Scot on the Run

by Janice Maynard

  When she passed town and kept on going, Ian frowned. “Where are we headed?”

  “If they follow us back to my place, you’re stuck. Everyone will know where you’re staying. I’ve thought of somewhere we can hide out for a couple of hours. The reporters won’t be able to find you tonight. They’ll give up for the time being, and they still won’t be able to prove I’m the one giving you asylum.”

  Ian’s grin, when she glanced sideways to see his reaction, was surprisingly carefree. “Sounds great to me.”

  * * *

  Ian was having fun. It was sobering to realize that even though he enjoyed his life for the most part, rarely could he identify his days as fun. Yet with Bella at his side, determined to protect his identity, he felt like a kid again.

  Suddenly, she barked out a warning. “Hold on.”

  Just in time, he grabbed the door handle. The hard left turn as they abruptly exited the main road sent his shoulder banging against the doorframe. What the hell? Bella let off on the gas only a fraction in order to maneuver the Jeep over and around dangerous potholes on the rutted, dirt and gravel track.

  “Where are we going?” He had to raise his voice to be heard. Though dusk was closing in, there was still plenty of light for anyone following them to spot the Jeep.

  “There’s a house up here. Deserted. I’ll explain in a minute. Do you see anybody on the highway?”

  He craned his neck. Far in the distance, from the same direction he and Bella had come, a navy sedan appeared over a rise. Though the car was still a long distance away, it looked like the same one they had seen at the restaurant. “I think that’s them. Can you cut the headlights?”

  “Good idea.”

  With the Jeep now running in the near dark, they had to go much slower. Even so, there was little chance the reporters would spot them way up here. The track was steep. As they pulled around behind a small, forlorn cottage and Bella cut the engine, Ian realized they were halfway up the hillside.

  In the sudden silence, he could hear his heart beating in his ears. “We’d better get out and see if they’re heading our way.”

  Bella nodded. She tucked her hair behind her ears. “Yes.”

  She seemed tense, her expression harried.

  He put a hand on her forearm. “It’s okay,” he said. “I can’t outrun them forever.”

  “You shouldn’t have to,” she said, climbing out of the Jeep. “They’re maggots, bottom feeders, scum of the earth.”

  Ian laughed. “Good Lord, Bella. They’re only trying to do their job.”

  She whirled to face him. “Then why did you run the first time?”

  It was a very good question and one he wasn’t ready to answer. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s take a peek.”

  Carefully, they leaned around the corner of the house and scanned the highway. The navy car was much closer now. Ian held his breath as it pulled even with the wretched, narrow lane and then flew right on by.

  Bella exhaled audibly. “Thank goodness.”

  “We’re not out of the woods,” he cautioned. “If they think we’ve given them the slip, they may double back.”

  “I doubt it. C’mon,” she said. “Let’s go inside and warm up.”

  There was a storm on the way, and the air was heavy and moist. “Don’t you think it’s locked?” he said dubiously. He didn’t want to add breaking and entering to his reputation.

  Bella laughed softly, the sound hitting him gut deep. “It is. Yes. But I know where the key is hidden.”

  She was as good as her word. In moments they were inside. Unfortunately, the electricity was not in working order. Ian flipped a switch to no avail. “Now what?”

  “We build a fire. We couldn’t have turned on the lights anyway, not if we wanted to maintain our hiding place.”

  “True.” He helped her pile logs and rolled-up newspapers in the grate. Unfortunately, the box of matches on the hearth was damp.

  After they tried and failed to get a spark three separate times, Bella groaned, rubbing her arms with her hands. “I thought we could hang out here for a few hours and be all cozy. This wasn’t part of the plan.”

  Ian pulled a silver cigarette lighter from his pocket. “This should do the trick,” he said.

  Bella gaped, her eyes round in the glow of the sudden flames. “You smoke?”

  The tone of the question made it sound as if he kicked puppies or stole money from the church.

  “I don’t,” he said mildly. “But if I did, would it be a deal breaker?”

  She frowned, sitting down in a rocking chair and pulling her knees up to her chest as if she really were cold. “A deal breaker for what?”

  “A deal breaker for us. You and me,” he elaborated. In case there was any doubt.

  “Umm…”

  For once he had stumped the opinionated and prickly southern belle. Ian grabbed the second rocker and angled it to hers, deciding not to push his luck at the moment. He kicked off his shoes and warmed his sock-clad feet on the brass fender. “This is nice. But are you ready to tell me why we’re playing squatter in a crofter’s cottage in the middle of nowhere?”

  Bella recovered her equanimity. “My new sister-in-law, McKenzie, rented this place sight unseen when she came here to spend a month in Scotland. But the owner was old and senile, and when she arrived, the house was in shambles. Finley rescued her until they had a chance to get the cottage cleaned up and in livable condition. It’s really a very romantic story.”

  Ian rocked slowly, extremely conscious of the woman beside him. “So no one lives here now?”

  “It’s a big secret from McKenzie, but my brother is in the process of purchasing the house from the original owner’s family so he can give it to McKenzie as a present on their first anniversary.”

  “Most men might go with jewelry.”

  Bella smiled dreamily, her chin resting on her knees. The firelight cast shadows on her face. She looked very young. “You’d have to know McKenzie. She has a great deal of money, but she appreciates simplicity. To have Finley give her this place will please her to no end.”

  “What would a man have to do to please you, Bella? What do you appreciate?”

  He saw the muscles in her throat work as she swallowed. “Are you making a pass at me?”

  “Does anyone really say that anymore?” There was something very proper and old-fashioned about her wary posture. He found himself flooded with a mixture of tenderness and hunger.

  “Okay then,” she snapped. “Are you hitting on me?”

  He winced. “I’m trying to get to know you.” It was the truth, though maybe not the entire truth.

  Bella was smart, too smart to be pacified by his equivocation. Still, she didn’t pursue her original question. “I like fresh flowers, even in the dead of winter. They make me happy. I adore chocolate, but only in moderation. I enjoy spending time alone. My musical tastes are eclectic. Is that the kind of thing you want to know?”

  “It’s a start.”

  “And what about you, Ian Larrimore? What do you do when you’re not being hounded by the paparazzi?”

  “Nothing very exciting, I assure you. I work and work and work, and when I’m not working, I think about work. I love what I do, so it’s difficult to keep my personal life and professional life separate.”

  “I understand that, I think. Do you run for exercise only, or do you really like it?”

  “Both. My chosen field requires a great deal of mental concentration. Getting outside to blow the cobwebs away is not only necessary for good health, but it often gives me a jolt of creative energy. I might be in the middle of a five-mile run and suddenly have a breakthrough.”

  “That must be exhilarating.”

  “It is. But what about you? I know from what Finley has told me that you’re an academic overachiever. Are you hoping to teach when you finish your dissertation? Mold young minds for the future and all that?”

  She wrinkled her nose. “I thought that was what I wanted. N
ow, I’m not so sure. What I fantasize about is living here in Scotland and spending my days researching history and learning everything I can about the past five hundred years. That’s not really a viable life choice, though, so I’m stuck.”

  “Tell me more about this novel.”

  “I don’t want to talk about it,” she said, her expression mulish.

  “Why not?”

  “Because you’re a man and men sneer.”

  “Says who?”

  “Says me.”

  “Education is supposed to broaden a person’s horizons… expand the mind. Why would you make assumptions about me?”

  “I’ve known more than a few ‘geniuses’ in my academic tenure. Arrogance and intolerance comes with the territory.”

  “I’m not sure what your brother told you about me, but I assure you I’m neither as intelligent nor as close-minded as you seem to think. I may be a socially awkward introvert, but I’m not a jerk. At least I don’t think so.”

  Chapter Five

  Bella realized she was behaving badly. It was possible Ian was making small talk the only way he knew how.

  “Will you answer a personal question?” she asked quietly. The time seemed right for shared confidences. Particularly in light of the fact that she had chosen to run interference for this handsome fugitive, not once, but twice.

  “I suppose.”

  “Why does it bother you so much? The attention, I mean. Couldn’t you just let them have their photographs and go on your way?”

  He scowled. “Why should I have to? Is it wrong to want to keep my private life private? I am a human being. A free man. There’s something wrong about a society that believes fame obliterates any right to decency and respect.”

  “You’ve given this a lot of thought, haven’t you?”

  He ran both hands through his hair. “I haven’t had much choice. The damn cameras are in my face every time I step outside my building. I finally decided I’d had enough. Finley has always given me an open invitation to visit him here on Skye. I called him. He offered me the guest room. End of story. Except for the part where you were in residence. That was a nice surprise.”

  “Nice? C’mon, Ian. Tell the truth. You were hoping to have the place to yourself. Just like I was.”

  “Maybe.” He took an audible breath. “I’ll leave,” he said suddenly. “You were here first. It doesn’t make sense for you to give up your time in Scotland. You have some big decisions to make.”

  “Oh, no,” she said. “I won’t let my brother accuse me of running you off. I’d never live it down. I think we can coexist peacefully if we try.”

  The room fell silent after that. With the popping and crackling of the fire, Bella grew drowsy. It had been a long day, but she was reluctant to bring up the subject of returning home.

  Ian sprawled beside her, his long legs outstretched, his big feet oddly vulnerable. She had a gut feeling he wasn’t being honest with her about the paparazzi thing. Yes, it was wrong that one stupid magazine article had turned his world upside down. Still, there had to be more to his reaction than he was admitting.

  Lots of celebrities tolerated the limelight by being pleasant and signing autographs on occasion. A man couldn’t be chased if he didn’t run.

  What did Ian have to hide? Was it only his reclusive nature that made him so angry and desperate to elude the reporters hounding his footsteps?

  The intimacy of the remote cabin and their darkened hiding place made her jumpy. “I imagine it’s safe to go back now, don’t you think?”

  Ian rested his chin on his chest, his hands laced over his flat belly. She saw his ribcage rise and fall when he sighed. “I suppose.” He rolled to his feet and began banking the fire. For good measure they both carried over cups of water and doused the flames. It wouldn’t do to burn down Finley’s prize.

  At last, nothing remained but the smell of damp wood smoke and the lingering sensation of an opportunity missed. Bella felt hollow inside… sad. The emotion made no sense at all. Likely it was the gloom and the late hour creating her melancholy.

  She reached into her pocket for the keys to the Jeep and bobbled them, almost tossing them into the hot coals. Fortunately, she managed to catch herself and the keys before falling into the arms of Mr. Tall, Geek, and Gorgeous. Too bad.

  “You okay?” he asked gruffly.

  “I’m fine. Just clumsy.” They were standing so close she could inhale the scent of him, memorizing it, dizzy with the notion that she knew it already from some other lifetime. She was not a particularly small woman, but he was big and unequivocally masculine. Her pulse fluttered. “We should probably go now.”

  He shifted from one foot to the other. “I’m not entirely sure I want to.”

  His candor shocked her. Why had she ever for a moment believed he was a passive beta male? Having brains didn’t preclude the possibility that Ian was the kind of man to take what he wanted.

  They stood there for an eternity. At last, he reached out and pulled her close, perhaps waiting for her to protest. His chest was comfortingly solid beneath her cheek. His cotton shirt smelled like laundry detergent. There was no doubt in her mind that she could step away and nothing would happen.

  Still, she didn’t move.

  Ian’s hands roved ever so subtly over her lower back, leaving warmth and delight everywhere he touched. “Have I stunned ye, lass?” There was humor in his voice, humor at her expense.

  “I thought all you cared about was work,” she said. Her hands had fisted at his belt buckle. Now, she slipped her arms around his waist and sighed.

  “Don’t be daft. I’m a man. You’re a woman. And not just any woman,” he said quickly. “Ye’re bright and funny and cantankerous.”

  Rude, but accurate, she conceded to herself. “Um, that last one isn’t exactly a compliment.”

  He nuzzled her nose with his. “A bloke likes to work for it sometimes. Ye keep me on my toes. Ye’re not a pushover. I like that in a woman.”

  “To be honest, I’m not always so…”

  “Touchy? Prickly? Cranky? Irritable?”

  “Enough!” She tried to pinch his waist, but the man didn’t have an ounce of flab anywhere on his body. “You bring out the worst in me for some reason.”

  “Why, Bella?” He stroked her hair with a lazy hand, his fingers winnowing through the strands.

  She shrugged. “I’m not exactly sure. I think it has to do with the fact that you’re really smart, and you’re a man.”

  “Still not following.” The smile in his voice was impossible to miss.

  “I’ve spent most of my life being condescended to because I’m female. Physics is too hard, Bella. What about art or music? Get your head out of those damned books and go have some fun. I don’t think you’re exactly what we’re looking for in this internship. My father was the worst, but he wasn’t the only one.”

  “That must have been infuriating. Finley, too?”

  “No. Finley is smarter than me, I think, but he never enjoyed school the way I did. He’s super proud of me and very supportive.”

  “What does he think about the dissertation/novel conundrum?”

  The room got quiet. They were still standing in front of the fireplace, neither one apparently ready to let go or simply go.

  “I haven’t told him about the novel,” she said, her words barely audible.

  “Why not?”

  “Well, there was the wedding and all that…”

  “Excuses, excuses.”

  “Don’t be mean. I know what he’ll say.”

  “And that is?”

  “He’ll tell me to follow my dreams or something syrupy sweet like that.”

  “I’ve known Finley for some time now. The last thing I would ever call him is sweet.”

  She chuckled. “Fair point. But he does have a soft spot when it comes to me. He feels guilty, because when he moved here to Skye a decade ago, he left me to handle our father. That was no easy task.”

  “If
you’re positive Finley will be supportive, what’s so scary about broaching the subject of your dissertation with him?”

  “Why must you be so infuriatingly logical?” she muttered. “Some things come from the gut and aren’t easy to explain.”

  “Try me.”

  His insistence made their present posture uncomfortable. Instead of elaborating, she pulled away and rubbed her arms. “I’d like to go back to the house now.” She didn’t really want to pull away. Ian Larrimore was a very wonderful human to cozy up to… in all sorts of tantalizing ways. Even so, she didn’t need a man to fix her problems.

  “Bella—”

  She held up a hand when he tried to touch her. “No. Seriously, Ian. It’s time to leave.”

  The small cottage was dark. The rain and wind had moved in, drummed on the roof for an hour, and moved on. Ian moved restlessly. “I suppose you’re right.” He didn’t sound too happy about it.

  When they were outside and the door safely locked behind them, he put himself between her and the Jeep. “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “Wouldn’t you like me to drive? This lane is a suicide course, especially in the dark.”

  “You don’t trust me?”

  His low curse surprised her. “For God’s sake, Bella. I thought you might be tired. Forgive me for being a gentleman. Hell, I think I’ll walk. It’s the only thing that will keep me from strangling you.”

  Before she could say a word, he took off on foot, striding down the hill at a breakneck pace. “Wait,” she cried. “It’s a long way. I’m sorry.”

  Either he didn’t hear her or he was too angry to stop.

  Muttering beneath her breath, she jumped into the Jeep and started the engine. Or tried to. The motor gave a wheezing sound and died. “No, no, no…” she cried. When she cranked the ignition a second time, the engine didn’t respond at all.

  Swallowing her pride was the only option. She was good at a lot of things, but auto mechanics was not one of them.

  Ian had long legs, and he was in his physical prime. Though she jogged down the hill, it took her several minutes to find him. He was sitting on a rock, his elbows on his knees.