A Highland Home A Contemporary Highland Romance Book Two by Cali MacKay Page B
Authors: Cali MacKay
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right now.” She cupped his cheek and gave him a lingering kiss. “Couldn’t we just take it a day at a time? It’s just that I need to find my father, I’ve got the gallery to open, and to be honest, I’m still feeling burned after Stephen.”
“Aye, love, I know ye have a lot going on, but truth is I don’t tend to be very laid back with this sort of thing.” He gave her a shy smile. “I’m sure ye know by now how I feel about ye.”
A smile sprung to her lips as she thought of those kisses, his flirting, how protective he was of her, and how he did everything he could to help her. None of it was done lackadaisically or halfhearted, but rather with his full enthusiasm and attention. “Yeah, I sort of noticed, and to be honest, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Except…”
“I know, lass. It’s just a bit too much for ye at the moment.”
“Angus… I don’t want to give up what we have between us.” She thought of his kisses, how he touched her, and how much she wanted him, thought of what it would be like to have that sort of intensity and dedication when sharing someone’s bed. “Are you sure you can’t do casual?”
“I’ve ne’er tried.” He looked lost in thought, as if thinking things through. “Honestly? I think we could call it casual, but in the end I’d still fall head over heels for ye. And what then, love?”
She was tempted to take a chance, but the thought of hurting Angus if the relationship got to be too much for her, had her taking a step back. “Forget I said anything. It was a bad idea. Probably best if I go.”
When she got to her feet, he took her hand. “Och, love, will ye not stay a bit longer? It’s still relatively early, and I could do with the company. Maybe we could just take things slow. Ye ne’er know-we might find yer father and get yer gallery done in no time at all, and then we’d have no reason to stay apart-unless ye found ye wanted to. But this way, it’d give me time to court ye as ye make up yer mind, without things going too far.”
“Slow? Not casual?” She supposed there was a difference.
“Aye, love. Slow.” Angus brushed his thumb across her lips, his eyes locked on hers. “We’d take our time-get to know each other better. ‘Cause I can’t do casual. I can’t fall into bed with ye and then pretend it was no more important than having a pint at the pub.”
She pursed her lips to keep from laughing, while mulling things over. It might work. That way, things wouldn’t get very far and if they fell apart, there’d be a better chance of their friendship surviving. “I’m willing to give it a try, though you might need to take the lead on this one. I’m afraid I’ve never really done slow before.”
“I like taking the lead.” He twined his fingers with hers and brought her hand to his lips.
There was just one thing she needed to know-and she always felt awkward asking. “Just so we’re both clear, what does this mean with regards to dating other people? I’m fine either way, but nothing ruins things faster than that sort of misunderstanding, and after Stephen, I don’t want any surprises.”
His thumb ran lazy circles on the back of her hand. “I’m not terribly good with sharing, but I also want ye to be happy. So we’ll keep it to just the two us, but if ye find that ye’d like to date another, I’d appreciate ye telling me in advance-and I’ll do the same.”
What was good for the goose… “I can live with that.”
“Then we should seal it with a kiss, aye?” Cupping her cheek, his eyes softened and he leaned in to kiss her in a slow and most thorough manner. Just as she deepened their kiss, he pulled back, his fingers knotted in her hair and his breath heavy. “We’re taking it slow, love. That’s what we agreed on, no?”
That kiss left her with a pulsing need that had quickly moved south. Taking things slow would all but kill her. “We did, it’s just that I don’t know how good I’m going to
“Aye, love, I know ye have a lot going on, but truth is I don’t tend to be very laid back with this sort of thing.” He gave her a shy smile. “I’m sure ye know by now how I feel about ye.”
A smile sprung to her lips as she thought of those kisses, his flirting, how protective he was of her, and how he did everything he could to help her. None of it was done lackadaisically or halfhearted, but rather with his full enthusiasm and attention. “Yeah, I sort of noticed, and to be honest, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Except…”
“I know, lass. It’s just a bit too much for ye at the moment.”
“Angus… I don’t want to give up what we have between us.” She thought of his kisses, how he touched her, and how much she wanted him, thought of what it would be like to have that sort of intensity and dedication when sharing someone’s bed. “Are you sure you can’t do casual?”
“I’ve ne’er tried.” He looked lost in thought, as if thinking things through. “Honestly? I think we could call it casual, but in the end I’d still fall head over heels for ye. And what then, love?”
She was tempted to take a chance, but the thought of hurting Angus if the relationship got to be too much for her, had her taking a step back. “Forget I said anything. It was a bad idea. Probably best if I go.”
When she got to her feet, he took her hand. “Och, love, will ye not stay a bit longer? It’s still relatively early, and I could do with the company. Maybe we could just take things slow. Ye ne’er know-we might find yer father and get yer gallery done in no time at all, and then we’d have no reason to stay apart-unless ye found ye wanted to. But this way, it’d give me time to court ye as ye make up yer mind, without things going too far.”
“Slow? Not casual?” She supposed there was a difference.
“Aye, love. Slow.” Angus brushed his thumb across her lips, his eyes locked on hers. “We’d take our time-get to know each other better. ‘Cause I can’t do casual. I can’t fall into bed with ye and then pretend it was no more important than having a pint at the pub.”
She pursed her lips to keep from laughing, while mulling things over. It might work. That way, things wouldn’t get very far and if they fell apart, there’d be a better chance of their friendship surviving. “I’m willing to give it a try, though you might need to take the lead on this one. I’m afraid I’ve never really done slow before.”
“I like taking the lead.” He twined his fingers with hers and brought her hand to his lips.
There was just one thing she needed to know-and she always felt awkward asking. “Just so we’re both clear, what does this mean with regards to dating other people? I’m fine either way, but nothing ruins things faster than that sort of misunderstanding, and after Stephen, I don’t want any surprises.”
His thumb ran lazy circles on the back of her hand. “I’m not terribly good with sharing, but I also want ye to be happy. So we’ll keep it to just the two us, but if ye find that ye’d like to date another, I’d appreciate ye telling me in advance-and I’ll do the same.”
What was good for the goose… “I can live with that.”
“Then we should seal it with a kiss, aye?” Cupping her cheek, his eyes softened and he leaned in to kiss her in a slow and most thorough manner. Just as she deepened their kiss, he pulled back, his fingers knotted in her hair and his breath heavy. “We’re taking it slow, love. That’s what we agreed on, no?”
That kiss left her with a pulsing need that had quickly moved south. Taking things slow would all but kill her. “We did, it’s just that I don’t know how good I’m going to
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