Page 11 of Loched in Love

“Oh, please say you’ll stay with us. We’ve plenty of room,” Aubrey announces.

“I’ll call Francesca and see about getting your luggage sent here. We can possibly find you a new mode of getting to Budapest as well. In the meantime, Lachlan can set about retrieving your phone. He’s been with the castle so long, he’s practically family and can tell you anything you want to know about the moat.”

Hmm. It really wouldn’t be hard for anyone to grab my things because I didn’t even unpack. I thought I’d be back later to run some samples of the water, but instead ended up in it. “I mean, if it’s no trouble,” I reply, blinking at the swift turn of events.

“Of course it’s not any trouble. This place has so many rooms it’s ridiculous, and Vlad was just saying how he wished we could fill the place up with guests, weren’t you darling?” Aubrey says, her voice light and cheery.

An hour ago I was contemplating how to keep them from calling the authorities, and now they’re being so kind. There’s no way I can say no to their hospitality, but still. “Truly I don’t want to be a bother.”

“You’ll stay,” Vlad suddenly says, speaking for the first time. He gets to his feet as if it’s been decided and exits the room.

“Oh—okay,” I mutter, unwilling to argue with the taciturn guy.

The castle owner has been tight-lipped the whole time, and honestly makes me a bit nervous.

Aubrey claps happily, taking me out of my reverie while Whitley gets to her feet and starts clearing away Vlad’s glass that looks suspiciously like red wine.

I’m not one to judge though, and understand European culture has different views on alcohol consumption. I’ve just never seen anyone have wine for breakfast.

“You’ll have to join us for lunch later, Elena. Whitley spoils us all,” Aubrey says.

She gets to her feet and moves to give me a quick hug. I squeeze her back gently and she flounces off through the side door, leaving me alone with Whitley, Connor, and Lachlan.

“I’ll have her back in time for lunch, Whitley. Let’s go find your phone, shall we?” the big Scotsman asks.

A wide smile pulls across his lips, showing the white of his teeth, and my stomach somersaults in response.

“Okay,” I reply, feeling as if I’m in some sort of daze.

Connor gets to his feet and buttons his suit before sweeping Whitley in his arms for a hug, and I realize part of why I’ve been so nervous.

These people look like they could easily double as fashion models. The man in front of me strongly resembles several I’ve seen on the covers of my favorite books.

“Are you ready, Elena?” he asks, holding out one broad hand for me to take.

I reach out, and at the mere touch of our hands, a jolt rolls through me on a wave, sending goosebumps scattering across my body.

Before I can react, he pulls me to my feet and presses a quick kiss to the back of my hand. “It’ll be a pleasure to show you the moat, right this way,” he says, his Scottish brogue so thick I can barely make out the words.

My gaze goes wide as butterflies erupt in my middle for the first time in my adult life, and I try to keep the panic from my face as he leads me out of the parlor room and through the castle.

Twenty-six years old on my first trip around the world, and the warm hand at my back has me questioning whether I’m experiencing my very first crush.

Oh my gosh, Elena. Stop being silly. It’s nothing.

I bite my lip, unsure of what to do when he gallantly moves to open the door to outside, belatedly realizing I’ve not been paying a lick of attention as we’ve been walking—too preoccupied with the man at my side.

He glances down at me with a warm expression and winks one of his gorgeous blue eyes, turning my brain to mush with just a look.

Oh Mylanta. Natalie joked before I left about how I’d meet a man during my vacation, who’d finally make me feel what all the romance book club reads were talking about.

A flush of heat spreads across my chest, and it’s as if my whole body alights when I meet his gaze.

Natalie is gonna die.

Chapter 4

ELENA PIERSON