Page 41 of Game Changer

Chapter16

Buckie

She’s beautiful.Zara is still asleep. The dawn sunrise bathes the room in a fiery orange glow, casting shards of light across her golden hair and creamy skin. I lie watching her, berating myself for all the time we’ve lost. I know our circumstances were different back then. I don’t know if we’d have made it trying to juggle our careers, but it doesn’t stop the guilt that consumes me. I know my decision to move back home is the right one. I have a lot to tie up in L.A. though and I need to go back for a few weeks. There’s still a couple of interviews to do there and I’ll need to get moving on selling my house. I know Zara can’t come with me but leaving her this time is going to be torture.

She stirs and opens her eyes, blinking the sleep away and squinting in the sunlight. “Morning,” she says sleepily.

“Morning.”

“How long have you been awake?”

“About an hour. I couldn’t sleep. I’ve got so many different things happening this week. It tends to keep me awake. I can’t seem to switch off when I have a new movie coming out. You excited for the premiere tonight?”

“Absolutely. I’ve always wanted to do a red-carpet thing like that. It looks very glamorous.”

“Ah ha, this one isn’t a red carpet. This is a tartan carpet. You know, to big up the whole Scottish thing.”

She puts her elbow up on the pillow, resting her head on her hand. “I can’t wait to see you in your kilt. Did you pick one you like for this?”

The kilt maker in Edinburgh gave me a few different variations of the Buchanan tartan to try out. In the end I took them all, so I now have four to choose from. “Not yet. I was hoping you could help me. They’re all nice and there is one I like best, but I want a second opinion. I have a feeling you’ll pick the same one.”

“Do you have them here now? If you do, go and try them on and show me.”

“As a matter of fact, I do. You’re on.”

“Mmm,” she moans as she watches me walk away from the bed. “Nice arse Buck. I’m going to take great pleasure in knowing exactly what’s underneath that kilt tonight.”

I shake my head, smiling as I walk into the dressing room that adjoins the master bedroom. I pull out the first kilt, my least favourite, and put it on. I don’t bother with the rest of the outfit. Not that I’m trying to drive my woman wild, but it does look kind of sexy with no shirt.

“Okay this is the Buchanan Dress Tartan,” I announce as I walk through to the bedroom.

Zara is sitting up in the bed with a pair of glasses on and I’m confused. I never knew she wore glasses.

“Oh dear, am I in trouble. That is a sinfully sexy sight.”

“Yeah, I agree, but so is that.” I point to her face.

“Oh yeah. I started wearing them about three years ago. I wear thirty-day contacts but they’re due a change this week, so I took them out last night. Wanted a fresh pair for tonight. I’m only a little short sighted but I was starting to struggle when I was driving, and I didn’t want to risk an accident. So, you like them, do you?” she says pulling them down her nose and looking over the top of them.

“Fuck, Zar. Stop it or we’re never leaving this hotel room. Now what do you think of the colours of this one?”

“It’s okay, but it’s a bit too light. You know the blue on white is quite bright and, dare I say it, feminine.”

“I know what you mean. This is my least favourite. I’m sure a lot of the dress tartans have a white background. Okay I’ll try on the next one.”

I head back in trying on a Hunting Buchanan, a Modern Buchanan and the last is my favourite, the Buchanan Blue.

“That’s it,” she says as I come in with the last one on.

“Excellent. This is my choice too.” I take it back off, discarding it on a chair, the pleats splaying out like a fan, and get back into bed with her.

“Thank you,” she whispers as she rests her head on my shoulder.

“For what?” I pull her I close to me, her body warm against my now cool skin.

“For coming back to me.”

My heart wants to die at her words.

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