Page 32 of Priceless (Return to Culloden Moor #7)

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

I t was a night I would never forget, but not for the reasons I expected…

The fire was big and exciting and far too hot to stand near. I met dozens of pretty, happy women and some shockingly pretty men, and I couldn’t blame it all on the kilts. Thanks to the dancing, I caught sight of some muscular thighs and more than one bare butt. I wished one had been Jacob’s.

The food was gourmet. The band was silly, wild, and talented. And thankfully, they played plenty of slow tunes so couples could hang onto each other in public—Jacob and me included.

Out of breath and weak in the knees, I was grateful to have his arms around me, holding me up, giving me a warm, powerful body to lean against. He’d swung his leather pouch around to the side, out of the way, and I tried not to dwell on how perfectly our bodies fit together.

We’d moved to the far side of the fire, away from other dancers, and swayed back and forth, holding time tight in our fists, trying to keep it from slipping through our fingers.

“It’s hard to believe we were up so early this morning, aye?” His low voice made me shiver.

“Was that today?”

“Only so many hours ago.”

“Yes, but I had a good nap.”

“I might have as well.”

“But you didn’t.”

“I didnae. But I have a good dozen hours left in me.”

“Yeah, right.”

“If I do nod off, stay close and keep me warm, will ye?”

“Just try and stop me.” Then I laughed. “But try to nod off somewhere comfortable.”

“I will. These bones dinnae care for night air anymore.”

The music stopped. We kept swaying in silence, and eventually, it started again, though it didn’t really matter. One of the drummers had a white beard two feet long and looked close to eighty years old. I wondered if he was running out of juice, since the tempo seemed to slow with each song.

Jacob growled in my ear. “I want to hold ye like this forever.”

“And I want to be held like this forever.”

“I ken I promised not to make things harder for ye, but I do mean it.”

I forced a laugh. “You don’t even know me. You’d be sick of me in a week.”

“I know enough.”

“You might hate the way I brush my teeth.”

“I promise not to care how, only that ye brush ‘em.”

“Everything you like about me now would drive you nuts later. Isn’t that how it always works?” I was trying to lighten the conversation. He ignored me and squeezed me, nice and firm, then so tight I couldn’t take a deep breath.

“Ye know it as well as I do, Laira Harris. We were meant to find each other.”

I couldn’t deny that, no matter how he brushed his teeth, or how he did his laundry.

I grasped for the last straw. “What if you find out I’m a nose-picker?”

He pulled back to look at my face. Our feet stopped. “Tell me ye’re not.”

I laughed so hard I snorted, crossing my legs so I didn’t pee myself. “No. I’m not. But see how a little thing might ruin it? You’d regret?—”

“Jacob MacKinney!” It was a woman’s shout, and I wondered if maybe I was about to meet the elusive Widow Woodbrey. “Jacob! Where are ye?” There was a flash of purple on the far other side of the fire. It was Vonnie, and she’d found us.

We hurried around to meet her.

“Jacob!” She was out of breath.

My stomach dropped. Something serious. It had to be.

“Sandrine has been tryin’ to reach ye.”

He pulled his pouch back around. “I turned my phone off. Is it Connall?”

“Aye. An accident on the Autobahn. They’ve taken him to hospital in Munich. I’m so sorry, but he’s…not expected to survive, Jocko. And he’s askin’ for ye.”

He scanned his phone, shaking.

Vonnie patted his arm and backed away. “Ye can read them in the car. I’ll drive ye to the airport. I’ve packed a bag, with yer passport. Threw in all those new clothes. Come on. Ye can call her on the way.”

He looked at me. “Connall’s my brother. I…I’ve got yer things in the boot. We can head straight?—”

“Jacob. I can’t come with you. Your family needs you. They don’t need a stranger tagging along.”

“Laira, I need ye with me.”

“No, you don’t. Call me when you can. I’ll have Vonnie send you my number.” I squeezed his arm. “It’s okay. I promise. I’ll move my flight. Now, stop worrying about me and go.”

“Ye’ll move yer flight?”

“I promise.”

He still wasn’t happy, but he kissed me, gave me one last look, then turned and ran after Vonnie.

I stood there for a long time and realized Jess’s arm was around my shoulders.

“It will kill him, you know.”

“Losing his brother?”

“If he comes back to find ye gone.”