“And what do weuse for bait to catch the salmon?”
“Ah, goodquestion. Salmon like minnows and I have spinning lures in my tacklebox thatmimic them.”
“Lures, huh? Ibet you do,” I replied in what I can only describe as an attempt at being sassyand sexy. Two things Inevertried to portray myself as. I didn’t knowwhat had come over me. I was obviously attracted to Phin. As in, light yearsbeyond any man I’d ever been attracted to in the past, but I’d never beenopenly flirty with anyone.
“Come on then,”Phin said, adopting a horrible southern American accent. “Stop distractin’ meand let me teach you city slicker how’ta fish.”
I burst outlaughing. “That’s probably the worst American accent I’ve ever heard.”
“Okay, then.Let’s hear your Scottish,” he challenged.
“Me? Oh, noway.”
“Come on, love.You started this war. Let’s have it.”
The heat of pureembarrassment crept up the back of my neck and into my cheeks. I cleared mythroat before launching into a barrage of rolling Rs and guttural throatsounds. “Aye, everrrrry bohdeee. Kum ta Skootland. Weee invented galf and havea monsterrrrr in our loccchhh.”
Phin clapped,wiping away his fake tears. “That was a perfect cross between Scrooge McDuckand Shrek.”
“I’ll have totake your word for it.”
“You’ve neverseen the Shrek movies?”
“Or any Disneymovie for that matter.”
“How is thatpossible? I thought animated films were the one thing every kid had in common.”
“Those moviesall contained magic and sorcery and as such were forbidden by my father.”
“Kind of ironic,isn’t it?”
“What? The fact that,despite my intense viewing restrictions as a child, I’ve been swept away to acastle by a magical man with superpowers?”
Phin grinned.“It sounds good coming from your mouth.”
I shivered. “Ithink you might be a little biased.”
“Can’t be biasedwhen it’s true, love.”
I blushed. “Stopgawking at me and catch us the bait with which I’m going to catch our dinner.”
He gave me amock salute. “Yes, ma’am.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Lennox
PHINEASCAUGHT THE source of our trout bait after only three casts, and withinforty-five minutes we’d caught two trout, another salmon, and I was officiallyhooked on fishing. I was also hooked on the sight of Phin’s shirtless body,wading in the water.
Okay,admittedly, I wasmorehooked on seeing Phin shirtless, but I wasn’t aboutto say that out loud.
“You couldalways join me,” he said.
“What?” Isqueaked.
“Take your shirtoff and let me enjoy the view as well.”
“Oh, my word,get out of my head,” I bossed, focusing back on the water.
