AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"You love my girls, Gavin. Why else would you roll around on the ground tickling their tummies?"
Jamie laughs. "Gavin does that?"
"Absolutely. He's a softy at heart."
I aim a sarcastically stern look at her. "Don't spread that rumor, Calli. I have a badass rep to uphold."
Jamie nudges me with her elbow. "You don't need to uphold your reputation. Everyone who sees you knows you're a powerful man."
My sister puckers her lips like she's desperately trying not to smirk.
I squint at her. "You better not be laughing at me in your mind."
Calli's laughter splutters out of her.
Sighing, I shake my head at her. "I might need to disown you, C. No way can I have a sister who's a... What did you call it, Jamie?"
"A smuilceag. It means she's a cheeky chit."
"Yeah, that fits Calli to a tee."
Jamie eyes me sideways. "Do you even know what a chit is?"
"Hey, I've watched British TV shows. A chit is a sassy girl."
My sister never used to be quite so sarcastic, but I have to admit, I like this new side of her. She's a stronger person than she used to be, though I can still see traces of the fear she's been hiding for years. Calli has never wanted to talk about it. I know at least part of the reason for that fear stems from that guy Rade. For now, I won't interrogate her about that. Instead, I'll spend the afternoon strolling through the woods with the prettiest girl I've ever seen and the world's most insane puppies.
Calli goes into the house. I'm positive I don't want to know what she and Aidan will be getting up to while I'm enjoying an innocent walk with Jamie. Don Juan will probably screw my sister on the sofa.
"Are we away?" Jamie asks. "That means do you want to go yet?"
"Guess that's the Scottish way of saying that. It's cute." We already have the leashes on the puppies. I hand one leash to Jamie. "You can take Mandy. She's smaller and should be easier for you to handle. Misty can be a jumping bean and could knock you over if she catches you off guard."
"I can handle two wee pups."
A laugh snorts out of me. "These dogs are fifty times stronger than they look."
"Hmm, are you afraid you can't handle three girls?"
"Three?" I suddenly realize what she meant and can't resist taking the bait. "Mandy and Misty can be rambunctious, but you will be putty in my hands."
"I'd like that."
Once we reach the gate, I swing it open to let the three ladies go first. Then I slip my hand into Jamie's palm. Her head jerks up, and her lips curl into a sweetly surprised smile---and she threads her fingers with mine. I haven't even taken her on a real date. Maybe this is the backwards way of wooing a woman, but I don't give a damn. Doing it the so-called right way ended in heartbreak. I might have just met Jamie yesterday, but I already know she would never treat me the way Leanne did.
I lead my little harem down the widest path in these woods. Most game trails are pretty narrow, but the people who used to live in the house that Calli's been renting widened those trails. They must've liked to go for walks. The old hunting cabin, which is really more of a shack, had been built by a previous owner.
We talk about silly things, like movies and music. She informs me that bagpipes are the best instrument on earth, but I know she's only trying to test my limits of how Scottish I want to go. For her, I'd change my accent and wear a kilt every day. And yeah, I tell her that.
Jamie laughs, and it's the sweetest sound I've ever heard. "You don't need to go that far. Even my brothers don't wear kilts every day." She already had her arm hooked around mine, but now she snuggles up to me and rests her chin on my arm. "I would never want you to change your accent. I love the way you talk."
"Thanks. I love the way you talk too."
"You're so sweet, Gavin. I wouldn't have expected that from a former military man."
"Have you met a lot of those types?"
"Aye. I have cousins who served, like Munro, Logan, and Magnus. My friend Thane Buchanan also served." She studies me for a moment as we continue strolling through the woods. "They fought in combat situations. Were you sent to a war zone too?"
