Page 15 of Edinburgh Escape
Callum tipped his head toward his rear. “I gave him an old-fashioned Scottish sedative. He’s sleeping it off.”
“Is he alive?” she whispered.
“I didn’t stick around to determine whether he was still breathing,” he said. “I was more concerned about getting back to you. Give me your hand and let me help you off the track and onto the train. It’s about to leave the station.”
“But—” her gaze darted from left to right, searching past him for danger.
“He is well and truly out, but I’m just not sure for how long.” He glanced over his shoulder at the man still slumped against the wall. If he was dead, they needed to leave before someone found him and the entire train station shut down. If he was alive, he could wake soon and go after Maggie again.
Maggie’s hand slid into his, her slim fingers warm against his palm, sending sparks through his nervous system.
Callum’s attention swung back to the pretty red-haired American, and his fingers tightened around hers. With a swift but gentle tug, he pulled her up onto the platform.
Off balance, she pitched forward into his chest.
Naturally, his arms came up around her, pressing her body against his.
Big mistake.
Her soft curves melted into his hard planes, and the sparks generated from holding her hand sent fire raging through his veins and south to his loins. He held her longer than was necessary for her to regain her balance. Funny, but she wasn’t in a hurry to push him back.
He’d spent the day getting to know this beautiful, quirky woman on a mission to meet a family she’d never known. Either she was incredibly stupid or desperately searching for roots.
Callum had lost his brother, but he had family scattered all around Glasgow: his parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who were as close as family.
Maggie had admitted it had been just her and her mother until her mother had passed. He could only imagine how hopeful she’d been when she’d found a group of relatives through DNA testing and an ancestry application.
He hated to see her cheerful, optimistic personality take a hit if her newfound relatives were complete bastards and shunned their pretty kin.
As she clung to him, he drew in a deep breath. She smelled like fields filled with fragrant heather. Heady, wild and incomparable.
He leaned forward and brushed a feather-soft kiss against her silky curls. It wasn’t much, but she couldn’t feel it, thus making it easier for him to get away with it without suffering a stinging slap to his face. They hadn’t even known each other for a full twenty-four hours. If having him appear suddenly to save her from an attacker wasn’t suspicious enough, stealing a kiss would surely be a reason for her to distrust him and steer clear.
Maggie was the first to step away. Her pale cheeks flushed a bright pink as she tucked a stray curl back behind her ear. “I thought you were taking another train,” she said.
Callum’s gaze shifted away from hers. “I never said what train I was getting on.”
Her brow wrinkled. “Was I that uninspiring during your London city tour that you didn’t want to spend another moment with me?” She wrapped her arms around her middle. “All you had to do was tell me you weren’t interested, and I wouldn’t have bothered you. I’m a big girl. I can handle rejection.”
“On the contrary,” Callum sighed. “I enjoyed spending time with you in London.”
Her brow dipped lower. “Then why didn’t you tell me you’d be on the same train with me?”
He gave her a tight smile and made a decision. “Because I was only supposed to follow you and keep you safe, not spend the day sightseeing with you in London.”
Maggie’s eyes rounded. “You were supposed to keep me safe? Why?” she demanded. “Wait. Who sent—” Suddenly her eyes narrowed, and she pinned him with her stare. “Hank and Sadie sent you.”
It wasn’t a question.
“They did,” Callum admitted.
The steward at the other end of the column of cars blew his whistle. “Last call if you’re exiting the train, it leaves in five minutes!” he yelled.
“Are you going back to London on this train?” Callum asked.
“I was looking at the train schedule for another way to get to Edinburgh when I was so rudely attacked. “I’d rather continue than go all the way back.”
“Then you’ll need to gather your belongings before the train leaves.”
