The Selkie (14 page)

of her arms and slid her jacket off her shoulders. Maggie thought she was beginning to see that flirtatious smile creep back into his eyes.

“
And even though I’ve been fighting it every step of the way, the gods take pity on me,
”
he continued, leaning to whisper into her ear,
“
I can no longer deny how much I want you.
”

His words sent a rush of feeling through her that began in her core and spread like wildfire as far as the tips of her fingers and toes. She wanted to believe him, that this possibly immortal man could want her so badly. Yet she knew his sensual words were probably only a part of his shtick. If Calan felt it was his mission to bring pleasure to lovelorn women, he would have learned to sweet-talk them along the way.

“
Why me?
”
She couldn’t resist asking.

He drew closer, although she wouldn’t have thought it possible. His chest was upon hers, already crushing her full bosom and making her nipples pebble with delight.
“
Perhaps it’s because, as proud and capable a woman as you are, those shits convinced you that you weren’t special. And a wee part of you began to believe it. I plan to show you the error of your ways.
”

Without another word, Calan was upon her like a starving man who’d been invited to a sumptuous buffet. Gently, so as not to hurt her, but with a force that would not be denied, he pinned her to the nearest wall. He encircled her with his arms. One hand buried itself in her red curls. The other hand was already reaching down, cupping and squeezing her bottom. He kissed her, ravishing her with his mouth, as if trying to slake a centuries-old thirst.

Maggie could barely breathe. Once again, he’d seen into her. He’d seen that, despite her bravado, she was crushed inside. Used. Needed pampering and possibly some fixing.

Maybe he could fix her. Help her recover from the worst few years of her life. Years that had taught her not to hope anymore. To just
be
.

Don’t expect excitement or loyalty. Don’t expect five stars. You’re lucky to get three and a half
. Hadn’t that inner dialogue plagued her for so long, despite the smile she kept plastered on her face?

And why was it that every time she glanced at Calan, those elusive five stars flashed in front of her eyes?

No. She was just hungry for him, hungry for a man who made her feel beautiful after men such as Matthew and Bobby had merely dropped hints that she could stand to lose a few pounds. She was merely starving for the temporary nourishment only Calan could provide with his lips and roaming fingers.
“
Oh, Calan,
”
she uttered, once his lips released hers and blazed a trail down her neck.

“
You’re radiant, Maggie.
”
He combed through her hair with his fingers.
“
I’ve never seen hair this color, or eyes so blue. You’re the loveliest creature I’ve ever seen.
”

The loveliest? It was hard to believe.

He’d known a lot of women. That was one thing he had in common with Matthew. That, and the lies. Because he had to be lying about the whole selkie thing.

She pushed away from him. He looked at her, dazed.
“
Love…
”
he began.

She tried hard to offer him her best, businesslike smile, knowing it probably looked like a smirk.
“
With all due respect, Calan, I’m not your love. And I’m not thirsty anymore. We have a pelt to find.
”

Maggie didn’t give him a chance to argue. She turned on her heel and headed back outside, standing by the Harley like a prim librarian until he joined her.

* * * *

Calan expected to be angry at Maggie’s change of heart. He even expected to be turned off, ready to walk away from the human woman who’d given him no peace for weeks on end. He was, strangely enough, none of those things.

Instead, he felt nothing but a grim determination, and a little sadness.

Because the other men in her life had disappointed her, hurt her, he was now being deprived of the chance to make her feel better. Sure, it pissed him off. After all, he’d already quietly acknowledged to himself that the only thing that would give him any sort of peace in this world was to be able to sink deep inside Maggie’s luscious body. Even just once. To be able to dig his fingers into her plump hips while he drove them both to dizzying heights of pleasure.

Yes, he was sore about it. But mostly because of the darkness in her eyes. Those men had put that darkness there, had made her distrustful. He wanted to put the light back in her eyes, to see them sparkle with joy.

He shouldn’t want it. When he remembered what the humans did to Kyla, how they used her, he shouldn’t want anything with a human woman.

But he was weak. Men like him needed sweet release. And as much as he despised the race, there was nothing that stoked his fire like the feel of a velvety, human pussy swallowing his cock. And to see Maggie’s eyes light up at the same time … rapture.

But Kyla … He’d promised himself he wouldn’t fall for a human.

Calan looked out the window at Maggie, standing uncomfortably by his Harley. Bending over to inspect the tires, as if she expected them to suddenly deflate. Her delicious, round arse in the air.

Bloody hell
. What he’d give to sink his teeth into that sweet bottom!

He sounded like Angus that day when he’d first seen Elsie strolling along the beach.
“
Calan, brother,
”
he’d uttered, completely in her thrall.
“
See that gorgeous arse? That arse is mine, and so’s the angel that owns it. By Odin’s great cock, I’m gonna mark her and claim that woman. I’m going to sink my teeth into her and she’ll thank me for it.
”

And despite his Alpha-male bravado and boastful words, Angus had smiled like a buffoon and had followed Elsie down the beach like a lost puppy who’d spotted a discarded roast beef sandwich.

Within days, they were mated. Swift and sure as a lightning bolt striking a lone golfer on an open course.

Okay. He didn’t need to mate with Maggie. Didn’t need to profess some emotion he didn’t even feel. He could just do what he’d always done. Fuck her, find his pelt, and disappear. And hopefully feel much better for his efforts.

This should be easy.

So why did he want to go out there and just give the lass a hug? Tell her it would all be well in the end? Make her as happy as an oystercatcher bird with a belly full of

shellfish?

He wanted to be the instrument for a human woman’s happiness. It defied reason. It went against every instinct he’d had for years. Sure, humans were good for a little fun and he’d taken his share. But they were greedy and sometimes just plain evil. If he had any sense, he’d pack Maggie off to a B&B, go find the pelt on his own, and run.

He couldn’t give in to his desire, not when it was clearly poisonous. It was taking over his life, and he liked his life the way it was! Where was his common sense?

He stared at her through the window. Contemplated the soft line of her jaw and the swell of her bosom. His body betrayed him immediately, his cock thumping against the fly of his jeans.

He grabbed his spare leather jacket, trudged out of the cottage, and locked the door behind him.

Ah, fuck common sense.

Chapter 7

Maggie was relieved to finally arrive at the Olde Bookshop, an antiquarian bookstore right in the heart of Kirkwall. Not so much because it was their destination, but because the ride had been little more than sweet torture.

To have to climb on that sexy deathtrap and be forced to cling to Calan’s hard body after being so frustrated had been almost unbearable. Especially because she didn’t really know why she felt so cross. She knew she was taking out her feelings of betrayal on Calan and that he didn’t deserve it. But every time he looked at her with those dark eyes that seemed to know so much about her she wanted to lash out.

Almost as much as she wanted to bury herself in his embrace and forget the rest of the world.

He climbed off the bike and held out a webbed hand to help her.

Webbed hand. She stared at it. Could it really be?

“
Thanks,
”
she whispered, at a loss.

He put his hands on her arms to steady her once she was off, damn her wobbly motorcycle legs! Oh, who was she kidding? She was wobbly because of him, not the bike. Everything would be a whole lot easier if he’d only stop touching her!

“
Look,
”
he murmured, gazing down at her,
“
let’s just go in, see if your gran left any strange packages for you and leave. The sooner we get this over with, the better.
”

“
I agree.
”

They’d parked a dozen or so spots down the road from the bookstore because the spots in front had been taken. Maggie looked up toward the shop. In that second, an old man swiftly exited the store, locked the door behind him, turned over a homemade sign that said Out For Dinner and disappeared down the road. Chasing down his lunch as if his life depended on it.

“
Hey,
”
Maggie called, but the gentleman had already turned the corner.
“
Oh, wonderful! Now what?
”

Calan proffered her a sly smile, not that he had any other kind.
“
Follow me, love.
”
He took her hand and pulled her along toward the store.

Once at the door, he looked around to make sure no one was watching. He put his hand around the doorknob, not touching it, but surrounded it with his fingers. He closed his eyes as if praying.

“
What are you doing?
Willing
a locked door to open?
”

He opened one eye at her.
“
Hush, please. I need to concentrate.
”
He closed his eye again.

Good, polite Maggie, by-the-book Maggie, kicked into full force.
“
I don’t know what you think you’re doing. And it’s not like we should go in anyway. It’s against the law! All I need is to be thrown in the clink over this damned skin. Calan, I mean it. Stop … stop trying to be a Jedi! It won’t work!
”

She heard a click. Calan opened his eyes, looked at her and grinned. He opened the door and held it open.
“
Your chariot awaits.
”

“
But … but…
”
She gawked at him, opening and closing her mouth a few times.
“
Well, clearly, the owner didn’t lock it properly.
”

Calan scowled.
“
Oh, it was locked.
”

She slid in and he followed.
“
I don’t think so, because that would make you The Amazing Kreskin.
”

“
Or a selkie with inhuman powers.
”
He didn’t lose the grin but his eyes hardened slightly.
“
Which one is easier to believe, Maggie?
”

“
Oh, let’s just find the pelt. We can argue about
what
you are later,
”
she muttered, at the end of her rope. She looked around the cramped shop. It was filled from top to bottom with books, not just on shelves, but spilling over onto other surfaces too. They were piled on the floor and shoved in every corner. It was a book hoarder’s paradise. It was no wonder Gran loved it here, although Maggie couldn’t figure out how the old woman had avoided breaking her hip whilst maneuvering through the place.
“
If Gran worked here, maybe she had a little locker or a drawer to put her things.
”

“
Good idea,
”
he concurred.
“
I’ll check in back. You look in the shop. Maybe she stuffed my pelt behind one of those wretched piles of moldy books.
”
Shaking his head over the clutter, Calan disappeared into the back room.

Maggie wandered, not quite sure where to begin. Should she attack the piles Dewey Decimal style, or just close her eyes and point? She felt guilty even being there. This was breaking and entering, even though all they wanted to take was a sealskin that didn’t belong there. How many years could you get on Orkney for grand theft selkie?

“
I can’t believe I’m doing this,
”
she shouted to him in the back room.
“
God, I’ve always been the good girl, the one who’s never pilfered so much as a paper clip or pen from work.
”

He poked his head out of the back room and glared at her.
“
Relax.
”

Lost in her memories, she continued babbling.
“
I’ve only stolen once in my life. When I was eight. I was trying to buy a fifty-cent chocolate from the convenience store. The clerk ignored me because I was a child. I got so indignant I just slipped the candy bar off the shelf and into my pocket.
”
She grimaced.
“
The guilt haunted me for two whole years. I never stole again.
”

“
You won’t go to hell for it,
”
he called.
“
I assure you.
”

And now, here she was, repeating her sordid past. Calan Kirk was a bad influence. Somehow she’d guessed as much as soon as she first saw him.

Telling herself she wouldn’t touch anything she didn’t need to, she spied a couple of storage boxes near the cash counter. She bent over and began to quietly rummage through one of the boxes.

A couple of seconds into her search, she heard the creak of the front door behind her.
Shoot!
Hadn’t Calan locked up behind them? Hadn’t she? She couldn’t remember. Fearing the old proprietor had returned, Maggie slowly lifted her head, ready to confess to her plethora of sins, including the long-digested chocolate from the convenience store.

A shot rang out somewhere over her head. She froze. She’d watched enough
Law & Order
reruns to know the shot came from a gun.

Maggie flattened herself on the floor, swearing and praying at the same time. Either that old man was really protective of his shop, or someone was trying to kill her!

She waited for another shot to ring out, but all she heard was the door creaking again. Had he left, or was he toying with her?

Trust no one.

Once again, Gran’s words echoed in her brain.