Page 27 of A Scot Like You

Kate let out a semi-crazed laugh and rubbed both hands down her face. "Oh my God." Then she parked her gaze on him with a rather blunt look. "Are you for real?"

Well, at least she didn't sound scared. He'd take that as a good sign. "What do you think?"

"I think I barely know you."

"Bull." Her back went straight and fire came into her eyes with blinding speed. It made him want to plant a kiss right on that frowning mouth of hers, but instead he gave it to her straight. "What we don't know are the small details, the stories that make up our lives. But Iknowyou, Kate. And you know me too. I'm not a great speaker, I can't even put it all into words. Sometimes you just know."

He wanted to rub his chest. It burned, and there was a lightness in his head that was making him a little queasy. Maybe he shouldn't have eaten so much. But, goddamn it, he was not going to look away. He wanted her to see the truth in his eyes.

Her intense scrutiny lasted what felt like hours. It was like she was trying to see into his soul, pick apart his words, find even a crumb of insincerity. And then her gaze went soft and vulnerable. "What are you saying?" she finally asked.

Fear slid inside, grabbing his throat in a hard grip. Maybe he should have been careful what he wished for. The night seemed to pause, waiting, like her. Only the snap and pop of the fire, and the dance of the flames went on unaffected. A wet nose nudged his hand. He glanced down and met Hildie's trusting eyes. He slid his hand over her soft head as she lay down and rested her chin on his leg. She had his back. He'd be fine.

"What I'm saying, is that I'm falling for you, Kate." He winced. "No."

"No?"

"I'm not falling. I've already hit the ground." He played with Hildie's ears, pretty sure he was fucking it up in the worst way. "You could try to look a little less horrified."

She blinked, gaped, and then a blush spread across her cheeks. "Jesus, MacLaren. I'm not horrified. Okay, maybe a little. But it's not a bad thing," she rushed to reassure him.

"I'm pretty sure horror and good don't go together. Ever."

"How could you have fallen for me?" she blurted in a high, edgy voice.

He was a wreck, but Kate was about to have a nervous breakdown. Dev gave Hildie one last pat and then crawled across the blanket and sat in front of Kate. He shoved a strand of bangs behind her ear and smiled. "It's done. Accept it. Accept me."

If it was possible her gaze grew even bigger and Dev found himself lost in the tumultuous emotions swimming in a sea of blue. His hand cupped her cheek. Damn it. He hadn't meant to make her cry. But then she leaned in, let her forehead rest against his, and released a ragged sigh, her shoulders relaxing. Her hands came up and grabbed his face.

She pulled back to look at him. God, if she didn't say it back now he was done for. "You're crazy." He shrugged. Couldn't argue with that. She kissed him so sweetly he thought his chest would burst. "But I know who you are, Devin. I know who you are, and I want my happily ever after."

The relief that came was so great it knocked him off balance. "Thank God." He fell back, wrapping Kate in his arms and taking her with him.

Kate stared up at the dark sky, Devin's breathing deep and steady as he slept beside her. Her thoughts were all over the place. Where they'd live. How they'd manage. What she'd do about an income. If she thought too deeply, worry set in and then she'd stopped herself.

No. They'd make it work.

Devin was right. Life was too short to live in fear, to let worry drop roadblocks at your feet. They'd face each challenge as it came. Shedidknow him. As weird as it was to consider and believe and act upon, she did. With every fiber, she knew his heart, the kind of man he was.

Hildie and Terry slept at their feet. Kate rose onto her elbows and glanced down at them. Yeah, she had a plan. Training service dogs. There was space here, two dogs to get her started, to help her learn, and a man who'd loved having a kennel full of furry friends. Amazing how her life had gone from total ruin to the beginnings of something wonderful.

Dragging her gaze from the dogs, she studied the length of Devin's body. Flat on his back, one arm thrown over his stomach, one leg bent. She could eyeball him all day long. The man was a powerhouse of masculinity and had a near inexhaustible carnal appetite. She was pretty sure there was kinky side in there, too. It was always the quiet ones, she thought with a smile.

She'd found her Highlander and he was so much more than Alastair Stewart from Double H. So much more. And sometimes real life was better than fiction. Who knew?

* * *