“Yes, and you showing up here unannounced has to mean something.” She laid her palm on my arm. “Be careful and vigilant, Ms. Thatcher.”
Chapter Nine
Becca joggedacross the street to where Margarete was waiting nervously by the car. Her gaze traveled up and down the street as if she, too, could feel the eyes watching, just like Becca had. They both slipped inside the car, and a feeling of security washed over Becca, as though the safety of the car would keep them from the prying eyes. Tinted windows were so going to be added to her Christmas list. A shiver skirted her spine as she shoved the key into the ignition.
“That wasn’t very smart,” Margarete argued as if she were a stand-in for one Becca’s sisters.
“I got answers.” Becca tossed the car into gear and headed back toward her home. A lot more questions than answers,but at least she had a jumping off point where Michael was concerned. All she needed now was to figure out who was in that picture. When she figured that out, the rest might fall into place. Even if it wasn’t tied up in a pretty bow to hand over to the cops. She would find the proof.
Becca pulled into her driveway to find Ian standing at her door. His arms were crossed over his chest. His handsome, chiseled face was set in a scowl. Becca might not know that much about Highlanders, but she knew a pissed one when she saw him, and Ian McDougall was not a happy camper.
“Looks like you’ve got some explaining to do.”
“Me?” Becca glanced at Margarete. “He expects this from me, but what about you, miss? Cut him free or marry him? I’m sure he’ll be pleased to know why you left the castle and flew across the pond.”
“I’d lay money that he deals with you first and I’m just an afterthought.” Margarete chuckled as she got out of the car at the same time as Becca. She headed straight toward the angry Highlander. She didn’t have to explain why she’d left her own house. Hell, he shouldn’t have even been there in the first place to care one way or the other that she’d left.
Becca stopped in front of Ian and patted his cheek. “I’ll meet your mom.” Becca glanced over her shoulder. “But you really didn’t have to ask Margarete to come all this way to talk me into it.”
Laughter erupted from Becca’s lips. And with a few simple words she’d flipped the proverbial spotlight right to Margarete.
“Way to deflect, sister-to-be,” Margarete hollered after Becca.
Becca narrowed her eyes and sashayed right into her house. She ignored the protests from her brothers-in-law about leaving without an escort…an escort of all things, like she was a tween going out on a date. They needed some serious help if they thought, just because Becca was the sweet one, that she didn’t know how to play dirty. She’d learned from her sisters after all.
Becca walked into her room, went straight to her closet and started pulling down the shoeboxes full of pictures that she’d kept. On her second trip out of the closet, she found Ian leaning against her doorframe.
“Where did you go, lass?”
“To find the green door from my dream.” She grinned, tossed the boxes on the bed and walked back into the closet to get more before returning. “Your sister has your phone. Tell Ryker thanks for the address. It turned out to be helpful.”
“Helpful how?” Ian asked, closing the bedroom door. His face held a predatory look. Not smiling, not happy, as though he was struggling to hold back from blowing a gasket. Becca lifted the lid off of the first shoebox and set it aside.
I should spank her ass.
“Lay one hand on me, Ian McDougall, and I swear….”
“Get out of my head, lass. You donae want to hear my current thoughts. All of them are X-rated, and none of them end with us leaving this room anytime soon.”
Becca exhaled a long sigh. “I was armed. I’m not a child. I just went to see who lived there and to warn the person. I didn’t go to confront the killer.”
Ian slowly stalked toward Becca. Her heart skipped a beat. Not that she was worried that Ian would hurt her. She was worried she might enjoy it.Be an ass. Please, just be an ass. You can do it. Give me a reason to throw your ass out.
He rested his warm palm on her cheek. “We made a deal. We were going to do this together. Remember?”
“You were busy,” she said, trying to lighten his mood.
Ian lowered his head to look her right in the eyes. “Make no mistake, lass. I’m never too busy for you.”
He caught her off guard by crushing his lips to hers in a bruising kiss whiletangling his fingers in her hair. She’d known it was coming but wouldn’t have guessed it would be while he was trying to prove his point. His fingers loosened in her hair as his other hand pulled her closer. She automatically leaned into his warm embrace, pressing her breasts against his wide chest. Who was she kidding? She probably wanted this more than even he did.
His tongue dueled with hers as he released her hair. Both palms landed on her ass, and he lifted her in the air. Becca wrapped her legs around his waist, locking her ankles together. The heat of his erection pressed into the juncture of her thighs, heating her core even more.
Before she knew it, Ian had turned them both and had her back pinned against the wall before he broke the kiss. “Tell me you’ll no’ go out alone again.”
“I wasn’t alone,” Becca said, trying to catch her breath and slow her frantic heartbeat.
“You’ll no’ go without me,” he amended while grinding his erection between her thighs.
