The Cursed Clan: The Complete Series, page 59
He smiled, revealing those cute dimples. He was the entire package. Dark black hair given to curl if it got too long, deep blue eyes, that sometimes looked almost amethyst, and...well, he was bloody built. He wasn't as tall as her brother, but his body...Jesus. She wanted to see him without a shirt on. Or his pants. Or any clothes. Yeah, she would really like to see him naked. A lot.
“Ms. Lennon?”
Her face flamed as she realized she'd been standing there looking at him like he was her favorite treat. Because, at the moment, he was. She wanted a big bite of him. And licks. She would like to lick him. A lot.
She cleared her throat. “Yes, well, I wanted to ask you something personal. And the answer is up to you. If you decide against it, I will not hold it against you.” Although, she would be horrified.
“Okay,” he said, his smile dimming a bit and his voice turning cautious.
“I want you to understand that there will be nothing untoward if you should say no. As in for your job. What I mean is that you wouldn’t be fired.”
He studied her, then said, “Just spit it out, Ms. Lennon.”
“Would you like to go out for dinner with me?”
His entire expression blanked, and she realized she might have made a big bloody mistake. He was appalled by her question. At the moment, Anice wished she had Rena’s ability to disappear. Oh, she should not have listened to any of her family, and especially not Rena. They always seemed to lead her down a bad path. All the new women in her family seemed to be egging her on, but she knew they did it out of the goodness of their hearts. Still, if she had listened to her head, she wouldn’t be in this embarrassing mess.
“Never mind, I have to get back to work and I'm sure you do. Have to get back to work I mean. I mean at your desk.”
Oh, bloody hell, she sounded like an idiot. She turned on her heel and hurried to the door. She had her hand on the doorknob when a large hand slapped against the wood.
She looked over her shoulder and was surprised that he had made it around the desk so fast, and without a sound. He had the longest damned lashes. It would be comical if it didn’t make him even more attractive.
“Don't you want to know my answer?” he asked.
His breath feathered over her cheek. She had never really been this close to him. She drew in a deep breath as her heart started to race. The scent of him hit her. It wasn’t cologne, but something almost wild, like smelling night air. It left her dizzy with anticipation…but for what?
“Ms. Lennon,” he said, whispering her name. The sound was so intimate that she shuddered.
“Your answer? Don’t worry, Mr. Stewart, I understand.”
“You do?”
“Yes.”
“And how do you know my answer?”
“I saw it on your face.”
He frowned. “Then what day did you want to go out?”
She blinked. “What?”
“If you knew my answer by just looking at me, then you should know I want to go out with you.”
It wasn’t that she felt threatened, but there was a lethal quality to his words. It was as if he was a big, bad predator and she was his prey.
She turned around to face him, but that was a mistake. He was so close, but he stepped even closer. His body heat surrounded her. Her nipples tightened, and she was afraid it would show through her blouse.
“I...well, I don't...listen could you move back? You're making me nervous.”
He hesitated, then stepped back. She drew in a deep breath. His gaze dropped down to her breasts. It had happened so fast she didn't know if it had really happened. But it had. Had he done that before? Had he ever looked at her and thought the kind of naughty things she did?
“You were saying?” he said from behind clenched teeth as he rammed his hands into his pants pockets.
“Is there something wrong?”
He shook his head.
“Are you sure?”
“I didn't like that I frightened you.”
He wasn’t telling her the truth. She wasn’t sure how she knew it, but something behind his tone told her that there was more to his story than he was letting on. She crossed her arms beneath her breasts and frowned. She was a woman who had spent a couple of centuries with four overgrown boys. Their manners had rubbed off on her.
“Bullocks.”
He chuckled.
“I wasn't frightened. I just haven't had much experience with men.” When he continued to say nothing, she realized what she had just admitted. I mean, if he didn’t know she was a virgin, he would definitely know that she had little to no experience. “Good God, I'm just going to leave now. I might move to Shetland and live in a shack.”
He chuckled. “Now why would you be wanting to do that?”
“Listen, I know that you probably have a very active social life—”
“Did you just call me a slut?”
“No,” she said in a rush, then she realized he was kidding. She sighed. “Seriously, I'm not this stupid.”
“I know. Do you want me to pick you up at the house?”
“No,” she said louder than she intended. She closed her eyes and tried to compose herself. “Sorry. I meant, we could meet in town.”
Brody studied her for a moment longer, then nodded. “How about The Last Drop? They aren't too rowdy on a Friday night.”
She knew the pub well. “That sounds brilliant. I'll see you there.”
He shook his head.
“No?”
“What I meant was that I’ll agree to meet you there…for a kiss.”
She blinked. “Excuse me?”
“Just one kiss.” He pulled his hands out of his pockets and held them up. “No hands. Just a kiss.”
She nibbled on her bottom lip and something rumbled in his chest. “What was that?”
“Nothing, just you're driving me insane.”
“Oh.”
“Exactly.”
“Okay.”
“Okay what?”
“Okay, you can kiss me.”
Relief stole over his features, before heat flared in his gaze. He leaned closer and brushed his mouth over hers. That one little touch had her entire mind spinning. She drew in another long breath and more of his wild scent. She closed her eyes and leaned closer, wanting to feel everything. Primal need rose within her.
When he pulled back, her lips still tingled. She wanted more. She reached out, but he tsked causing her to open her eyes.
“I said one kiss, no hands. I don't think you will be wanting to tempt fate, Ms. Lennon.”
“Anice.”
“What?”
“Please, call me Anice.”
He smiled, full dimples again. “Only if you call me Brody.”
“Okay, Brody.”
Again, a look of relief seemed to filter over him before he quickly hid it.
“Seven on Friday?”
He nodded.
“I guess I'll see you then.”
He nodded again, as he shoved his hands back into his pockets.
This time he let her open the door. She smiled over her shoulder at him, as he continued to watch her until she hurried out of the office.
Brody shut the door to his office and stared at it. He still couldn’t believe Anice McLennan had come to him. And she had been so sweet, asking him out on a date. He had seen a lot of women act in his lifetime and that had been no act.
He shoved a hand through his hair and tried to think of anything else, but he couldn’t. Since the first time he had seen her, he had wanted her. It was like that in his family. They knew their soulmate by sight…and scent. Anice McLennan smelled of sweetness and seduction. His body still vibrated with the need to mate. This was going to make his dreams even more vivid.
He walked to the window that looked out on the street below. From that first meeting, he had been entranced. She’d slipped into his dreams more than once, teasing him, seducing him. He was embarrassed to admit how many times he’d awakened with his cock at full mast. Lately, even cold showers were not working.
So, they would have their date and, hopefully, he could control himself. He had a couple days to get himself prepared; although, he didn’t know if he could ever be in control again. He thought about his parents, uncles, aunts, cousins...not to mention his brothers. Their fate lay on his shoulders, and one mistake could cost them so much.
So, he pushed away the sweet thoughts of seduction and Anice Lennon. She was a means to an end, and he had to remember that. If he couldn’t, he would never be able to complete his task and save his family.
Chapter Nine
Serena wandered around her room trying to get her emotions under control. They had been in Wick for a few hours, and Serena already felt as if she were itching from the inside out. She wanted to act and handle the whole thing herself. And by handle it, she meant kill the thieving bastard who had murdered her family. Or die trying.
But, she had to wait for her revenge. Not just for her friends’ sake, but also for Fletcher’s. They needed to get the ruby, then she could send Fletcher on his way.
She knew her friends knew something was up. They continued texting her, even more than usual. It was a bit annoying and so much like them.
Why did she think this was going to be easy? She had come to Wick with the idea that she would probably end up dying. Just the fight ahead scared her, but she had always been ready to die along with the murdering mad man. But now, thinking about leaving her friends and their family left a hole in her heart. Especially Fletcher. He was going to be the one she hated leaving the most.
She sat down on the big king-sized bed and sighed. He had shown her such sympathy in the car. It had been easy to feel it pouring off of him. And that connection...it had been stronger than any other connection she’d ever had for another human. Not since she’d lost her family had she felt like that. It was odd to know that at the age of two, she had that link and then lost it. Now, there was a man like Fletcher tempting to make that connection again. She’d been sure that he felt her pain as a child. That had never happened with a normal person before. Well, a normal immortal, she thought with a chuckle.
He was talking on the phone with one of his cousins as he ascended the stairs. His voice carried up. All of the cousins were loud, but Fletcher was probably the loudest, right behind Anice. Her bedroom door was open, even so, he stopped in front of the doorway waiting for permission. Such a gentleman. She nodded.
He stepped over the threshold of the room and suddenly, it felt smaller. He had never been a threat to her, but to her ability to think straight. Now, in this room, with her sitting on the bed, her will was dissolving.
“Yes, I’m sure we would have never thought about eating.”
Serena frowned at him. He mouthed ‘Phoebe’. She smiled.
“I don’t think Rena has any questions right now. It was a really long drive and I’m hungry.”
He waited and then rolled his eyes. “We will be careful. Love you, Phoebe.” Then he hung up.
“Bloody hell, that woman can jabber on.”
She chuckled. “True, but you love her.”
He nodded. “She’s kept us all going when I thought we would give up.”
The sincerity in his tone told her it was the unvarnished truth. “Yes, both of the M and M’s have talked about her.”
“She’s still a little naive, but then again, it’s good that she’s on our side. Brilliant and funny. But in her condition, I’m happy that she is a glass half-full kind of person.”
“Yes. If she were gloom and doom like I am, then she might have complications with the pregnancy.”
He frowned. “Gloom and doom? I’ve never thought of you that way.”
“Most people do.”
He leaned against the dresser, stretching his long legs out in front of him. He was so close she could reach out and touch him.
“I’m not most people.”
“None of the McLennans are.”
He smiled. “True.”
They smiled at each other, then something changed. Fletcher’s expression sobered as his smile faded and heat seemed to snap in the air between them. It was right at that moment it hit her that she was sitting on a very large, comfy bed. Before she could block them, images from his thoughts slapped out at her. He wanted her, then, on the bed. Sounds, feelings, a tangle of bodies. His lust almost overwhelmed her before she got her own thoughts under control.
“So, I hear a promise of food. Are you cooking or are we going out?”
“I think it would be good to be seen out. We don’t have much food in the house.”
“I could…” she waved her hand in the air to indicate her magick. “I will warn you though that the results can be mixed.”
“That’s all right. As I said, it is important for us to gather witnesses.”
She would ignore the little flicker of irritation. She wanted this to be a normal night out. Just for fun. “Good. I’m famished. Give me a second or two and I’ll be ready.”
He nodded and left her to get ready. She might have a job to do, but tonight, she would enjoy Fletcher’s company. She didn’t know just how much longer the opportunity would present itself. Since she had come to understand her role in this lifetime, she had often learned to compartmentalize. Now, staring at herself in the mirror, she knew this would probably be one of the last times this would happen. But, pretending she was a normal woman for just one night was okay. It would make the coming battle even harder, but at least she would have good memories of the last few days to relish before she risked everything.
They had a quiet dinner in a locally-owned restaurant. Fletcher had been surprised by just how easily they seemed to fall into the role of lovers. Not that he had gotten any benefits from the situation, but anyone who had witnessed them out to dinner would have been fooled. They’d chatted about nothing overly important, but for some reason, it felt that way. As if every word she said was weighted with something significant. Fletcher couldn’t put his finger on it, but he knew when people looked at them, they saw two people who were on a romantic getaway.
That was why the trip back in the car had been nerve-racking for him. The intimate setting, the scent of her perfume, all of it seemed to draw him in. Even as he thought it, he knew it was a lie. She was the thing that drew him in. At each turn, he was surprised by her. From the stories of her past, the way she loved her friends...it was so different from his original impression. She had seemed aloof, not needing someone to help her with anything. Now, though, he knew that was another lie. She was so vulnerable, and knowing her background, he knew it was why she seemed to want people around her. Granted, she kept herself separate, even with her friends. She always seemed to be looking in, as if she didn’t truly belong.
He parked the car in the drive, and they walked without speaking to the door. He unlocked it as his phone started to ring. He saw Callum’s face and grimaced. Still, he answered because Callum would just call the house they were renting.
“Yes?”
“That’s a nice greeting.”
“From the man who rarely says hello when he answers the phone. What do you need?”
“Nothing much. Just wanted you to know that Anice has put out some gossip about you and Rena.”
He glanced at his companion, who was making her way to the kitchen. Unable to ignore his need to be near her, he followed.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“I didn’t ask, but your sister knows PR, and she says this will make the tabloids. What little Anice knows about this McDougall woman, she says that she keeps track of everything. Anyone who is anyone gets invited to a dinner at her house. And it just so happens, there is a huge party there this weekend, a fundraiser.”
“Great. I didn’t bring anything for that,” he said.
“Don’t worry. Anice is also taking care of that. She will get your plaid to you.”
“Do you think that is a good idea?” None of them had worn their plaid in public in the last couple of centuries. The only place they had was at the weddings. “She could send a tux.”
“Not sure it really matters. It’s not like they think you might be the long-lost laird. You’ll stand out more being a Scot at a function to raise money for Scottish Independence.”
“I thought that was over.”
“You know better than that.”
“Okay. What about Rena?”
“What about me?”
“Callum wants us to go to a fundraiser this weekend. It’s formal.”
“No worries. I packed for that.”
“You did?”
“She’s a woman,” Callum said on the other end of the line. “They always plan and Rena more than others. And she’s a faery. She can probably conjure one out of thin air.”
“She’s not a genie in a bottle.”
Callum snorted. “Pretty damned close. We might be immortal, but we’re nothing like these women.”
“Is there anything else?” he asked, trying to hide his irritation.
“No. Call if you need anything. I assume you’ll hear from the McDougall woman no later than tomorrow afternoon.”
“Sounds good. Night, Callum.”
“Night.”
He clicked off the phone. Callum never lingered anywhere. Well, except in bed with his wife. He might still be the stuffy laird they all called him, but Phoebe had helped him a bit.
“What has you smiling?” she asked, as she leaned against the counter.
“Just thinking about the changes that Phoebe helped make with Callum.”
“Ah. I’m thinking about having some whisky. Do you want some?”
“That actually sounds good.”
“You take it with ice, yes?”
“Yes,” he said surprised that she had picked up on that.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked as she filled two glasses with ice, then wandered to one of the living areas. He followed just as before. It was as if they were connected by an invisible string. Or just lust. Lust was probably the reason.
“I didn’t know you paid attention to things like that.”
