Page 72 of Gift-Wrapped in a Kilt

Gavin glanced to the right, past Mrs. Teague and Mrs. Granger, Emery's mom.

Iain nodded at him, his mouth seeming stuck in that subdued smile he so often wore.

Nodding in response, Gavin speared a slice of turkey from the nearest platter and plopped it onto his plate. Time to try food again.

"Mr. Douglas."

The deep voice of Rory MacTaggart boomed through the great hall, and everyone fell silent — even the rug rats at the kids table.

Gavin took a deep breath and swung his attention toward the lord of the castle.

Rory raised his brows. "Enjoying the turkey?"

"Sure, it's good." Gavin poked at the slice he'd put on his plate, despite not wanting to eat. "You can call me Gavin."

"I believe Mr. Douglas is more appropriate since we have business to discuss."

Gavin couldn't help it. He stared at Rory like the man had grown horns. The big, red, spiky kind. What was the guy up to?

"Family business," Rory said.

Emery sharpened her gaze on her husband, her eyes slitted.

Rory ignored her, his focus squarely on Gavin. "What are you doing with my sister, Mr. Douglas?"

Gavin flattened his palms on his thighs, fighting the impulse to gape at the man. How did a person answer a question like that? He had no frigging idea.

So of course, he blurted out something dumb. "Jamie's my girlfriend."

Rory picked up his knife and twirled it between his fingers, the light glancing off its polished silver surface. "You hurt her badly. What makes you think you have the right to call her your girlfriend?"

"Excuse me?" Gavin bristled, and dammit, though he tried to rein in his temper he failed. Those two words came out razor-sharp.

"What precisely are your intentions with my sister?"

Jamie's brother might as well have scraped a metal brush up Gavin's spine. Gavin snapped ramrod straight, his jaw set. "I love Jamie, and frankly, my intentions are none of your business."

Calm down, he chastised himself.Get a grip and don't let this guy rattle you. That was exactly what Rory wanted, and it was damn hard to ignore the taunts. He had to do it, though, for Jamie.

Gavin took a slow breath and exhaled out the anger.

"Is that so?" Rory said in that infuriatingly level tone. He clapped the knife down on his plate. "You won't marry my sister, but you've been fucking her in my house."

Before Gavin could react, Sorcha MacTaggart smacked her palms down on the table. "Rory Niall MacTaggart, shame on you. There are children in the room."

Gavin swore one corner of Rory's mouth kicked up in amusement.

"Mrs. Darroch," Rory said without glancing at the housekeeper, "why don't you and Tavish take the children to the sitting room?"

Though she frowned at Rory, Mrs. Darroch murmured to Tavish and the two of them hustled the kids out of the great hall and down the stairs.

Lachlan cleared his throat. "Rory, why don't we try to calm down."

"We?" Rory arched one brow at his older brother. "This conversation doesn't involve you, Lachie."

Emery nailed her husband with a hard look, her eyes squinted and her lips compressed. Gavin wouldn't have been surprised to see smoke curling up from her ears.

Rory smirked at his wife and sneaked a hand under the table.

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