Page 27 of Highland Steel

“Haggis,” he said, sounding proud of the dish.

Blaine quickly grabbed the bowl of oats from her brother. “Give it back,” she said.

Logan laughed.

“Aye, my family knows what haggis is, since we tried it in the Lowlands on the way up here,” said Rhoswen. “Once Blaine found out what it was made of, she decided she didn’t like it anymore.” Rhoswen pushed her bowl of food over to her brother. “Here,” she said. “I’m not really hungry. You can have mine.”

She stood up and brushed off her clothes. Logan liked the way she looked wearing the clan plaid.

“I’m going to go over to the fire and see if our clothes are dry yet,” she announced.

Logan shot up off the bench and escorted her to the door. “Ye look bonnie wearin’ the clan plaid,” he said so only she could hear him.

“Do you really think so?” She looked down at the plaid, straightened it out and then glanced up at him. Her eyes interlocked with his. Logan felt his heart skip a beat. When he looked into her eyes, it was as if he could see through the translucent blue, all the way to her very soul.

“I do,” he said, reaching out and brushing back a stray lock of ebony hair. He saw her eyes close and her head tilt to the side when he did it. He also noticed the rise and fall of her breasts, so he knew that she liked it. He liked it, too. Logan longed to dip down and kiss her pink lips, but he couldn’t do that here. He had to get her alone first. “Why dinna we take a walk along the water before we check the clothes.”

Her eyes opened. “Why?” she asked, sounding suspicious.

“No reason. I just thought ye’d want to see more of the Highlands while ye’re here. I mean . . . ye said it was bonnie.”

“Oh. Of course,” she answered, flashing him a smile. “Let’s go.”

He opened the door for her and guided her with his hand at the small of her back. It felt good touching her for some reason. He didn’t understand why. He’d had his share of women, and it wasn’t as if he were filled with lust and needed a release. Nay, it was different with Rhoswen. Something about her and her sad story touched his heart. He honestly wanted to help her and her siblings. Or mayhap he just didn’t want her to leave.

They strolled down to the shore together, making small talk. It all felt natural, not forced.

“Your clan all seems so friendly,” she commented.

“Aye. They are.”

“But I don’t think your chieftain likes me much. And I’m not sure about your father either.”

“Oh, nay, that’s no’ so,” he said. “They are just bein’ protective of the clan.”

“And suspicious.”

Logan picked up a flat rock and tossed it up into the air, catching it in one hand. “Mayhap. But they’re only like that because ye mentioned the Drummonds.”

He skipped the rock on the water and it made ten hops before it sank.

“That looks like fun. I want to try it.” She bent down and found a rock and flung it into the water. With a big plop it sank down without skipping at all. She frowned. “I guess I’m no good at this.”

“That’s because ye just dinna ken how to do it,” he told her, bending down and choosing a rock. “And yer rock wasna flat enough. “Here’s a guid one,” he said, picking up the stone. “It needs to be flat, smooth, and have some weight to it. Plus, it needs to fit in yer hand. And it’s extra guid if its shape is triangular like this one. Here. Feel the surface for yerself.” He held out the stone in his open palm.

Rhoswen reached out and ran the tips of her fingers over the stone. “It’s smooth,” she said.

“Give it a guid feel, lass.”

Before she could try again, Logan took her hand in his, and gently laid her open fingers over the stone. “Feel that?” he asked, grasping her hand in his and making the motion of petting the top of the stone.

“I – I feel it,” she said, looking at his big hand over hers. A flit of excitement ran through her. His hand was warm. It was big and rough-looking but he was very gentle.

“It takes years of practice to get it to skip six times. I’m the champion of the MacKeefe Clan at rock skippin’. If there was an award for it, I’d win.”

“I see,” she answered with a giggle. He seemed so proud of being the champ. It was only a rock!

“Let me show ye how it’s done. Then, in no time, ye’ll be able to get at least a hop or two from the stone.”