Scot to the Touch (The Hots for Scots #7) - Caroline Lee Page 0,6

being at Oliphant Castle.

But…he didn’t.

When he met them in the courtyard—Katlyn had managed to contain her gasp of pleasure that the gorgeous man who’d stood above them to watch their arrival was the last unmarried Oliphant brother—he’d merely bowed over Davina’s hand as Grandda introduced them.

And then, when she snatched her hand away with a rude sniff, Kiergan hadn’t blinked. Instead, he’d turned to Katlyn and smiled. Smiled. A real smile, not just the tricky grins she’d gotten used to when it came to men trying to woo Davina.

“And who is this intriguing lass?” he’d murmured, and Katlyn had nearly sighed with pleasure.

He hadn’t winced when he’d met her eyes. He hadn’t dismissed her and gone back to flattering Davina. Nay, he’d actually held Katlyn’s hand a moment too long, long enough for warmth to crawl up her arm, into her chest, and settle between her legs where an ache had started as she’d considered her plan.

Now that she knew he wasn’t desperate for Davina’s touch, implementing Operation Lose Virginity would now be a little more difficult. If he’d panted after Vina like a starving dog—like most of the other unmarried men she’d met in her life—then Katlyn could’ve happily taken advantage of him. Now though, she was afraid she might actually start to like the man.

As guests of honor, they were seated with the laird’s family that evening for the meal. There’d been an awkward moment when Laird Oliphant offered Grandda the spot at his right hand, and the ornery old goat had refused.

“I’m sure ye’re nice and all, Oliphant, but why would I want to sit beside ye, when I could sit beside that vision in maroon? Ye didnae tell me ye were hiding such a beautiful lassie here!”

Most of the clan had turned to see who he was pointing at, and all were surprised to see the short, white-haired woman in his sights giggle and blush. For his part, the Oliphant didn’t hesitate, but shrugged.

“If ye want to sit beside my Aunt Agatha, ‘tis fine by me. That’ll leave this seat open for my favorite lassie!” And he’d pulled forward a plump woman—Katlyn assumed ‘twas his wife—who was rolling her eyes.

“ ’Tis Moira, my father’s long-time leman,” Kiergan murmured beside her.

Katlyn gave a start, surprised yet again to find he was speaking to her, but not about to discourage him. “Aye?” She lowered her voice to match his, as she watched his hands confidently serve her. “And ye all approve?”

“Aye, of course.” Kiergan shrugged as he turned away to reach for another dish, and Katlyn felt a pang of disappointment. But he surprised her yet again by turned back with the stewed onions. “Onions, milady?”

She politely declined, and he served himself a small portion. Then, as if they were old friends, he continued.

“My twin brother Alistair and I were born here in the castle.” He nodded across the table to a handsome man who was deep in conversation with a curvy blonde. “Of the Oliphant bastards, we’re the only ones to have lived here since the time we were born. Moira has been the housekeeper for many years, and she helped Da raise us.” Matter-of-factly, he sawed off a piece of the mutton and deposited it on her trencher. “We’ve suspected they were lovers for many years, but Da only recently announced it to the clan, and now she sits with us during meals if she’s no’ needed elsewhere.”

Katlyn couldn’t help but be impressed. “No’ many clans would be so accepting of a leman that way.” The Oliphants were interesting indeed. ‘Tis almost too bad Davina refused to marry into the family; Kat would’ve liked to return and visit.

“Och, well, we’re a welcoming sort of clan.” When Kiergan smiled, ‘twas easy to believe the rumors about the unimaginable pleasure. “There’s no’ many lairds who’d collect his bastards under his roof—as many as he could find at least—and then turn the lairdship over to one of them.”

‘Twas true. Glancing around him, Katlyn noticed her sister was staring mulishly down at her own trencher. “Is that no’ interesting, Vina?” Kat called out. “Grandda told us one of the laird’s sons would become heir, remember?”

Davina didn’t so much as raise her head.

She was certainly carrying this pouting thing a bit far, was she not?

Unable to help the way her brows pulled in, wondering about her sister’s pout, Katlyn was surprised when Kiergan leaned into her line of sight again.

“A few months ago, Da told us whichever one of us married