It’s exactly what I want, and yet why does it make me feel like crap?
“Good. Then I’m taking you back to the mountains.”
She doesn’t respond at first, then finally nods, smiling at me. “Aye. Yes, let’s do that. I’d like that. And bloody hell, how I’ve been yearning to see the Highlands. I’ve never been.”
I give her a quick squeeze.
“Excellent. Let’s go.”
“Mac?”
“Aye?”
“Do you have a bodyguard yourself? I mean, if you’re a member of the Cowen Clan…”
“Of course.”
“Are they with you tonight?”
“Not tonight, but I take them with me when I need to.”
“Right. Well, I’m texting mine now.” She narrates her texts aloud, so I can hear what she’s saying.
Bryn: There’s been a bit of a wrinkle. Seems it isn’t safe to go home. I told my father I was safe with you, so as far as everybody's concerned, that's where you are. I'll be home in the morning. Don't go back to the house until they tell you.
“Fair enough. Let’s go.”
The mood between us has changed, as we get into the car. There's no more of the eager anticipation that there was earlier in the night, or the sexy energy that crackled and burned like embers. Now there's more of a pregnant anticipation, a curiosity about what will happen next. It's my job to put her at ease.
"We've got a bit of a drive ahead of us. You’ve never driven up into the Highlands?"
She shakes her head. “I haven’t, but I’ve always wanted to.”
“It’s unfortunate it isn’t daytime. The view when it isn’t cloudy’s gorgeous.”
“I bet,” she says with a sigh. “Take me some time?”
“Absolutely.”
We drive in silence for a moment, her hand in mine as we navigate our way out of the city and toward the road that heads north, out of Inverness and to our private lodge in the mountains.
“There’s only one thing you ought to know, Bryn.”
“What’s that?”
“No one’s allowed to see our location. I’ll have to blindfold you when we get closer.”
She blinks, then grins. “And the plot gets kinkier and kinkier…”
I chuckle at that. “Think I ought to take advantage of you when you’re blindfolded?”
She grins. “I think I could get intothat.”
She isn’t nervous, then, or suspecting I had anything to do with this.
Even though I hadeverythingto do with this.
“I’ll remember that.” I give her knee a little pat, as if to remind her of the spanking she got earlier. She parts her legs.
