The stage has been propped and the players are ready to move forward. I hope you will enjoy.

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, I am pleased with the responses.

As you can surely tell, I am a hopeful (not hopeless) romantic. I don't mind a little bit of angst in my stories, but my ultimate goal is a happy Erik; after all, he definitely deserves it after his childhood and adolescence years.

So, without further ado, I bring you chapter 15.

BEYOND THE SHADOWS

CHAPTER 15

Christine would have been happiest if she hadn't had to get off the bike. Her arms wrapped perfectly around Erik's waist and her legs rested intimately against his; it was almost more than any woman could stand.

They rode leisurely through the hill country, visiting Inveraray Castle and gardens, Kilmichael, and a couple of wine distilleries. They continued up into the highland mountains and stopped in Beinn Eighe Nature Reserve and had a picnic. Erik had ordered the basket ahead of time and picked it up at a wonderful roadside restaurant in Glencoe.

Christine spread the blanket out on the ground as Erik rested the basket on a tree stump. He sat down across from her and handed out choice cut, rib eye steak sandwiches, potato salad, fresh sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, and a mixed fruit salad for dessert.

"I can't remember a time when I enjoyed myself this much on a first date." Christine finally felt inclined to say.

Erik's blank look had her baffled for a minute, and then she realized she had referred to this as a date. Surely, he was thinking along the same line?

He recovered his composure and smiled lazily, "I'm glad you are pleased."

She looked him squarely in the eye and asked, "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

He inclined his head in a questioning way, indicating for her to explain.

"Asking me out on a date…was it as difficult as you thought it would be?" She asked again.

He didn't really answer, he just sat extremely still on the blanket and stared forward at the mountains.

"Erik?" He looked at her as she called his name in a loud whisper.

"I was so happy when you took the initiative and asked me…I was beginning to think you had no idea of my feelings for you." She stated with a smile.

Erik was in trouble, deep trouble. He could feel his heart falling into the abyss of love and he was unable to stop it. He did not want this – how could he have allowed this to happen? He had known he was attracted to her before he even invited her to the island; what was he thinking?

Christine had decided the best thing to do was to open up to him about the way she felt. She hated hiding things from him, and she wanted him to know.

He seemed embarrassed at first, but then he smiled that breathtaking smile again, "My sisters insist that you enjoy my company…and the intelligent part of me acknowledges that you do appear to enjoy being around me." He looked away again, staring at the horizon. "You touch me whenever you feel like doing so, you smile at me as though I am the only man in the world, you engage me in stimulating conversation, and you actually let me touch you…"

He smiled sadly, made brief eye contact, but then looked away immediately. "The scorned recluse in me, however, cannot fathom why you want anything to do with a disfigured man, when you could have the most handsome man alive."

Christine was elated that he realized she enjoyed being with him. He was beginning to open his enclosed world and let her in.

"I am with the most handsome man alive, Erik." She stated with a smile, "I have never enjoyed being with any man as much as I enjoy being with you." She admitted, reached over, and caressed his arm. "I need you to understand that…I know your heart is fragile – so is mine, but if this is meant be, then it's all worth it." She could feel the tears threatening, and she forced them back and breathed, "You're worth it."

Erik felt tears stinging the back of his eyes, he had never thought to hear a woman admit that she enjoyed being around him; but Christine had just admitted this, and he wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and show her what she meant to him; but he didn't act on that impulse.

"Am I?" he whispered.

Christine watched the play of emotions dance across Erik's exposed features. She could see that he was not convinced of her love for him; she was ready to move this relationship to the next level, and if she had to be the one to do it, then so be it.

"Yes you are…and I will prove it to you." She said with confidence as she ate the rest of her lunch.

They chatted about the weather and the wildlife; and then picked up the basket and blanket and headed for the bike. Christine took the drivers position and Erik cradled himself behind her. His arms wrapped around her slender waist and he could feel his heart rate speed up, his breathing become labored, and his body stiffen in response to her closeness; this was going to be pure, rapturous torture – and he would enjoy every minute.

The tour continued through the mountains, and sped along the coastline that lead them to the Falls of Rogie and Measach, down through Killiecrankie, up to Blair Castle; and finally, Loch Rannoch. They headed back, going over Spean Bridge, back through Glencoe – where they dropped off the picnic basket and met the helicopter at Crainlarich.

They had traveled a total of 530 miles, the trip had started at 9 am, and it was now 11 pm. Christine realized that Scotland was just as beautiful at night as it was during the day, maybe even more so.

She had enjoyed the day so immensely, but she found her eyes were extremely tired as they rode in the helicopter back to Wee Cumbrae. She drifted to sleep and her head wound up in Erik's lap.

He watched her sleep and was so thankful she could not feel his body's betrayal of his attraction to her. She was intimately close to him, in a way that no woman had ever dared to be before; his vivid daydream from the hot tub jumped into his mind and he groaned inwardly to suppress his desire.

They landed at the island and Erik did not wish to wake Christine, but she stirred to a sleepy consciousness as they stepped out of the helicopter.

She leaned against him as they walked back to the house and, as they stepped inside, Erik could tell she was about to collapse. He effortlessly picked her up in his arms, carried her up the stairs, and into her room. He gently placed her on her bed and watched as she rolled to her left side. He softly sat down beside her.

He took in the breathtaking, unmitigated beauty that she possessed and could not help putting his hand to her hair and sweeping it away from her face.

Its soft texture pulled him down and he breathed in its scent as he wound a flirting curl around his finger. He was losing himself in this woman and that notion scared him to death.

He started to leave her side when she reached up and caught his warm hand in hers. She smiled sleepily, and rubbed his hand with her soft fingers.

"Thank you Erik, I had the most wonderful time today…I love you." She closed her eyes again and he heard the quiet sounds that indicated she was asleep.

Erik stood there in stunned disbelief; had she just said she loved him? He doubted what he knew he had heard. 'She must not have been thinking straight.' He reasoned to himself. 'She would never have said such a thing.'

He quietly left the room and made his way down the hall to his room, unaware of the smile that played upon Christine's face; she knew perfectly well what she had said.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

After a fitful nights rest, Erik arose early and found Nadeesh sitting on the front portico enjoying the morning air. He quietly sat down beside him and watched the sunrise. No one else was stirring, so they had the whole island to themselves for a while.

After a few minutes of blissful meditation, Nadeesh asked, "Did you two have a good time yesterday?"

Erik heard the smile in his voice before he even looked at him, "Yes Nadeesh, we had a wonderful time." Erik replied, deliberately keeping his voice steady.

"Did you take the whole northern tour, or did you have to cut it short?"

Erik smiled, knowing that Nadeesh was prying for clues about his first "date", "We took the whole tour, 560 miles worth." He offered, evasively.

Nadeesh was frustrated, but knew he would get no more out of Erik than Erik wanted to offer.

He looked over at this best friend and brother. He saw a look in Erik's eyes that caused him concern.

"What is it, Erik? Tell me."

Erik looked into the warm, brown eyes of the only man who knew all there was to know about him; yet, remained by his side; even through some very rough times.

"What am I going to do, Nadeesh?" Erik groaned.

Nadeesh didn't answer, knowing that Erik wanted a chance to just think and talk; no feedback.

"I hadn't counted on this when I recruited her services." Erik stated. "I admired her tenacity and work…I knew she would be the one to get the job done…but I had not counted on…" he paused, closed his eyes, dropped his head, and said no more.

Nadeesh urged him on after a few seconds, "You hadn't counted on what, Erik?"

Erik looked at him with distant, searching eyes, "I hadn't counted on her…being everything that I want in a woman." He finally smiled, but there was sadness behind it. "I hadn't counted on her smile, her laugh, her fragrance, her dancing eyes, her sensual mouth, her heavenly voice, her lithe body…" Erik lifted moist eyes to Nadeesh, "…I hadn't counted on feeling this way about her."

Nadeesh nodded and finally said, "It sounds to me like you are in love."

Erik threw icicles at Nadeesh with his eyes; fear motivating him; but he knew it was true. "All I wanted was someone who would do my story justice; and eventually, have my mother read it and know that I am her son…" Erik looked at Nadeesh and smiled a weary smile, "…I couldn't just drop back into her life; she thinks I'm dead." He shook his head, convincing himself that he had done the right thing, "This was the best way to bring her back to me, without disrupting her life."

Nadeesh knew that Erik had carefully planned and orchestrated this particular point in his life. He did not want anything keeping him from his mother any longer; he now had a development he had not counted on…a beautiful, desirable woman he was falling in love with, and he had never been more petrified in his entire life.

"Have you thought about just being honest with her about why you chose her…" Nadeesh asked, "…and the way you feel about her?"

"I've told her why…I just wasn't specific as to the why of the why." Erik commented, knowing that he sounded crazy.

Nadeesh was regarding him with a speculative look, and Erik could not bring himself to look him in the eye.

"Tell her, Erik…tell her everything." Nadeesh pressed.

Erik closed his eyes and dropped his head; he knew Nadeesh was right.

TBC