Page 47 of Scottish Seducer
Chapter 18
Charlie
My brother called shortlyafter I’d showered and thrown on some undershorts. Since Stephanie arrived, I’d been sleeping naked. And, my pillow still had her essence on it, which made it impossible for me to sleep at all.
I put him on speaker and headed downstairs to make myself the warm milk with cinnamon that usually calmed me down on nights when I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep much, if at all.
Logan said, “Congrats, little brother.”
Outside the townhome where ghosts of Stephanie appeared when I blinked, the rain came down fast and furious as I asked, “For what, Logan?”
“It seems we’re in the trillionaire club now.”
Yet, I’d lost Stephanie because of my quest to achieve this. And honestly, it was never about money so much as the ability to fuel my dreams. But those plans seemed empty without her. I stopped on the bottom step and stared out to the dark skies and asked, “What?”
“I own stock in your company.”
So he’d be the Grannd who has both money and children. I’d probably be alone forever, but I headed into the kitchen, poured the milk into the stainless steel warmer and frother, and said, “And?”
“With the bank merger, we’ve crossed over.”
I grabbed the cinnamon and nutmeg from my cabinet and put a half teaspoon of cinnamon and half that of nutmeg in my cup as I said, “Right, the bank deal. I’m sure my lawyers went right to work on that. Glad to hear I’ve enriched the family more than our parents ever believed possible.”
“Dad never understood you. So when you bring Stephanie up, we’ll celebrate together.”
For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. I hadn’t expected my brother to mention her. Her name alone still sent shockwaves through me, but I ignored my reaction and asked, “Will Caroline be there?”
“I don’t know.”
The milk finished and I poured it in my mug, putting the warmer in the sink as I said, “If you truly love her, then forget everything I ever said and marry her.”
“Maybe, though I don’t know. I don’t know if we’d get along for a lifetime.”
Caroline was always cold. But then Stephanie said she couldn’t take more chances on me and us because she’d been hurt. I stirred my milk and said, “Then cut her loose now so she can find the man who wants her.”
“That sounds serious.”
I let out a sigh and said, “I suppose I am tonight.” A loud noise grabbed my attention. It wasn’t just thunder out there. Someone was banging on my door. I told my brother, “I have to go,” as soon I saw the outline of a person on the other side of the door.
I opened it to find Stephanie huddled on my porch looking like a drowned cat.
She hopped from one foot to the other and back again, saying, “You answered. Please let me in.”
The rain intensified, and I beckoned her in. “Yes. Of course.Dreichweather we’re having, and you must be soaked to the skin.” I gave her my untouched milk and locked the door as I said, “Let me get you a towel or something.”
I wasn’t wearing enough to offer the shirt I wasn’t wearing. She dripped on the floor and grabbed my arm. “I don’t care about being wet. I’m here because I made a mistake earlier.”
I held up a finger and left her for a moment to search the guest bathroom for a towel. The hand towel wasn’t much, and I had no idea where staff kept linens, but it was clean, so I brought it to her and asked, “About what?”
I noticed that she’d put the now empty mug on the side table. At least the milk would help warm her.
She patted the towel on her arms, and neck, and hair, then just stood there hugging her waist. I glanced down and noticed her braless nipples just as she said, “After dinner, I bought myself a plane ticket. I was done with men and London and even Jane Austen. I wanted to go home.”
If she stayed, I’d never want for anything ever again. But I only said, “Naturally.”
She grabbed my arms like I’d told her to leave and said, “But then your email said you love me, and I was happier than I’ve ever been in my life.” She had tears in her eyes and said, “But I was so afraid of opening up again, afraid to be hurt and afraid to be happy that…I really fucked it all up.”
My chest wanted to explode, and my arms hoped to hold her. But I wasn’t sure she’d stay, so I stilled and said, “I see.”
