Lion of Caledonia: International Billionaires VII: The Scots (20 page)

“Yes, it was fun.” She smoothed his covers before she rose and turned off his light. “Time for you to sleep, because tomorrow’s going to be another big day.”

“I can’t wait.” The white of his teeth flashed in the dark.

Giving him a last smile, she stepped into the quiet hall, closing the bedroom door behind her. She should go to her own room and get some rest. After arranging everything the past few weeks, she was tired. Tired in a good way, but still, tired.

I’d like it if ye came back
.

His words tugged at her heart. Why shouldn’t she? She had only one more day. Twenty-four precious hours before she snuck out of his life. There’d be all the time in the world to sleep when she arrived back at the place she used to call home.

She swung around and marched down the hallway. Grabbing a warmer coat as she walked to the back door, she sighed with bittersweet pleasure when she closed it and took in the night.

The bonfire glowed with fiery heat, and the light flickered across the shadowed garden and loch. The night was clear, the moon bright above, adding its own light to the occasion. The crowd had dissipated, the parents taking their children home, but there were still many hardy souls circling the fire. Laughter rose as she slowly walked toward the party. Excited chatter from a bunch of women competed with the yodeling calls coming from a pair of boys by the water.

Jen couldn’t spot Cam, yet she kept moving forward, taking courage from his words.

The party won’t be a party without ye
.

She caught sight of Tre, right by the biggest tub of drinks. He was better looking than Cam, she’d admit this after observing him during the last few days. His dark hair was cut close to his head and he did have gorgeous blue eyes. He was taller than his friend, if not broader, and he carried himself with a lazy confidence that would make most women swoon.

He didn’t appeal to her at all.

At any other time, in another life, she would have thought him the pinnacle of manhood. Now, though, she knew what she really wanted.

A slightly scruffy, sometimes surly, always amazing Cameron Steward.

She had him. For one more day.

Shivering with agony and also anticipation for what hopefully would happen later that night, she stepped onto the grass of the knoll. There’d been lust in Cam’s eyes when he stared at her an hour ago. Even with the other women circling in front of him, including the alluring Amanda, he’d only looked at her. Seen her.

A bright blast of bittersweet regret threatened to spoil the night, yet she wouldn’t let it. She still had some time. She still had him.

Where was he?

Threading through the crowd, she exchanged laughs and smiles and a few words with everyone as she canvassed the yard.

He wasn’t there.

“Tre?” She pushed herself to ask. Ask about her lover and open herself up to more teasing from his friend. “Where’s Cam?”

He waved at the boathouse. “I think he took Amanda to see the boats.”

For a moment, her confidence—in herself and in Cam’s need—quivered, but she talked herself out of the slip. He was only showing off his toys. “Thanks.”

Tre grabbed her arm before she walked away. “Ye don’t have to go find the dobber.” He grinned, the tease in his gaze making her smile. “Ye can have me, instead.”

“I don’t think so.” Laying a hand on his arm, she kept her smile firm.

“He’s found himself a lady.” His friend shook his head in disbelief. “Who would have thought Cameron Steward had it in him?”

She didn’t want to leave behind the impression she’d left Cam, or this had been a serious relationship. Not with his friends and colleagues, people he’d have to live with for the rest of his life. “He hasn’t found anything.”

“No?” A dark brow rose and he let her go. “I’d say ye and he need to have a chat. I know my friend and I can see what’s going on.”

“Nothing’s going on that’s important.” She twisted her hands into a knot. “We’re just having some fun.”

He stared at her with suddenly hard eyes. “I’m willing to admit my friend has been into having fun with the ladies—”

“You see?” She kept her gaze steady on his.

“This isn’t that sort of thing for him, though.” His mouth turned hard, too. “I’d swear it.”

“You’re seeing something that’s not real.” She should leave this conversation, yet she was trying to make this right for Cam going forward. She didn’t want him embarrassed. “We’re only friends.”

“Friends.” Menace swept across his features. “It might be only that for ye. But it isn’t that for my friend.”

“I’m not—”

“And I’ll warn ye.” His big body loomed over her. “If ye hurt him, I’ll find ye and we’ll have ourselves a long talk.”

She stepped back from the threat, assuring herself Tre was exaggerating Cam’s emotions and also reminding herself of her grandfather’s plans to conceal her real identity. “I’ll go find him now.”

“Ye do that.” He straightened, his eyes cold. “Ye let him know where ye stand so he doesn’t get hurt.”

Whipping around, she headed to the boathouse. Perhaps she was being selfish. Still, this was Cam Steward. The man who lived for the moment and took every dare. Was it so bad she took from him a bit of pleasure? Was it so awful she took one more night in his arms?

The skid of the door had been oiled, allowing it roll open without a sound. She peered into the shadows, spotting the main mast lying on the hatch of the sailboat and the round hull of the longliner.

“Cam?”

No one jumped out of one of the boats with a grin or called her to join the party of two.

Silence echoed, the only noise being the gentle waves hitting the pilings and the rocks below the deck. Tre had to have been wrong about where they’d gone. She was about to roll the door closed when she heard it.

His voice.

“Amanda, ye know you’re a prettier lass than most.”

He had his rich voice on. The one he used to enchant as he told his stories. The one he used to good effect to lure a woman. The one he used to mask what was going on inside him.

Jen crept toward the stairs because she needed to see. See his body language, see the way he looked at Amanda. Then she’d know. Know whether her heart should break or whether what Tre believed might be real.

“Now, lass—”

There was a rustling. Of clothes.

Jen’s heart stopped and turned as cold as an icy English frost. Stopping halfway up the stairs, she lost her courage.

Another sound came. Kissing sounds.

Her heart thudded in her chest and pure fury whipped inside. He’d been hers. At least for one more night, he’d been hers.

Not anymore.

Her courage roared back, the inner core of her that burned turned into a fiery blaze of rage. Before she could stop herself, she climbed the stairs until she could see into the empty room. They stood together, Amanda leaning on the wall exactly as Jen had last night. Cam held her by her shoulders, a lazy smile on his mouth. The same smile he’d given her last night.

Not a special smile at all.

Not a lust meant only for Jenny.

Not a man who wanted more from her, even though she’d made that impossible by arriving in his life with her own agenda.

Slipping down the stairs, blind with hurt, she wanted to retch out her feelings before they destroyed her inside. The familiar clutch in her throat rose, tightening, making her gasp in silent distress.

He wasn’t worth it. He wasn’t worth anything. Certainly not a panic attack.

She slid the boathouse door closed with a quiet, final snap.

* * *

“
J
enny
?” Cam kept his voice low so his other guests, sleeping in the bedrooms lining the third-floor hall, wouldn’t hear. It wasn’t that he was ashamed of letting the world know he and Jenny were together. But he knew his fair lady. Her English sensibilities would want to keep this private. “Are ye there?”

He tried the door again. No, she’d definitely locked it. She was inside. Yet his soft knock was met with only silence.

Was it only his stupid imagination that detected a smidgen of cold in the silence?

He brushed his growing apprehension aside. She had to be here, didn’t she? Maybe she’d fallen asleep waiting for him. Because she couldn’t be outside. He and Tre would have noticed her as they’d put the bonfire to bed and said goodbye and good night to the remaining guests. However, something his friend had said abruptly took on another kind of meaning.

“Did Jen talk to ye then?” Tre had stopped spreading the sand over the smoldering coals to shoot him a wary look. “And you’re okay?”

“When?” Cam threw him a puzzled frown. “I talk to her constantly.”

“Tonight.” His friend gave him back a frown.

“Sure.” He stuck his shovel into the pile of sand and shucked it on to the deadening fire. “We talked.”

“You’re okay?”

“I’m fine.”

And he had been. He’d sorted his issue with Amanda without losing her friendship and that had made him happy. Figuring the conversation needed to be private, he’d followed along behind her after she’d issued a seductive suggestion. Once she’d made her move and he’d made things clear, she’d accepted his rejection with a smile and a flick of her lips on his.

His conversation with Amanda hadn’t taken much time, which he was grateful for. He’d never been good at long-winded discussions about feelings and whatnot. Although she’d tugged on his shirt to rile him and sneaked another kiss before she’d danced off, he’d finished with her in a few minutes. He’d figured he’d be on time to meet Jenny by the bonfire. Maybe catch that kiss she’d denied him earlier.

Much to his disappointment, she hadn’t appeared.

But hell. The woman had been working to make this house party the best and if she’d rather have his kiss in her bed, that was fine with him.

Now, what Tre had said clunked inside him, making his worry escalate.

Now, he wasn’t fine.

“Jenny?” He scratched the door. “Let me know you’re here and okay.”

“I’m okay.” Her dull voice came through the door as if she stood right on the other side.

A sliver of bewilderment speared in his brain. Why wasn’t she letting him in? Sure, the guests were in the rooms surrounding hers tonight, yet it would be fun having another one of their splendid adventures trying to keep completely silent.

“There’s no reason to be embarrassed. I’ll make sure to keep ye quiet as a mouse.” He let the tease linger for a second, but she didn’t respond. He leaned closer. “Can ye open the door?”

“No, Cam.”

His heart stuttered because her voice wasn’t only dull, it held a bitterness at the edges. “What’s wrong?”

What had he missed? What had Tre been talking about?

“Nothing’s wrong.” The words became muffled. She was moving away from the door. “I need to sleep, that’s all.”

That’s all.

His quivering instinct didn’t think that was all. But what could he do? He couldn’t very well knock her door down and alert his friends he was having a wee bit of a problem with his love life.

“All right.” He stepped away from the door, projecting nonchalance in his voice. “I’ll see ye tomorrow.”

She didn’t answer and he finally paced back to his own lonely bedroom. Sitting on the bed, he stared at the floor with blank confusion. His hand rubbed across his chest, trying to quiet the frantic beating of his heart.

Something had happened. Something bad. He knew it deep in his gut.

He wasn’t a man to take it standing still, though, when there were problems. Whatever worried his lass, he’d pull it out of her and fix it. It couldn’t be too difficult.

“
You can’t fix us
,” Martine’s manic voice rose from the grave, punching him in the heart and gut. “
You can’t fix me
.”

Throwing off his clothes, he climbed under the covers and stared at the ceiling. If he’d been a little boy, he’d have crawled up the stairs to Jenny’s bedroom and begged for a cup of tea and a cuddle.

But he wasn’t a little boy.

He was a man who tended to screw things up, not fix them.

“
C
ome and dance with me
, Jen.” Robbie leapt beside her, his voice high with excitement. “I’ll be your first partner.”

She’d almost left last night. There’d been no sleep for her and she’d reached for her mobile phone several times, ready to call a taxi and slip away. But this party had been planned by her and the caterer came to her with all the questions. Leaving before she’d completed the task she’d accepted would leave one too many scars on her heart.

She’d do this for them.

Even though Cam didn’t deserve her love, he didn’t deserve her hate, and she’d made a commitment to him. Deserting him in front of his friends and neighbors wasn’t fair, and Robbie’s whole day would be ruined if she left.

“All right.” She grabbed the boy’s outstretched hand and ran to catch one of the dozens of gaily colored ribbons hanging from the top of the pole. A crowd of kids and their parents giggled as the ribbons went one by one into chubby, little hands and eager, older ones.

The small duo she’d found online started an energetic tune, the fiddle’s high notes competing with the deeper tones of the accordion. She let herself sink into the rhythm of the dance, the up and down movement of the dancers, the fluttering ribbons above, the rough grass below.

Once the decision had been made to stay one more day, she’d slid into a numb state, sitting in the armchair, the cold of the night surrounding her. When the morning sun had tentatively stitched a path across the wool rug and onto the bed, she’d forced herself to shower and pack.

She’d come to Scotland on a mission and she’d accomplished it.

Everything else meant nothing.

“Jen! Are ye having fun?” Robbie’s small face screwed into a frown of worry.

No. She wasn’t having fun and she wouldn’t have fun for a very long time. Even the word would bring back memories she wouldn’t be able to escape, not as long as she breathed. “I’m fine.”

“Are ye sure?” The boy ducked under a stream of ribbons before glancing at her again, his eyes still worried.

“I’m sure.” She forced a smile and that seemed to satisfy him because he gave her one of his own.

The dance continued, the circle growing smaller and smaller as the ribbons wrapped around the pole.

“Jen!” Robbie’s grin spread across his flushed cheeks. “We’re almost done with doing the pole.”

Glancing over, she saw he was right. Which meant she’d need to find another errand or activity soon.

Cam had been stalking her.

Relentlessly.

His rambunctious guests had helped her escape his first attempt at pinning her down. Their demands for more breakfast muffins and fruit had let her scurry to the kitchen, leaving him stewing in the dining room. She’d managed to hide from his predator gaze for the rest of the morning by taking a long, solitary walk through the moor and beside the loch. Saying goodbye to the land and the water and the home she’d come to love.

A tear or two or three had been shed.

No one had seen and no one would know.

He’d tried to pounce on her once more as soon as she’d returned, but she’d raced to help carry the platters filled with lunchtime goodies. Scones with ginger jam, seed cakes, and pork pies. Apple tarts and dishes of fresh sliced tomatoes. She’d included cucumber and watercress sandwiches in her order too, thinking how wonderful it would be to mix Cam’s heritage with her own.

What a silly, stupid romantic she’d been.

Not anymore. Not now.

Jen’s throat hurt as she rounded the pole one more time.

Cam had strode beside her, trying to ask her questions, but the caterer had raced over with her own questions and finally, he’d sullenly walked away.

There wasn’t anything to say.

Not anymore.

Not now.

“Hey, Da!” His son waved at the throng of people standing and watching the May Day dance around the pole. “Do ye see me and Jen?”

“Yes.” The one word answer came back with a snap. “I see ye both just fine.”

She glanced Cam’s way. He stood, arms crossed, a ferocious frown on his face. By the look in his eyes, she could tell he hadn’t finished with their game of cat and mouse, and he didn’t intend to lose.

She swung back to stare in front of her. Cameron Steward wouldn’t be put off all day. Stubborn and determined when he chose to be, he’d eventually drive her into a corner and make her talk. Leaving last night would have been the best. He would have taken her rejection in stride and wouldn’t have been hovering outside her door, waiting. Now, though, he was on the scent, in the hunt, and there’d be no way she’d slip from his house without him knowing.

She had to talk to him. Give him some sort of explanation so he’d quit his pursuit. So she could sneak away unnoticed. There wasn’t anything left to say, yet she’d have to say something. Not anything important. Not anything about the future.

But something.

“Yeah!” His son danced by her, the last of the ribbon dropping from his hand. “We did it! The May Pole is done.”

“Yes, we did.” She let herself ruffle his spiky hair one more time, taking in his brilliant smile. “I love you, Robbie.”

His eyes widened and then, gleamed with emotion. “I love ye too.”

Grief knotted in her throat. Kneeling, she took his hands in hers. “I want you to love your father and listen to what he tells you.”

A puzzled frown furrowed his brows. “I love him, Jen. You’ll not worry about that any longer.”

“Okay. I won’t.” Her one good deed, here. She took in the love shining in the boy’s gaze and smiled. “Don’t ever stop.”

Although Cam had hurt her last night, she couldn’t blame him. He’d never made any promises to her and he’d been honest about the type of man he was. Restless. Bold. Rash. Onto the next adventure and, in this case, onto the next woman. Her hurt was real, yet it was her own fault for being a dreamer. Her hurt didn’t extend to wanting Cam or Robbie to hurt at all.

“And I’ll listen to what he has to say,” the boy said, his face scrunching in wary concession. “But I’m not going to always do what he says.”

“Is that simmering rebellion I hear in your voice, Rob?” Cam’s long shadow loomed above both of them.

“Naw.” His son gave him a jaunty grin. “Just me telling Jen the truth.”

A big paw reached down and lifted a laughing boy into strong arms. “The truth is, you’ll do as your da tells ye to, if ye know what’s good.”

She straightened to a stand, letting one last picture slide into her memories. Cam’s face lit with love, Robbie giggling as he placed his trusting head on a broad shoulder. The bond strong now, and sure.

Time for her to leave.

“Go and eat some of those fancy Sassenach sandwiches Jenny picked for the midday feast.” He dumped Rob on his feet and swatted the top of his head. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

The boy laughed at the last instruction and raced off towards the tables piled with food.

Cam turned to give her a glare. “And now. Ye and me. We’re going to have a talk.”

“All right.”

He stilled, clearly surprised at her agreement.

Hating herself for the lie, but knowing it had to be done, she lifted a hand to her throat and coughed.

Immediate concern swept across his features. He reached out and tugged her closer. “Is it your breathing, then? Are ye having an attack?”

“Perhaps.” She bent her head to his chest, not letting him see the sorrow and hurt and guilt on her face. “I had one last night too.”

His warm hand rubbed along her spine. “Why didn’t ye let me in, lass? I could have helped ye.”

“I didn’t want to keep you up all night.” Nestling into his arms, she let herself breathe him in one more time. His heat and scent and comfort.

Cam Steward might not be the man of her dreams, yet he was a good man with a good heart. It wasn’t his fault his heart beat for the next new thing and the next new experience. She couldn’t fault him for something that was innate.

“I could have calmed ye.” The confidence in his voice made her smile, a wistful, bittersweet regret bursting inside.

Pulling her away from him, he ducked his head to peer at her. She kept the smile on and hoped it rose into her eyes too. “I’m tired, Cam.”

His tawny brows drew down, a look of frustration filling his gaze. “Then why have ye been running around for the past few days? I told ye to let Mrs. Rivers handle the staff. I wanted ye to just enjoy.”

“I have enjoyed the party.” She had. Up until last night. “I think I’ll go to my room, though, and rest for a bit.”

“Ye do that.” His hands moved over her arms sending tingles of unwanted want through her blood. “I’ll take care of all this and say your goodbyes for ye.”

His neighbors and most of the guests would be leaving this afternoon. Only Tre and Amanda would be staying on for one more night. She shied away from thinking about what Cam and Amanda might do during the course of this evening.

She didn’t want to know.

She didn’t have the right.

“Jenny?” He bent closer, his arousing mouth too close. “Ye go have a nap and when ye wake ye come down and join us for some drinks.”

She couldn’t have him looking for her again. “I’m going to sleep and if I don’t wake, I want everyone to leave me alone.”

“I can come and hold ye later. It might help ye sleep.”

Jen wondered if she’d ever sleep again without his warm body next to hers. But she was being foolish and maudlin. She’d survived losing her mother and father when she’d been five. She could survive losing Cam. “I’ll do better alone. It’s only for tonight.”

Only for forever.

He straightened. “Okay. Ye can have your way.”

“Thank—”

“Tomorrow, though, Jenny. Ye and me. We’re going to have a serious talk.”

There would be no more tomorrows for them. The painful reality struck her, making her gasp in a breath.

“Hell.” His mouth twisted in self-disgust. “Here I am nattering on, when you’re having a hard time breathing.”

His hands tightened on her shoulders and whipped her around to face the house. “I was thinking of giving ye a kiss, but we’ll do that tomorrow.”

No kissing tomorrow. Or ever again.

“Do ye want me to walk ye to your room?” his gruff voice was filled with need.

“No.” She broke from his grasp. “You might not let me sleep.”

He chuckled, a rough, reluctant sound. “Get going. Before I change my mind.”

Jen left Cameron Steward. Once and for all.

* * *

“
I
t was a fine party
, Cam.” Amanda lazed on the library sofa, her long legs stretched in front of the roaring fire. “Stop worrying.”

He wasn’t worried about any silly thing like that. He was worried about Jenny.

She hadn’t come back. She’d warned him and he’d done what she asked. He hadn’t bothered her, yet his conscience screamed at him to check on her. Make sure she was fine, make sure she was safe.

His instincts were screaming too.

Something was wrong.

Something wasn’t right.

Tre leaned his elbows on his knees, rolling a half-filled scotch glass in his hands. His gaze was as worried as his own. And when both Tre’s and his own instincts were on alert, he always paid attention.

“Do ye have something to say, dobber?” Cam tried to pretend all was well by placing his open hands on his flat stomach.

“I’m not sure I should bring this up.” Tre’s dark brows lowered. “I’m not sure what’s going on here. It might be best for me to keep my peace.”

“Naw.” His fingers curled into his palms. “I trust your judgment. Tell me.”

His friend’s eyes turned dark. “Did Jen tell ye she only thought of ye as a friend?” he burst out. “That she was only having a bit of fun with ye?”

“What?” His whole body stiffened. “What do ye mean by that?”

“I thought as much.” Tre heaved a sigh and poured the rest of the drink down his throat. “I asked ye if you’d talked to her, and ye said yes. But I figured you’d be a tad more upset than ye were if you’d known the truth.”

A sick brew of pain threatened, yet he pushed it away. Jenny wouldn’t say that. Jenny wasn’t capable of having a bit of fun with a man and nonchalantly walking away. He knew her. “You’re claiming my Jenny told ye this?”

“My Jenny.” Amanda hummed from the sofa. “Now I know what really happened between you and me last night.”

Tre glanced her way, then back at him with a scowl. “What the hell were ye doing with Amanda last night?”

“That’s for us to know and you to find out.” Her sassy response was so typical of Amanda, Cam almost smiled. If it weren’t for his gut stewing with confusion and worry, he’d have responded with the same answer.

His friend shot her a glare. “Don’t try your guff with me, Ms. Reed. I know what you’re capable of.”

“Bugger off.” Her tone went sharp. “You’re not my mum nor my dad.”

“Quit. Both of ye.” His hands tightened into fists of frustration. “Tre. Tell me you’re winding me up with all this stuff about Jenny.”

“Not in the slightest. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so hard on her, though, considering ye and Amanda were having some fun last night.” His friend stood, fire in his eyes. “Maybe I should have known Cam Steward was on another lark, instead of getting serious about a lass.”