Never Been Bit by Lydia Dare Page A

sat. All alone with its leaves droopin’.”
    “Sorcha, that thing is dead,” he informed her.
    “No, it’s no’.”
    He lifted one of the dry, brittle leaves and it broke apart in his hand. “Aye, it is,” he said more firmly.
    “ No, it’s no ’,” she argued. “It’s just waitin’ for someone ta love it.”
    “Sorcha,” he argued.
    “Watch.” She tucked the plant into its new soil and pressed the mound gently but firmly. Then she poured the smallest amount of water into it. She stroked her hand across one of the dry, brittle leaves, and the little thing perked up. It still looked dry and brittle, but it actually looked… happy?
    “Did you do that?” He couldn’t help but ask. He knew she could control plants, but he’d never seen it with his own eyes.
    She shrugged. “All I did was love it. It brought itself back to life when it realized its own potential. That’s what it’s all about. The plant has ta believe.”
    “Plants can think?”
    “Of course, they can. They’re no’ doomed ta live in one little pot. With care and love, they can become so much more.” She stroked across the stem of the plant, and even more of it perked up. One of the leaves even reached out to tickle the back of her hand.
    Alec felt a grin tugging at the corners of his own mouth as he listened to her giggle. “I can’t believe you did that.”
    “I just provided the medium. The plant did the work.” She shrugged again. Then she turned to him, a look on her face so radiant that he had to take a step back. She was innocence personified, with a streak of allure that he’d love to look further into. But with him being what he was, it wasn’t meant to be.
    “Now we have the surprise for the duchess,” she said quietly. “She’ll be very happy with it.”
    “And my contribution to this surprise?”
    Sorcha shrugged. “It was so nice of ye ta bring me my special soil all the way from Edinburgh. I doona think the orchid would have recovered without ye.”
    Clever, adorable little witch. “So, what were you arguing with Cait about?” He thought it best to steer her toward safer waters before his interest in her grew to astronomical proportions.
    “It’s nothin’,” Sorcha murmured as a blush crept up her cheeks.
    Clearly it was something. He nudged her with his shoulder. “Tell me.”
    “It’s no’ somethin’ I can discuss with ye, Alec,” she said, her face becoming even more rosy.
    Bexley. Had Bexley taken advantage of her? “Tell me what it was about, Sorcha,” he said quickly. “Did Bexley try anything with you earlier?”
    She turned back around and buried her hands in a new pot, ignoring him completely. “If ye must be so curious, I had questions only a lady can answer. Now, go away. The surprise is done. Ye can come back later and get it.”
    The devil he would. If something was wrong, he might be able to help. “I’m not leaving until I find out what you were arguing about,” Alec said as he crossed his arms and glared at her back.
    “Then ye will be waitin’ for a very long time,” she informed him.
    Blast the stubborn little witch. He approached her until he was merely an inch from her, his front lined up with her back, so close he could look over her shoulder. Her hair tickled his nose, and he brushed it gently to the side.
    “If ye think ye’ll intimidate me by breathin’ down my neck, Alec MacQuarrie, ye are sorely mistaken,” she said quietly.
    But that little pulse at the base of her throat was beating like mad. “And ye’ll no’ enchant me inta tellin’ ye a blasted thing.”
    Those little freckles sparkled against the skin of her shoulder. She must have them everywhere. He was an idiot when he asked her, “Do you have freckles like this all over?” before he pressed his mouth to her shoulder.
    Sorcha gasped. “I thought ye were interested in findin’ out what I was discussin’ with Cait. Now ye’re wonderin’ what path my freckles travel? Have ye lost yer