Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
Luch
As expected, I’d woken up with my cock in my hand and the taste of Faelan’s kisses on my lips.
Bloody hell, but she was incredible.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that Faelan was meant for me.
I wanted to uncover all her secrets, have her bare her soul to me, to learn everything that she was holding back.
And if yesterday was just a small taste of how responsive she was to my touch, I could only imagine what it would be like when I convinced her to make love to me.
Although … she hadn’t told me she was a healer.
And after revealing my mum’s painful reality yesterday, I doubted she’d tell me anytime soon. Why would she? I hadn’t exactly painted Mum’s life in a good light, and I’d made it tremendously clear that my entire family hated healers.
Well, just one in particular, the chancer who hadn’t helped my mum in her greatest time of need.
It was a sore spot, for all of us, and yet here I was, lusting after the very type of woman that we’d sworn to forever hate.
What was wrong with me?
Was this just some sort of big “fuck you” to my father? Was I thumbing my nose at their beliefs? Forcing them even further back from me? I felt a little like the straight-A schoolboy who’d never broken a rule in his life falling for the tough girl who smoked cigarettes and broke curfew.
Except, from what I could see, Faelan didn’t really seem to be all that bad.
She’d healed Oban, hadn’t she?
I was beyond confused, because meeting Faelan was challenging long-held beliefs, and I still couldn’t talk to her about it, because she hadn’t given me her secret yet.
But she would.
I was determined to get her to tell me, so we could discuss it out in the open, and then, maybe from there, I might be able to learn something new.
As a doctor, it was important to practice what you knew, until new information—hopefully well studied and scientifically presented—became available and changed your way of practice.
It happened quite often, which was why we were always taking continuing education courses and learning about new methods, so it would be hypocritical of me to not also give Faelan a chance to change my mind about healers.
Though, I suppose it would be good if I made her feel more welcome to do so other than blurting out that a healer had paralyzed my mother.
Wincing, I pulled my car to a stop in front of the B&Q hardware store. I was here on a mission. Not only did I need to give Faelan an excuse to open up to me more, but I also needed to convince her to stay in Loren Brae longer.
I paused, my hands gripping the steering wheel.
“What am I doing?”
“About Faelan or your life in general?” Oban asked from the back seat.
“Faelan.”
“I think you like her.”
“But I can’t. For too many reasons.”
“Admittedly, you do have several roadblocks to get around.”
“Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“It’s not confidence you’ll be needing.”
“Approval?” I shifted to look at Oban. “You know my father would never. She’s not one of us.”
“And maybe that’s okay.”
I huffed out a laugh and shook my head, turning back to stare at the store.
“Is it? Didn’t work out so well for my mum.”
“I thought your father blamed the healer. Not the fact that she’s different.”
Intrigued, I pursed my lips. More research would be needed.
“After what I’ve told Faelan about our experience of healers, I think she might hate me.”
“And she might not. I mean, she did mention how hot she thought you were.” Oban made a gagging sound and I laughed.
“Did she really?”
“Aye. But you’re not off to a good start. What were you thinking? Telling her about your mum?”
“Och, I know. I know. Bloody hell, it just came out. Stupid.” I punched the steering wheel. I’d been berating myself for it the whole night.
“It’s not exactly the best way to get her to open up to you.
Particularly since she already senses you don’t trust healers or magick.
Then you lay the mum story on top of it?
There’s no way in hell she’s talking to you now.
You dug your own grave on that one, boyo.
” Oban made that soft huffing sound that always indicated he was laughing at me.
“You find this funny?”
“Kind of. I like seeing you flustered. You’re too used to pissing excellence all the time.”
“I’ll take that backhanded compliment, thank you very much.”
“You’ve got a lot of work to do if you think you’ll win her over.”
“She likes me. I told you we had chemistry.”
“Yes, the entire hills heard your chemistry yesterday. Give a dog a warning, would you?”
“Don’t tag along on my dates then.” I laughed when Oban pretended to vomit. “All right, let’s go in. I’m starting my plan to win her over.”
I got out of the car and opened the back door for Oban, and he trotted next to me into the store. I had an idea in mind that I sincerely hoped Faelan would welcome. Or she’d think I was too much, kick me out on my sorry arse, and that would be the way of things. Either way, I had to try.
I’d never been like this with a woman before, not where I’d wanted to or had been willing to try.
There were very few women that I’d been able to date of my own volition.
Every other woman had been paraded in front of me, my father choosing them and rolling them out like we were on a dating show, and it had soured the idea of love for me.
But Faelan was different. I could feel it in my bones, even if I didn’t fully understand why.
Hauling my supplies up her steps, I knocked on her door, and hoped she was home. It was early still, only nine in the morning, and she’d told me that Sunday was her day off, if she wasn’t working an emergency. When the door cracked open an inch, and one suspicious eye peered out, I grinned.
“It’s the Loren Brae welcome committee.”
“Didn’t you welcome me enough yesterday?” Her cheeks pinkened at her words and my grin grew wider. She opened the door a bit more, and I almost did a happy dance when I saw she was wearing my shirt.
“I’m not done welcoming you.” I winked at her and gave her body a lazy perusal. “Nice shirt.”
“Ugh, I find you both infuriating and arousing. How is that possible?” Faelan mumbled, pushing her tangle of hair back from her face.
“I’m not sure, but I’d dearly love to explore the latter part of that statement if possible.”
“No. We’re not doing that again. Yesterday was an anomaly.”
“Was it? I think we should talk about it. Preferably inside.” I squinted at the moody clouds that were just starting to release rain. “You wouldn’t want poor Oban to get wet again, like yesterday, would you?”
Faelan slanted a glance down to Oban who obediently sat and lifted one paw, the picture of a needy pup.
“Och, fine, come in.” Faelan shut the door briefly and I looked at it in confusion as I heard her mutter something behind the door. But then a moment later, she opened it wide and ushered us inside. Oban immediately trotted across the floor and stood at her couch, looking from her to the cushions.
“Yes, you can jump up.” Faelan sighed and piled her hair in a messy knot on top of her head. She wore my shirt, loose joggers, and fuzzy socks.
I wanted to unwrap her like a gift on Christmas morning.
“What is all this?” Faelan gestured at the bags in my arms.
“Well, first, and most importantly, breakfast.” I brandished the small bag in my right hand. “I’ve got croissants and egg and cheese sandwiches.”
“I’ll accept.” Faelan grabbed the bag and went to her kitchen counter, pulled out two mugs, and two plates. “Tea?”
“Please.” I bit back a smile. The first battle was won.
I was inside her flat, I was feeding her, and soon I’d be on to the second stage of my attack.
One which required we spend the entire day together.
During that time, I hoped to break down her walls, get to know her better, and maybe that would help me understand why I was so drawn to her despite the many reasons I shouldn’t be.
“I’d be mad at you for showing up uninvited on my day off, but I’m starving and didn’t get a chance to go to the shops.”
“Ah, for once a grueling schedule works in my favor.” I smiled at her, hoping to chase that mulish expression from her face. What I wanted to do was to kiss it away, but since she seemed tetchy this morning, I figured it was best to keep my distance.
For now.
I also wanted to talk to her some more. I needed to see, for myself, if the thoughts and feelings I was having were real, or if it was just excitement over someone new and pretty in my life.
If I told my family about her, they’d show up on my doorstep and try to run her out of town.
In theory, I should take an immediate dislike to her.
And yet.
She’d healed my wee pal.
She’d taken the pain inside herself, healed Oban without a second thought, and had ushered me out the door without an explanation.
A person didn’t do that if they were evil.
Or taking advantage. If she’d used her magick for nefarious reasons, as I’d been taught from my father that all healers did, she’d have charged me an arm and a leg for healing wee Oban.
But fifty quid and I was out the door? Something wasn’t adding up here.
And it could very well be everything that I’d been taught from a young age.
I’d always been the most open-minded of my family, aside from my mum, that is.
My brothers all fell in line with my father’s opinions, whereas I always had asked the most questions.
It was just the way my brain worked. I wanted to know the “why” behind everything.
It was another reason I’d not followed my father into cardiology, instead enjoying the diversity and nuance that came with dealing with emergency situations.
By not specializing, I was able to constantly ask “why” in every situation that came through the hospital doors.