Free Highland Shift (Highland Destiny: 1) by Laura Harner, L.E. Harner Page B

concern.
    “Lilly, tell me the rest, tell me how to help him.”
    “Nay, lass. ‘Tis his story, and he must tell it in his own time and in his own way. Just as you must find the way to tell him of your feelings for him.”
    Elena started to speak, but Lilly cut her off, “Tis plain as the look on your face, dear.”
    Red finally spoke, “We need to be goin’ now, but we will be back in the morning, and if it pleases you, we will arrange the flat in the morning and bring our things back after lunch. Doona’ fash yourself about being alone. Faolan is out there watchin’ over you, lass. He willna’ let anything happen tonight.”
    Lilly hugged Elena; then she and Red said good night, leaving her alone in the house. Elena stirred the fire and turned out the light in the library. She walked to the window and stood staring out at the snowy landscape. The new moon did not diminish the brightness of the stars.
    Elena thought about all she had heard and all that she’d not heard, and realized none of it changed her growing feelings for Faolan. She already trusted him with her life. She needed to show him he could trust her, as well.
    Out on the hill a lone wolf howled. The sound echoed around the house, and it reminded her of the dog growling the night of her attack. Then another, smaller wolf joined the first wolf, and they turned and ran together into the night. Elena picked up her kittens and went to bed.

Chapter Eight
    When Elena was in foster care, she hated that transitory feeling of not belonging. You could never be sure when your caseworker, a judge, or the foster parents would send you packing. As soon as morning came, she presented Lilly, Red, and Faolan with written agreements indicating she would provide them room and board for the next year in exchange for them living on the property. No other strings attached. They could break the contract with verbal notice. Since she already had a work agreement with Lilly and Red, Elena was comfortable with the arrangement if they were.
    Red and Lilly took their copies with many assurances that it wasn’t necessary. “Truth be told, lass, me and the missus are just grateful to have the old place back,” Red added gruffly. As the family’s caretakers, they would have lived here when Faolan’s father was alive, but Elena was positive they had forgotten to mention that little detail.
    Faolan kept his face carefully neutral but didn’t move to take the agreement from her, so she set it on the table to give him time to think about it. His strong jaw clenched and unclenched, the only trace of his deep emotions. His tawny eyes were deep and full of secrets.
    Lilly suggested this would be a good day for Elena to visit the furniture stores in a nearby town, “Perhaps even Inverness for the harder to find items, dear.”
    Faolan turned his flat gaze on Lilly, and with a look that would cause grown men to crumble, growled through clenched teeth, “I will go with the lass.”
    Lilly smiled imperturbably.
    ****
    Elena wanted to buy a larger bed for Faolan’s room; she knew the room’s current twin-sized bed was too small for him. Not that Faolan would ever complain. In fact, she was sure he would object if he thought she was buying anything especially for him. Elena risked his towering rage and sent him across the furniture warehouse on an urgent mission to check the measurements of a couch she didn’t want.
    Once Faolan was finally away from her side for a few minutes, she bought the largest bed available to put in his room, hoping it would accommodate the six and a half foot highlander. She enlisted the sales clerk in her conspiracy and swore him to secrecy. The clerk was more than happy to add it to her already impressive list of purchases, and he assured Elena that her husband would love it. Yikes, husband!
    Faolan’s black mood was in full force, rating a category four on the hurricane scale when he returned from his errand. Perversely, he wouldn’t leave her side,