can’t stop myself from laughing.
“Yer asking for it, Elizabeth Bloom.”
“You know what? I think you may be right.”
His face softens when his own realization seems to strike. “Do ye think all men are like this Outlander?”
“Well, a girl can dream, can’t she?”
He smirks while shaking his head as he grabs the egg carton.
“By the way—”
He looks up at me as he pulls an egg out of the carton.
“—how opposed are you to wearing a kilt next time we, you know?”
He cocks his head to the side, amusement dancing in the stunning depths of his beautiful green eyes as he stalks around the island. Grabbing me by the waist, his fingers sink in, causing me to squirm, and hauls me up. Grabbing his shoulders for balance and also because they’re so incredibly touchable, I squeal.
“How opposed to pulling out those knickers ye wore to my office the first time I saw yer ass?”
Laughter escapes us both as he presses his lips against mine and says, “Sorry to disappoint, Elizabeth Bloom, but I didn’t bring mine with me to the States.” Then he sets me on the counter and gives me a quick kiss, pulling away with a growl. “There’s a few stereotypes about us Scots ye may want to ken.”
“Do tell.”
“We eat breakfast before we get to fucking. We don’t shag sheep. Not all Scots eat Haggis—”
“Or love soccer?” I grin.
Pulling a bowl out of the cabinet, he huffs, “It’s football, lass. Ye Americans have it confused.”
“Did you play?” I ask as I reach for my coffee.
“Aye, until I buggered up my knee.”
“Is that what sparked your interest in becoming a doctor?”
He looks up from the cupboard that he’s now pulling a frying pan out of, his eyes brightening. “Aye.”
“Where did you go to college?”
“University in Edinburg, the Queens Medical Research Institute.”
“Is that where you were raised, Edinburg?”
He nods and peers up from behind his fallen locks. “Aye, after my parents’ death, with my aunt.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Part of life is death.”
“The worst part.”
“Aye.” He nods.
His eyes don’t raise again as he carefully cracks the eggs in the frying pan.
“I bet it’s beautiful there.”
He looks up. “Most beautiful place on the planet.”
“I can imagine it is.”
Thursday
Lizzie
Walking up the deck, clothed in my almost-new, navy cocktail dress and this damn boot, I see Tonya waving to me from the bridge that leads to a massive yacht.
“Sweet Pleasure,” I grumble to myself. “I could possibly be getting my boat rocked, and it would certainly be more pleasureful than this if I were home.”
And if I hadn’t already overheard him saying he had plans for the night.
That, too.
Tonya takes my hands and looks me over, a grin beginning to form. “You look totally fu—”
“We’re not talking about this.”
She links her arm through mine. “Like hell we aren’t.”
“Hey, we could have done coffee and ice cream in comfortable jammies, and I would have told you all the details, but you had to go and ruin it by guilting me into this.” I wave my hand toward the boat.
“Bridget invited us. Calliope bailed on her last minute, like you did yoga class today.” She arches a brow. “She said she’d love a couple more friendly faces to hang out with. And since she’s sweet and we could stand adding a couple more people to our friendship circle, I said yes.”
“Great,” I grumble then nod. “I guess you’re right.”
“We’ll share an Uber home, and you can give me all the details.”
“In front of the driver? Fat chance.”
“Holy shit,” she whispers as we are about to step off the ramp and onto the yacht. “He’s gorgeous.”
“A mere mortal,” I whisper back.
“Welcome aboard Sweet Pleasure, ladies. I’m Captain Reed Nichols. Let any of the staff know if you need anything.”
Tonya’s eyes are wide as she nods. I place my hand on her back to move us along.
From behind, I hear Captain Nichols greet the next guests to board. “Welcome aboard Sweet Pleasure. I’m Captain Reed Nichols. Let any of the staff know if you need anything.”
“Will do, mate.” I look back and smile when I see Bridget and Simon behind us.
I whisper to Tonya, “So, this isn’t a girl thing then?”
“Apparently not,” she whispers back as she waves to Bridget.
Bridget pushes up on her toes, kisses her husband’s cheek, and then nods to us. Simon waves, dips down, and gives her a sweet kiss before releasing her, and she walks toward us.
“I’m so happy you two came. Let’s get a drink before we go take our place at the table.”
When a