Mairi plucked one of the bottles out of the basket, uncorked it, and took a hesitant sniff. Nose wrinkling and eyes squinting shut, she immediately recorked the bottle and dropped it back in the basket. “Ugh. What is that? I can’t even begin to identify that smell.”
Lilia held one of the bottles out to Ronan. “I’m not gonna say until Ronan’s had a whiff.” She smiled and dropped the beribboned bottle in his hand. “Tell me what you think it is.”
He rolled the tiny bottle between his thumb and forefinger, eyeing the dark mysterious liquid sliding up and down inside the vial. He carefully pulled the cork free and wafted the bottle under his nose. The rancid contents of the bottle set the lining of his nose on fire. He hastily shoved the cork back in the bottle, squinting against the stinging tears burning in his eyes. “That should be burned. It is turned and gone bad.”
Lilia plopped the bottle back into the basket. “I agree, but the bride-to-be says it’s her mother’s very own fertility blend guaranteed to make a baby in the first year of her marriage.”
Ronan wiped the tears from his eyes as he rose and moved away from the table. “No man will go near a woman smelling of that.”
“Why is she giving fertility oils away as bridal favors? Are all her friends wanting to get pregnant?” Mairi rubbed the back of her hand across the end of her nose, still eyeing the basket of noxious oils as though it were an evil entity.
Lilia frowned as she tapped a finger on the handle of the basket. “I’m not sure what’s going on in this chick’s head. From all the plans I’ve seen regarding her bridal shower, it’s more like a party to rub her friends’ noses in it and tell them all to go straight to hell.”
“And you’re going to have it here at the shop? Aren’t you concerned about negative publicity?” Mairi edged closer to Ronan and poured more whisky into his cup. “Here. You probably need another swig after smelling that mess.”
“Aye.” He nodded and thankfully breathed in the pleasant fumes wafting up from the alcohol, then waved his mug at the basket on the table. “Poor woman doesna sound as though she has any true friends.”
“True friends are rare in this day and age.” Mairi’s face darkened and her gaze lowered. “It’s hard to know who you can really trust. Not everyone is truthful.”
He peered closer at Mairi, then at Lilia. The two seemed caught up in their own silent conversation. Uneasiness pricked icy tingles across his flesh. Had they somehow discovered the truth about him? Had Mistress Eliza not kept his confidence?
Mairi blinked hard and shook her head as though shaking herself free of some sort of hold. “We better be going if you want us to get Buzz out of here before the party.” She pointed to the tiny dog currently curled up in a tight fuzzy ball asleep in his basket. “Do you have a carrier here or just a leash?” Mairi leaned back toward Ronan, a wicked grin curving her lips. “Just think, you get to hold your new best friend in your lap all the way back home.”
“Nay.” No way in hell was he getting back in that monstrosity of a horseless carriage. “I dinna care if I have to walk for a week and a day, I am not riding anymore.”
Mairi glared up at him as she bent to pick up the puppy. “I can’t believe you want to walk home. It’s supposed to rain again today. Maybe even snow.”
“It’s raining right now,” Lilia interjected with a nod toward the window. The sky had turned a murky gray and water droplets splattered the glass. A gust of wind rattled sleet against the pane.
“A bit of rain never hurt a man.” Ronan shrugged his plaid around his shoulders and hooded it over his head. “Take the wee dog in yer riding machine. I shall walk.”
“Riding machine? Seriously?” Mairi glared at him. “You don’t know the way home. You had your eyes shut most of the ride here.” She turned and fixed Lilia with an imploring look.
“Don’t look at me.” Lilia held up her hands as though staving off an attack. “In about one hour, I’m going to have a shop full of frenemies. I’ll have my hands full keeping them from killing each other. You two are on your own.”
“You can’t walk,” Mairi repeated. She fisted a hand in his plaid, then glanced at the rain-slicked window. “You’ll catch your death and I’ll never hear the end of it from Eliza.”
Lore a’mighty, if she only knew. “I willna catch my death.” He shoved aside the beaded curtain of crystals and headed toward the door.
Mairi pushed past him, yanked open the door, and raced down the steps. She kept Buzz cuddled inside her jacket as she pulled open the passenger-side door of the car and glared back at him. “Get. In.”
How could it be possible that the rain slicking the woman’s dark curls down around her face made her look even more tempting? He reveled in the fire sparking in her green-eyed gaze. This battle could prove to be very promising indeed. Chin jutted upward; he gave her a smile that was sure to stoke her ire even hotter. “Ye ken my answer well enough.”
Her eyes narrowed. “The only thing Ikenright now is that you are being a stubborn unreasonable ass. Now get. In.” She glared through the rain pattering in her eyes. Buzz burrowed deeper inside her jacket.
A smile tickled at the corners of his mouth as the perfect solution came to him. He nodded at the car. “A kiss.” If the thought of Mairi had calmed his wolf back into the shadows, surely to goodness the sweet taste of her fresh on his lips would keep his beast at bay for the hellatious ride back.
“What?” She blinked at him as though she had not quite heard what he said.
He moved a step closer. “A kiss will keep my illness at bay. A kiss will keep Mistress Eliza off yer arse.”
“A kiss,” she repeated with a dubious glance at his mouth.
Ronan closed the distance between them, extricated the small dog out of her coat, and plopped the pup into the front seat. He slid his hands around her waist and pulled her closer. “Aye. A kiss.” With his hand perfectly fitted in the center of her back, he tucked her tight against him.
She glared up at him. Mischief sparked in her eyes as she pecked a quick kiss on the tip of his nose. “There you go. Now get in the car.” She wiggled free, ducked under his arm, and scampered around to her side of the car.
So, it is war she seeks.He pushed the car door shut, hooded his plaid back over his head, and started down the driveway. When he reached the gate, he stopped and studied the brick posts and iron bars keeping him from the road. The sound of a car door slamming behind him filled him with a sense of victory.
