MacLarens of Balmorie 05 - Once Upon A Time In Scotland (17 page)

“
Please
.” She broke from his kiss, every nerve on fire, every sensitive place screaming to be touched. “Please touch me,” Her voice sounded a little crazed and a whole lot breathy. He was touching her. All over, in fact, just not where her ache was greatest.

He nuzzled her neck as he let his hand skim flat over her collar bone and over her breast. When his palm glided over her nipple, she jerked. Oh, God, she wasn't even going to make it to the main event.

“Beautiful,
Abbie
,” he whispered against her neck, then swirled his tongue on her skin before nipping gently. “So sensitive.”

But she barely heard because his hand was still heading south, below her bellybutton, and, finally—
Yes.
His wet hand slid between her legs and brushed over her lightly before slipping between her folds and rubbing her slick flesh. An appreciative curse broke from his lips as her eyes closed, head falling back as she drifted on one delicious wave after another.

Reaching the edge, her body tensed, feeling heavy and hot. And then his hand was gone. Before her mind could process what was happening, he wrapped his strong hands around her and lifted. Instinct took over and she wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck.

And then he was sliding in thick and sure, to the hilt and pushing her right over the edge.

* * *

Abbie
woke feeling the sun on her face and surrounded by the warmth that Liam's big body had generated even though he was no longer in the bed. She heard the sink shut off and then he was walking back into the room, naked, looking like some sleepy, rumpled god.

His lips twisted into an easy, thoroughly satisfied grin. His eyes were content.

Her smile grew from the inside until she couldn't contain it.

As he went to join her in the bed, his cell phone rang. He picked it up and glanced at the screen. “Hamish,” he muttered, not answering. As soon as he put the phone on the bedside table, it rang again. “Malcolm.” He hit the do not answer button and slipped into bed. The phone rang again as
Abbie
reached for him. With a eye roll and a sigh, he grabbed the phone. “Devin.” This time, he turned the thing off and tossed it into the chair in the corner of the room. “There. Buggers can do without me for one bloody day.”

Then, he turned to her, propping his head in his hand and raking a hot gaze down her body. She bit back a smile. Oh, the things they had done in the dark of night. Just thinking about it made her hot and bothered, and she had so much time to make up for...

“So you're taking the day off, huh?” She wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

“Aye.” Reaching around her, Liam grabbed the hand-fasting ribbon that had made its way onto the table. “Have important plans,” he said casually, tying one wrist.

Abbie
heart skipped. “What would these plans entail, exactly?”

He joined her other wrist, tying them together. His weight settled on her as he raised her arms over her head and secured the ribbon to one of the vertical slats in the headboard. She squirmed beneath him.

“
Dinna
worry, lass.” He slid down to look her in the eye. “You're about to find out.” He nuzzled her neck and breathed in deeply.
Abbie's
eyes closed and she gave herself over to Liam's very erotic, very thorough plans.

CHAPTER 18

The next six weeks were a whirlwind.
Abbie
had settled into a lovely rhythm of writing and exploring during the day, spending time with Riley and Harper—who, as it turned out, had reconnected with Liam's brother Ross—and engaged in wild, mind-blowing nights with Liam.

They shared more than just their bodies. They shared their pasts, their most intimate dreams, their hopes for the future, their worries and fears. She'd been right about him. He was a deep, complicated man. On the surface one would never guess his depth; his wicked smiles and easy charm could fool anyone. But he'd been through so much between the loss of his parents and the horrors of war. He'd come out the other side strong and still wildly optimistic.

They didn't speak of the end.

But as her time in Scotland drew to a close, it was all
Abbie
thought about. She'd had so many wonderful conversations with her mother about life, the future, and about Liam. She'd even confided in Harper and Riley because it had been pointless to hide what was going on in her heart.

She didn't want to leave him. And, yet, she was dying to get back to her son.

Her heart had been completely compromised. Without a doubt,
Abbie
knew she could live the remainder of her life with Liam and be happy and content. He was the one, and he was so into her that she felt beautiful and wanted and adored. A girl could get used to that.

Last night, she and Liam had eaten dinner with Harper and Ross, and Riley and Jamie. It was a wonderful time. At the end of it, she'd said her goodbyes to everyone, promising to visit soon. All the while, she was keenly aware of Liam watching the display and saying nothing.

On the ride back to her cottage, they hadn't said a word, the mood quiet and somber as they entered the cottage. Liam had taken her hand, led her upstairs, and made love to her slowly, as though every touch, every breath, every kiss was a memory he wanted to brand in his mind and heart.

And even as she was lost in his big body and taken by exquisite pleasure, her heart had broken and tears had stung her eyes.

The next morning, the day of her departure, he'd kissed her and gone back to his place to shower and change, and get some promised work done at the distillery before meeting her back at the cottage.

The only time he'd ever acknowledged her leaving was when he paused at the door and told her he'd be back in time to drive her to the airport.

Abbie
wasn't sure what to do.

Her departure had become the massive elephant in their short-term relationship room. As she folded her clothes and fit them into her suitcase, she wondered if avoiding the subject had been the right course of action because now when they needed to face it, it felt like neither one of them knew how to approach the subject.

How the hell was she going to say goodbye?

Sniffing back the tears, she finished packing and then double checked the bathroom before taking her large suitcase to the ground floor where she proceeded to recheck the downstairs for anything left behind. She had her carry-on ready, her manuscript files were backed up and secure, and once she returned home, she'd email the files to her editor.

By noon, the sound of tires crunching over gravel made her chest tighten into a painful knot. A car door shut. She could hear him coming to the door. She stood from her seat on the couch as he stepped inside, ducking through the door and meeting her gaze. Her heart gave an aching lurch.

“Ready?” he asked.

Deep breath in. Long one out. She nodded while inside confusion ran wild. Didn't he want her to stay? Had the last six weeks been nothing but sex for him? No, she didn't believe that. She knew he cared for her; she'd felt it in almost everything he did, every look he gave her, every conversation they had, every touch...

“Yep. All set,” she heard herself say.

Liam hefted her suitcase as
Abbie
followed him outside with her carry on.

In a blur, they were speeding down the road, passing the castle, the loch, and the village. She bit her lip until she tasted the iron tang of blood. She had to speak up, had to say something. “How was your work? Did you finish what you needed to?”

“Aye. The new worm tubs for the distillery are installed, and we went over some of Ross' designs for the new labels.”

“Everything is coming together,” she said with a smile. Liam was getting his wish. He and Ross, along with Harper, were bringing back the old distillery. He'd been eager and excited and determined to make it a success, and she knew without a doubt he would. She didn't know how he managed everything, honestly, because he was still helping his uncle with restorations and Devin and Jamie on the estate.

The conversation died. After a moment, Liam asked, “Were you able to get Logan on the line?”

She shook her head. “No, my dad took him to the park.”

Once again the conversation died, and
Abbie
let it. She felt a little sick inside.

Eventually they made it to the airport. Liam didn't drop her off, but instead parked the truck and helped get her luggage from the back. As he stood there, setting it down, the crack in her heart grew. He reached into the bed and lifted a duffel, tossing it over his shoulder. He stared down at her. “Ready?”

She blinked. “That's not my bag.”

His smile went crooked and he leaned down and kissed her lips. “Aye, Abigail Murphy. It's mine.”

“Yours.”

“Mine.”

He wasn't going with her. He couldn't. His whole world was wrapped up in
Balmorie
. “I don't understand...”

“You
dinna
think I'd just drop you here and wave goodbye, did you?”

Her heart was pounding so loud she could barely hear. “Well, yes. That's what we agreed.”

“We agreed to give it six weeks. Open mind, open hearts, remember?” He hiked the duffel higher on his shoulder. “My heart is open,
Abbie
.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a plane ticket. “I'd like to come with you, if you'll have me.”

“But...” She was so shocked she didn't know what to say. While she'd imagined so much, she never imagined he would leave Scotland to be with her. “Number one, why the hell didn't you say anything? And, two . . . you can't just leave.”

It was wrong. All wrong. Liam
loved
his home. And the distillery, his dream, it was just beginning. She wouldn't let him sacrifice that for her. “Your work... the distillery. God, Liam.” Tears gathered in her eyes. “You can't leave now.” And she loved him too damn much to see him lose it.

“Well, I'm hoping we can figure it out. Maybe half the year in the States and half at
Balmorie
. And, aye, I could stay and run the distillery with Ross and Harper. But without you...” he shook his head, his gaze becoming stark. “I'd be a miserable sod without you. None of it would make me happy.”

Abbie's
mouth opened, but nothing came out. He smiled at her with gentle eyes. “You walk, I walk with you. That's how it is with us, how I'd like it to be. I love you,
Abbie
.”

Well, shit.

She didn't know what to focus on first. The fact that he was coming with her, or the fact that he said he loved her.

“I want to meet your son,” he continued. “I want to love him. I want you both in my life. I want to get on that plane with you, you ken?”

She nodded, blinked tears from her eyes, and tried to swallow. “Kind of waited until the last minute, didn't you, Highlander?” she managed.

“I bought my ticket the day after you came to my house in the rain.”

Shock coursed through her at his admission.

“And I
dinna
tell you because you'd have tried to talk me out of it. And our time was too precious as it was to argue.” He bit back a smile. “As Hamish would say, the heart kens what it kens. The auld man is right about some things.”

Abbie
stared up at the man in front of her. He was beautiful, caring, kind, and when he'd said he wanted to love her son, she'd almost started sobbing. And he was right; she would have argued with him about leaving, would have wanted him to stay and build upon his dream.