Highland Desire by Hildie McQueen

Highland Desire (Highland Temptations Book 4)
     
    Hildie McQueen
     
     
    "Your Englishman is here."
    Cailyn McDougall jerked her attention away from the brawling brothers to her cousin Dugan, who leaned halfway out the windo w , his gaze locked on what transpired below.
    She darted to where he stood and attempted to shove him aside, but the huge male refused to budg e . "It's Captain Westcott."
    "Oh, God." This time she succeeded in moving Dugan and peered down. The rider who approached was clearly Jamie Westcott.
    A loud crash sounded. Her brothers tumbled over a large settee, two of its legs now flattened. Surely they should have tired by now. "Stop it!" She screamed at them, and was promptly ignored.
    Cailyn hiked up her skirts and rounded the men, who now had hands wrapped around each other’s throats, while their wives attempted in vain to pull them apart.
    Hopefully they'd not notice her absence right away. Cailyn dashed down the wide stairwell of Somerset Keep, her childhood home, and through the great room out to the courtyard. At the open, expansive wooden door, she attempted to catch her breath, cursing the tight corset she wore. Hand over her brow, Cailyn shaded her eyes against the bright sunlight and squinted at the approaching party of men.
    With four escorts and many more of her clan smen following, the infamous privateer Captain Jamie Westcott's immense steed lumbered toward the keep. His wind-tussled auburn hair glistened, as did his green eyes when they met Cailyn’s.
    Her heart drummed faster under his regard. Cailyn motioned him with both arms to hurry and dismount, while glancing over her shoulder toward the keep. His brows scrunched together, he dismounted and stood next to his horse, holding the reins.
    "Hurry, Jamie, I must speak to you before my brothers come." Cailyn grabbed the reins from his hands and tossed them to one of his men. She then looked to a clansman, who watched with interest. "Captain Westcott is a friend of the family. Four of you can remain until the laird orders where they will sleep tonight. The rest of you return to whatever you were doing."
    Threading her arm through his, she tugged Jamie toward the keep. "Can you please walk faster?" she begged, now panting with the exertion of attempting to breathe against the tight contraption around her waist.
    "Are you trying to get me killed?" Jamie asked, as he hurried his pace. "I believe it is protocol for a visitor to wait for the laird to invite one in."
    Cailyn pulled him into the only room with a door that locked, her eldest brother's stud y , and slammed the door. She swung around to Jamie and placed her fisted hands on her hips. "I asked you to wait four days at the port. I also informed you that we'd travel ther e . Why did you come now?"
    Exasperation grew when he raised both brows and gave her an incredulous look. "You seriously expected me to sit back at the inn and wait patiently for whatever your clan planned to do with my sister?" He shook his head, “The only reason I waited three days was because I had some business to tend to.”
    Screams sounded, along with items crashing, and Jamie went toward the doorway. "Where is my sister?"
    Somehow Cailyn hoped to delay a meeting between the men upstairs and Jamie. At the moment, neither of her brothers were of a mind to attend to Jamie. She shuddered to think what would happen if he burst in and demanded to take his sister back to England.
    "She's not involved in what is happening," Cailyn held both hands out against his chest. "My brothers are having a disagreement."
    Although poised to rush out, he peered down at her with ill-concealed want. "I have thought about you. About our time together."
    Heat rushed to her face and Cailyn took a breath. "So have I."
    He pulled her against his muscled chest. "I thought about your kisses." Strong arms surrounded her, and Cailyn held her mouth up for him to take. When his lips fell on hers, she wrapped her arms around his neck.
    Soft,