my heart as well.”

Olivia leaned back in her chair, her eyes fixed on him, not knowing what to say.

Tiernan leaned forward, bracing his arms on the table. “Werewolves are not the evil lot myths have made them out to be, though just like evil exists in humans, it also exists in werewolves. I will not tolerate evil in my clan. It is why we have survived and lived peacefully among humans for so long.”

“It is difficult for me to accept what I have always believed to be nothing more than a tale that entertained to now be true. I look at you and see a man, an attractive, intelligent man, who I am to believe turns into a wolf… werewolf. Since I am unable to reason how a large, black wolf gets into the castle, let alone my room, I must consider the possibility that you are telling me the truth. A truth that is difficult for me to grasp.”

“Sometimes, Olivia, you just need to reach out and take hold and see where it takes you,” Tiernan said, stretching his hand out across the table to her.

She watched his hand drift across the table toward her and the urge to take hold of it, take a chance, overwhelmed her.

“Trust me, Olivia, you won’t regret it,” he said.

The strength and confidence in his tone nudged at her, and she leaned forward and was about to stretch her hand out to him when a howl pierced the silence.

“Bloody hell,” Tiernan snapped.

His burst of anger, along with the sparks of anger that flared in his green eyes, had Olivia drawing back away from him.

“My apologies for the inexcusable outburst, Olivia,” Tiernan said, standing. “There is a small group of young pups, young to me, who seem to think they are ready to challenge my leadership. It frequently happens when one of the older werewolves dies. They wrongly assume that all the elders are weak, and it would be an easy victory for them. My brother Sim warned me about this last night. He, along with his wife and many generations of children, live to the far north of the preserve and lead a pack there. A couple of young ones there left to join the few here.”

Olivia stood. She knew full well the consequences when a pack’s leadership was challenged. “Are you in danger?”

“Nay, it’s nothing to worry about,” he said as he walked around the table to her and reached behind her head to release the clip and let her hair fall free. After dropping the clip on the table, he ran his fingers through her hair as he leaned down to draw in its scent. “I love all your scents, each one of them. Your floral-scented hair. Your breath, that always holds a hint of mint to it. Your body that hints of vanilla. But it is your womanly scent, distinctive, natural, enticing, that is the strongest and tempts me the most.”

His arm circled her waist as his lips came down on hers in a kiss that demanded and ached at the same time, and it flared her own desire that had been on the edge since meeting him. If he didn’t have to go tend to his pack, she feared she would give into her own passion and learn firsthand the sexual appetites of werewolves.

He eased away from her. “I must go. I might be a while. You’re safe here, so no worries.”

“Be careful,” she said as he walked away.

He turned and smiled that seductive smile she had come to know so well. “How can I not be careful when I have you to return to.”

Her gaze remained fixed on the door after he left the room. There were things he said, references he made, even his apologies that didn’t fit today’s times. Could he have lived that long, be that old to sound strange at times?

What was worse, what she didn’t want to admit, was that she had feelings for him, strong feelings. She couldn’t deny that she was physically attracted to him, but she felt more than a physical attraction. She cared for him, werewolf or madman, there was something about Tiernan that touched her heart, crazy as it may seem.

Trust me, Olivia, you won’t regret it.

Her instincts were good when it came to wolves, not so much when it came to men. So, if she trusted the wolf in him, why not the man?