Today on First Kiss Friday I’d like to welcome my guest Dawn Marie Hamilton. We hope you enjoy this excerpt from Just Wait For Me (A Highland Gardens Novel), the fourth tale in the Highland Gardens series. Happy reading!
Excerpt:
The healing pool in the Caves of the Gray Women
Jillian liked the feel of Stephen’s arms around her. She almost didn’t care he was most probably insane. Pathetic. She was starving for attention. What harm was there in enjoying the feel of his body while she could?
She hadn’t had a gut-clenching reaction to a man in like forever. Not since…well, since she’d met Finn. He’d had no interest in her, but Stephen seemed to enjoy their interplay.
“Patrick is my cousin,” he said solemnly.
“Really?” She jerked her gaze to his, judging his honesty. He seemed sincere.
“Aye. He married Lady Laurie at Castle Lachlan, renounced his claim as chief to the clan, named his brother Archibald chief, and he and Lady Laurie walked onto the faerie knoll in the Fir-wood and traveled, so I believe, to your time. I miss him.”
“Archibald you say?” Unbelievable.
“Aye.” Their gazes held.
Stephen was serious. He seemed to believe the fantasy. She couldn’t. Yet, Patrick did have a brother named Archie who lived in Scotland. He and his wife Isobell had reportedly visited the family in Anderson Creek a couple of years ago for Christmas. Jillian had been away visiting with her brother for the holidays. Could it be possible? Did time travel exist?
The terrain she’d traveled with the kids in route to the caves was rather remote. More remote than she’d thought the area around the bike trail should have been. And no one seemed to know about phones. That was just plain weird.
Her heart rate increased. She took a deep, calming breath. She wouldn’t freak yet.
Jillian shifted her weight. Stephen groaned. She curbed the desire to smile. He was very sweet.
Was it possible the tale was true? Her hands seemed to have miraculously healed. Even the calluses from using garden tools were gone. Hmmm. Many strange things went on in Anderson Creek and, more specifically, with the MacLachlan family. Like when Finn MacIntyre disappeared the first night of the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games and returned three days later with Elspeth MacLachlan, both dressed as if they’d been in ancient Scotland, and Finn with blood on his shirt as if he’d been fighting with his claymore for real.
Perhaps Jillian needed to keep an open mind. She curled into Stephen’s embrace, leaning her head against his shoulder. “I shouldn’t be sitting on your lap, especially considering your state of undress.”
“You should not.” He caressed her cheek, settling his palm on the curve of her chin, leaned forward and brushed his full lips lightly over hers.
A heady sensation swirled through Jillian. The taste, the gentle touch—all of him made her feel as if she’d gone to heaven. The kiss was pure magic.
She twined her arms around his neck. Strong masculine arms pulled her in tight. On impulse, she licked the seam of his lips. The corners quirked upward before parting. Everything faded away except the fusion of their mouths and the twirling dance of tongues.
Delicious. Heat shot through her system straight to her core. She wanted, needed—
Giggles near the chamber’s entrance demanded attention and they broke apart, both breathing hard. Several small hands reached from within the shadows along the wall and filched Jillian’s belongings.
“Stop!” Her scream reverberated within the chamber.
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Bio:
Dawn Marie Hamilton dares you to dream. She is a 2013 RWA Golden Heart® Finalist who pens Scottish-inspired fantasy and paranormal romance. Some of her tales are rife with mischief-making faeries, brownies, and other fae creatures. More tormented souls–shape shifters, vampires, and maybe a zombie or two–stalk across the pages of other stories. When not writing, she’s cooking, gardening, or paddling the local creeks with her husband.
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