hair over her scalp. She’d always loved that.
Rolling her head on her shoulders, her eyelids fluttered as her hand settled upon his shoulder. He angled her head just so. Kiss me now, sweet Bethia. It was a demand he kept to himself with no small effort. Finn, be damned. Calum would never have hesitated to kiss her now.
He felt her go still beneath his hands. Saw her chest rise in a slow, deep inhale. Sensed her breasts grow full and flush.
She gazed at him with dilated pupils. “Calum, I don’t think — ”
“Don’t think, lass.”
Her chin lifted, her lips parted —
“Do you need another size in there,” came a clipped voice from outside the fitting room. “There are people waiting, you know.”
“No, he’s fine.” Beth pushed against his chest, but he didn’t move. “Calum, we have to go. Move.”
“I don’t think so. You were about to kiss me.”
She ducked under his arm. “I wasn’t going to kiss you.” Even she must have noticed the lack of conviction in that denial. “I wasn’t.” Firmly said that time. “I have a boyfriend, remember? If you were a gentleman, you’d respect that.”
“Beth, if I wasn’t a gentleman, you’d be naked right now.”
She swallowed hard and left him alone with his cashmere and his disappointment.
Chapter 13
The Fantasy Warrior Made Me Do It
They returned to the hotel at about eight to shower and dress for dinner.
“You are lovely, lass. I don’t mind the look of you in those trousers, but you are a thousandfold more beautiful in a gown.” By the adoration in his eyes, Beth felt beautiful in the black and white tartan dress.
He wore the form–fitting black cashmere sweater and twill pants, and he hadn’t shaved his sexy–as–hell beard. The man looked spectacular. She should stop staring. “Thanks, Calum. You cleaned up pretty good too.”
Beth grabbed the black wrap that matched her dress. Calum offered her his arm, and they left the hotel room.
Dinner was fabulous with softly lit ambience and conversation that flowed easily. Afterwards, Calum suggested a horse–drawn carriage ride. They walked over to the buggy queue where he chose a spotted grey horse that nickered at his touch then rubbed its head against his muscled arm. Definitely a female, Beth thought. She noticed he paid the driver extra to forgo the guided tour. Interesting. No interruptions, no more history lessons. Just Calum’s undivided attention.
He offered his hand to step up into the carriage. Two steps and she was settled on the leather seat.
“You’ve been entertaining me all day with your storytelling,” he said, “painting me a picture of your life. Perhaps you’d care to hear a folk story from mine.”
“I would love to hear a story.” If truth be told, that accent of his was so sexy, she’d be happy to listen to him all night.
“Very good. Are you comfortable then?”
“Yes, quite.”
He gave her a heart–stopping smile and the tale began. “A long time ago there was a beautiful young girl named Janet who lived in Scotland. She was a striking lass, her hair shone gold in the sunlight just like yours.”
His fingers ran down one of the strands of hair that framed her face.
“And her cheeks were kissed with the fairest pink, just like yours.”
He glanced her cheek with his knuckles. Just for fun, she released an audible sigh.
“And in her eyes was the bright blush of love.”
“Not like mine?” she asked faintly. Her insides began to yield to the sound of his soft brogue. The horses light clip–clop through the night did nothing to aid her resistance.
“Ah, Beth, just like yours.”
Now her sigh was real. “So who did the beautiful maiden rescue?”
The tips of his fingers rested against the back of her neck. His light brown eyebrows drew together, his head cocked slightly, and his smile told her he was getting to that.
“One day, Janet was walking the woods of Carterhaugh, when she came upon a white rose shining in the bushes. As
Rolling her head on her shoulders, her eyelids fluttered as her hand settled upon his shoulder. He angled her head just so. Kiss me now, sweet Bethia. It was a demand he kept to himself with no small effort. Finn, be damned. Calum would never have hesitated to kiss her now.
He felt her go still beneath his hands. Saw her chest rise in a slow, deep inhale. Sensed her breasts grow full and flush.
She gazed at him with dilated pupils. “Calum, I don’t think — ”
“Don’t think, lass.”
Her chin lifted, her lips parted —
“Do you need another size in there,” came a clipped voice from outside the fitting room. “There are people waiting, you know.”
“No, he’s fine.” Beth pushed against his chest, but he didn’t move. “Calum, we have to go. Move.”
“I don’t think so. You were about to kiss me.”
She ducked under his arm. “I wasn’t going to kiss you.” Even she must have noticed the lack of conviction in that denial. “I wasn’t.” Firmly said that time. “I have a boyfriend, remember? If you were a gentleman, you’d respect that.”
“Beth, if I wasn’t a gentleman, you’d be naked right now.”
She swallowed hard and left him alone with his cashmere and his disappointment.
Chapter 13
The Fantasy Warrior Made Me Do It
They returned to the hotel at about eight to shower and dress for dinner.
“You are lovely, lass. I don’t mind the look of you in those trousers, but you are a thousandfold more beautiful in a gown.” By the adoration in his eyes, Beth felt beautiful in the black and white tartan dress.
He wore the form–fitting black cashmere sweater and twill pants, and he hadn’t shaved his sexy–as–hell beard. The man looked spectacular. She should stop staring. “Thanks, Calum. You cleaned up pretty good too.”
Beth grabbed the black wrap that matched her dress. Calum offered her his arm, and they left the hotel room.
Dinner was fabulous with softly lit ambience and conversation that flowed easily. Afterwards, Calum suggested a horse–drawn carriage ride. They walked over to the buggy queue where he chose a spotted grey horse that nickered at his touch then rubbed its head against his muscled arm. Definitely a female, Beth thought. She noticed he paid the driver extra to forgo the guided tour. Interesting. No interruptions, no more history lessons. Just Calum’s undivided attention.
He offered his hand to step up into the carriage. Two steps and she was settled on the leather seat.
“You’ve been entertaining me all day with your storytelling,” he said, “painting me a picture of your life. Perhaps you’d care to hear a folk story from mine.”
“I would love to hear a story.” If truth be told, that accent of his was so sexy, she’d be happy to listen to him all night.
“Very good. Are you comfortable then?”
“Yes, quite.”
He gave her a heart–stopping smile and the tale began. “A long time ago there was a beautiful young girl named Janet who lived in Scotland. She was a striking lass, her hair shone gold in the sunlight just like yours.”
His fingers ran down one of the strands of hair that framed her face.
“And her cheeks were kissed with the fairest pink, just like yours.”
He glanced her cheek with his knuckles. Just for fun, she released an audible sigh.
“And in her eyes was the bright blush of love.”
“Not like mine?” she asked faintly. Her insides began to yield to the sound of his soft brogue. The horses light clip–clop through the night did nothing to aid her resistance.
“Ah, Beth, just like yours.”
Now her sigh was real. “So who did the beautiful maiden rescue?”
The tips of his fingers rested against the back of her neck. His light brown eyebrows drew together, his head cocked slightly, and his smile told her he was getting to that.
“One day, Janet was walking the woods of Carterhaugh, when she came upon a white rose shining in the bushes. As
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