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Even her sister seemed to think that was the case. You’re terrified of feelings, which is why instead of experiencing wild abandoned passion, you spend your nights reading about wild abandoned passion. It’s the very definition of safe sex.
The words hurt, but words often hurt more when they were true.
Her head was fuzzy with jet lag. Her heart beating just a little too fast.
The coffee she’d drunk at breakfast might have been a mistake.
She was painfully conscious of Brodie McIntyre sitting within touching distance in the driver’s seat. It would have been easier if she hadn’t been so ridiculously attracted to him. It was enough that he knew her innermost thoughts in embarrassing detail, without having to deal with the added layer of complexity that came with sexual chemistry.
Laid by the Laird.
Samantha closed her eyes briefly. She was going to kill Charlotte.
In the meantime, she’d handle this situation the same way she handled any other crisis. She’d stay calm and work the problem.
Her body felt hot. Tight. Appalled, she sat up a little straighter and felt him glance at her.
“Everythi
ng all right?” His attention stoked the heat a little higher.
“Perfect. I’m excited to see what you have to offer—” Oh Samantha. “I mean on the estate, obviously.”
There was a pause.
“Is there anywhere in particular you want to start?”
“You decide. You’re the local expert.” She grabbed her phone from her lap and opened a notes file. She typed Brodie and then immediately deleted it and changed the heading to Kinleven, Day 1. She was going to focus on the place, not the person next to her.
Professional Samantha was going to smother wild Samantha.
He adjusted the heater. “This is the only vehicle we have that can handle the snow and rough terrain, but it’s pretty basic. No heated seats. Are you cold?”
“No. I’m hot. I mean—I’m warm enough. These are ski pants, and I have lightweight thermals under my sweater. I know a great deal about dressing for winter. Advising on appropriate clothing is one of the things we offer as part of our service to clients. We try not to recommend specific brands, but we give examples and—”
“Samantha—” he stopped the car in front of the gates “—could you relax? Your tension is making me tense.” Without waiting for her to reply, he sprang from the car and pushed open the gate.
Relax.
As if that was something one could do on command. As if she had chosen shallow breathing and tense muscles over the infinitely more comfortable alternative.
She watched as he secured the gates, then stamped down a pile of snow. He looked so comfortable in his surroundings it was hard to picture him living in a city, spending his days hunched over a computer screen.
Data analyst.
He climbed back into the car, drove through the gate and stopped so that he could close it behind them.
Needing air, Samantha opened the door. “My turn.” She dragged the gates shut, grateful for the freezing air that cooled her heated skin. She’d never minded cold weather. Others complained, but she found it invigorating. Deep in the Highlands it was also clean and fresh. Snow in Boston meant inconvenience and dangerous driving, and snow darkened by footprints. Here it meant quiet.
When they’d arrived, the beauty of their surroundings had been shrouded by dusky light, but today they’d woken to bright sunshine. There was a clarity to the view, and a sharpness to the outline of the mountains.
She had an urge to walk a few steps, to feel her boots break through the hard top layer to the softness beneath, but Brodie was watching, hands resting on the wheel as he waited for her to climb back into the vehicle.
She checked the gate was secure and then joined him.
“Thanks for that.” He waited for her to fasten her seat belt before pulling away. “In an ideal world we’d have electric gates, but this isn’t an ideal world and round here we end up doing a fair amount of manual labor.”
“I guess that explains your muscles.” And now it sounded as if she’d been staring at his body. “I mean, it must be a great way of keeping in shape.” Shut up, Samantha.
