Page 28 of Loched in Love

“I’d never,” I tell her honestly, mostly because it’d never dawn on me to do so. My bonnie wee Elena is so smart.

“How are you affording all this?”

“The airline made the reservations using Frank’s credit card. It’s fine, Elena. I just want us both comfortable on our travels.”

She raises a brow but smiles. “And we’re sharing a room. You’re telling me there’s no other cabins on this train available?”

I clear my throat before taking the map away from her and begin folding it, my palms starting to sweat from her line of questioning. “The airline took care of the booking and the shuttle here. I could try to have the conductor ready a room for you if you’d like, but what if my tail starts acting up in the night?”

I don’t tell her how it’ll be agony to be that far away, and I’ll be unable to sleep without her.

“Your tail.” She raises both brows suggestively.

I shift in my seat as she examines me and I pull the map down on the table. Her gaze bounces over my features shyly, but when the white of her teeth make an appearance to bite at her lip, my mouth goes dry. She means my cock. “That’s not what I meant at all. I swear on my beard it isn’t.”

I’m painfully aware of what other things could possibly act up in the night near her, but she has to know I’d never lay hands on her unless she bade me to.

“I was only joking. I don’t mind sharing a room with you. The suite has double beds,” she says with a smile.

Her attention moves to the outside of the moving train car where rolling hills seem to float in the opposite direction dotted with trees as the sun dips below the horizon. The mountains out there are stunning in their beauty and splendor, but all of my focus is on the female in front of me.

How can I begin to explain to her that she’s the only woman that exists for me and that no other will ever compare? I know this in my heart, and any distance put between us causes me ill.

There is only her. Only Elena for me until I draw my last breath, and I only wish to be near her.

Those big, oceanic blue eyes turn to me at last. “The brochure also said we’ve got five days to go till we reach London. That seems a bit long don’t you think?”

I nod. “We could ask the crew to make fewer stops if you like?”

Her blonde brows come to a point on her cherubic face as she swivels in her chair. “I don’t know? How long do you want to wait until you’re back in your loch? I’m not the one who’s been locked up for years after all.”

I inwardly wince at the question.

I want to be back in my loch now, but it’ll do me no good to be there without my trident fixed, and its packed safely in my luggage. I also want to see Elena smile and hopefully give her time to get to know me. We can get everything sorted and make a quick pitstop to see Vivian on the way.

She’ll have forgiven me by now, surely.

“Bah, a few more days away from home is nothing. What were your plans after sampling the moat?” I ask her.

“Traveling to the Highlands, near your loch actually. A rare beetle was identified there a few years ago that I’ve always wanted to see. Now that I’ve enough vacation time from work, I decided to make it a work trip and collect samples along the way. Just for data really,” Elena says.

“So technically you would’ve been there soon?”

“In a few days, yeah. It actually takes some time to get across Europe when you can’t fly everywhere,” she says.

“Aye,” I say. Unsure of how she’d take it if she knew I’ve never flown anywhere, and most of the time travel by witch magic, if I can find one generous enough to allow me passage.

I start to ask how she feels about my earlier magic charm and magic in general when her lips part and her mouth opens wide to yawn. She lifts her hand to her mouth, and her gaze goes soft as she lets out a long sigh.

The poor lass has to be exhausted after breaking my curse and our travel so far.

“Come, let’s get you to bed. The Highlands aren’t going anywhere,” I say. I get to my feet and hold a hand out for her to take.

An emotion I dare not name rolls through me when she does as I walk us both toward the train car with the sleeping quarters.

I take hold of the wooden handle on the train car and pull, smiling easily when I find the steward there waiting dressed in a black and white suit.

“Sir, your suite has already been turned down for the evening. For your security please ensure your cabin door is locked, and just a reminder to close your curtains before getting changed,” he says, and opens the small wooden door, allowing us to change cars easily.