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Chapter Thirty-Two
Today, I've taken the biggest risk of all in my efforts to give my wife what she wants. I'm laying my life in her hands, trusting Emery not to go too far. Aye, that means I've handed her the keys to her new car, the one I secretly bought for her. It wouldn't be a proper gift if I informed her in advance. Now, as the road unreels before us, I employ all my self-control and don't tense up every time Emery veers around a curve while grinning and laughing.
"Enjoying your wedding gift?" I ask.
My wife steers the red Jaguar F-Type convertible around a curve while the wind whips through her hair, thanks to the fact we have the top down. "I love-love-love it. And I'll give you a proper thank-you tonight."
"Amazed you're not violating the speed limit."
"Saving that for later."
Though I had wanted to craft an itinerary for our road trip, Emery vetoed the idea. She wants to "see where the road takes us" and "have a blast with no bullet-point lists." Maybe I had planned to type up a list that might possibly have included bullet points, but that doesn't make me uptight. I freely admit I don't do well "winging it." Despite that fact, I love watching my wife drive a sports car while I have no bloody idea where we're going—except that our final destination will be Skye.
Emery's expression changes from focused to dreamy, the way she often looks after I've shagged her. But we're in the car, and we're both fully clothed. Wherever her thoughts have taken her, she seems distracted.
"Emery," I say sharply, to wake her up. "Pay attention when you're driving, please."
She flutters her lashes, rousing from her daydream. "What's the matter? No bodies scattered on the asphalt, so I think I've done fine at multitasking."
"Not murdering innocent bystanders is hardly an endorsement of distracted driving."
"You're right. Sorry, I'll keep my mind on the road."
"Maybe I should drive. You've been at it for more than an hour."
Emery pulls over so we can switch places.
She gets that dreamy look on her face again, but this time, I don't need to snap her out of it. She can fantasize about whatever she likes when I'm in control of the vehicle. Before long, we reach Loch Linnhe and board a ferry that will take us to the next leg of our unscripted journey toward Skye. I'm starting to enjoy having no plan, but I did mark one destination ahead of time because I know Emery will want to see it.
"Where are we going?" she asks, leaning forward to watch the loch's waters go by.
"You wanted to see the ocean." I brace an elbow on the open window. "I'm taking you there."
She whoops.
And I give her a look she sees often from me, one that I'm sure mixes confusion and enchantment. Aye, my wife enchants me. She puts everyone under her spell, even my monosyllabic groundskeeper, Tavish.
I've brought Emery to a sandy beach rimmed by outcroppings of dark rock. Naturally, she rolls her jeans up to her knees and skips across the sand with her head tipped back and her arms thrown wide, soaking up the sun's heat while a bonnie smile curves her lips.
"Even the sun can't resist you," I say from my position at the beach's edge. "It shows its face more often since you came to Scotland."
Laughing, she twirls in circles as her bare feet sink into the sand.
My gaze remains riveted to her movements, and though I can't understand her need to do silly things, I revel in watching her enjoy the simplest acts with abandon and sheer delight. Rules don't seem important today, not when my wife is spinning and laughing.
Emery leaps into the air to splash down in a tidal pool. Her feet plunge in deep. Water splashes up her calves, and she fakes an exaggerated shiver, fooling me for two seconds until she laughs and resumes her spinning with both arms outstretched.
I march over to her, lashing my arms around her waist to halt her. Then I pin her to my body and lift her feet off the ground to level our faces.
She grips my biceps, her gaze glued to mine.
"The water's bloody cold," I say, casting a pointed glance at my shoe-covered feet submerged in the tidal pool. "You'll catch pneumonia out here."
My wife hugs me tighter. "Good thing I've got you to warm me up."
"Are you finished admiring the ocean? You'll see more of it when we make our way to Skye."
"Let's go. I want to see everything." She tickles my earlobe. "Absolutely everything."
