Her heart pounded. Her throat had gone paper dry. But she didn't want him to stop. "On what?"
"Things that could lead to happily ever after."
"Oh."
Dev tried not to smile at the shocked and confused expression on Kate's face. She blinked, frowned, and then gnawed on her bottom lip. He was growing fond of that habit, finding it intensely sexy. But then, he found everything about Kate sexy. She was a blue-eyed beauty with a body that'd make the god's weep. She was funny and sharp and not afraid to speak her mind. Independent. Strong.
It was clear she was having a tough time wrapping her head around his words. He liked that about her, that he could read her so easily, that he'd never have to look at her and wonder about her mood. They'd make some headstrong kids—oh, hell. He did not just think that. Jesus. He plowed his fingers through his hair and let out a low, even breath. His palms were sweating and he felt shaky inside.
Devin tried to be patient. He wanted her to ask him what he meant by his words so that he could explain more, but she stayed silent and had gone pale. And now he was so shaken, he wasn't sure he could continue.
Panic swept through him. He'd thought this was a good idea. He truly believed what he said—he didn't want to waste time. He knew what he wanted. He knew what he felt. And it didn't have to be complicated. Unless she made it complicated, which would mean she was scared.
Kate let out a semi-crazed laugh and rubbed both hands down her face. "Oh my God." Then she parked her gaze on him with a rather blunt look. "Are you for real?"
Well, at least she didn't sound scared. He'd take that as a good sign. "What do you think?"
"I think I barely know you."
"Bull." Her back went straight and fire came into her eyes with blinding speed. It made him want to plant a kiss right on that frowning mouth of hers, but instead he gave it to her straight. "What we don't know are the small details, the stories that make up our lives. But I know you, Kate. And you know me too. I'm not a great speaker, I can't even put it all into words. Sometimes you just know."
He wanted to rub his chest. It burned, and there was a lightness in his head that was making him a little queasy. Maybe he shouldn't have eaten so much. But, goddamn it, he was not going to look away. He wanted her to see the truth in his eyes.
Her intense scrutiny lasted what felt like hours. It was like she was trying to see into his soul, pick apart his words, find even a crumb of insincerity. And then her gaze went soft and vulnerable. "What are you saying?" she finally asked.
Fear slid inside, grabbing his throat in a hard grip. Maybe he should have been careful what he wished for. The night seemed to pause, waiting, like her. Only the snap and pop of the fire, and the dance of the flames went on unaffected. A wet nose nudged his hand. He glanced down and met Hildie's trusting eyes. He slid his hand over her soft head as she lay down and rested her chin on his leg. She had his back. He'd be fine.
"What I'm saying, is that I'm falling for you, Kate." He winced. "No."
"No?"
"I'm not falling. I've already hit the ground." He played with Hildie's ears, pretty sure he was fucking it up in the worst way. "You could try to look a little less horrified."
She blinked, gaped, and then a blush spread across her cheeks. "Jesus, MacLaren. I'm not horrified. Okay, maybe a little. But it's not a bad thing," she rushed to reassure him.
"I'm pretty sure horror and good don't go together. Ever."
"How could you have fallen for me?" she blurted in a high, edgy voice.
He was a wreck, but Kate was about to have a nervous breakdown. Dev gave Hildie one last pat and then crawled across the blanket and sat in front of Kate. He shoved a strand of bangs behind her ear and smiled. "It's done. Accept it. Accept me."
If it was possible her gaze grew even bigger and Dev found himself lost in the tumultuous emotions swimming in a sea of blue. His hand cupped her cheek. Damn it. He hadn't meant to make her cry. But then she leaned in, let her forehead rest against his, and released a ragged sigh, her shoulders relaxing. Her hands came up and grabbed his face.
She pulled back to look at him. God, if she didn't say it back now he was done for. "You're crazy." He shrugged. Couldn't argue with that. She kissed him so sweetly he thought his chest would burst. "But I know who you are, Devin. I know who you are, and I want my happily ever after."
The relief that came was so great it knocked him off balance. "Thank God." He fell back, wrapping Kate in his arms and taking her with him.
Kate stared up at the dark sky, Devin's breathing deep and steady as he slept beside her. Her thoughts were all over the place. Where they'd live. How they'd manage. What she'd do about an income. If she thought too deeply, worry set in and then she'd stopped herself.
No. They'd make it work.
Devin was right. Life was too short to live in fear, to let worry drop roadblocks at your feet. They'd face each challenge as it came. She did know him. As weird as it was to consider and believe and act upon, she did. With every fiber, she knew his heart, the kind of man he was.
Hildie and Terry slept at their feet. Kate rose onto her elbows and glanced down at them. Yeah, she had a plan. Training service dogs. There was space here, two dogs to get her started, to help her learn, and a man who'd loved having a kennel full of furry friends. Amazing how her life had gone from total ruin to the beginnings of something wonderful.
Dragging her gaze from the dogs, she studied the length of Devin's body. Flat on his back, one arm thrown over his stomach, one leg bent. She could eyeball him all day long. The man was a powerhouse of masculinity and had a near inexhaustible carnal appetite. She was pretty sure there was kinky side in there, too. It was always the quiet ones, she thought with a smile.
She'd found her Highlander and he was so much more than Alastair Stewart from Double H. So much more. And sometimes real life was better than fiction. Who knew?
* * *
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UP NEXT IN THE
MACLARENS OF BALMORIE SERIES:
THE TROUBLE WITH KILTS
(James & Riley, Book 3)
Available Now!
(Excerpt on the following page)
Riley Brooks' life is in a tailspin. With divorce papers shoved into her suitcase, she takes off for Balmorie Estate to see her cousin Lucy wed Ian MacLaren. Love is in the air, but she wants none of it. Neither does Jamie MacLaren. The Scottish farmer is pissed off and bitter, and wants to be left alone. But when Riley's ex-husband shows up at the castle to reopen old wounds, misery loves company, and Riley and Jamie join forces with a little Scottish whisky to ease their hurts, and maybe open their hearts….
ANY SCOT OF MINE
(Harper & Ross, Book 4)
Available Now!
It's been twelve years since Ross MacLaren saw Harper Dean. Now, she's come from Kentucky to Scotland to take back what she claims is rightfully hers—her father's lost whisky-making recipes. Ross has no intention of giving the woman who broke his teenage heart anything at all. But Harper has other ideas and getting around a six-foot-three wall of outright refusal is nothing to a country girl. Determined to win, she's not giving up, even if that means a little criminal activity is in order...
The Trouble
With Kilts Excerpt
Book 3 in the MacLarens of Balmorie series
Chapter One
"A bonny lass alone at the bar. Isn't right," Hamish said with a friendly smile as he took a seat and ordered a drink. "What's the world coming to?"
Riley shrugged, toasted his glass with her own, and then downed her third straight shot of whisky. "Beautiful wedding," she commented, watching the reception. It was winding down now, the bride and groom—her cousin Lucy and cousin-in-law Ian—having already left for their honeymoon.
"Aye, that it was," Hamish agreed. "Have never seen the chapel look like that before with all those white flowers and candles, the snow outside…"
It had been one of the most romantic, intimate weddings Riley had ever seen. Like a dream. The five-hundred-year-old MacLaren chapel, the groom and his two best men/brothers in honest-to-goodness kilts, the bride so pretty it made Riley cry before the wedding had even started.
Yeah, a dream. A wonderful freaking dream.
She was ecstatic for both of her cousins, amazed that Lucy and then Kate had gone to Scotland and found love. But weddings and happily-ever-after? Not in the cards for her. She was done. Her marriage was done, no matter how hard she'd fought to save it. Divorce papers had arrived the morning she'd left New York for Scotland. They were still in the envelope tucked in the bottom of her suitcase.
It was a failure that stung her soul, and one that fed the bitterness already growing inside her.
Hamish turned in his seat, resting his back against the bar to watch the small gathering in the Great Hall. "Suppose they're next." He gestured to Kate and Devin slow dancing along with a few other couples.
Riley smiled at the picture they presented. Kate looked amazing in the champagne-colored bridesmaid gown, her black hair setting off the color to perfection. And Devin, the broad-shouldered hunk, only had eyes for Kate. Their dogs, Hildie and Terry, lay by the massive hearth at the far end of the hall chewing on dog bones. "I wouldn't be surprised if they eloped. Kate's never one to do things the traditional way."
Hamish snorted, obviously finding the idea of elopement appalling. "Fran will have none of that."
A laugh escaped her. Fran and him both apparently.
Riley glanced over her shoulder and signaled to the bartender for another shot. She could feel Hamish's eyes on her and knew if she looked his way she'd see concern and, most likely, a frown peeking through that bushy red beard of his. So she avoided meeting his gaze and instead turned back to watch the reception.
"I know ye've suffered a nasty break, lass. But dinnae let it get ye down. Have some fun. Half the MacLaren clan turned out and a good lot of the American side too. And ye have ta admit, the lads here are a decent-looking lot."
She couldn't argue with that. There were several impressive men in attendance. Most in kilts. A few, she had to agree, were pretty damn attractive. There was a time in her life that being in Scotland, in a Scottish castle, among men in kilts would have made her inner romance-loving self squeal like a happy pig in a mud spa.
"I ken yer not in the market for a husband, but ye can still have a wee bit of fun. Get out there and dance." He flung his arm toward the reception, nearly choking on the sight of Grammy Lin squeezing the ass of a grinning old Scotsman as they danced. "Dear God."
"Oh, geez." Riley took her drink from the bar, downed it, and hopped off the stool. "Pretend you didn't see that. I swear, can't take her anywhere."
Hamish laughed. "I do like yer grandmother. She's got the right idea, and ole Fergus doesna seem ta mind."
"No," she paused, realizing. "He doesn't." This was, in fact, the happiest she'd seen her grandmother in a long, long time. And while it made Riley glad, it made the present difference in their emotional states all the more stark. "Think I'll get some fresh air."
"Take a coat, lass. Tis cold out there."
With a nod and a smile, she left the makeshift bar area, wondering if this was going to be her life. Single forever. Watching from the wings. Bitter. Unhappy. Companion to her grandmother. The two old spinsters. Maybe Hamish was right. Maybe she needed to let loose and have a little fun. God knew, she was well on her way to being drunk—and there was nothing like a rugged Highlander with a sexy accent to put her over the edge and make her forget her troubles.
Hell, Liam MacLaren had been trying to make a move on her all night. He was twenty-six, smoking hot, and completely shameless. She was seven years older, but it may as well have been a hundred. Her life experiences, the things she'd gone through made her feel tired and ancient.
She'd been separated from Mark since last summer, since begging Lucy to go to Balmorie Estate in her place so she could go to Aspen and try to work things out with her husband. Riley loved her job as a travel writer, but she'd loved Mark more. She'd taken a risk, convincing Lucy to go in her place. She could have gotten fired over it. And in the end, nothing had turned out the way she'd hoped. Mark had crushed her in Aspen, listing all her faults in the most minute detail, his voice sounding so disgusted with her, so hateful. The things he'd said had eviscerated her confidence, her worth. And then to drive the knife in further, he'd told her he'd found someone else, someone not her, someone perfect.
The only thing that had turned out as planned? The article she'd written for Balmorie's castle turned guest house was one of The Ambler's most popular to date. Lucy's photograph of the castle had even made the front cover of the magazine.
And Lucy had found love.
Almost seven months had gone by. And now here she was skirting around the enormous hall, through the conservatory, and out into the late November night. The bridesmaid dress offered little warmth—a strapless number with a fitted bodice, empire waist, and flowing knee-length chiffon skirt over satin. The champagne color went perfectly with the white and cream-colored candles and flowers that adorned the chapel. The dress had come with a faux fur shoulder wrap in white, which Riley had left lying across a chair in the hall. With the alcohol flowing through her veins and making her warm, she didn't need it.
The wide patio had been swept clear of snow, but she took her time, being careful in the strappy heels. It was quiet outside—the muted echoes of music from the hall seeming far away—and dark, the sky clear and black, the stars as bright as the moonlit snow. Riley had more than once reflected on how beautiful it was here, how she wished she could live in a place like this. It sure made the hustle and bustle of New York seem like another world. A world and life she was, maybe, getting tired of.
She wrapped her arms around her waist and stopped at the stone wall. While the alcohol helped to keep her warm, it also, unfortunately, made her emotional. And tonight, above all nights, she didn't want to cry. Not at her cousin's wedding.
Sniffling, she drew in an arctic breath and hugged herself tightly.
She was lonely. Lonely and confused and lost.
And she was tired of everyone being gentle and understanding with her, walking on eggshells. She appreciated their concern and thoughtfulness, but she was starting to feel like a charity case. Only James, Ian and Devin's younger brother, hadn't shown her any deferential treatment. Not that he was mean. He just didn't seem to care either way.
"Here, put this on."
Startled, she turned to find James pulling off his jacket.
She frowned. The last thing she wanted was to be in the presence of the gloriously hot and usually pissed-off veteran. James had a chip on his shoulder a mile wide. According to Lucy and Kate, he hadn't always been this way. He'd been something of a wild child, the quick-witted, sarcastic, devil. The kind of man who could smile a certain way at a woman and lustful thoughts instantly filled her mind. He still had a wicked vibe surrounding him, but now it lacked the spark Lucy had told her about.
Couldn't blame him.
No one could.
Riley glanced down at the artificial limb and then away. The guy had stood up as one of Ian's best men, in a kilt with the slick-looking carbon fiber leg replacing what he'd lost below the
knee. Riley couldn't begin to imagine what he'd gone through and how he struggled to re-adjust to life outside of the military and then to life as an amputee. He'd only been back at Balmorie for a month or so, having spent the last several back in the States recovering, going through therapy, and finally being fitted for his prosthetic. Shortly after Kate had fallen in love with Devin, word had reach the MacLarens that James had been wounded in combat. Both brothers had flown to Germany to be with James, and then Devin had accompanied him back to their mother's home in North Carolina, where they'd grown up.
From what Riley knew, the entire family had rallied around James.
And, apparently, according to what Lucy had told her, he'd become a different man.
James MacLaren radiated a hardness, even when he was smiling. There was an edge about him. A determination, a stubbornness. And every time Riley was around him, it made her uncomfortable. His energy, the sharp, accessing blue eyes—like two hot lasers that cut through anything and everything—made her blood pressure rise. She didn't like him. Didn't like the way he towered over her and filled wherever he was with an all-consuming presence.
When she didn't take the jacket, he put it around her shoulders. "You're welcome." His deep voice made goose bumps rise on her arms.
"Thanks," she replied tightly, wishing she was alone and that his jacket didn't smell so freaking good. How she missed the smell of a man... "What are you doing out here?"
He stared over the wall at the white landscape and the black loch beyond. "Same as you, I reckon." He tossed a glance back to the house, the windows glowing with warm light. "And escaping your Grammy Lin. She keeps asking me what's under my kilt."
A Scot Like You (The MacLarens of Balmorie, 2) Page 8
