shelley flicked a quick glance at duncan. he smiled. "aye," duncan whispered to her. "she rushed into the great hall during the dining scene and armed julia with a dagger. the camera caught the scene, and they kept it. apparently the director loved the realism."

shelley's mouth gaped. "why would your mother arm ian's mate with a weapon during the filming of a movie scene?"

"an enemy clan had breached the walls. ian couldn't get to julia in time to protect her, and neither could cearnach nor i."

shelley couldn't believe he hadn't told her that the fighting in the movie had been for real. "you're kidding. why didn't you tell me this? what happened?"

before duncan could say more, his mother finally said to ethan, "aye, well, someone had to protect ian's mate. i told ian not to allow julia to be in the film. stubborn men. you are all the same."

shelley's brow quirked up at duncan.

duncan smiled at her. "some lasses are more stubborn than us. a couple come to mind."

"ha," shelley said.

duncan changed direction. "we'll go to a different gate."

"to avoid my uncle and your mom?"

"most definitely."

"and?"

duncan wore the most devilish grin.

"and?" she repeated, as he tightened his hold on her.

"i didn't get enough sleep last night, did you?"

he was just a wolf, always wanting to nap... and more. which totally appealed to her own wolfish desires. she hurried him on their way.

shelley sighed. she looked up at duncan's wet hair, water droplets speckled on his cheeks and naked chest, the way his kilt was slung low on his hips, the way he was smiling at her, the way he was moving her fast through a secret passage to his room. she slipped her arm around his waist and hugged him closer. one hard-core warrior wolf-and he was all hers.

now that the clan had its money back and ian said they could make the trip, she was planning a return to paradise soon. this time it would all be for fun. she just hoped while she and duncan were gone, her uncles and mother would behave themselves at argent castle. she hoped her beloved standard poodles would behave, too, and didn't get too frisky with duncan's irish wolfhounds. she could just see a bunch of little irish-french wolf-poo hounds running around.

wendy was planning a visit, too, and shelley thought she wanted to look over some of the available bachelor highland wolves.

it had nearly killed duncan when he'd first arrived at argent castle with his mate in hand, and he'd had to leave her off in his bed-alone. she had been so tired that she couldn't last another moment without sleeping. the whole of his clan had wanted to hear about shelley, her help in getting their money back, that she was now his mate, and how important she was to his people. they'd regaled him with plans of how they'd conduct a marriage ceremony, too.

tonight, the first celebration of their union and the return of the clan's money would take place.

until then, he was joining his mermaid in bed, and nothing-short of the castle being under siege, and maybe not even that-would change his mind.