Later he bathed her, and it was the single most sensuous experience of Kate’s life. He reveled in each wonderful inch of her body with his soapy hands and feral gaze. He scrubbed her hair and massaged her scalp with titillating thoroughness, then playfully dunked her and kissed the droplets of water off her mouth and the breath clean out of her body.
Chapter Thirty-Three
TWO DAYS LATER, Brodie, Angus, and Jamie stood outside their laird’s chamber door. Brodie leaned against the far wall, crossed his ankles, and scratched his rough face with the tip of his dagger. Jamie paced a worn path across the threshold.
“Graham said to tell him posthaste.”
Angus dragged his rapt attention from the door and cast Jamie a sharp glance. “Then go ahead and knock, lad.”
Jamie’s pacing paused and he looked up. “I will.” He resumed his fretful trek without knocking. “Callum needs to know the MacLeod is comin’.”
Angus shrugged his hefty shoulders. “It ain’t like MacLeod’s at the doors. What’s the hurry in tellin’ Callum? Yer gonna get yer arse thrashed good.”
“Graham said to tell him.” Finally, Jamie raised his hand to knock, but a low, sensuous groan drifted through the door. Jamie’s fist stopped in midair.
“I wouldna knock just yet, were I ye,” Brodie said with a laugh.
“Hell, this could take all day,” Jamie mumbled, eyeing the door.
“Pity Brodie isna the laird,” Angus quipped. “We wouldna have to wait longer than a dozen breaths before ’twas over.”
“And I’d still have ye beat by ten,” Brodie returned with a grin.
“I’m knockin’,” Jamie said, ignoring them both. “He’ll want to know aboot the MacLeod.”
Angus grinned harder and folded his arms across his brawny chest. “Ye have much to learn, pup. Nae man wants to be interrupted while he’s enjoyin’ a woman. As ye’re aboot to find oot.”
“I’m no’—” They all heard the door open, but it was too late for Jamie. “—afraid of him.”
Callum stood there naked but for his plaid wrapped around his waist, his face darkening with murderous intent. He didn’t know who to glower at first, so he glowered at all of them. Angus looked down the long hall, wondering how quickly he could get to the stairs and save his arse. Jamie backed up when Callum took a step forward.
“What the hell are all three of ye doin’ standin’ ootside my door?”
Brodie pushed himself off the wall and looked up and around like a dimwit who’d wandered into the hall and found himself lost.
Jamie cleared his throat. “Graham sent me to give ye the news.”
“What news?” When Jamie told him, Callum still wasn’t satisfied. “And it took all of ye to tell me this?” The slight smirk on Brodie’s face told him the truth of it. He and Angus had followed hoping to see Jamie get thrashed for disturbing their laird.
The menacing glint in Callum’s eyes when he set them back on Jamie froze the lad’s blood. “Ye thought the MacLeod’s visit was important enough to trouble me with it?”
“Aye, my apologies.” Jamie bowed his head. “Angus and Brodie told me I shouldna do it.” When he felt a brisk slap on the back, he looked up.
Callum nodded at him. “Ye were right to tell me. Ye’re a braw lad. That’s why yer brother sent ye, and no’ either one of these sorry excuses fer men.”
Brodie knew enough to keep his mouth shut. Besides, his blood-rusted sword spoke well enough about his bravery in battle.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Angus bristled. “I was ready to break the bloody door doun to give ye the news.”
“Then ye must be sadly disappointed that I opened it, Angus.” Callum tossed him a foul grin. “Meet me ootdoors after ye break fast and ye can prove to me that ye can still lift yer sword.”
“We’ve already finished supper, Callum,” Brodie informed him without shielding his smirk. “A quick glance oot the window woulda told ye that if ye cared to look.”
“Shut up, Brodie,” Callum ordered.
Angus sputtered for a good five breaths after Callum strolled down the hall and disappeared inside the garde-robe. Brodie whacked him on the back to induce breathing. “Best go practice, cousin.” He grinned, winked, and exited the hall with Jamie, leaving Angus there alone to rifle through the folds of his plaid for his pouch of brew.
When Callum left the garderobe, he found yet another one of his men waiting for him. Graham leaned against the opposite wall with his arms folded across his chest. The cool scent of fresh air drifting off him attested to his recent return to the castle.
