Page 52 of Sadie's Highlander (Highland Protector 1)

Sadie looked back, a twinge of guilt flitting through her. Taken with the impressiveness of the suite, she’d forgotten Jarvis was still there. “I’m sorry, Jarvis—yes?”

“Think nothing of it, miss.” Jarvis held up the notebook from Francine, then slid it onto one of the side tables next to a Victorian sofa that matched the chair in the foyer. “I’ll place your hotel information here and leave you and Miss Higgins to settle in. I’ve taken the liberty of ordering a light supper to be sent up here to your suite. I assumed you wouldn’t wish to venture out for an elaborate meal this late in the evening. Will that do or would you prefer other arrangements?”

“You assumed correctly, Jarvis.” For the first time since arriving, Sadie allowed herself toalmostbelieve all of this was real. She slowly looked around the room, then back at Jarvis. “Thank you. It looks like you’ve thought of everything.”

“That’s why I’m here, mum.” Jarvis smiled and bowed, then pulled the double doors closed as he backed out of the room. “Have a pleasant evening, Miss Williams,” he said before firmly clicking them shut.

A loud pop sounded in the next room, followed by a victorious cackling and the sound of liquid splashing on a hard surface.

“Oh Lord.” Sadie rushed toward the sound. Leaving Miss Martha unattended was like forgetting to watch a toddler.

The still giggling woman stood behind a bright white kitchen island with a matching marble countertop. She held aloft two full champagne glasses, the foaming effervescence that had shot out of the bottle puddling on the counter in front of her. “Look! Champagne! And not that cheap stuff that’s so bitter it locks your jaws.” Holding the glass by its stem, she pushed it toward Sadie with a wink. “Bottoms up.”

Sadie hazarded a light sip. She needed a drink after the day she’d had. She rolled the bubbling sweetness across her tongue, immediate shock registering as she hurried to swallow before she spewed it out. She knew that taste. Reaching for the bottle, she quickly spun it so she could read the label. Sorrowful recognition tainted the light aftertaste of the sparkling wine.

Just as she thought—it was the same. She and Alec had enjoyed just such a bottle the last time they’d made love. Her body flashed hot at the memory of Alec dribbling the tickling liquid into her navel, then lapping it up. Of course, she’d returned the favor, enjoying the effects of the bubbly much more when she’d licked it from Alec’s abs than when she’d sipped it from a glass. Sadie set the glass on the counter and pushed it away.

“What’s wrong?” Miss Martha licked her lips like a cat just finishing a saucer of cream. She held the glass poised in front of her mouth, looking ready to down the rest of its contents as though Sadie were about to snatch it away.

“Nothing.” Sadie turned away, blinking hard to push back the threat of tears. “I’m just tired.” And when she was tired, she lost control over the pain that reduced her to weeping for Alec every night. She hurried over to the full-size refrigerator. Maybe if she snacked on a little something before supper arrived. That’s what she needed—her old friend and nemesis in times of emotional crisis: food. She pulled open the stainless-steel door and nearly sobbed out loud.

There on the shelf positioned at eye level with nothing else around it was a huge bowl of giant strawberries and two cans ofsquirtywhipped topping. Sadie slammed the door shut, backing away with one hand clasped over her mouth to keep her misery from coming out in a long, mournful howl. What the hell was going on? Her favorite flowers. The same champagne she and Alec had shared, down to the freakin’ year it was bottled. And now strawberries. And canned whipped topping. The first items written into their erotic menu choices.

“Girl, what is wrong with you? You look like somebody stuffed a body in there.” Miss Martha hurried around Sadie and yanked open the refrigerator. “There’s all kinds of food in here. I don’t see anything gross. What’s got you all upset?”

“Strawberries,” Sadie choked out. “I…hate strawberries.” She spotted one of her suitcases inside a partially open door leading into a bedroom. “I’m going to bed. I’m too tired to eat.”

Without risking another word, Sadie shot across the suite into the room, closed the door, and leaned back against it. She stared up at the ceiling, biting her lip to remain silent as hot tears streamed down her face. She’d been such a fool, thinking the trip to New York would get her mind off Alec. She should’ve known it was futile. Sheer stupidity. She’d never be free of her feelings for Alec as long as she lived.

Chapter 30

Alec slid lower in the seat, watching Jarvis help Sadie and Miss Martha emerge from the limo parked beside the sidewalk. He held his breath when Sadie glanced in his direction. Even though the car’s windows were darkly tinted and he knew he couldn’t be seen, age-old hunting instincts were hard to overcome. “Where is he taking them now?” he murmured in a hushed tone without twitching so much as an eyelash.

Dwyn glanced down at his watch and made a face as though struggling to search his memory. “The spa—no, no. The library. Or hair salon. Maybe. Hell’s bells, I dinna remember which. We scheduled the woman at nearly every place in the city that might possibly provide her with a bit of pleasure.”

Jarvis and the two women hurried a few feet down the busy sidewalk, hugging their coats tight about their throats and cringing against the bite of the cold, windy day. Alec scooted back upright into a more natural position. “Esme outdid herself, she did.”

“Aye,” Dwyn agreed. “And if ye return home without Sadie, ye’ll have hell t’pay with that one, ye will. That wee lass worried the livin’ daylights out of me, what with all her blasted internet searches of New York City and where Sadie might like to go.”

“Sadie needs every last bit of the pamperin’ my little sister has planned.” Alec watched Jarvis hold open a door for the ladies. He read the fancy lettering on the door.Ahh…the spa.“Did ye see the dark circles ’neath her eyes? She doesna look well at all.”

“Mistress Martha says she cries every night.” Dwyn scowled as he propped his arms atop the steering wheel and stared out the windshield.

“Then why the hell could I no’ go talk to her in Brady and end this foolish sufferin’ for us both? Why the blazes did she avoid me like I carried the plague?” That was one thing he never understood. Sadie refused to speak with him—wouldn’t even stay in the same building if she thought he was in one of the rooms. All he needed was a long enough moment of her time to convince her that none of what happened was her fault and the only way she’d find one person in the entire world who blamed her would be if she looked in the mirror. He grabbed the latch of the door and popped it open.

Dwyn stopped him with a hand to his shoulder. “Nay. Ye’ll not toss all aside and thwart this grand plan we’ve put into play.” He nodded toward the partially ajar car door. “Pull the door to and lock it, fool. We’re easy targets sitting here in the street.”

Alec slammed the door shut and clicked the lock. “Then explain this to me—why?” He clamped his arms across his chest, fighting the urge to tell Dwyn to head straight to hell, then stomp his way into that damnable spa and find Sadie. He ached for her. Body and soul. He needed the feel of her, the sound of her laugh. He needed the very scent of her just as badly as he needed air to breathe.

“For one thing,” Dwyn started with an impatient growl, “ye’d ne’er get the woman t’stop dodgin’ ye long enough t’hear what ye had t’say. Ye told me yerself that whene’er something has her upset, she pretends it doesna exist and changes the subject rather than facing it.” He shook his head, scowling at the closed door of the spa. “Ne’er in all the history that I’ve walked among humans have I e’er seen a female as hard-headed about shoulderin’ blame and stickin’ her head in the sand as yer woman.”

He turned to Alec, shaking a finger as he spoke. “And even if ye had managed t’convince her t’wed ye, she’d e’er be filled with doubts. Mistress Martha told me she overheard Sadie tell Harold that she knew in her heart that ye hated her for destroyin’ the Heartstone and doomin’ the world to certain darkness.”

“But the stone is safe,” Alec argued. “The chamber and the tunnels withstood the blast well. She saw us with the weapons that day. How does she think we managed to retrieve them?”

Dwyn shook his head and shrugged. “I dinna ken. All I ken for certain is what Mistress Martha said she overheard Sadie tell that infernal cat.”

“Then what the devil makes ye so certainthisplan will work?” Alec’s hope sank like a rock, desperation taking its place.

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