Page 14 of Forbidden Desire

“Nonsense.” The dark blond goliath glanced at his friend before his gaze returned to me. “We surely know her. She is our mathair’s sister.”

“Mathair?” I couldn’t understand whatever native language they spoke.

“What is your name?” He lowered to his haunches, still enormous compared to my much smaller frame.

“Elodie.” There was a pleasing level of conviction in my answer. “And you are Jeemie?” I had garnered that much from his friend.

“Aye.” His eyes widened as if I was clairvoyant.

“What language do you speak here?” I glanced past him to the faces of his huge peers.

“So many questions!” Jeemie chuckled, rising to his full height. “Come with us, Elodie, and find out the answers for yourself.” He thrust a gigantic palm in my direction.

“How can I trust you?” I eyed his hand, surveying the lines on his palm.

“Why should you not?” One dark blond eyebrow rose. “You have landed on our shore, a stranger to our isle, yet we have done nothing to harm you.”

That much was true. Despite the apparent bows and arrows a few of their number clutched, I had sensed little in the way of threat. With the abhorrent stag headgear removed, Jeemie was an attractive catch. If he knew where Desiree was and could take me there, why not take him up on his offer? I could be reunited with my sister and out of this place within the day.

“True.” I glanced back to the boat. “I have to grab my things first.”

“Go ahead.” Once more, he motioned for me to take his hand, and not wanting to seem rude, I grasped it, using his body weight to climb to my feet.

“Thank you.”

He closed the distance between us with one stride, his sparkling blue eyes assessing me with quiet authority I’d rarely known before.

“Take what you need and let us depart. It is some trek to our village.”

Following his gaze, I turned back to the vessel which had brought me here and the pack inside crammed with all my possessions. I let go of his hand, clambering back inside and packing my map and compass inside the bag.

“What a pleasing boat.”

I leapt at Jeemie’s sudden proximity, sure I’d left him standing on the sand. Lifting my chin, I found him towering beside the boat. For such a big man, he had moved with astonishing speed and quiet.

“Yes, it’s...” My words trailed away as I tried to decide how to explain my new acquisition. “Thank you.”

“You must be quite the sailor to have made it this way alone.” His brow rose as though he defied his own logic, but he didn’t vocalize the query.

“Oh, I am.” I sealed my pack, then climbed to my feet and faced him. Standing on the boat, I was almost as tall as Jeemie. The wind picked up the loose strands of our hair and hurled them to the west.

“Beguiling.” His lips twitched.

“Pardon me?”

“You are beguiling.” Stepping away, he once again offered me his palm. “We have no women like you here.”

Watching his face, I tried to decipher if the declaration was meant as an insult. Should I take his hand and allow him to play the big, strong provider or go my own way as I always had? A quick glance at his body reiterated what should have been obvious. Jeemie, like all the others, was tall and strong. His body looked as if it was made of muscle, and I had no doubt he could compel me into action if he chose to. Perhaps it was better to play along, for the time being, to be the innocent, lost woman he clearly expected me to be?

Taking his hand, I climbed back onto the sand.

“Aside from Desiree?” I offered, flinging the pack onto my back.

Jeemie threw me an inquisitive glance.

“You said you have no women like me,” I explained, watching as his men turned as we passed, flanking him as he led the way. “But you have my sister somewhere on this island.”

“Ah, yes.” He laughed, a deep sound that resounded somewhere deep in my core. “We have Desiree, it is true, but I am not so sure how much you are alike.”

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