“There’s no rejection going on. Y’all and your flaws are still welcome in my bed anytime.”
He reached up and cupped her face in his hand. “And that makes me a very lucky chap, indeed.” He stroked her cheek with his thumb. “But I want more than that, lass.”
“More?” She blinked in confusion. “Look, I’m not into bondage.”
He smiled. “Neither am I.”
“Then what is it y’all want?”
His smile faded and his gaze intensified. “A mate, Luna.”
Her body vibrated as if she’d touched a bare electrical wire. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. A mate? She must have misunderstood.
He took her face in both hands and looked into her eyes. “I know why you’re confused. I’ve done a fine job of convincing you we don’t belong together. So now I have to convince you that we do. Let’s start with this.” He lowered his mouth to hers.
As a persuasive technique, it worked like a charm. After a few seconds of the loveliest kiss he’d ever given her, she was willing to believe anything he said.
He ended the kiss slowly and raised his head. His smile was heartbreakingly tender. “I love you. And I mean to reform so that you’ll love me back.”
“But I already do.” She clutched his shoulders and prayed this wasn’t a dream, but he felt very real.
His eyes filled with joy. “I can’t imagine why that’s so, but I’d be a bloody fool to question it.” He started to kiss her again.
“Wait! What about Scotland?”
“Scotland?”
“You’re the Much Honoured Laird of Glenbarra!”
“So I am. And I may need to make regular trips there, even if Duncan takes on more responsibility for the place. But I won’t ask you to leave the island. I know how much it means to you.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Just try leaving without me, mister.”
“You’d want to go?”
“Providing y’all would want me there.” Belatedly she realized she might not be totally welcome.
“I do. I’ll be proud to introduce you as my mate and the Lady of Glenbarra.”
“But I won’t be the one they would have chosen.”
“No.” His expression hopeful, he met her gaze. “At least not at first. But if you’re willing to make trips over there, we could work together to open some minds, and that would be a good thing. I realize I’m asking a lot of you, but—”
“I’m up to it.” As she said that, she knew it was true. She no longer needed constant contact with this island. It could serve as her base as she helped her newly tolerant mate spread even more tolerance in his homeland. “Y’all once told me I might be destined for more than a secluded life on Le Floret.”
“And so you are, my lady.” His lips hovered over hers.
“My lady. I like the sound of that.”
“I’m glad.” He brushed her lips with his.
“Think of it. I’m going to have a Scottish title.”
He lifted his head and grinned at her. “If I’d known you’d be so taken with the idea, I would have started with that instead of listing all my failings.”
“What failings?”
He laughed. “Now, lass, I’m not perfect and you well know it.”
“Y’all are perfect…perfect for me.” And to prove it, she pulled him down for the steamiest kiss in her short but extremely eventful kissing history.
Epilogue
Opening weekend at the Whittier Inn could have turned into a disaster, but Colin had agreed with Luna that they should invite all the major players, including her grandparents and as many of the Trevelyan pack as could make it, including George. On top of that, Colin had decided to go for broke and invite Duncan and his mother, Brigit.
His father was too ill to make the trip, but Duncan and his mother had arrived right on schedule, eager to meet the half-breed Were Colin had claimed as his mate. He’d told his mother everything and had let her decide how much to tell his father. He suspected she hadn’t revealed much.
But none of that mattered on this bright August day as the guests gathered outside for the croquet tournament Luna had organized as an ice breaker. Colin stayed in the background, content to watch his lady shine. And shine she did, moving through the crowd in her bright flowered dress.
Guests, including his mother and brother, buzzed around her like bees seeking nectar. Colin understood. He wanted to do the same, but he resisted the urge. Later tonight he would have his turn. He could wait.
Hector, looking sporty in a polo shirt and crisp navy slacks, sauntered over to where Colin stood. “So she talked you into wearing your kilt, I see.”
“Aye.” Colin didn’t add that Luna could talk him into anything, anything at all. Hector probably knew that already. “Thank you for agreeing to mingle with the guests. I know it’s not your favorite thing to do.”
Hector chuckled. “It seems to mean a lot to her. And it’s not so bad. In fact, it’s good to see how some of those boys turned out.”
“Hors d’oeuvres, gentlemen?” Dulcie, dressed in a sequined top and tight white pants, appeared bearing a tray of bite-sized delicacies Janet had spent the afternoon creating.
“Thanks, Dulcie.” Colin picked up a still-warm pastry that oozed fragrant cheese.
Hector helped himself to a cracker with a swirled topping. “Don’t mind if I do.” Then he reached down with his free hand and pinched Dulcie’s bottom.
“Hector, you old reprobate!” Dulcie pretended outrage, but her color was high and her eyes sparkled.
“Catch you later, Dulce.” Hector winked at her.
“Only if you’re fast enough, Hec.” She walked away, hips swaying.
“I’ll pretend I didn’t see that,” Colin said.
“Hell, at my age, I don’t care who sees it. I’m just grateful that I still have lead in my pencil.”
Colin almost choked on his cheese-filled pastry.
“Don’t hurt yourself, son.”
“Right.” Colin swallowed the last of the pastry and wiped the moisture from his eyes.
“By the way, I’m also grateful that you and Luna haven’t instituted any rules against fraternizing among the staff members.”
“Would it matter if we did?”
Hector shrugged. “Not really. We’d just get sneaky about it.”
“That’s what I thought.”
“The dynamic around here is better, now that Dulcie and I have something going. Sexual frustration makes folks cranky. I do believe I suffered from that problem a bit, although I doubt anyone noticed.”
“I doubt they did.” Colin controlled the urge to laugh. The rest of the staff was overjoyed that prickly Hector had been replaced by mellow Hector. Dulcie seemed quite happy with the turn of events, too.
“It’s all coming together,” Hector said. “Sybil’s ready to take over temporarily when you and Luna are in Scotland, and Janet gets a kick out of bossing her new recruits in the kitchen.” He paused. “Geraldine would have loved this.”
Luna walked over, smiling as she approached. “What would Geraldine have loved?”
“All of it.” Hector swept an arm to encompass a landscape filled with cheerful guests against a backdrop of green grass, flowers, the bright sea, and a magnificent castle. “She intended to fill this place with family, and when that didn’t happen, I don’t think she knew how to correct the situation.” He gazed at Luna. “But you did.”
Luna flushed with obvious pleasure. “Thank the Laird of Glenbarra for taking a chance on me.”
Colin knew an opening when he heard one. Walking toward her, he held out his hand. “And I want to thank the Lady of Glenbarra for taking an even bigger chance…” He drew her close. “On me.”
“Ah, go ahead and kiss her,” Hector said. “It’ll do you both good.”
“I believe it will, at that.” Leaning down, Colin savored the sweetness of Luna’s mouth for as long as he dared. Then he drew back. “Later, la
ss.”
With a knowing smile, she returned to her guests.
“See?” Hector gave him a sly wink. “Nice to know you have lead in your pencil, isn’t it?”
“Yes.” Colin willed his erection to subside. “Except when you’re wearing a bloody kilt.”
Hector’s laughter was contagious, and soon Colin was laughing with him. Yes, he thought, Geraldine would have loved this. All of it.
But Wait, There’s More!
Coming June 2018!
It’s Woofers versus Howlers when rival Were leaders Duncan MacDowell and Kate Stillman face off in WEREWOLF IN DENVER, book four in the Wild About You series.
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Praise for Vicki’s werewolf series
“Sizzling as well as howlingly funny.”
Fresh Fiction
“Enough heated sex scenes to satisfy any werewolf romance fan.”
Publisher’s Weekly
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Also by Vicki Lewis Thompson
Wild About You
Werewolf in Manhattan
Werewolf in the North Woods
Werewolf in Seattle
The McGavin Brothers
A Cowboy’s Strength
A Cowboy’s Honor
A Cowboy’s Return
A Cowboy’s Heart
A Cowboy’s Courage
A Cowboy’s Christmas
A Cowboy’s Kiss
A Cowboy’s Luck
A Cowboy’s Charm
Thunder Mountain Brotherhood
Midnight Thunder
Thunderstruck
Rolling Like Thunder
A Cowboy Under the Mistletoe
Cowboy All Night
Cowboy After Dark
Cowboy Untamed
Cowboy Unwrapped
In the Cowboy’s Arms
Say Yes to the Cowboy
Do You Take This Cowboy?
Sons of Chance
Wanted!
Ambushed!
Claimed!
Should've Been a Cowboy
Cowboy Up
Cowboys Like Us
Long Road Home
Lead Me Home
Feels Like Home
I Cross My Heart
Wild at Heart
The Heart Won't Lie
Cowboys and Angels
Riding High
Riding Hard
Riding Home
A Last Chance Christmas
About the Author
New York Times bestselling author Vicki Lewis Thompson has such a great time writing romance novels that she’s published more than a hundred of them and has no intention of throwing in the towel. That’s despite being awarded a Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award by Romance Writers of America. If that was a signal to quit, she’s not paying attention.
Connect with Vicki online!
VickiLewisThompson.com
[email protected]
Werewolf in Seattle Page 28
