by Various
He puttered around the library, impressed with the vast collection of books, movies and music. From there he found his way into a ballroom, of all things, still decorated for what must have been a Halloween masquerade. Finally, he discovered a games room, with everything from card tables and billiards to an extensive selection of board games. There was nothing tacky about this residence. He’d stayed in many bed and breakfasts, some that were clearly lived in by the owners, and others that seemed as if you were staying in a museum. This place was a blend of elegance and comfort. Two words that came to mind when he thought of its owner. It was time he sought her out.
THREE
Elsie was exhausted. It had taken most of the day, but the cottage was ready. Now that it was finished, she wondered why she hadn’t thought of renovating Will’s place much sooner. Her brother was in the Navy and was rarely home. He’d never miss it.
She’d worked to create what she’d promised Mr. Hunky Scott: an artist’s retreat. When she’d figured out the decor for the inn, she envisioned an esthetic similar to what the house would have offered in the late 1800s, together with a modern, inviting atmosphere. With this place, however, her creativity could take over.
She pilfered pieces from around the house, including her own rooms. She’d even taken the recliner she’d given her Dad on Father’s Day, with a promise to order him a new one right away. It was placed so that you could sit there and watch the fire crackle in the fireplace, or gaze out the window over the water. There had been no time to paint the walls. Instead she’d insulated them with some quilt batting and covered them with several bolts of grey flannel and trim. It made the room cozy and relaxing. A king-sized bed in the corner dominated the room. She could have gone with a queen, but she couldn’t imagine a man of Mr. Delicious Scott’s size comfortable in anything smaller. A table, a couple of chairs, coffee maker and kettle on the small kitchen counter, some artwork on the walls, a bookcase stocked with books and games, and a desk and chair made the room complete. The only thing it was missing was a working phone line, so until she could get that set up he’d have to come up to the house to eat instead of calling for service. All in all, not bad for a day’s work.
Decorating was one of her favourite parts of getting the inn ready for business. Every year she found herself changing the rooms slightly, depending on her mood. Now she envisioned building several more cottages, each one taking on a different persona. This one was definitely sensuous masculinity.
It was difficult preparing the cottage without picturing how Mr. Steamy Scott would look amid her work. While transforming Will’s shabby bathroom into something befitting a five-star establishment, she had to concentrate particularly hard not to picture the Scot naked in the shower. She chose the sandalwood scented toiletries because she imagined that scent would just add to his allure. Which, she scolded herself, she should not be working to achieve. If anything, she should be trying to make him smell less attractive. But a girl had to have her moments of zen, and picturing that goliath of a man clad in nothing but a thick, rich sandalwood scented lather was just too good a vision to let pass.
Snap out of it!
Sinking on to the plush bed, she wondered what had gotten into her. It hadn’t been that long since she’d been with a man, had it? “He who shall not be named” had been over for a short vacation only five months ago. In that instant she realized that for the past three years she’d had sex basically two or three times a year—albeit, rather marathon sessions. She’d given up trying to figure out the nature of her relationship with that man. The first time she’d seen him in the tabloids canoodling with the latest up-and-coming young pop star, she’d felt dirty and enraged. That first year she’d thought they had some sort of romantic relationship. She was the secret love he sang about, tucked away in a remote corner of the world. But she could only pretend for so long.
By the second year she knew the relationship was purely of a sexual nature for him. She and her inn were a retreat from his reality. By now she could predict when she’d get a call that he was on his way. Bad review of his latest album? Presto. He’d be on the next plane out of Heathrow. Or L.A. Too much press about his partying? There he’d be. His last visit came on the heels of being asked to rejoin his old boy-band for a comeback tour. He didn’t need a comeback, he whined the entire time he was there. He was Somebody.
To be honest, she didn’t even really care if he came back anymore. She wanted more than a weekend here and there, keeping it secret from everyone. Even the sex wasn’t as hot as it once was. That had to be why she was reacting so strongly to this stranger. She’d spent all of five minutes in his company and yet had obsessed about him all day. She was a professional and fantasizing about her guests was as far as it could go. Elsie shuddered to think what it would do to her reputation if people thought she was sleeping with the men who stayed there. No sir. She ran a high-class heritage bed and breakfast, not a high-class whore house.
With new resolve, she grabbed her coat, turned off the light, and pulled open the door. Then she yelped in pain as a pressing weight squat her foot into the ground.
“Oh my God, are you alright?”
She blinked her stinging eyes to keep tears from forming.
“I’m fine,” she lied. Her foot was throbbing.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t expect you to be coming out.”
“Well, I didn’t expect you to be lurking in the doorway,” she snapped. Why was she snapping at him? She never lost her patience.
“Lurking? I was out for a walk and decided to visit the cottage you said was available, yet spent the entire day renovating.”
“It’s been a while since I rented it. There was some water damage from the last couple of storms. I didn’t notice until today.”
Was he laughing at her? Did he not believe her? Did he truly think...Oh no! He knows I did this to get him out of the house. He knows I don’t want him as a guest.
“Look, Mr. Scott. I think you might have misunderstood my intentions. You are more than welcome to stay at the inn. You don’t have to feel obligated to stay in the cottage. It really is a little musty. It takes a real beating in the wind and rain, and you might not find it very comfortable.”
Was that a smirk she spotted on his perfectly kissable mouth? He was definitely laughing at her.
“Why are you laughing?” She realized too late she’d assumed what her brother called her battle stance. Legs firmly rooted, and fists planted on her hips.
“I’m Scottish. We laugh at inappropriate times.”
“There is absolutely nothing inappropriate happening here,” she said, thankful for the darkness that was hiding the redness she felt spreading over her face.
“That’s a shame, isn’t it?”
Was he standing closer to her now than he was before? He had to be. She couldn’t quite breathe. He was taking up her air.
“You’re welcome to stay here, or at the house, whichever you choose. Now you must excuse me, because I have to go.”
She moved to the left of him. He stood in front of her. Was he seriously blocking her way?
“Why won’t you show me the cottage? I think it would look much better with you in it.”
There was no way in a hundred hells that she was going into that cottage with him right now. The man must have had too much to drink with supper because there was a certain seductive swagger about everything he was saying and doing.
“It’s very small. You can see it for yourself.”
Stop sounding so bloody defensive!
“But isn’t it your job as my hostess to show me to my lodgings?”
“Mr.—Scott.”
Did I really almost call him Hot Scott?
“Your lodgings tonight is up that hill,” she pointed, “in that house, in the room which I showed you to earlier today. Tomorrow this can be your lodgings, and tomorrow I will show them to you, if you need me to. But right now my foot is aching, I’m hungry, and I’m clearly cranky. And I’m never cranky
. So this is not the best time for me to be showing you anything.”
She clapped her hand over her mouth.
“You see! I’m being rude to you. I’m very sorry. I’m never rude to guests. My apologies.”
He stepped back from her, his entire demeanour changing before her eyes. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have teased you when I’ve just stamped your wee foot into this hard ground.”
Now he was making her feel even worse. “It’s okay. Truly. It’s just a little achy. It’ll be fine after a hot bath.”
“Then let me help you back up the hill. Maybe I can even help you draw that bath.”
He’s hitting on me! Breathe. Relax. Shut him down.
She laughed. “I’ve been drawing my own baths for many years. I don’t need any assistance. But thank you for the offer.” Elsie stepped away, and felt her foot tremble in protest. “I will, however, accept your offer of help up the hill.”
He was silent for a moment. Then, “I’ll help you on one condition.”
In a flash an infinite amount of scenarios rushed through her mind, each one a little kinkier than the first.
“I’m not sure I want to know what that condition might be,” she said, beginning to hobble away before she succumbed to any suggestion he might make.
He took her arm as he walked in step beside her. “I’m sorry if my teasing has made you uncomfortable. Call it poor instincts.”
She almost believed he meant it.
“My only condition was that you call me Cam. Please. Every time you call me Mr. Scott I have visions of Captain Kirk run through my head. And I think we can both agree that you are certainly no William Shatner.”
——
Even her laugh was sensual, and by now he was beginning to understand that this creature wasn’t aware of the smoldering sensuality that followed her every word and action. He hadn’t even come on strong and the poor woman was ready to run from him in terror. It just made her all the more alluring.
His libido was getting in the way of manners. And his imagination had clearly gotten the best of him. Here he was thinking she was busy creating some kind of love nest for them, and yet she maintained she’d been doing repairs. It was possible. More than possible, given the dampness in the air just from the fog and wind. Water damage was likely more common in a tiny wooden shack perched on a cliff overlooking the North Atlantic Ocean than he realized.
He also had to admit that knowing she wasn’t planning on seducing him was what made her even more alluring. He’d become used to women ready to go along with his sexual demands. In fact, he’d clearly grown used to taking it for granted that his teasing would be eagerly accepted. His sister had warned him of being too sure of himself. How he hated that she was right.
“I think…I can...do that,” Elsie said, in the worst Captain Kirk impression he’d ever heard in his life. And then she laughed again. “That was terrible, wasn’t it?”
“Well, that depends.”
“On what, exactly?”
“On if you’re the kind of woman who appreciates the truth no matter what, or if you prefer little white lies to spare your feelings.”
“Absolute truth,” she said. “Without a doubt. I’ve always preferred a straight shooter.”
“Then yes, that was truly terrible.”
She smiled. He wanted to make her smile more.
“Thanks for agreeing with me,” she said, and laughed again as she opened the door to the inn. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go eat and relax. If you have any requests through the night, just dial zero. Tom is our night guy and he'll take care of you. He’s always complaining about how little there is for him to do, so don’t worry about bothering him.”
It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her that the only thing he’d need during the night couldn’t be provided by Tom, but then his inner-cautionary voice warned him to just shut up.
“Enjoy your night, Cam,” she said, before ducking into a door clearly marked Staff Only.
——
Five hours later, Cam was most definitely not enjoying his night. The bed was comfortable, the complimentary decanter of whisky in the room was delicious, and much to his amusement, a cat had found its way into his room and was now curled up next to him. Despite all the comfort, he couldn’t sleep.
Obsession was the word that sprang to mind. And it worried him. He hadn’t had a sleepless night over a woman since his only serious relationship had ended more than ten years ago. And those sleepless nights were spent wondering where she was and who she was with. Now here he was tossing and turning over a woman he’d spent only minutes with. And she clearly had no interest in him. He had two weeks booked to get these drawings done, and he couldn’t let this impractical obsession get in the way of his mission.
FOUR
As he shaved the next morning, Cam concocted a plan, even if it was a simple one. Have breakfast, and go in search of birds. If he happened to see Elsie at some point, he would be polite—there was no harm in trying that approach—but would refrain from acting like some horny teenager. That he felt like one was his own problem. It was a beautiful day to get some work done.
Cam pulled on a long-sleeved jersey shirt and tucked it into his grey cords. He double-checked his coat to make sure there was a hat in there in case it was colder than it looked, and headed down for breakfast.
He wasn’t surprised to find he was the only one there. He doubted other guests had a reason to be up and about at seven. He grabbed a coffee and a thick slice of bread still warm from the oven. Today’s breakfast was a savoury quiche loaded with cheese, bacon, peppers, and mushrooms, and he polished off two pieces in under ten minutes. In the short time he’d sat looking out the window he’d spotted dozens of birds dancing in the wind. His favourite way to draw wildlife was to watch the animal in motion. You got better grasp of its personality that way. He had a feeling it was going to be a productive day.
“And where are you heading this morning, me ducky?”
He’d almost escaped the house unnoticed.
“Good morning, ma’am. I didn’t think to see you so early.”
“Oh, call me Ida. Ma’am makes me feel my age. And don’t go askin’ me what that is.” She playfully pushed on his arm.
“And I’m just doin’ me job. I have to make sure that when all you folks are leaving for the day I can set you on your journey right. So where are you looking to go?”
“Not too far, really. I’m just going out to draw some birds.”
“Birds, is it? Well, you’ll be wanting to head that way,” she said, pointing directly where he had intended on going. “You’ll see plenty down by young Will’s cabin, but go past it for about ten minutes and you’ll start to head downhill.”
Young Will’s cabin? He’d have to find out who young Will was. And if he knew his cabin was for rent.
“Half ways down you can see the cliffs the best,” Ida continued. “Although it’s not the time for nesting so there’ll be no small ones for you. Still, lots of birds out that way. Best view, in my opinion. Watch out for the twillicks though. They’ve been known to dive at a soul for no good reason.”
He’d never heard of a bird called a twillick.
“Oh, you knows it's them by their long, skinny, yellow legs. Watch out for ‘em, I warn ya.”
He thanked her and put his hand on the door to leave.
“Oh, Mr. Scott. One more thing.”
“Yes?”
“What do you think of my niece?”
“Pardon?”
He turned to stare at the old woman. She had a grin that even the Cheshire Cat himself couldn’t pull off.
“Elsie. My great niece. Pretty young thing, isn’t she.”
“Um. Yes. Yes she is. Quite pretty.”
“I couldn’t help but notice you’ve no wedding ring. Are you a single man yourself?”
“I certainly am.” He couldn’t hold back his smile.
“So is she. A single woman, I mean
. You've seen her. She's surely not a man," she chuckled. "Indeed, she works too much so how can she not be. Anyhow, just thought you might like to know that. Although she’s a little prickly when it comes to men. Still, she’s a good girl. That’s all.”
“Well, ah. Thank you, Ida.”
Wonderful. He was trying to put Elsie out of his mind and here was this woman doing her best to lodge his own personal temptress firmly back in it.
“Although I’m not sure she would appreciate you telling me this.”
The old woman winked at him. “What she doesn’t know can’t hurt, now can it. And I can tell you’re a fine man. If you’re a smart man, well now, that we’ll see about.” She patted his arm and hobbled off, her cane thumping the floor harder than her orthopedic shoes.
——
Four hours and nine sketches later Cam forced his frozen body up the last few steps of the “little” hill Ida had told him about. He’d scaled hills in the Highlands that didn’t have such a steep incline. He hadn’t realized just how cold the wind could bite, and despite the temperature hovering a few degrees above freezing, he felt colder than he had in his life.
“You look like you could use a hot drink.”
Had he frozen to death after all? If so he was thankful for the fates that chose to send him an angel that so closely resembled Elsie.