Heart Tamer (8 page)

“I love you.”

“No, you don’t. Go away,” she said when he took a step toward her.

“I love you,” he repeated. His hands closed over her waist and he lifted her up until they were eye level. His eyes flicked over her before boring into hers. She recognized that look in his eyes and shivered inside. The wicked gleam said he was this close to throwing her over his shoulder and carting her to the back room for some hot, make up sex.

“Don’t you dare go caveman on me, MacLeod. It’s not good for the baby,” Katie snapped. “Put me down.”

Alec’s dark brows shot up as his eyes popped open. He set her down gently. “What did you just say?”

“I said it’s not good for the baby. I’m pregnant,” she said, relishing the look of astonishment on his face.

Alec’s face instantly split into a wide grin. She had never seen him look so elated and it made her heart ache. He carefully folded her in his arms as if she were carrying precious cargo…and she was. “I’m so happy, sweetheart,” he whispered hoarsely.

Kate put a hand on his chest and extricated herself. She shook her head and swiped at hot tears. “No, Alec, I can’t allow my child to have even one moment of panic that her daddy won’t be there for her, that one day he’ll leave and never come back. I know how awful that feels.”

“That would never happen,” he said grittily. “It was the last mission I’ll ever be on. I resigned from active service.”

“You did?” She searched his face, hoping with all her heart he meant it. Her profound, aching resentment began to subside, but she couldn’t have Alec coming into and out of her life like that. “You’re not planning on taking another dangerous assignment?”

“No.” Alec’s eyes bored into hers with such intensity she blinked. “I was planning to tell you about the last assignment the morning after the wedding,” he said, drawing in a rough breath. “I had bought your favorite scones and was on my way back to the hotel when I got sidetracked.”

She put her hands on her hips and squinted up at him. “By what? What could have been more important?”

His eyes were troubled as he looked at her. “An old lady was hit by a drunk on a bike who claimed he didn’t see her until it was too late. The scunner must have been drinking all night. She was in bad shape and I stayed with her until the ambulance arrived. I kept calling the hotel to tell you, but there was no answer in my room or yours.”

“I wish you had come to the airport.” Her lower lip quivered. “I waited for hours hoping you would.”

Alec’s eyes clouded with a stricken look. “Believe me I would have, but it was too late by the time I got back.”

“Did the hotel clerk give you my note?” she asked, reliving how vulnerable she’d felt when she left it. She felt even more vulnerable now.

“Aye. That’s why I’m here. It was the most beautiful message I’ve ever read.
I have loved you forever. Wherever you are, I’ll be there
,” he said repeating what she’d written. He knelt before her and kissed the top of her stomach. “And now we’re having a bairn, I’ll never leave your side, sweetheart.”

Her mouth went dry. “Promise?”

“I promise,” he said, rising to his feet. He pulled Kate into his arms and kissed her.

Her heart expanded in her chest with joy. Kate’s eyes welled up with tears as she rested her head on his chest and nestled in his solid embrace. She was where she belonged, in Alec’s arms and next to his heart. She could hear his heart pounding strongly, reminding her of the new life she carried. Their New Year baby.

“If it’s a boy, we’ll call him Robbie,” she said, her voice breaking.

“Thank you,” he whispered hoarsely.

“And if it’s a girl, we’ll name her Elizabeth after your granny,” she said, happy tears wetting the front of his shirt.

“That would be great. It means the world to me, Katie,” he said, hugging her tightly.

“And to me,” she said smiling up at him.

“There’s just one thing missing, sweetheart. I want to take care of you, to give you and our bairn all my love. Forever.” His glowing leonine eyes held hers captive as he pulled out a little Tiffany box and opened it to reveal a large, square cut diamond surrounded by emeralds. “Will you marry me? Will you be mine, Katie?” 

She stared at him in wonder. Her heart expanded in her chest with so much happiness it was almost unbearable. Unblinking, Kate met his steady gaze and saw herself in his eyes. Saw how much he loved her. Saw his soul bared in the depths of those beautiful eyes.  

“I’ve always been yours, Alec. You know that. Of course I’ll marry you!” she said, throwing her arms around him. “By this time next year there will be three of us.”

“This is just the beginning, sweetheart. We’ll have a houseful of bairns if you want.”

“Yes, at least two more,” she said, drinking in his exuberant kisses.

Once she caught her breath from his ardent kisses, her forehead creased. “Alec?”

“What is it?” he said, searching her face.

“Can we find a husband for Evie too? All this happiness makes me want others to be happy too.”

He drew back, his brow furrowed as he gave her a curious look. “Who’s Evie?”

“My best friend.” She chuckled. “The one we chased out of here.”

“Ah, that one. Sure, sweetheart, anything to make you happy,” he said hugging her tightly.

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by Sophia Knightly

Chapter One

Evie was finally going to meet her mystery date. A tingle of anticipation zinged through her as she slipped one foot into a delicate silver stiletto pump and then the other. If she didn’t hurry she’d be late for Kate and Alec’s wedding, but some things just shouldn’t be rushed. Dressed in pearl gray thong panties, she carefully lifted the maid of honor dress over her head and sighed with pleasure. The luxurious satin slid over her recently showered and creamed body and landed in a swirl at her ankles. Standing before the mirror, she smoothed the glistening mercury mermaid gown over her waist and hips, and then turned for a glimpse of her back. She drew in a sharp breath at the deep V that plunged to the waist leaving her back bare. 

Kate Hayes, her best friend and co-owner of Kate and Evie Bridal Boutique, had designed it as the star of their spring collection. The dress and shoes had been waiting for her at the hotel front desk when Evie checked in. She hadn’t had a fitting, but she wasn’t concerned because Kate was a master designer and a consummate perfectionist in detail and style.

What would Evie’s mystery man think of the backless dress? Was it too much? She sucked in air to calm the jitters and let it out forcefully. When she’d asked for details, Kate’s eyes had twinkled.
“I won’t tell you his name, Evie. He’s handsome, rich and famous, and wants marriage and kids. You’re going to be surprised and pleased…very pleased.”

A knock on the door meant room service had brought the extra pillow she’d requested. Evie’s breath caught in her throat when she opened the door. Tall, handsome and tempting as sin, a man stood with his hands clasped behind his blue and green tartan kilt, strong shoulders squared in the dark blue, gold-buttoned jacket, and long muscular legs braced apart. Smoky green eyes met hers from beneath thick dark brows. His unhurried gaze roved her face from her forehead to her chin and mouth and finally settled on her eyes. And then he winked.

“Hello, Evangeline.” He said it as if he knew her personally, but he didn’t.

Evie’s hand flew to her mouth. Cameron Hunter, the UK’s favorite whisky tycoon bad boy was the last person in the world she would have expected at her hotel door. She chewed the inside of her mouth and stared at him. Was he the mystery date Kate had chosen? No way. Kate was her best friend. No best friend would set her up with such a notorious heartbreaker.

Awkward silence ensued until she snapped out of the haze of disbelief. “Evie Parker,” she said, extending her hand.

Cameron’s tanned hand wrapped around hers. “Nice to meet you.” His low-timbered voice with a hint of Scottish burr was as smooth as the single malt whisky his family superbly produced. “Kate has told me so much about you. I’m—”

Evie retrieved her hand from his firm grip. “I know who you are.”

He quirked a brow at her dissatisfied tone. “Something wrong?”

“No.” She shut her gaping mouth. He had the longest, thickest lashes she’d seen on a man and it was distracting her to no end. “I’m just surprised by Kate’s choice.” She shook her head and smiled apologetically. “Wait…sorry. That didn’t come out right. I don’t mean to be rude, but…” She met his baffled eyes head-on. “You can’t be my date today.” She smiled again to lessen the sting.

“Why not?” The incredulous gleam in his eyes told her the smile had been wasted.

“Kate was going to introduce me to…oh never mind,” she said, giving up. No sense in letting him know her expectations had been derailed.

“Aren’t you going to invite me in?”

“Of course, where are my manners? Please come in.” Did Cameron realize how stunned she was to see him in the flesh? His image had been plastered all over the news the past three months. As a bona fide entertainment news junkie, she had read all about his antics.

He took a few steps forward, but remained at the entrance. “You haven’t answered my question.” He arched a sardonic brow. “Why can’t I be your date?”

“We’re not well suited.” Evie kept her gaze fixed on his fine nose to avoid looking at his penetrating eyes.
Don’t look at his mouth either!
Those beautifully sculpted lips had no business being paired with sharp-hewn, rugged features.

“Oh? How do you know that?” His dry tone mocked her.

“I am not your usual choice of arm candy.” She raised her chin and straightened to her full 5 foot 3 inches. It sucked having to crane her neck to hold her own with Cameron. His tall, athletic body was solid muscle. She could tell by the assertive way he carried himself.

His smoky gaze leisurely traveled the length of her body. When he returned to peer at her face, his eyes glinted with amusement as he stroked the sexy stubble on his lean jaw. “What
is
my usual arm candy?”

She pursed her mouth. “A harem of hot-tempered supermodels and high-strung starlets.”

“And to think I was about to compliment you,” he said, lips twitching.

She lifted a nonchalant shoulder. He was a natural charmer and it didn’t help that when he smiled, a dimple appeared in his left cheek, relaxing the sharp angles of his face.mHmhh

“What have I done to earn such scorn?” He sounded surprised and a bit put out.

“I have nothing against you, but you’re not who I was expecting. I’m not your type either.”

He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway, green eyes alight with interest.  “You already said that. You’re making a lot of assumptions, Angel.”

Evie blinked rapidly as her temper spiked. One minute into their meeting and he was already calling her Angel. Evidently no woman had turned down a date with the hotshot. He was just like the overly confident players she’d had the misfortune to meet after she had widowed and felt ready to date again—the ones she’d been set up with as blind dates or that she’d met through online dating sites. She had disliked meeting men that way, but she didn’t want to be a widow forever. She longed to love again—and be loved again. After grieving Michael’s death for seven years, she was ready to remarry, but she didn’t want to settle. She had exclusively dated a nice guy over a year ago, but ended it when she realized she wasn’t in love with him and he was already talking about marriage.

The wry grin tugging at Cameron’s lips annoyed the heck out of her. “What do you know about me?” 

Evie gave him an assessing once-over. “You are ‘Heartbreak Hunter’, badass billionaire, heir to Hunter Whisky and one of the UK’s twenty-five most eligible bachelors who was recently in a speedboat racing scandal.” The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could put a cork in it. Too late now. Cameron’s back stiffened and his mouth twisted.

He might not like her bluntness, but he couldn’t refute what she’d just said. For the past three months, the entertainment news had been all about the speedboat accident in Italy with Heartbreak Hunter at the helm. The accident had resulted in the near death of Cameron’s date, the hot-blooded superstar Divina. Their volatile fights and her excessive jealousy had been regular fodder in the UK’s
Daily Beat
.