Once she was gone, Tavish quirked an eyebrow.“Linner?”
“The period between lunch and dinner,” Mairi explained.“I’ve also heard it called lupper or dunch.”
“Are you joking?Or are those actual American terms?”
“As far as I know,” she replied.“Linner is used a lot around here, so I just assumed.”
“We can bring it back to Scotland and start a new verbiage trend.”
She grinned.“Aye, I can flip my hair back every time we use it, while I stick my nose in the air.”
“And I can get a walking cane and puff my chest out.”He cleared his throat and sat up straighter.“I’m quite famished.Where’s linner?”
They both chuckled at their silliness.
“Laughing wasn’t something I thought I’d ever share with you,” he murmured.
She blinked and cleared her throat.“Oh, well.Is that good or bad?”
“Good.”He held out his hand on top of the table, and she stared at it for a moment before laying hers down on top of his.“I never knew I could enjoy someone’s company like this.I haven’t laughed in a very long time.”
“Here you both go,” Payton said as she approached.Immediately, they pulled back from one another as the luna laid both plates down in front of them.“I hope you enjoy.”
“Thank you,” Tavish said.
“This smells delicious,” Mairi said, and her belly gurgled.“Thank you, Luna.”
“My pleasure.If you need anything, raise your hand, but I’ll also check on you in a bit.”
Mairi and Tavish didn’t even realize she’d left as they stared at each other, and a current snapped between them.Something she wanted to touch, and yet feared the electric shock when it hit.He gave this little wicked smile, as if he knew she found him fascinating, and started to eat.Watching Tavish was like watching food-porn.
Damn, he’s one fine-looking man.He could eat me anytime.
Embarrassment made her cheeks heat.Good thing he couldn’t hear her thoughts.
“What’re you thinking about?”he asked.
Mortification flooded through her and she bit her bottom lip to hold back from saying something stupid.Like, she wished he would find her attractive enough to fuck her.
“Of course, I find you attractive,” he said.“And I very much want to fuck you.”
She blinked.“Did I ...please tell me I didn’t say that out loud.”
“I cannot tell a lie.”
She covered her face with her hands.“Oh my God.”
He chuckled and leaned over to take hold of her hands, peeling them away from her abashment.“Please, don’t be embarrassed about wanting me.I very much want to take you to my bed and keep you there, but I have a feeling you’re not quite ready for that.”
“I, ah, I think I am.”The words sounded hollow, even to her own ears.“I mean, I think I am.”
“Well, that clears everything up,” he teased softly.“You’ve been very patient with me.Now, it’s my turn to be patient.”
He kissed the back of both her hands, and her heart melted a little more.
