Reckoning (Book 4 of Lost Highlander series) (23 page)

Lachlan tipped her chin up and kissed her. He tasted like pineapple and coconut, having developed a fondness for all things tropical. She licked her lips and kissed him again.

“Ye seem verra far away, my love,” he said with a sweet smile.

Piper shook her head. “No, I’m right here with you,” she said, wrapping her arms around him. “Always.”

The end.

It was late when the car service dropped them off at the castle, and though Piper’s muscles already missed the regular stream of deep tissue massages and yoga classes on their two week cruise, she was happy to be home. Lachlan was fairly bursting at the seams to be back. He’d enjoyed the cruise, especially the food, but Scotland was his home. It was in his blood, cold, wet weather and all.

With a wide grin, he hoisted her over his shoulder, picked up a suitcase in each hand and headed for the door. She was a mess of giggles and tangled hair when he put her down on the back stoop, rapping twice on the door when they saw a light still shone in the kitchen.

Piper grabbed him around the neck and hauled his head down to her for a kiss. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, nuzzling his face in her neck.

“I’m so glad to be home,” she said, buzzing with the prospect of their new life together.

A massive to-do list started forming in her mind, with Evie and Sam’s wedding taking up the top spots, but she pushed it away, wanting to savor the freedom from responsibility a little longer.

“I can see your mind already filling,” he laughed. “Shall we run away from here and live on that island?”

“You’d hate that after a while,” she said.

He took her hand, touching the ruby ring on her finger. “Wherever ye are, that is where I want to be.”

She beamed at him, unable to resist another kiss as she glimpsed Mel through the kitchen window, heading for the door. “Too late,” she sighed.

Mellie opened the door for them, looking oddly suspicious. She nervously helped them with their bags, then stood wringing her hands while they took off their coats. Piper couldn’t understand her jumpiness and felt a twinge of concern. In her relaxed, post vacation mood, nothing could have upset her, not even if another secret passage had collapsed. Well, she seriously hoped another one hadn’t collapsed.

“Is everything okay?” she asked, waving away the offer of tea until she knew what was wrong.

“Ah, there’s something I must tell you,” she said, looking ill.

“What is it, Mel?” she asked. “Dear lord, we didn’t lose a tourist, did we?” She kept certain areas firmly off limits to the tour, but had a deep dread that someone would wander off to get lost in one of those damn secret passages. She really needed to block them all off before they could collapse on a tourist.

Mellie looked past Piper to Lachlan, biting her lip apologetically. “Don’t be angry, please,” she begged. “I didn’t know what else to do.” Mellie swallowed hard and then called, “You’d better come out now.”

“What is going on?” Piper asked, looking around and beginning to feel distinctly uneasy. So much for two weeks on the open seas.

The pantry door creaked slowly open and a hand crept around it, attached to a shyly smiling blonde girl who wore a long blue gown covered by an oversized sweater. The smile disappeared when she saw Lachlan. Piper turned to him, shocked to see all the color had drained from his face.

He grabbed one of the barstools and shook his head, swearing under his breath. “No, no, no. This canna be happening.” He swore again, more distinctly this time, causing the girl to falter in her steps.

“Hello, Lachlan,” she said hopefully. “I pray ye willna kill me.”

Lachlan stared at her, his face clouded with dismay. He seemed to make up his mind and covered the distance to her, enveloping her in a rough hug before he took her by the arm and pulled her over to Piper.

Piper looked from one to the other, completely befuddled. Lachlan closed his eyes, keeping a firm hand on the girl.

“Allow me to introduce ye to my sister,” he said. “Catriona.”

Thank you for reading the Lost Highlander series!

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What’s next? Quinn Ferguson has to chaperone his sister during her first London season. Wonder how that turns out?