Page 23 of 40 and Flashing (the Scotsman)
See, he could be patient sometimes. Even if waiting all day was stretching his limits.
The restaurant at the top of the mountain was almost as beautiful as the Carousel, and the view couldn’t be beaten. Dinner was delicious, the wine flowed freely, and the company was more precious than he’d imagined it would be—especially the company sitting in the seat next to him. Gavin couldn’t help thinking about how his group of friends had gone from four single men having a dinner at the holidays to this table, full of joy and Christmas spirit. None of it was something he’d expected in his life while growing up, a lonely experience with a bitter mother and occasional holidays hiding in the corner away from jealous stepsiblings. His three friends had been a gift he’d been grateful for, but this… This was an even greater gift, and when he turned his head to watch Scarlett sitting beside him, sparkling like a hundred-carat diamond, he felt a little bit like the Grinch, his heart growing three sizes bigger as he watched her smile and laugh with her friends.
It was dangerous. He couldn’t afford to keep letting himself open up. In fact he could hear his mam’s voice in the back of his mind:Don’t get yer hopes up.But what was so wrong with hope? Maybe hope was what they all needed.
And maybe hope was what he had found, here in Black Wolf’s Bluff. With Scarlett.
ChapterTen
After dinner, their group traveled back down the mountain and returned to Black Wolf’s Bluff, where they stopped at the local nondenominational church for Christmas Eve service. Scarlett didn’t attend regularly, but something about a service at the holidays, so many voices raised to sing traditional carols and celebrate joy, always touched her heart. It was a special memory she cherished every year, but this year in particular, with Gavin standing next to her, his strong baritone sounding in her ear, might be the most special yet.
When the service came to a close, they trailed outside to find a line of horse-drawn carriages waiting. JD had the biggest grin on his face. “We don’t have snow yet,” he declared to the group, emphasizing theyet,“although it may start at any moment, but we can still have the fun of a sleigh ride. Pile in, everyone!”
And pile in they did. Somehow Scarlett and Gavin found themselves at the last of the five carriages, the only two waiting to climb in. Gavin bent to whisper in her ear, “Is it possible we might have our very own sleigh ride, just the two of us?”
Her mind immediately went to things best left unthought in a crowd, particularly outside of a church. “Maybe.”
He chuckled. “I think I’m gonna enjoy this.”
And if he did, she probably would too. No matter what he had in mind.
The driver handed Scarlett aboard. Piles of blankets waited, and Gavin made sure to tuck her in where she would be nice and warm before taking his place beside her—beneath the covers, of course. He put his arm around her shoulders, his heat soaking into her side ensuring she wouldn’t get cold anytime soon. In fact, she might be heating up too much.
She tugged the blankets down to give herself some breathing room.
“Everythin’ all right?” Gavin asked.
“I’m good.” As the carriage set off, she felt a thrill of pleasure go through her and gave a little bounce in the seat. “I can’t believe JD arranged this. It’s so much fun.”
Gavin grinned at her antics. “And just think, until Lily came along, we were sure JD had no’ a single romantic bone in his body.”
Scarlet grinned up at him. “Sometimes it just takes the right person to bring it out of you.”
His gaze fastened on her mouth. “How right ya are, lass.”
The carriage picked up speed as they exited the church parking lot, at the end of the line snaking its way toward Main Street. Crisp air nipped at her nose, the temperature dropping in preparation for a snowy Christmas Day according to the forecast, but everywhere else she was toasty warm.
That warmth became hotter when Gavin’s palm settled on her stomach. Tingles traveled south from there.
Gavin’s breath heated her neck. “Ya know ya tortured me all day.”
A secret smile blossomed inside her. She had a feeling he wasn’t talking about the torture of waiting to find out the contents of her story, but that didn’t mean she would admit the knowledge. Two could play the teasing game.
She settled her hand over his, pressing him closer, savoring his touch. “I wrote as fast as I could.”
He growled in her ear. “It’s no’ about how fast ya write.”
“Then what is it about?” she asked as innocently as she could.
“It’s about where ya were.”
“Where was I?”
“Away from me.”
She tipped her head up to look at him, bringing her free hand up to cup his stubbled cheek. The texture tempted her, and she rubbed her thumb over it. “I missed you too.”
He grinned. “I know.”
