She looked over at him, suddenly all too aware that she was alone in the middle of nowhere with a man she had only just met—a man so large and muscled that he could overpower her in an instant. Oh hell. Why had she let herself getcarried away just because he was good-looking? No doubt that’s what he’d been banking on. She backed away a step.
He noticed her reaction. “What’s wrong, lass?”
She swallowed. “Was it you?”
“Was what me?”
His expression was one of honest confusion and she couldn’t see any deception in those deep blue eyes of his. Yet, he had deliberately led her in the opposite direction from where she’d left her car. And there was Irene MacAskill. Had the two of them been working together? Had Magnus distracted her whilst Irene took her car?
“Did...” She swallowed thickly. “Did you steal my car?”
His brows drew together in a thunderous scowl. “I am no thief, lass,” he growled, a low rumble of anger in his voice. He took a step towards her and Izzy threw out a hand to stop him.
“Stay back!” She pulled her phone from her pocket. “I’m calling the police!”
Magnus halted, that same confused expression on his face as he watched her press the phone to her ear. It let out a shrill beep to indicate she had no signal. She hissed in frustration.
“What is that?” Magnus asked, staring at the phone in her hand.
“What does it look like? It’s a mobile phone!”
“A what?”
“Stop! Just stop!”
“Stop what?”
“Pretending! God, I’ve been such an idiot!” She backed away, putting distance between her and Magnus. “Thatridiculous story about needing Snaffles to find that trail! Why did I fall for it? You’re in league with her aren’t you? The old woman. The two of you planned this!”
Magnus looked taken aback at the accusation. “Lass, I have already told ye that I am no thief.”
What an idiot she was! The one time she’d taken a risk, let herself be talked into doing something spontaneous, look what had happened! She should have listened to her instincts and turned back the moment she met Magnus. Hadn’t she learned by now that nothing good ever came of taking risks?
“Then where is my car?” she asked. “I’ve seen nobody all day except you and your accomplice!”
“If ye would just listen—”
“I’m done listening! I listened to you already and look where it got me! Jeez, I’ve been such a bloody idiot! Is this your normal routine? A charming old dear to put me off my guard and then a good-looking stranger to confuse me even further?”
He took a step closer. “Lass, I’ve no idea—”
“Just go, will you? You’ve got what you wanted so now you can leave!”
His blue eyes flashed. “It isnae safe to leave ye out here alone, lass.”
“Isn’t safe? I was absolutely fine alone until I met you! So you can go back to your gang or whoever you work for and have a good laugh about the stupid city woman who fell for your act!” Her voice was a little wild and near-hysterical but Izzy suddenly seemed unable to control it.
Magnus stared at her a moment longer. Izzy stared right back, forcing herself to meet his glare even though her heart was fluttering against her ribs like a trapped bird. She desperately wanted him to leave. She desperately wanted him to stay.
“Fine,” he growled at last. “I’ve kept my end of the bargain and I willnae stand here to be insulted by some loon of a noblewoman!”
He turned on his heel and, with a mutter of Gaelic words that Izzy suspected weren’t exactly polite, strode away looking every bit as flustered and angry as she felt. Izzy watched him go, her chest tight with a strange mixture of relief and regret.
She gripped her useless phone tighter, biting her lip. The soft hum of the wind through the overgrown brambles was suddenly too loud in the silence left by Magnus’s departure. She regretted what she’d said to him and felt an overwhelming desire to chase after him and apologize. But she didn’t let herself. She’d fallen for his rugged charm already. She wasn’t about to fall for his injured pride routine as well.
“Right, Izzy,” she muttered to herself. “Time to get moving.”
With her transport gone, she had no choice but to follow the track to the main road. If she was lucky, at some point in the walk she’d be able to pick up a signal and call the police. Lucky? Yeah, right. That was a laugh.
