Josh’s face softened as he turned to her. “You are going to be my wife. This is a lifelong commitment. We share everything. Including our money.”
Caroline gave him a long-suffering smile. “That’s not how couples do things anymore.”
“It’s how I do things.” Josh sounded immovable.
Helen felt inordinately proud of him.
Caroline would not be dissuaded. “You’re putting yourself at risk. All you have is my word that I won’t go after your money if this doesn’t work out. You can’t know for certain that we won’t get divorced.” From the tilt of Caroline’s chin and the determined glint in Josh’s eyes, Helen would bet this wasn’t the first time he’d butted heads with his stubborn little bride.
“Yes. I can. I’m sure we won’t get divorced.” Josh rubbed a thumb over her knuckles, and Helen watched Caroline’s eyes widen in awareness of him. “I trust you,” Josh said. “I know you don’t care about the money.” He paused. “I also know you’d fight me for the castle.”
Mitch barked out a laugh. “He’s got you there.”
To Helen’s surprise, Caroline beamed at Josh. “You are absolutely right, and you’re unreasonably stubborn.”
Josh’s mouth quirked into a smile as the tension in the room eased.
“He gets it from his father,” Helen told them with a smile of her own.
Andrew thumped his napkin on the table. “I’m having nothing to do with this.” He stalked out of the room in disgust.
“Don’t worry about him. He’ll calm down,” Helen said.
“In a year or two,” Mitch muttered.
“I wouldn’t worry,” Dougal said. “It’s not like you need him to walk you down the aisle. What does the father of the groom do, anyway? Nothing. The wedding will be fine.”
For a second people were stunned, before they started to laugh. Josh winked at Caroline, who blushed in reply.
Without thinking, Helen leaned over the table and held Caroline’s hand. “I like you, Caroline Patterson. I like you a lot.”
She watched as Caroline blinked back tears before straightening her shoulders and nodding her thanks.
Helen patted her son’s cheek. “Looks like you knew what you were doing after all.”
“I’m disgusted that you ever doubted me.” He signalled to the waitress for seconds.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
After dinner, Josh insisted on walking Caroline home. Considering his mother and best friend were there to witness his offer, Caroline didn’t think she could refuse. That was how she ended up in her kitchen making Josh a cup of tea at eleven o’clock on a Sunday night.
“I really should get to bed.” Caroline banged the mugs down on the counter a little harder than she’d intended.
“We can go to bed, baby.”
Josh was sitting at her kitchen table. He wore a pair of faded jeans and a pale blue T-shirt that was tight across his shoulders. His very broad shoulders. Caroline licked her lips as she watched the muscles move beneath his shirt. She caught what she was doing and jerked her gaze up to his face. Josh smiled wickedly. It made her stomach tighten.
“That’s not what I meant and you know it.” Why wouldn’t the man go home? Caroline had been doing her best to avoid him since they’d gotten physical on Thursday evening. It was working fine. So fine, in fact, that she wouldn’t mind avoiding him totally until the wedding. Then they could have all those awkward conversations when they absolutely had to. And not a minute before.
She plonked his mug in front of him.
“No cookies?” His blue eyes sparkled under lashes so thick they made her mouth water.
Caroline sat facing him, and cradled her mug in her palms. “I’m sure there are cookies at your place. Why not go there?”
His laugh seemed to echo throughout her house. She gulped her tea. It burned her tongue. She didn’t care. It was something else to focus on other than the man facing her. The man with soft, full lips. The man with firm muscles under soft skin. She wondered what that skin tasted like. Would it be salty? Would it be sweet? She blinked her thoughts away. She needed to go to bed. Her eyes flew open. Alone! She needed to go to bed alone. She took another large gulp of her tea. Forgetting yet again that it was hot. Hopefully, the sooner she finished, the sooner she could send Josh home.
“Dinner went well, I thought.” Caroline could do small talk. Small talk was good. Small talk would keep her mind off of his thick thighs and long legs.
“Yeah, Dad was about normal. Mom likes you.”
“That’s good.” What else was she supposed to say? She shifted in her chair. It felt as though her skin was on high alert. Even the air around her made it tingle. The soft linen of her dress felt abrasive. Her underwear felt like bondage. It was constraining her. “Are you done yet?” Okay, so it came out a little ruder than she’d intended.
“I’m savouring it.” Josh took a sip. His eyes on Caroline. “I like savouring things. I like letting the taste rest on my tongue until it overwhelms me.”
Caroline blinked hard. “Are you making sexual innuendo?”
Josh’s eyes sparkled. “I was trying to.”
“It was really bad. Cheesy, even.”
“Good to know.”
He placed his mug on the table in front of him, and Caroline peeked into it hopefully. It was still full. She narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re not even drinking it, are you?”
He shrugged. “I hate tea.”
“Then why on earth did you ask for it?”
Josh reached across the table to take her hand. “I wanted to come in.”
Caroline pulled her hand from his. The air in the room seemed thicker somehow, and she felt like she was swallowing each breath rather than inhaling it. “I think it’s time for you to go. I have work in the morning and it’s getting really late.”
She snatched the two mugs and took them to the sink, tipping the contents down the drain.
Her breath stuck in her throat as she felt strong hands at her waist. “Dance with me,” Josh whispered against her neck, making her shiver. Yes, her body screamed. No, her mind answered. Too risky. Touching led to talking. And she really didn’t want to talk. Not tonight. Maybe never.
“There isn’t any music.” Her words were a rasp.
She felt him smile against her skin. It was a tease to her senses. Her eyelids were heavy, and the urge to sink into him was so strong she almost couldn’t resist.
They couldn’t dance. He had to leave. She had an excuse. What was it? Oh yeah. “We can’t dance without music.”
“I can fix that.”
He turned her in his arms, curving one hand around her shoulder and spanning the other across the small of her back. He pressed his cheek to her temple and started to sing. His voice reverberated through her body; it melted her anxieties and soothed her fears. The sound wove a cocoon around them. Caroline’s hands trailed up Josh’s sides and around to his chest. Her eyelids fluttered closed, and she let out a breath she hadn’t realised she was holding. She felt hidden. Sheltered. Precious. It was heady.
They swayed together. Caroline didn’t know the song. It didn’t matter. She barely heard the words. It was the melody and his deep voice that undid her. There was only Josh. Only them. Nothing else mattered but the two of them together. The delicious sensation of their bodies moving as one. Josh’s musky scent mingled with her floral one, making her mouth water. She pressed her cheek against his chest and felt the vibrations of the song work through her. His hand stroked her hair, and Caroline was floating.
She didn’t know how long they stayed like that. One song bled into another. With each note Caroline fell deeper into Josh. With each word her need for him grew. When there was suddenly silence, Caroline felt like she was waking from a deep sleep. A beautiful dream. Her eyes flickered open. She was surprised to see that it was dark and they were no longer in the kitchen. Josh had danced them into the living room. The moonlight filtered through the trees outside, creating soft shadows and an
intimate longing within Caroline.
Gently, Josh tipped her chin up towards him. His eyes were dark. The desire in them raw and intense. “Stunning,” he whispered before his lips touched hers.
It all flowed together in one perfect harmony. His touch, his taste, the scent that was just Josh. Caroline whimpered as his kiss deepened. He clasped her face in his hands and angled her mouth, making it easier for him to control the kiss.
She groaned in complaint as his lips left hers. He kissed and licked and nipped his way down her throat to her shoulder. She let her head fall back, allowing him better access. The room shifted and spun around her. She clung to Josh. Her anchor.
When Josh led her to the sofa, Caroline pulled back to look at him. His eyes had turned black with need. She licked her lips. He let out a tiny strangled groan.
“I’m not ready to go further.” Her tone bled desire; she hoped Josh listened to the words instead, because she didn’t have any defences against the man.
“That’s okay, baby. Let’s sit a while and I’ll hold you.”
Caroline found herself snuggled in Josh’s lap. Her head drifted to his shoulder as he gently caressed her thigh.
The shadows of the room lulled her into a dreamlike state. Josh’s heartbeat pulled her further under. She rubbed her nose against the curve of his neck and breathed him deeply. Everything within her melted as she sank into him. Josh’s strong arms gave her a safe place to just be. There were no expectations of her here. No responsibilities. No condemnation. It was paradise.
Her eyes fluttered shut as Josh began to sing. She heard and felt the song as it worked its way through her. She didn’t know how long she sat there wrapped in Josh, lulled into a state of bliss by his voice and his wickedly sensual kisses, but it was a time she never wanted to end.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Caroline woke the following morning to find herself fully dressed and wedged into the back of her sagging old couch. The first thing she noticed was that her body ached from sleeping on the sofa instead of her lovely, soft bed. The second thing she noticed was that Josh was nowhere in sight. Tingles raced through her body at the thought of the night before. He’d transported her to another world. One where she didn’t have to be strong, or in control. And Caroline had loved every single minute of it.
She rolled over to find a note on the floor beside the couch. Have a meeting with Mitch that I can’t blow off. Otherwise I’d be here with you, beautiful. Caroline felt her heart stutter at his words. She glanced to the clock on the mantel and squealed. She was late. Very late. Damn Josh for not waking her. She set out at a run for the stairs and the bathroom.
When Caroline arrived at the community centre, the local newspaper editor was waiting for her.
“Malcolm, you’re keen to get into the library this morning.”
He patted his ample belly and frowned. “I’m not here for the library, Caroline. I need to talk to you.”
“Okay.” The insides of Caroline’s eyelids were lined with sandpaper. The last thing she felt like was a chat. “Just let me open up and we’ll go into my office.”
He nodded solemnly.
Once in her office, Caroline sat behind her desk and Malcolm took the only other chair in the room. She wished she’d had time to make some strong tea before dealing with the local newspaper editor, but, from the look on his face, caffeine wasn’t going to help her anyway.
“I had a phone call this morning.” Malcolm curled his lip in disgust. “An anonymous tip.” He sucked in a breath. “It was a woman. She told me that you and Josh McInnes are getting married.”
Caroline felt everything within her still as her head throbbed furiously.
“I’m sorry to bring this to you, but I have to check everything that comes over my desk. Plus, the woman became angry when I said I didn’t believe her. She said she was going to call the Glasgow press.”
To stop them shaking, Caroline folded her fingers on the desk in front of her. “Do you think she did?” Caroline was pleased her voice sounded a whole lot calmer than she felt.
“She was pretty angry with you, so I’m guessing that she did.”
“Do you think they took her seriously?”
“They don’t know you as well as I do, so they won’t realise it’s a silly story made up by someone who has a grudge to bear. But there’s a good chance they’ll send someone to check out the tip.”
Caroline pulled a notebook and pen towards her. She needed to make a list. Things were always easier to handle when she had a list. “How quickly will they do that?”
Malcolm stilled with his hand halfway through a belly rub. His keen eyes focused in on her.
Caroline kept her face blank. “You worked in Glasgow for years. You must have an idea how fast they will get here?”
“Tomorrow would be my guess.” He studied her for a moment. “First they’ll make some phone calls to see if Josh is actually here, then they’ll check you out, and if they think the story has merit they’ll send someone up here.” He leaned forward in his seat. “It’s not true, is it, Caroline? Are you really going to marry Josh McInnes?”
Caroline took a deep breath. “Yes. It’s true.”
“Holy smoke.” Malcolm’s mouth fell open.
“Indeed.” She rubbed her temple.
The editor’s expression was apologetic. “You know I can’t sit on this. I have a business to take care of, and this is the biggest story we’ve had in Invertary since the Battle of the Bras.” His face softened towards her. “I’m really sorry, Caroline. I’ll have to run with the story.”
“I know. But there must be something we can do about the rest of the press. We don’t want the town overrun, do we?”
“Well…” He scratched his unruly hair, making it look much worse. “I wouldn’t say no to an exclusive, but I don’t see how we can keep the press out of town.”
Caroline pursed her lips. “Leave that to me. Would you mind spreading the word? Emergency town meeting in the church hall tonight.”
Malcolm seemed confused, but nodded. “Sure, but I don’t see how even you can stop this.”
“You’d be surprised what I can do when I put my mind to it.”
The editor shook his head. A knowing smile curled his lips. “No, I really wouldn’t.”
“We have a problem,” Caroline said in Josh’s ear.
Josh tucked the phone between his shoulder and ear while he grabbed a coffee mug from the cupboard. Her lilting accent sent shivers down his spine. His brain flashed a replay of the night before on the inside of his eyelids. He wanted to let out a growl. But he didn’t. Caroline was nervous enough around him without him channelling his inner animal. Instead he aimed for casual. “I know we have a problem. I’m here in the castle and you’re not with me.”
She ignored him. No surprise there. “The press know about the wedding.”
Josh shrugged as he reached for the coffee pot, which his dad had been hoarding at the dining table. He was surprised the press had taken this long.
“You need to expect this sort of thing, babe. You’re marrying a superstar.”
His dad grunted into his coffee. Josh could practically hear Caroline roll her eyes on the other end of the line. He grinned.
“I won’t have the town overrun with press.” She sounded like she had some say in the matter.
“There’s nothing you can do about it. I know it’s a pain in the ass, but you’ll get used to it, and after the wedding they’ll move on to something else.”
“I don’t accept that. This is my life, and no matter what you or anyone else thinks, I will have control over it.”
Yeah, good luck with that.
“There’s a town meeting tonight at 7:30, in the church hall. I need you to be there.”
“Won’t that cause more problems?”
She sighed heavily, taking him right back to the sounds she’d made the night before. He shuddered. She was definitely too far away from him.
“You aren’t going to
be mobbed, Josh. I know you think everyone in Invertary is dying to get close to you, but you have to trust me when I tell you that you aren’t that big of a deal.”
“Whatever you want to believe, baby. Whatever you want to believe.”
“Just be at the meeting,” Caroline ordered, then hung up.
He shook his head at the phone. His woman had some serious control issues. As he lifted his coffee to his lips, the drilling started.
His dad moaned. “Please tell me that isn’t in my head.”
Josh frowned at him—he’d spotted the empty whiskey bottle on the floor beside the sofa this morning. “No it isn’t. But you’d deserve it if it was. You made an ass of yourself at dinner last night. You could have made an effort with Caroline. You embarrassed the family.”
“This sham of a wedding is embarrassing me.”
“Dad.” Josh tried to soften his voice. It was obvious from the fact his father was living in the TV room that the guy had his own problems. “Caroline is a good woman. I’m marrying her. If you can’t support us that’s your problem, but you need to keep your mouth shut about it.”
“As your father—”
“I’m thirty-five. I don’t need or want your approval. But I would like to have you involved.”
“I can’t do that. You’re being a fool.”
“Seems to me I’m not the only one.” He put his hand on his dad’s shoulder. “Do us all a favour. Stop worrying about my love life and sort out your own.”
He left his dad grumbling into his coffee and went to the study to make some calls—if he could manage to hear anything over the drilling, hammering and sawing.
Caroline closed the library early, again. She was beginning to spend more time out of the centre than working in it. At this rate she’d have to refund a percentage of her wages for the time she was missing. Not to mention she could add being irresponsible to her list of sins. Lying. Stealing books. Taking care of personal business on work time. She didn’t recognise herself anymore.
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