Tracking him down isn’t hard.
I go back to his cottage; his Land Rover is parked outside. It looks just the same as it did when he carried me in three years ago, slung over his shoulder. Blue and white flowers blooming in the flowerboxes under the windows. The warm glow of a single lamp. No one’s on the beach on this stretch of sand. The forest rears up behind the cottage, intimidating, and dark.
When he opens the door, he’s still wearing the suit he’sdchanged into on the plane, his tie loosened and the first couple of shirt buttons undone. His grey eyes flare briefly before his expression goes blank. “Why are ye here, Cat?”
“Are ye inviting me in, then?”
With a sigh, he steps aside. There’s a study on one side of the hall, with six monitors glowing.He turns me toward the little front room, which is just as I remembered it. The long, comfortable couch and battered leather chairs, there’s a nice blaze going in the fireplace, and part of me wonders if he’s been seeing other women here since he left me. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything. If you’re entertaining.”
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, ye eejit! Smooth. Ye dinnae sound like a jealous lunatic at all. As if he’d be calling in six strippers and having a party?
Lucas looks puzzled for a moment before his eyes narrow. “Entertaining? Not currently, no.”
That sends up another flare of jealousy.
“I…” Squaring my shoulders, I glare up at him. “Ye scarpered off. I’d have thought I’d hear a goodbye, at least.”
He leans against the fireplace, folding his arms and staring at me like he’s wondering if I’m a rabid badger, ready to bite him. “I had news about Dubois' movements, and I had to get to my study here to go through it. It’s the only place I have set up to go through such classified information. The wee bastard is having a mighty tantrum right now. I asked Kenna to tell ye that I had to leave.”
There’s an odd distance between us, energy yearning to reach out and twine along the other but held back, just barely. He cocks his head. “Ithought ye’d be celebrating with your family.”
How do I admit that I want to be celebrating with him? That I want to recreate that night in Marabout Saddi’s gardens, the festival, the laughing and sheer giddiness?
I’m confused, and confused Catriona turns into pissy Catriona.
“I hope my father’s paid ye, then,” I manage between tight lips. “It should help in your next venture.”
His eyes turn slate gray. “Ye know I dinnae come for you because of themoney.And your insults are poor payment, too.” He straightens, heading for the door.
“Oh, fine! Walk away, won’t ye? It’s not the first time!” I storm up to him, rising on tiptoe to get in his face, jabbing my finger against his chest, which kind of hurts because his chest is very firm. “I’m a fool to think that our time together was anything but business, then. Of course not!”
I’ve been jabbing my finger repeatedly into his chest, shrill, like a fishwife and with a growl, he grabs my wrist and spins me around. I feel the explosion of pain on my arse before the sound of the slap registers. He shoves me against the wall.
“You’ve been provoking me deliberately, like a bad lass.” His mouth is hot against my ear. “You’ve been needing a spanking, haven’t ye, yelittle Bessie?”
“How dare-”
“Ach, I dare a lot of things.” His chuckle is more like a growl and I can feel it down between my thighs. I go up on tiptoe as he slaps my arse again, one on each side, then two more and my skin is aflame, even under my jeans. “Ye coming here? Ye knew what ye were in for, having a stramash, trying to start a fight.”
He pulls me rapidly toward the back door and for a terrible moment I’m thinking he’s gonna throw me out with my sore bum, humiliated. Then we’re facing the forest behind his cottage and he slaps my arse again. Harshly.
“You have two minutes,” he whispers, a brow raised at my confused expression.“Run,Cat!”
With a gasp, I’m off. I canna let him catch me, I dinnae know why. I run like a deer, dodging branches and leaping over rocks, my trainers digging into the rocky soil. There’s a buzz of adrenaline tearing through me and I laugh breathlessly. I can outrun this arrogant bastard.
There’s a howl behind me and it makes me stumble before taking off again. “Your two minutes are up, ye bad girl!”
I’m flying between the trees, splashing through a creek like I’m a fox and it can hide my scent and curving around a huge gorse bush. Crouchingbehind it, I catch my breath and take in my surroundings. I can still hear the waves on the beach; I’m not far from his cottage. A rock hits a tree close to me and smothering a shriek, I’m off again. The setting sun is turning the trees into shadows and that strange exhilaration is back, my nipples hard, rubbing against my tank top.
Another howl, closer still.
I lean against a huge oak, trying to keep my frantic breaths silent. The noise of the forest dims and then all I can hear is my heartbeat, pounding in my chest, echoing in my head.
Lucas isnotcatching me. I abruptly change direction, heading toward the beach again and-
“Got ye, wicked little thing.” His arm is around my waist, granite hard and his breath hot in my ear. Screaming, I kick and fight and he laughs breathlessly, throwing his suit jacket on a fallen tree and bending me over it, so high that my feet are dangling. Another slap makes me yelp. “What? Nothing to say now?”
“How about feck ye, ye arrogant- OW!”
