Page 69 of Some Like It Scot
“What?” He rushed forward. “What on earth did you do this time, Katie Campbell?”
Maybe hearing my full name wasn’t so great after all.
“Me?” The warm fuzzies tingling in my middle fizzled to sparks at his accusation. “I helped your... nephew get home after a fall.”
Graeme was the uncle Lachlan kept talking about with such adoration? My thoughts spiraled. So, was Lachlan’s mom Graeme’s sister? Or sister-in-law?
Graeme reached down and swept the boy up in his arms, carrying him to the couch opposite a cozy fireplace. “Did you help with the fall too, perchance?”
Okay, that was just going too far. I turned right back toward the door.
“You’re not going to leave in this storm,” his voice boomed from behind me. “It’s only going to get worse.”
“I’m just trying to protect the innocent.” I shot him a tight smile. “If I stay in your house, it might get struck by lightning. Or blownover. Or”—I waved a hand in the air—“have a rock drop on it simply because I’m in it.”
“Katie,” he said, his tone softening over my name, but I was determined now.
I already failed at enough. I didn’t need to feel guilty over something I didn’t even do.
I pulled open the door and marched right out into a blustery burst of rain. The wind caught my breath and doused me with more water than a shower. The view looked a lot less inviting than it had a few minutes before. In fact, it had pretty much disappeared into a cloud.
“Get back inside, woman.”
Woman?I marched away from the house in a direction I hoped was the right one.
“Och.” Graeme’s fingers wrapped around my wrist and pulled me back. “You’re the most stubborn woman.” He tugged me over the threshold, slammed the door, and then proceeded to tower over me in his grouchy, jacked giant sort of way. “You’re not going back out in that storm when you havenae the sense to know where you’re going or how to get there.”
I raised my chin with more confidence than I felt. “I can find my way. Besides, aren’t you afraid I’ll bring some hurricane with me to take out your entire farm?” I turned back toward the door, the burn of tears surprising me.
What on earth was wrong with me? I was as moody as the weather!
His fingers tightened back on my wrist, and he turned me around to face him. “You’re stayin’ until the storm passes, and then I’ll drive you back to Craighill.” He studied my face, and I looked away. “It’s not safe, and you’re not in clothes fit to go ramblin’ along the craigs waiting for death to find you.” He growled... or was it a chuckle? “Because it wants to find you, Katie Campbell. I can practically feel it blowin’ on your neck.”
I opened my mouth to protest as my palm caressed the back of my neck—just in case. But with my track record so far, I’m not sure I hada solid argument against his accusation. At least I knew I hadn’t done anything to hurt Lachlan.
I’d never.
“You just catch me at the wrong times,” I offered in my weak defense.
“Heaven help me if I ever catch you at the right ones,” he grumbled and released my wrist. “I might not recognize ye.”
“I see the rain brings out your charming side.” It was a weak shot, but there it was.
His pale eyes steadied on me, and the faintest hint of a smile tipped those lips crooked. And those warm fuzzies came right back to life.
“Come near the fire to keep warm.” The way he voiced those words held more fire than I needed. Warmth spilled from my damp head all the way down to my muddy wellies. But I didn’t want to like him right now. He didn’t deserve it. I offered him one of my finest glares.
He raised a brow, and I looked away just in case he could read the very warm thoughts in my head. With a chuckle, he returned to Lachlan’s side.
After a moment’s hesitation and a strong chill skittering up my spine, I stepped around the couch and lowered myself to a small wooden chair by the fire, near Wedge.
Graeme’s gentle tones pulled the whole story out of Lachlan.
The grumpy man bent over little Lachlan, his gentle movements unwinding the bandages I’d wrapped around the boy’s leg, and the twinge of longing I’d felt earlier branched throughout my chest. So strong yet gentle. Caring.
His shoulders stretched beneath his T-shirt. Powerful.
Then he sent me a small grin over his shoulder.
