As he went down the hall to the guest bathroom, Lucy tucked herself back into her bra and rearranged her shirt and skirt.
"We have two options," Ian said as he came back.
"Okay," she replied, feeling a little shaky, both physically and mentally.
"Eat now."He pressed into her and kissed her gently on the mouth."Or go up to my room and we'll finish this."
"Didn't we just finish?"
"No, lass.That was just the appetizer.We haven't even gotten to the main course.Or dessert."He kissed her again, then looked in her eyes."We're just getting started."His accent was thick, his words soft and packed with more than just the promise of pleasure, which Lucy knew he could deliver.There was a deeper meaning to his words, and he didn't try to hide it.
"Good," she found herself saying, suddenly wanting to stay away from the serious stuff."I'm glad that's not all you got, MacLaren."
His mouth spread into a lop-sided grin."You're asking for it, Walker.You know that don't you?"
Lucy gave a blatant shrug.She sure as hell did.
She squealed when he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder, telling her exactly what he had in mind as he carried her up the stairs fireman style.It'd be a long time before they had that dinner, Lucy thought with a happy smile.
Making dinner with Ian was just one of many highlights of the night.There was something intimate and domestic about cooking with him.Just the two of them in the dead of night, in the huge castle, and yet it felt like they were the only two people in the world.Several times, Lucy felt the rise of emotion-deep, overwhelming emotion that stung her eyes and made her throat thick, but she forced it back down, not wanting to ruin the moment.
They'd worked up an appetite.The trout was delicious and so were the potatoes and asparagus.The wine was good too.
"I haven't seen your brothers around the last couple days," she noted.
"They just got back from Inverness, visiting my great uncle.He's not doing so well.Think the death of my grandfather really rattled him."
"I'm sorry."Lucy took drink of her wine."Do you have a lot of family here?"
"MacLarens everywhere.Lots of cousins on both sides of the pond.Our summer games are coming up.You should com—" Ian stopped himself, staring at his plate.Nerves shot through her and she realized she wanted him to ask her to stay.But he didn't.He just scowled at his food and pushed it around the plate.
"Elephant in the room," Lucy said quietly.
He lifted his gaze and nodded in agreement.But he didn't ask her to stay.He changed the subject, going on to talk about the games.Ian had no obligation to ask her to stay and yet the hurt was sharper than she expected.And there could be a dozen reasons why he hadn't.She could be an adult about this and not some doe-eyed, lovesick fool.Maybe he wanted her to speak up and say she wanted to stay.
But that idea, putting herself on the line like that to be potentially rejected, was a horror Lucy couldn't fathom.
She got through the rest of dinner, refusing to think any more about staying or emotions or the future.She'd focus on the here and now.As soon as Ian finished eating and sat back in his chair, she walked around the table to his chair.He pulled her into his lap.She smiled down at him, her hand traveling up his shoulder to cup his jaw."Sleep with me, Lucy," he said softly.
She knew he didn't mean just sex.Lucy kissed him, stood, held out her hand, and led Ian up the stairs and into her room.
Chapter 11
Waking up with Lucy curled around him made Ian hard as a rock.The bed was smaller than his, but it kept them close, and he did like close where Lucy was concerned.Last night, loving her, learning her, making her scream his name or whisper it with tenderness ...it had shaken him up.
She stirred and rolled off of him.The covers slipped, allowing him to admire the smooth skin and the sexy curve of her back and hip as she stretched like a lazy cat in the afternoon sun.Then, she glanced over her shoulder, all sleepy-eyed, and smiled at him.
He rubbed his chest, wincing a little.
"You all right?"she asked, her brow creasing in concern.
"Fine."Needing a distraction, he pushed himself up to lean against the headboard.Her camera sat on the bedside table, so he grabbed it, turned it on, and began flipping through the most recent photographs as Lucy settled beside him, the sheets tucked under arms.
Wide panoramic views.Close-ups on small details that said so much about his home and the land."This is the way I see it," he said, amazed."I see these things everyday, see the beauty in them, and sometimes wonder if it's just me seeing it.But it's here.In your pictures."
The grin Lucy have him was blinding."They'll go well with the article.With my pictures and Riley's writing, we'll have every reader of The Ambler itching to make a reservation."
Ian leaned over and kissed her."Thank you."
