Page 67 of Gift-Wrapped in a Kilt

Her pulse sped up, excitement fluttered in her chest. She wore her favorite outfit, the one Gavin loved, a flower-print frock with red pumps that matched the tiny red flowers in the print of the dress. The cold and gloomy weather today had inspired her to slip on a cardigan, but she left it hanging open to reveal the low, but not too low, neckline of her dress.

Her question to herself a moment ago echoed in her mind. Though she'd told Gavin she loved him, she didn't think she had ever explained the depth of her feelings for him. Saying three words meant nothing unless she backed them up with the whole truth. He thought he was a coward, but she was the one too afraid to speak up. About her feelings for him. About her desire to be with him, no matter what. About her brothers.

She ought to have told them long ago to stop badgering Gavin. She could take care of herself, thank you very much. Why hadn't she said those words to them? Never before had she been afraid to speak her mind, not even to Rory. Now, she couldn't do it. She'd told Gavin standing up to Trevor had been the first time she'd done such a thing. Though she spoke her mind often, she'd always let her brothers defend her from scunners and cads. These days, she had trouble expressing herself to Gavin, to her brothers, to anyone except Emery.

Well, she could at least summon the nerve to leave this bedroom.

Jamie flung the door inward and marched into the hall.

Mrs. Darroch nearly collided with her.

With a yelp, Jamie veered to the side and slapped a hand on her chest. "Oh, you surprised me."

"Sorry, dearie," the housekeeper said. She pinched Jamie's cheek. "Your man is here. And he looks very braw today, I must say."

"Gavin? Where is he?"

"The darling boy insisted on waiting in the vestibule."

Why on earth would Gavin do that? He'd spent the better part of the past three weeks in this house with her. Of course, today the entire clan was in attendance.

Including her brothers.

No, he wasn't afraid of them. She would never believe that.

"Thank you," Jamie told Mrs. Darroch, and then she rushed down the hall, through the dining room and down the main hall straight to the vestibule.

Gavin waited near the outer door, standing straight and tall, dressed in a dapper gray suit and shiny black loafers. He'd gone sans tie, his shirt collar unbuttoned. Even the colorful garland of paper turkeys and glitter-dusted fall leaves hung over the doorframes and windowsills couldn't detract from his masculine style.

Mrs. Darroch had been spot on. He looked dashing. And sexy as hell.

Jamie crossed the vestibule to greet him. "Happy Thanksgiving."

The greeting came out a touch breathless, but she didn't care. He took her breath away when he stood before her like this, proud and masculine, his lips curved up the slightest bit in a way that suggested he knew exactly what he wanted.

His slight smile broadened into a wickedly sexy grin. "Happy Thanksgiving, Jamie. You look good enough to eat. Who needs turkey when I can feast on you."

"Are you ready for the family? They're all here." A stupid thing to say, but she couldn't think properly with hormones inundating her from her brain to her sex.

"I can handle them." He hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her snug against him. "Maybe we should express our thankfulness to each other in private first."

Oh, yes. That sounded wonderful.

Jamie flattened her palms on his chest, leaning in, her mind and body set on tasting that mouth, the one kinked in an erotic smirk.

Footsteps clomped down the vestibule stairs.

Gavin's brows shot up, but then relaxed as he focused on the person on the stairs.

Jamie twisted around in Gavin's embrace.

Aidan had stopped on the last step, a few feet away from Jamie and Gavin. He pinched his lips together, clearly trying not to laugh. "Ah, Lachie sent me to find you two. Emery and Rory will be bringing in the turkey any minute now."

"Oh," Jamie said, tearing herself away from Gavin.

Her brother sighed with enough melodrama to win him an award for worst actor on earth. "You two managed to avoid helping with the preparations. The rest of us had to lay out the silver and china all by ourselves."

Gavin feigned irritation with equally bad acting. "I'm sure it was real hard to get the job done with only a gazillion of you MacTaggarts around to help."

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