Page 46 of A Highland Gargoyle's Lucky Star
He nods to himself. “Good. You betteronlydo it for me.”
“Of course. You’re my fated mate,” I tell him, uttering the words aloud for the first time. Something settles inside me with a profound sense of rightness. “There are many things that I will do only for you.” My voice deepens. “And to you.”
He gives a full-body shiver before reaching down and cupping his crotch. “Tone down the sexy vibes. We need to talk before we fuck.”
Part of me wants to grab him and kiss him senseless so we can forget about the talking and get straight to the fucking. But I know he’s right.
I just have to resist pulling him into my arms and laying him down on the couch like I yearn to do. Surely I can restrain myself, right? In time to at least get to a bedroom.
My cock throbs in violent disagreement.
I cross my arms and grip my biceps as I strive to remain in control. “Ask me whatever you wish to know.”
“Why don’t you seem thrilled about us being fated mates?”
I knew he wouldn’t let this go, and I don’t blame him.
“I told myself a long time ago that such a thing would probably never happen for me—and that it might be better if it didn’t.”
His eyes fill with sadness. “Why not?”
“Being a Guardian’s mate isn’t always easy. I face danger on a regular basis, and because I’m the Barrier Master of this clan, I need your ability as a Conduit in a way that would require you to join me in defending the castle more often than I would like. Putting you in danger too isn’t something I can bear to think about.”
“But if my power enhances yours in the way the Oracle told us it should, doesn’t that mean we can better protect each otherandensure that everyone else stays safe too?”
He’s right, but my entire being revolts at the thought of him being harmed in any way. We hardly know one another, but already he’s become precious to me. The power of the bond between us continues to grow with every passing moment.
Taking a deep breath, I try to calm my racing mind and focus on
what the Oracle told me, that the Goddess chose Noah as my mate for a reason. If he wasn’t capable of what we need him to do, he never would have been destined to be with me.
I decide to express my other fear. “You might be right, but I’m also scared that you won’t want to stay here with me. You mentioned the destiny of Guardians being like a prison sentence—and you weren’t entirely wrong. I’m stuck here, more than most, because I uphold the barrier. While I can leave for short periods of time, like when I came to rescue you, I’ll never be able to go on long vacations or extended trips anywhere. My life is bound to the land here.” I search his eyes. “Could you be happybeing tied down with me in such an isolated location? What if you become lonely? It’s far from your home, your friends and family. There also aren’t many humans that live on our lands, and while my clan is ready and willing to welcome you with open arms, you still might feel like an outsider amongst us.”
Looking slightly stunned, Noah slowly lowers himself back down on the sofa. “I hadn’t really thought about all of that, all the implications, especially when you’re bound to this place.”
My shoulders slump, but then Noah surprises me.
“But I don’t think it would be terrible to live here with you.” He grins. “I mean, this is a freakingcastle. How many people get to live in a castle, and in the Highlands of Scotland, no less? I’ve read books about that, but never imagined I might actually do it myself. From the little I’ve seen, your home is truly amazing. I’ll admit, I want to see more of your beautiful country, but we could take the occasional short trip to Inverness or maybe even Edinburgh or Glasgow, right?”
I stare at him a little dazed. “Aye, and you could travel some without me. We just couldn’t be apart for too long. The bond won’t allow it once we’ve tied the magical knot, so to speak.”
Noah considers this. “That would make it hard for me to see my family back home.”
“It would,” I acknowledge.
He brightens. “But the castle’s got plenty of space, right? I mean, surely you’ve got another guest room or two so that, if my parents wanted to come for a visit, they’d have somewhere to stay?”
Hope and cynicism war inside me as Noah continues to speak. “Of course, we’d be more than happy to welcome them to the castle.”
“My parents are retired, so they have quite a bit of free time.” He chuckles. “I was their late-in-life surprise baby, born when they were already in their forties. Right now, they’retraveling around North America in their RV and living their best retirement lives, but I have no doubt they’d happily hop on a plane to come over here and visit.”
“I would do everything in my power to help make that happen as often as possible,” I promise him.
He reaches out a hand and pats the seat beside him. “Come and sit with me.”
More nervous than I think I’ve ever been in my entire life, I do as he asks.
He turns slightly to face me.
