Page 16 of Gift-Wrapped in a Kilt

The other man fell silent, his expression grim. He focused on the road ahead like it held all the answers to the world's problems but dangled them an inch beyond his reach. When he finally spoke, the humor had left his voice. "I had been deep into field research, excavations and what have you, but I was offered a teaching position at a private American college. I accepted and moved across the pond. That's when I met her. She was twenty-two, bonnie, clever, and I… fell in love with her. She was a student, though, and such things aren't allowed. Particularly when the teacher is fifteen years older than the student."

For some weird reason, hearing the private story of a man he'd met today perked Gavin up. Maybe knowing a muscle-bound MacTaggart had girl problems made him feel less like the black sheep of this extended family. "You slept with her."

"Sleeping would've been better, less destructive. No, I seduced her." Iain grimaced. "Never saw her again after that."

"It was that bad?"

The Scot shook his head, and a note of misery tainted his voice. "It was perfect, but someone ratted on us. The next morning, I was summarily fired and told to leave the country immediately. I never saw the girl again."

"You still think about her."

Iain gave a sharp nod and cleared his throat. "I've been with other women since, but none of them measures up to her. What a dunderhead, eh? Pining for a woman I made love to once, a lifetime ago."

Gavin sat there for a moment, considering what this man had shared with him. "Why are you telling me about your lost love?"

"As a warning. I gave up on the love of my life because I was ashamed of what happened. Never could get another teaching position, but losing her was worse than losing my career." Iain eyed Gavin sideways. "Don't let your pride keep you from doing whatever it takes to be with Jamie, if she's the one woman for you."

"She is."

Maybe this revelation explained why Calli and Emery had wanted Gavin to stay with Iain. Emery and Calli's master plan might involve Iain showing Gavin the error of his prideful ways. Those women needed to take up knitting or something. Interfering in his love life was god-awful irritating.

"Take my word for it," Iain said. "Losing the only woman who's meant everything to you is not a good way to live."

"Did my sister put you up to this? The male-bonding share-fest, I mean."

"No one puts me up to anything. I do what I please when I please."

"Good to know." In spite of what Iain said, Gavin couldn't shake the conviction the American Wives Club had selected his new roommate for this specific purpose. "How many people know your sad-sack story?"

Iain chuckled. "Sad sack? I suppose I am, at times. Only Aidan knows the story."

Ah-ha. Calli's husband must've told her. His meddling sister had made use of the information to connive a way for Gavin and Iain to meet. Calli had turned into a sneak. Gavin couldn't summon any anger about it, though, because she'd done it out of love. She might've joined a new family and left him behind, but his sister would always want to help him out.

Left behind? Was that how he felt? Twice today, he'd thought of himself that way. Alone. Abandoned. Christ, he was like an orphan begging for attention in the street.

"Remember what I said," Iain told him. "Don't let your pride ruin the best thing in your life."

For the rest of the ride to Iain's home, Gavin chewed on that advice.

Chapter Eight

Inside the tower bedroom on the second floor of Dùndubhan, Jamie smoothed the front of her dress, turning her torso this way and that to get the full view of herself. She'd never worn anything like this in her life, never tried to be enticing, because it seemed unimportant. She liked short skirts, but this was… different. The Greek goddess costume consisted of one sheer layer of slippery white fabric that glided over her skin whenever she moved. Though not transparent, the fabric was thinner than anything she would've chosen on her own. The toga-like style draped over one shoulder, leaving the other bare, and flowed down to mid-thigh. The hem plunged lower over thigh.

Emery had selected the outfit. Cat and Fiona had deferred to her, mostly because they'd come to think of Emery as a sister too.

Jamie glanced down at her feet. Gold stilettos boosted her height by five inches, with thin gold straps that wound over her feet and up her calves almost to her knees. A belt fashioned from thin gold rope was slung around her waist, its ends dangling over her hip.

"I don't know, Em," Jamie said, astonished at her own reflection. "Maybe it's too much."

"Don't be silly," Emery said, coming up beside Jamie. "It's perfect. Sweet and sexy, just like you."

"Feels ridiculous." Jamie fidgeted, adjusting the belt. "You're sure no one can see through this? The fabric is so thin."

"It's diaphanous," Emery said, "not transparent. And you are gorgeous, Jamie. You'll knock the socks right off Gavin."

A silly image flashed in Jamie's mind, of Gavin's shoes and socks flying off his feet. She choked back a laugh, knowing it stemmed from anxiety. What was she doing? Putting on a sexy frock in hopes of seducing her boyfriend. Ex-boyfriend. Sort-of ex. Gavin needed a break to sort himself, but she honestly had no idea what that meant.

Except he needed time away from her.

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