“Um…Miss Anderson”—Officer Pratt nodded toward Eve—“broke Ray Dowdy’s nose and some of his fingers. And Camry MacKeage dislocated Jay Johnson’s knee.”
Jack Stone looked at Eve, again in surprise, then turned back to his deputy. “Are the men pressing charges?”
Officer Pratt nodded. “They just called from the clinic a few minutes ago. They should be here shortly.”
“Any witnesses?”
“About fifty people.”
“If they press charges, so will we,” Eve declared.
“Absolutely—they assaulted us, and it was self-defense,” Camry agreed.
“Okay, then,” Jack said, patting his baby on the bottom when the infant made a noise. “I’ll be in my office. Knock on the door to let me know when they get here. Megan, come feed your son,” he told her, stepping around Pratt.
“I can’t,” Megan said. “I’ve been drinking.”
He turned, glared at Camry, then looked back at his wife and sighed. “Okay, then come feed him the bottle I brought. He wouldn’t take it for me.”
“That’s because you’re not soft and squishy in all the right places,” Megan said as she waltzed past him into the hallway.
Jack looked around the lobby. “Any of you who didn’t throw any punches or break anyone’s nose can leave. I only need Camry and Miss Anderson to stay.” He nodded slightly. “And Greylen and Grace, if you want.” He looked at Kenzie and sighed again. “I suppose you can stay, too, Gregor, since you can’t seem to unglue yourself from Miss Anderson.”
Kenzie finally released her, and Eve nearly fell down in surprise.
“I’m staying,” Heather said, glancing at her husband.
“Me, too,” all the other sisters said in unison.
Jack started unzipping his son out of his chest pack as he headed down the hall after Megan, but then he returned to the lobby and walked over to Greylen. “Your word that you will be civilized when Dowdy and Johnson show up.”
Greylen hesitated, then nodded.
Jack walked over to Kenzie. “You, too, Gregor. Your word.”
Kenzie didn’t so much as bat an eye.
The door opened and two men walked into the station. Well, one walked; the other one hobbled in on crutches. They immediately stopped when they saw everyone, and the people in the lobby collectively sucked in their breaths.
The guy Eve had defended herself against had two black eyes and a piece of padded tape over his nose. He was cradling his bandaged right hand against his chest. Camry’s assailant was wearing a brace on his left knee.
Jack Stone handed his son to Grace. “Would you take him to Megan?” he asked, reaching in his pocket and handing her a small feeding bottle. “Gentlemen,” he said, going over to the two men. “Let’s go into the conference room, shall we?”
They quickly followed him through the utterly silent lobby.
As soon as the conference room door closed, Greylen MacKeage looked at Eve and started laughing. “Good Lord, woman, I don’t ever want to get on your bad side.” He pounded Kenzie on the back. “And neither should you, my friend.”
Kenzie was also looking at her in disbelief.
“So does this mean you’ll finally stop going on about how I need a man to look after me?” Camry asked her father.
Greylen stopped laughing.
All the sisters groaned, and one by one they grabbed their husbands and filed out until only Kenzie, Eve, Camry, and Greylen remained in the lobby.
Camry started smiling and nodding at her father, and Eve burst into tears.
“What the…Eve, what’s wrong?” Kenzie asked, hugging her again.
Eve muttered something into his shirt.
“What, lass?” he asked, lifting her chin.
“I said you didn’t even notice I was wearing the Gregor plaid,” she sniffled.
“Oh, I noticed,” he said gruffly, hugging her again.
She muttered into his shirt again.
“Now what?” he asked, leaning back to look in her eyes.
“I need to use the powder room,” she whispered.
He let her go, and Eve took Camry by the hand and led her up to Officer Pratt. “Could you take us to the bathroom, please?”
He hesitated, glancing toward the conference room, then led them down the hall.
“Thank you,” Eve said, pulling Camry inside. Then she went over to the mirror. “Oh my God, I look like I’ve been in a barroom brawl!”
“You looked perfectly fine when we left Pete’s. Kenzie messed up your hair and blouse.”
Eve tried to smooth her blouse. “I think his body heat actually pressed in creases.”
“Where did you learn to cry on demand like that?” Camry asked. “You actually made tears!”
“I had an overprotective father, too. He drove me to karate lessons for six years straight, and he made sure every boy who picked me up for a date knew I was a brown belt. But whenever I burst into tears he didn’t know what to do, so he usually just caved in.”
There was a knock on the door, and Grace walked into the restroom. “It’s safe to come out,” she said. “Your victims have left. They decided not to press charges, so we can go home.”
“Why didn’t they press charges?” Camry asked.
“Jack pointed out that if they did, the assault would become public knowledge. Then he asked if they wanted the whole county to know that two women who didn’t even come up to their armpits had beaten them up. Come on,” she said, motioning for them to follow. “Those adorable little heathens will be awake in five hours, and the chaos will start all over again.”
Camry started to follow Grace out of the bathroom, but Eve held her back. “For one last time, Kenzie and I are not a couple.”
“Whatever you say. As long as I get to be your maid of honor.”
Without stopping to think, Eve said, “You can’t. My friend Maddy is going to be.”
Camry shot her a smug smile, then strode down the hall. Eve groaned and followed, wondering if there was a back staircase out of the rabbit hole she’d fallen into.
Chapter Seventeen
“She’s fallen asleep again,” Eve pointed out.
“She does that a lot.” Kenzie explained. “Butterball is well over thirty years old.”
“Maybe we shouldn’t disturb her,” Eve said hopefully.
“She really won’t mind.”
“She’s awfully tall, isn’t she?”
“Nay, you’re just awfully short.”
Eve eyed the elephant-sized horse standing next to the mounting block, saddled and bridled, with the reins thrown over her neck. Her eyes were closed.
“I think we should wait until you can find a normal-sized horse for me to ride.”
“She won’t hurt you, Eve.”
“I’ll make you blueberry pancakes every day for a month?”
Kenzie took Eve by the hand and led her up to the mounting block. The horse opened the big brown eye facing them, then lazily closed it again.
Kenzie then lifted Eve onto the block, since she wasn’t in any hurry to climb the steps herself. He put her hand on the horse’s neck, and ran it over the mare’s glistening coat.
Butterball made a noise that sounded like a sigh.
“See, she likes ye.”
Eve pulled her hand out from under his. “She’s just pretending to be asleep. The minute I climb on her back, she’s going to decide she doesn’t want to lug me up the mountain today, and gallop back to the barn.”
“Butterball is as docile as a lamb. In fact, she’s safe enough that Megan was five months pregnant when she rode her up the mountain last winter, in two feet of snow.”
Eve knew she was being ridiculous, but she didn’t care. She kept picturing Curaidh galloping as fast as the wind whenever Kenzie rode him. And then there was the fact that if she did find the nerve to climb in the saddle, she would have to spend the entire afternoon on the mountain with Kenzie.
All alone.
Just t
he two of them.
“What exactly are ye afraid of, lass?”
That you’re going to kiss me.
Even worse, Eve was afraid she would start kissing him back, because she couldn’t seem to control herself when he touched her. Then one thing would lead to another, and she’d probably start undressing him, and then…Oh, God. Then she’d have to explain that they’d made love the night of the storm, and now she was pregnant.
And then he’d insist she marry him, because he was an old-fashioned highlander!
Kenzie sighed hard enough to move her hair, and reached out and undid the cinch holding the saddle on Butterball’s back. Eve sighed in relief when he set the saddle on the mounting block, glad she didn’t have to ride up the mountain and risk humiliating herself.
But just as she started to climb down off the block, Kenzie lifted her onto Butterball’s bare back! And before she could finish gasping in surprise, he vaulted up behind her and started them toward the path leading into the woods.
“What are you doing?”
“Just enjoy the ride. I’ll keep ye safe,” he said, pulling her against his chest.
She was practically sitting in his lap! She could feel his heat where she was plastered against him. And because his arms were around her to guide Butterball she did feel safe, but she also felt excited and frightened.
“You are such a highlander,” she muttered, grabbing Butterball’s mane when the horse’s hoof clinked on a rock.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked, sounding amused.
“I’m beginning to realize it means that if things aren’t going the way you want, you simply make them go your way.”
He laughed. “Ye just described yourself, lass.”
“What are you talking about?”
He lowered his head beside hers. “Ye burst into tears last night at the police station to save Camry, when she made that foolish remark to Greylen.”
“You knew I was faking it?”
“Ye expect me to believe my not noticing you were wearing my plaid made ye cry?” He snorted. “After you’d just beaten a man to a bloody pulp?”
“Just for the record, I didn’t know it was your plaid when Camry gave me the blouse to wear.”
“Also for the record,” he said, his lips sinfully close to her ear, making her shiver. “I hope ye noticed that I didn’t give ye hell for being in that bar in the first place.”
“Does that mean you wanted to?” She broke out in goose bumps, despite the fact he was radiating enough heat to start a forest fire.
“I won’t ever smother ye, Eve. I’m trying very hard to be the kind of man a modern woman would want.”
Well, hell. He just had to take off his clothes, if that was all he wanted.
He laughed, and Eve realized she’d spoken her thought out loud! She ducked her head with a groan, blushing to the roots of her hair, and he laughed harder.
“Ah, little one, ye do please me.”
She snapped her head up, clipping his chin. “I am not little, I’m petite. And that reminds me. You called me a pixie to Camry, and she told me they’re tiny creatures who go around making mischief. I am not a mischief maker.”
He actually laughed harder. “Did she also tell ye that pixies like to sprinkle their magical dust on sleeping men and give them wonderful dreams?”
Eve shivered again. Oh, God, he wasn’t taking her up the mountain to kiss her—he simply wanted privacy to confront her!
“I—I’m going to be sick,” she said, grabbing her belly.
“No, you’re not.” His arms tightened around her. “Just breathe through it.”
Of all the arrogant…“You can’t command someone not to be sick.”
He placed his hand over hers on her belly. “You will not be sick,” he said, his voice deep and commanding—and definitely amused again.
She should throw up all over him, the jerk.
“Look,” he whispered, suddenly pulling Butterball to a halt.
Eve silently sucked in her breath at the sight of a mother doe and fawn standing less than thirty yards in front of them. The doe had her ears perked forward, her large fluid brown eyes fixed on Butterball. The tiny spotted fawn, oblivious to them, was dancing around its mother and butting its nose in her udder, then flittering off again.
“Babies are nature’s promise to us of tomorrow,” Kenzie whispered against her ear. “And when a fawn shows itself to ye, it’s blessing your tomorrows. Would ye like to give it a kiss, to thank it for the wonderful gift it’s giving ye, Eve?”
“The minute we move, the mother’s going to bolt into the woods with her fawn,” she whispered back.
“Nay, not if we ask her to trust us,” he said, slowly sliding off Butterball. He reached up and slid Eve down, took her hand, and started walking toward the deer as he softly spoke to her in Gaelic.
She couldn’t believe the deer didn’t bolt. But Kenzie simply kept leading Eve closer, murmuring softly as he held out his hand. The doe twitched her ears, lifted her nose, and gave a soft snort, then actually walked toward them!
She touched Kenzie’s fingers, her nostrils billowing to take in his scent, then nudged his hand. Unable to believe what she was seeing, Eve held herself as still as a statue, not even daring to breathe.
Kenzie slowly lifted his hand holding hers, and turned her palm upward as he whispered to the doe, his voice reassuring. The doe pressed its moist muzzle against Eve’s hand, and every hair on Eve’s body stood on end at the delicate touch.
Something bumped her leg.
“Get down on your knees,” Kenzie said in the same soft voice. “Don’t try to touch it; let the fawn do the touching.”
As slowly and as silently as she could, Eve knelt on the moss-covered ground.
The fawn flittered away, then came back, this time butting its tiny wet nose against her cheek, its whisper of breath warmly fanning her skin. Eve shivered in absolute delight, and turned her head just enough that her lips touched the downy-soft fur of the fawn’s face just above its pink little nose.
It immediately flittered away again, giving a squeaky bleat as it sprinted around its mother. It peeked under her belly at Eve, and bleated again.
Kenzie gave a soft chuckle, lifted the doe’s head by her chin, and softly blew on her snout. He said something in Gaelic again and stepped back, and the doe turned and bounded into the woods, her fawn bounding after her.
Eve knelt in the middle of the path, staring after them in mesmerized awe. It wasn’t until they disappeared that she finally looked up at Kenzie. “I…I just kissed a wild fawn,” she whispered. “How is that possible?”
He pulled her up into his arms, then kissed the tip of her nose, his golden eyes gleaming in the filtered sunlight. “It’s possible because the doe took one look at you and knew she wanted your blessing on her babe.”
“But I thought it was blessing me,” Eve said, still whispering out of reverence at what just happened.
“And that, my little one, is exactly how the magic works,” he said. “To give a blessing is to receive one.”
He lifted a hand to the back of her neck, and when his head lowered again, his lips settled on hers. He kissed her with the same gentle caution he’d used to handle the doe…until Eve began kissing him back.
His mouth began moving over hers more urgently, and she fisted her hands against his shoulders, determined to stay in control of herself. He wouldn’t think he was dreaming this time, and she wanted to savor their first real kiss. She could feel the lust radiating from every pore in his body, but he seemed to be more interested in giving than taking.
Maybe even a bit hesitant.
That thought bolstered her as nothing else could have, and she wrapped her hands around his neck and leaned into him, even as she cautioned herself about not letting things escalate.
Still wreaking havoc on her mouth, his hand slipped down her back to cup her buttocks. He pulled her against him, and every muscle in Eve’s body tightened at the
feel of his erection on her belly. One part of the women’s lecture from last night suddenly popped into her head: how the things they loved about their men were usually the very things that drove them crazy.
And Eve suddenly understood one of those things.
When Kenzie Gregor touched her, he made her crazy with need. She tightened her fingers on his neck, the feel of his strong pulse under her thumb sending her heartbeat into overdrive. She made a noise of frustration and tried to climb up his rock-hard body, wishing she could simply crawl inside him.
He lifted her off her feet, and she immediately wrapped her legs around his waist. He cradled her bottom to hold her against him and buried his face in her neck, his lips on her own pulse sending her reeling.
“We have to stop now, Eve,” he growled against her skin, making her shiver.
She fought to rein in her growing passion even as she pressed more intimately against him. “But we’re just getting to the good part.” She leaned back enough to look in his eyes, and was surprised at the war she saw waging inside him. “And I really want you.”
He suddenly stepped back and sat down so that she was sitting on his lap, straddling him.
Which was even better, since now she could use both hands on him.
He stopped her by gathering her hands in his. “I want our first time to be as husband and wife.”
She blinked at him.
She couldn’t have heard right. Not only had that sounded sort of like a marriage proposal, it had sounded way too old-fashioned even for him.
“I brought ye up here, Eve, to ask you to marry me.”
He was proposing to her!
“Why?” she asked.
“Because I want ye,” he said gruffly, color darkening his cheekbones. “And because I believe we’ll do well together. I told you earlier, ye please me. And ye don’t seem put off by my touch; in fact, ye seem to like it. And it’s important in a marriage that two people are physically attracted to each other.”
Her rabbit hole just kept getting deeper and deeper.
“What century were you born in?” she asked in disbelief. “Because you sound ancient even by Scottish standards. Or anyone’s standards,” she muttered, trying to tug her hands free again.
Moonlight Warrior Page 19