Page 99 of Gift-Wrapped in a Kilt

Rory MacTaggart wanted to demean Gavin by whooping his ass at these cockamamie games. Fine, Gavin would let him. Maybe he'd even score a few points against the superhero solicitor.

Gavin thrust a hand out to Rory. "You're on."

Rory clasped his hand and gave it a single firm shake. "And you're in for it."

Chapter Thirty-Four

Jamie seized Gavin's shirt and hauled him close to her, nailing him with what she hoped passed for a stern look. Rory did those better than anyone, and she'd modeled her current expression after his calm but deadly stares. She gave Gavin a hard shake that barely moved his body. "Are ye cracked? You've never done the Highland games before, and Rory's beaten Lachlan and Iain at this. Several times."

Peripherally, she noted Rory's overly pleased smile. Pleased? No. Cocky, he was. She battled warring urges to throttle sense into Gavin and to throttle respect into Rory. She loved her brother, but she worshiped Gavin — in the way a strong woman could worship her man without becoming a lovesick moron.

Jamie tried for another shake with no more effect than the first. "Well? Are ye cracked?"

Gavin's eyes narrowed. He bent his head to spear her with a look as intimidating as any of Rory's, though Jamie was not cowed by it. She knew Gavin well enough to realize he would never shout at her.

In a calm and resolute voice, he said, "I am not crazy, and I can do anything your brothers can. Or your cousins. Or your ex-fiancés. Hell, I'll fight any jerk who tells me I don't deserve you because I know we're right for each other."

Her heart lightened as if it might float out of her body. She loved hearing him say they were right for each other, but she couldn't stand by and let her brother pummel her fiancé into the ground.

Earlier, she'd told Gavin she knew he could handle any harassment from Rory. She'd meant it, but Rory seemed hell-bent on turning a simple tournament into a battle royal.

She pulled on Gavin's shirt, compelling him to slouch over until their faces approached so close their breaths reflected off each other. In a softer voice meant only for him, she said, "I know you're a braw, strapping man. You have nothing to prove to me."

"I know that." He kept his voice low too, their conversation private despite the throng of onlookers. Even Rory wouldn't be able to hear them, and she suspected Gavin realized that, based on what he told her next. "I have to prove myself to Rory. Don't like it, but dammit, I swore to myself I'd do anything to make you happy. Your brothers mean a lot to you, especially Rory. I know what it's like to have an interloper come in and sweep your sister off her feet, take her away to another country."

"You said you don't want to go back to America."

"I'll go anywhere you want." His tone had become tender, his expression too. His eyes, so near to hers, seemed to glow in the sunshine with a warm, golden hue reminiscent of the sun. "If I have to let Rory beat the shit out of me to earn his respect, I'll suck it up and keep going as long as I can, until I pass out or he gives up. That's how much I love you."

Jamie gazed into his luminous eyes, sensing a fire burned just below the surface. The fire matched his resolute tone when he'd said he loved her that much. Enough to endure a beating. She couldn't believe Rory would do that, but her brother definitely wanted to push Gavin to see how long he'd put up with humiliation before his temper got the better of him.

Rory didn't know Gavin. If he did, he would've realized Gavin never lashed out unless someone gave him a bloody good reason, something more than macho nonsense. Gavin kept his cool. Gavin kept his focus on the mission, and he never wavered from his end goal.

She was his goal. Winning over Rory was his mission.

"Let me do this," Gavin said in a fierce whisper. "I've gone through worse for less reason. You are worth any amount of pain."

Tears stung her eyes. No one had ever loved her that much.

She released his shirt and grasped his face, towing him in for a kiss. She made it her mission to outdo the steamy kisses of Rory and Emery, and Lachlan and Erica. She crushed her lips to Gavin's, and when he opened his mouth to her, she locked her arms around his neck and ravaged him with a passion she'd never allowed herself to exhibit even in private, much less in front of her entire family. He answered the strokes of her tongue with coiling lashes of his own, demanding more, and she surrendered everything to him.

He latched his arms around her, groaning into her mouth so softly and sweetly no one could've heard it.

Aidan whooped.

She knew it was him because Lachlan shouted, "Aidan, whose side are ye on?"

The humor in Lachlan's voice was unmistakable.

"The side of true love," Aidan quipped with that tone of faux innocence he'd mastered.

Rory growled. "Are we having the games or watching you ravish my sister?"

"Let them have their fun," Iain called out.

Gavin released Jamie, brushed his thumb across her bottom lip, and straightened. "Game on, MacTaggart."

Jamie angled sideways to Gavin so she could see Rory.

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