Page 47 of Kilt Trip

Logan’s eyes rolled up to the curls hanging over his forehead.

“Don’t hurt yourself,” Addie whispered.

The grin spreading across his face lit an ember in her chest.

“We’re mostly interested in getting out of the cities,” Carlos said.

“To see the castles?”

Logan turned in his seat, his knee resting against the outside of Addie’s thigh, sending fire across her skin. “What she means is, what brings you two to Scotland?”

Sofia perked up, leaning forward, her dark eyes turning wistful. “I went to uni in Edinburgh. I’ve been dreaming of coming back ever since.”

“Is it everything you remembered?” Logan asked.

“Even better. I was only interested in pubs and boys back then.”

Carlos pulled her in for a teasing squeeze, and Addie returned her smile through the gap in the seats.

“But it feels the same. Like coming home,” Sofia said.

Addie got a familiar feeling being here, too. But at the moment, a swell of motion sickness surged up in her, and she spun around, her body suddenly overheated.

Karma in its purest form.

She retied her ponytail, probably whipping Logan in her rush to get some heat off her neck.

“You’re looking peely-wally.”

“Whatever that means,” she grumbled.

“Pale. Little travel sick?”

“A. Wee. Bit.” Addie tried to hold her breath as if it would help keep back the contents of her stomach.

Logan’s grunt could’ve been in annoyance or sympathy. “Switch seats with me.”

When she stood, he gripped her waist to keep her from falling into him as he moved her to his seat, her jeans uncomfortably hot and scratchy.

Keith gave a definitively annoyed grunt. “Ye boak, and I’ll take back every nice thing I ever said about ye.”

“Leave her be,” Logan snapped. Rushing to Addie’s defense was almost enough of a distraction to make a full recovery.

“I’ll make sure to aim for Logan’s lap,” she managed to get out, to the detriment of her stomach. Bile crept up her throat.

“Keep your eyes open, lass. Look out the front.” The only thing orienting her was Logan’s deep voice. The land whipping past the bus made it worse, and her skin broke out in a sweat as she battled the churning. She made a whining noise.

“Not working?”

She could only shake her head, consumed by the sound of her rough breathing. Logan gently eased her forward so her arms rested on her knees, and he rubbed slow circles on her back.

“Close your eyes, then,” he whispered close to her ear. “Listen to my voice. Picture sitting on the beach, a cool, salty breeze blowing off the ocean. Sink your hands into the sand, the cold granules slipping between your fingers, while a gentle wave reaches your toes. Take deep breaths. Follow mine.” He took deliberately slow breaths, and Addie matched the pace, focusing on the slow movement of his palm as it trailed over her spine, intimate and comforting.

He blew against her neck to cool her down, and the sensation overwhelmed her. Like she couldn’t be turned on and nauseous at the same time, so her body sputtered out.

“Here.” Logan pressed his water bottle into her hands and she took small sips.

The second they pulled off the road and the whooshing of the breaks ceased, Addie dashed down the stairs. She squatted against the side of the bus, gulping down the crisp air like it was Dramamine.

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