“But the spot wewere fishing from was only knee deep. How come you’re soaked?”
“I was soshocked by where I’d jumped to, I slipped on the smooth river rocks and endedup…”
“Arse over teakettle,” I said, before scooping her into my arms. “Okay, love. Let’s get youback to the cabin and in front of the fire.”
“And naked?” sheasked hopefully.
“Well, I wasn’tgoing to leave you in your clothes in front of the fire, sweetheart.”
She grinned andheld on tight as I ran her to the cabin.
* * *
Lennox
Just after lunch on Monday, wedrove down a winding one-way road through the lush green hills of the Gunnach’svast estate lands until we arrived at the Council Hall. The large stonebuilding looked as old as the castle itself, but it had obviously been takencare of.
“It’s evenolder,” Phin said, turning off the car’s ignition. “In fact, the meeting hallwas completed before they raised a single stone for the castle.”
I gave Phin aplayful punch to the bicep. “Stop eavesdropping on my thoughts.”
“I’m sorry,” hesaid with a laugh. “I can’t help myself. Your thoughts are like what you callcandy to me.”
“Candy?”
“Have you everbeen some place where a candy dish with all your favorite sweeties was out?”
“Sure.”
“How easy was itto restrain yourself from dipping into that dish every five or so minutes?”
“Impossible,” Isaid. “Remember, I was raised with strict limits on sweets, so if I see freecandy up for grabs, I’m going in for two fistfuls.”
“Well, I’vespent my entire life without you, and now that you’re here I want to experienceabsolutely everything about you as often as I can. Your thoughts, your beauty,the sound of your voice, the rhythm of your heartbeat. Everything.”
Butterfly wingsbeat violently against my insides until I burst into tears.
“Shite,” hehissed, unbuckling my seatbelt and pulling me as close as he could with thesteering wheel in the way. “What have I said to upset you?”
I shook my head,wiping away my tears just as a fresh batch leaked out. “Nothing. That’s themost romantic thing I’ve ever heard.”
He kissed megently and the butterflies returned with reinforcements as his mouth coveredmine, his thumb to my pulse.
“You have to dome a favor,” Phin said softly, producing a tissue from his pocket and handingit to me.
“What is it?”
“You have toswear to never tell Liam that I’m a romantic. He’ll never let me hear thebloody end of it.”
“Tell you what,”I countered. “Your secret is safe with me as long as you promise you’ll alwayskiss me like that.”
“Until the endof time, Goldiloxy. Even longer if I can.”
I stroked hisface. “I’ll let you prove it to me more, tonight.”
“Say the wordand I’ll restart this car and take you back to the cottagenow.”
“Don’t tempt me,you know what seeing you in your kilt does to me.”
