The memory of that afternoon with Elsie and Lucy a couple weeks ago flashes through my mind. We bounced from boutique to boutique, trying on anything that caught our eye. And then I found this emerald-green, floor-length dress that clung to me like it had been sewn with my name stitched into the hem. The off-the-shoulder neckline skimmed my collarbones, giving it an elegant, classic vibe, and the bodice sparkledwith delicate beads that caught the light in a way that made me feel like royalty.
Total impulse buy. But with Elsie clutching her chest and Lucy fanning her face, how was I supposed to say no?
“Aye aye, Captain,” I tease, giving him a playful salute. “Where could we possibly be going that requires me to dress fancy?”
“You’ll see.”
I raise an eyebrow, giving him a look that says, “Seriously?” He doesn’t give anything away. His lips curl into that half smile of his, the one that’s equal parts infuriating and charming.
An hour later, I’m standing at the top of the stairs, smoothing the fabric of the dress as I take a breath. When I step down, Knox is already waiting at the bottom dressed in that damn kilt.
I should be immune by now. I’ve seen him in everything from oil-streaked jeans to nothing at all, but somehow, this? This is a whole different kind of lethal.
He looks up. “You’re…” His voice catches, jaw flexing as he swallows hard. His eyes sweep down the length of me, and when they return to mine, he bites down on his lip. Then he finally murmurs, “Perfect.”
As I reach the last step, he stretches his hand out. He smiles at me, faint crinkles appearing at the corners of his eyes.
“Hello, handsome,” I say, reaching for him and pulling him close to steal a kiss. “I require a taste,” I whisper against his mouth.
The groan that rumbles out of him is low and sinful, a vibration that starts in his chest and ripples straight through mine. His hands slide over my hips, palming every curve like he’s reacquainting himself with what’s his.
Our bodies speak their own language, one we’ve written in stolen nights and whispered mornings. I melt into him, the heatbetween us flaring when his tongue strokes against mine. A dizzy rush spreads through me, liquid and warm, pooling low and fast.
But just as quickly, it’s gone.
Knox pulls back with a ragged exhale through gritted teeth. And when his eyes find mine again, they’re stormy with want and laced with restraint that looks like it’s about to snap.
“As much as I’d love to continue this,” he says, “we have somewhere to be.”
I push my bottom lip out in a pout. “Fine, but once again, you owe me later.”
He chuckles, pressing a quick kiss to my forehead. “Trust me, lass. I plan to make it worth the wait.
forty-three
JULIETTE
The drive through the Scottish countryside is so peaceful. Knox’s hand rests casually on my thigh, but as the minutes tick by, there’s a subtle shift in his energy. His fingers tap a restless beat on the steering wheel, a pattern that matches the beat of my racing heart.
“Everything okay?” I ask, sliding my hand over his in an attempt to ease the tension that’s suddenly there, though I’m not sure why. Unless I think back to Elsie and Lucy’s odd behavior from earlier today.
He looks over at me, offering a tight smile. “Aye, we’re almost there.”
I don’t want to press, but a small knot forms in my stomach, wondering what’s going on with him. Just as I open my mouth to ask again, the truck rounds a bend, and I stop mid sentence.
Up ahead, the view opens to a massive castle perched against the fading light of the setting sun. It looks like something out of a history book, all stone and towers, standing tall and steady against the sky.
“Is that where we’re going?” I ask, leaning forward to get a better look.
“It is,” he replies, a grin spreading across his face as he glances at me from the corner of his eye.
The closer we get, the more the castle reveals its rugged beauty. The gray stone walls rise, weathered with time and wrapped in thick ivy that’s been there for centuries. A winding gravel path leads up to iron-studded, wooden doors that act as an entrance.
My mind races. What in the world are we doing here?
“Do we get to go inside?” I ask, trying to keep my curiosity from bubbling over.
He nods when he answers, “We do.”
