Later that evening, Lea fed Flossie and let her out for a comfort walk. When she got back, the old dog began to snore almost as soon as she settled back in her wicker basket in front of the fire in the old Borthman’s study, a few doors away from the kitchen. There was a pet door in one of the back doors off the kitchen, but Flossie was too arthritic these days to get through it.It was sad to see the old girl’s decline. Lea had only been at Brathellae a couple of weeks when Angus McLaughlin brought Flossie home as a playful and needle-toothed puppy. She had often wondered if he had bought the dog to help her settle in. She had asked him once, but he’d dismissed the suggestion in a gruff and off-hand way.Lea had spent many a happy time playing with Flossie, brushing her silky coat, and taking her on walks about the estate, which had seemed so huge and terrifying when she had first arrived. But with the company of the ebullient puppy, it had suddenly become a home. A home she could not
Dave spent longer than he needed to choose a wine from the well-stocked Brathellae cellar. He remembered the bottle of vintage champagne he’d selected when he’d gotten engaged to Susannah. How excited he’d felt, how ready he’d felt for the commitment he’d made. He had imagined himself to be in love, and she was in love with him. He had been Lea’s age—twenty-six. Susannah had been two years younger, with a host of issues he had been completely oblivious to until it was too late. Mary had compelled him to settle down as soon as he could. With hindsight, he could see now how many signs he’d missed about the suitability of Susannah, even his own readiness for such a permanent commitment. He’d had no way of knowing how that night of celebrating his engagement would end less than a year later, in her death. How could he have been so ignorant of the demons she’d battled on a daily basis? What did that say about him? It said he wasn’t relationship material, that’s what it said. Or, at least
“Don’t say anything.” The pitch of his voice went down another notch, and he slid his other hand under the curtain of her hair, his eyes locked on hers.Every nerve tingled at his touch, and every cell in her body throbbed with awareness. His eyes were the deepest blue she had ever seen—bluer than the Brathellae loch at midnight, bluer than a midnight winter sky. He was still holding her left hand, the heat from his hand seeping into her body with the potency of a powerful narcotic. She was aware of every part of his hand where it touched hers—the pads of his fingertips, the latent strength of his fingers, the protective warmth of his palm.Lea forgot to breathe. She was transfixed by the slow descent of his mouth towards hers, spellbound by the clean, fresh scent of his warm breath, mesmerised by the magnetic force drawing her inexorably closer, closer, closer to his lips. It was as if she had been waiting her entire life for this to happen. She hadn’t been truly alive until now. She
Dave gave her hand another quick squeeze in time with the on-off movement of his lips, in a blink-and-you’d-miss-it smile. A smile that didn’t reach high enough to take the shadows out of his eyes. But then he let go of her hand and sat back in his chair and picked up his water glass and drained it, placing it back down with a definitive thud.What on earth was that?“Finish your dinner. We have a busy day tomorrow meeting with the lawyer to organise the legal paperwork. Rather than drive, I’ve taken the liberty of organising a flight from Inverness to Edinburgh.” His business-like tone and abrupt change of subject were disquieting and left her with far too many questions unanswered.She sighed. He was so near yet so far away, so very far away."Okay, no problem.” Lea wanted to know more about his relationship with his ex. She had idolised them as a couple, seeing them as a match made in heaven. Feeling jealous of the love they’d shared, hoping one day someone would love her in the sa
A couple of days after the legal work was completed in Edinburgh, Lea flew business class with Dave to the island of Maui in Hawaii. The luxury villa he’d organised for their short stay was situated at Kapalua Bay Beach, a gorgeous crescent of blindingly white sand, turquoise water, and palm trees. Lea felt as if she were living in a dream sequence—swept away to an exotic location by a handsome millionaire who was intent on marrying her as quickly as he could.But not for the romantic reasons her girlhood dreams had envisaged.The speed and efficiency with which Dave set about achieving a goal were nothing less than breathtaking. Lea barely had time to get her head around the idea of a beach wedding, let alone buy the appropriate attire for it, when she found herself standing on the balcony of the beautiful villa overlooking the ocean with just minutes to spare before the ceremony.Her wedding day. But it felt like she was about to swim in an ocean full of sharks.It was strange to th
Dave saw his guests out and came back to where Lea was sipping a glass of champagne on one of the sofas overlooking the ocean view. If he closed his eyes, he could take himself back to the moment of their kiss at the ceremony. Damn it—he didn’t even need to close his eyes. He could still taste the milk and honey sweetness of her mouth—he could still feel the thrum of lust deep in his body. He wasn't supposed to feel those emotions, he was supposed to make things civil and businesslike, but he couldn't help himself.He was relieved that he was good at concealing his emotions because that kiss had rocked him to the core. He hadn’t wanted it to end. He had lost track of where they were and why they were there. All he’d cared about and craved was the smooth, soft, sweet delicacy of her mouth moving against his. The shy playfulness of her tongue had sent a rocket blast of need to his groin. Triggering a need that was still humming in the background—a low, persistent hum he was doing his le
What the heck? Why had she drunk that second glass of champagne? Their beach wedding had got to her, that was why. She had been swept away by the romantic setting, swept away by Dave’s kiss. The kiss that had sent shivers up and down her spine and driven silly ideas into her head. Ideas of him wanting things to go further, of him wanting her. Not just physically but intellectually and emotionally.But Dave had drawn a line in the sand. Do not cross.It was there—so clear, so bright, so fucking visible.Lea plonked herself down on the bed in her room with a despondent sigh. She’d made a class-A fool of herself, practically begging Dave to kiss her. Shame washed through her at how gauche she had been—how unworldly and foolish to think he might want to tweak the rules of their relationship.But his kiss had been so genuine. So authentic. So powerfully passionate that she could feel it on her lips even now. She only had to close her eyes, and she was back there on the warm, grainy sand, w
Lea dressed for dinner later that evening with her mind still replaying their conversation on the terrace. When he’d come to join her, still dressed in nothing but his close-fitting swimming briefs, she had almost fainted on the spot with lust. And when he’d placed her hand on his bare thigh, it had been all she could do not to move it up higher. Her hand had tingled the whole time he’d held it.When he’d repeatedly stroked his thumb across her palm, a fluttery sensation had gone through her belly, and her female hormones went crazy. They were still going crazy. Her body was awake to needs it hadn’t been conscious of before. Needs that made her long to have his hands stroking other places on her body. Places where no one had ever touched her.Lea smoothed down the black all-in-one, spaghetti-strapped pantsuit that clung to her slim frame and widened at the legs in an elegant flare. It was a shame she couldn’t wear high heels, but the small kitten-heeled shoes were about as glamorous a