“Lauren?” His whisper sounded full of uncertainty.
“Yes?”
“I ken ye have tae return tae New York. Ye’ve yer book tae finish, future books tae write, and yer family is there. But, do ye ken ye’ll ever want tae return tae Scotland? Do ye…like it here?”
He’d be shocked if he knew how often that very question had swirled inside her head. “I haven’t seen anything of Scotland, except our ravine, and Phoebe’s glen. But if the rest of it is as beautiful, as magical, as this, I’d have to say yes. I like it, here.”
His arms tightened a little more and he pressed a gentle kiss to her hair.
“Ourravine?” he asked, with a chuckle. “I dinnae ken ye’d ever want tae think on that place, again.”
“On the contrary,” she raised her face to his. “I’d tumble down an embankment every night, if I could spend it under the stars, tucked inside your plaid. With you.”
He reached up to trace his thumb across her lower lip. “The stars are already beginnin’ tae appear, and you’re tucked tight, in my arms. What comes next?”
She slowly scraped her bottom lip between her teeth. “I think this is where you kiss the hurt away.”
“Aye. I remember now,” he whispered, lowering his mouth to hers.
Chapter Fourteen
The moon rode high in the inky, cloudless sky, as Reginald walked Lauren back to the house. Once they’d slipped quietly inside, Reginald set the basket down and slipped his arms around her, hoping for one last, lingering kiss.
“Thank ye for today,” he whispered, giving her nose a quick peck. “’Twas, by far, the best picnic I’ve ever had.” He gently kissed each eyelid. “And the food was good, too.”
He muffled her laugh with his lips, kissing her thoroughly enough to last the night. Or what was left of it.
“I enjoyed it too,” she said softly as they parted, then gave him a teasing look. “The food I mean.”
“Och, ye’re a sassy one. Careful, lass. Or, ye’ll require additional punishment.”
“Promise?”
Her brazen grin made him want to take her back to the ruins and repeat tonight all over again. “If ye doonae take yerself tae yer bed right now, the consequences could be dire.”
“Dire?” she grinned, backing toward the hall, albeit very slowly. “Sounds…challenging. I’ve always been a sucker for a good challenge.”
“Off wi’ ye,” he ordered. “I’m a workin’ man. And I need my rest.”
“Chicken.” She whispered loudly, just before disappearing into the hallway.
After hearing a shuffling sound, he watched for several seconds, thinking she might be coming back, but then all was still, again. Sighing with the most contentment he could remember since being a child, he turned toward his room. But his dread of losing her, wormed its way back into his mind and he kenned sleep wouldnae come anytime soon.
He walked through the cool night air to the shed, satisfied when the door opened wi’out a sound. He turned on the light, went straight to where he’d hidden the butterfly box-lid, grabbed his favorite blade and settled in to carve. And to try to reconcile his feelings for Lauren with the knowledge she would leave. Likely, for good, since she dinnae deny it, when he asked her earlier.
At least the raised-relief butterfly was taking shape. ’Twas about all he had control over.
He must have dozed off. When the sound of a vehicle engine woke him, sunlight filled the shed. Again. Reginald hurriedly wrapped the lid and tucked it away. If he wasnae careful, what he did in here, would be discovered.
Brushing the filings off his clothes, he flipped off the light and peeked outside to see who was about. Drew’s car was in front of the house, but neither he, nor anyone else, was around.
Hoping Drew had brought more news, Reginald rushed to the house, trusting everyone would assume he’d been out working. Which he had. Sort of.
When he entered the kitchen, he spotted Drew just inside, talking with Julia. Mayhap he dinnae have new information after all, and had only come to see Julia. But ’twas good to see that things might be progressing between the two of them.
Reginald immediately sought out Lauren. She, Phoebe and Deidre were at the worktable, setting out breakfast. Lauren’s smile was warm, filled with what he wanted to believe was an unspoken promise. Phoebe, happy as always, was setting deliciously scented muffins onto a platter. And Deidre, permanent scowl in place, flicked her narrowed gaze between Drew and Julia and where she could see Drew’s car parked, outside.
“Good morning,” Reginald offered, sending a wink to Lauren.
