Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 105748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
Maybe tomorrow we’d be able to talk about how fucking terrifying that experience was. We gave each other a knowing nod and left to go home and crash.
Except I couldn’t crash quite yet.
I drove slowly through the bad weather, not just because of the rain but because I was drained. If I’d had to drive farther than the twenty minutes to my house, I wouldn’t have done it for fear of falling asleep at the wheel.
The relief I felt parking at my house behind Cammie’s Defender was like nothing I’d ever felt before.
I’d barely opened the door when I was attacked by my children and sister. Angus and Heather clung to me, while Cammie peppered my cheeks with kisses. Tears streamed down all their faces, and remorse coursed through me for putting them through this. “I’m all right, I’m all right,” I murmured, brushing my thumbs over Heather’s, then Angus’s cheeks, and then Cammie’s. I met my sister’s watery gaze. “Please tell me you didn’t say anything to Mum.”
She shook her head. “Totally oblivious. Has no idea you were out in this.”
“Good.”
Movement behind Cammie had my attention moving past her.
Taran stood distant from us, a haunted look on her face that had me spinning back to one of my worst memories. The day I told her Kiera was pregnant. She’d worn a similar look then. “Mo luaidh,” I gasped out, winded by her expression.
She seemed to shake herself, her smile tremulous. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
The kids had eased away, freeing me to bridge the distance between myself and Taran. I hauled her against me, my embrace probably too tight as I breathed her in.
At first, she was tense but quite quickly, she melted against me, her fingers curling into my jacket, pulling on it as she quietly shook.
“Mo luaidh, I’m here. I’m okay. I’m not going anywhere.”
It was the sound of Heather and Angus arguing that woke me, followed by Cammie not so quietly telling them to hush because I was sleeping. I didn’t even need to open my eyes to know I was still absolutely exhausted. Groaning, I pried them open, the light piercing into the room through the cracks in my curtain stinging my tired eyeballs.
My kids whisper-arguing was still loud enough to filter upstairs.
That’s when the smell of bacon hit my nostrils and my stomach grumbled in appreciation.
Last night came back in a flood, and with it the memory of getting into bed with Taran. I turned my head on my pillow and saw the space beside me was empty. Assuming she was downstairs, I sat up, scrubbing a hand over my face. My beard needed a trim.
Limbs heavy, I reluctantly got up and headed into the bathroom to relieve myself and freshen up.
It was too late for Cammie to go home last night, so she’d stayed in my guest room while the kids returned to their respective rooms. I asked Taran to sleep beside me. No funny business. I just wanted to hold her.
She’d quietly complied, but I could sense turmoil emanating from her.
The only thing that stopped me from feeling like absolute shit for putting everyone through last night was knowing we’d saved lives.
Shrugging on pajama bottoms and a T-shirt, I wandered downstairs, following the smell of breakfast into the kitchen. Sure enough, Cammie was at the stove cooking while the kids sat at the island, bickering about who knew what.
“Dad!” Angus hopped off the stool, almost face-planting.
My heart stopped for a second, but my boy caught himself and then threw his whole body at me.
I grunted, wincing as he hit my bruised hip.
“Angus, watch you don’t hurt Dad!” Heather cried indignantly.
“I’m all right, bud.” I bent to kiss the top of his head. His hair was damp and smelled of his shampoo, so Cammie must have already gotten him to shower. “What time is it?” I kept him close as we moved toward the island.
“It’s nearly noon.” Cammie waved a spatula at me. “Full Scottish breakfast for a full Scottish hero?”
I smirked, abashed. “I wouldn’t say no. Thanks.” I looked at Heather and then beyond her to the empty living room. “Where’s Taran?”
Heather’s expression fell and she lowered her eyes to the cup of tea in front of her.
Cammie met my gaze head-on, a frown appearing between her brows. “She left this morning. Said to tell you she needed to check on London.”
Disappointment was chased with a flickering sense of dread.
Last night Taran had barely spoken as we got into my bed. There was a brittleness to her that I’d put down to her worry for me and confusion over where things stood between us.
Remembering that haunted look on her face, however, I worried now that I’d read her wrong.
I’d felt a change in the wind, but perhaps it wasn’t for the better after all.