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I smile and wink at her. Why? Because I love that woman, not because I enjoy the dull and annoying experience of having my photograph taken over and over for an hour. I think I've assumed every sort of pose imaginable by now. Cannae be much left to do.
The photographer sets his camera down. "That was perfect, Thane. You're a natural in front of the camera."
"Are we done? I could go for a piece."
"So could I. Our session is over, anyway."
I glance at Rebecca, who's still smiling at me. Then I ask the laddie, "Why don't you join us for lunch?"
Rebecca is clearly surprised by my offer. We both wind up having a meal with the man who told me that rubbish about my inner light. He's not a bad bloke, just a bit too artsy for me. My mates are mostly tough men.
After lunch, I'm taken to a video studio in Fort William. Rebecca accompanies me, of course. I can't decide if she escorts me everywhere because she worries I'll run away or if she simply wants to be intimately involved in every aspect of the advertising campaign. Either way, I'm glad to have her nearby. She is my muse.
When the lass who films me announces she wants to shoot me outdoors too, Rebecca loves the idea. Since I've been wearing my kilt all day, I'm skeptical of the outdoors idea. It's chilly outside.
But then Rebecca sidles up to me and whispers, "You're a strong, virile man who can handle anything. A chilly breeze won't bother Thane Buchanan, and besides, I'll warm you up anytime you need it."
I know she will. The heat of her luscious body could melt the polar ice caps.
At the end of the day, we go home---to my house. Rebecca intends to give up her apartment in Fort William on Monday. Only a few minutes after we've walked into the house and sat down on the sofa, the doorbell rings. Rebecca is jeeked, so I shuffle over there to find out who's come to see us.
I swing the door open.
Two young people, a man and a woman, stand there grinning at me. The lass peers around me and grins. "Whoa, Mom, you weren't kidding. Your new boyfriend is sizzling hot. No wonder you haven't visited me and Eric in England." The lass eyes me with clear appreciation. "I mean, if I had a boyfriend who walked around in a kilt, I'd hold him hostage to make sure he couldn't get away."
Rebecca races up beside me. "Courtney? What are you and Eric doing here?
These are her children. I'd figured that out a moment ago, but I wasn't one hundred percent certain until now.
Eric rakes his gaze over my kilt and rolls his eyes at his mother. "If I'd kept a secret like this, you would read me the riot act. Why didn't you tell us about this guy?"
"Well, it's, um..." Rebecca pushes me aside, waving for her children to enter the house. "Come inside, you must be cold."
"Nah, this isn't cold weather," Eric says as he ambles into the house. "I've been living in England for four years. Chilly is normal."
Courtney and Eric sit on the sofa with Rebecca, who's sandwiched between them. She has a new glow about her now. The lass must have missed her children more than she wanted to let on.
I take the armchair, lodging one ankle on the opposite knee.
Courtney's eyes widen a touch, and her gaze is riveted to my lower body. Eric smirks and glances away. Rebecca grins.
"What are you lot staring at?" I ask. "Does my kilt have mud on it?"
Eric tries to stifle a laugh and ends up spluttering. "Dude, you aren't wearing any briefs."
Courtney bites down on both her lips while furtively glancing at the area between my thighs. "Don't point that out, Eric. I'm hoping he'll spread his legs more, right when the furnace comes on, and the breeze from that might flutter his kilt."
Rebecca's eyes bulge as she swivels her head toward her daughter. "Courtney, for heaven's sake. That's a completely inappropriate thing to say to someone you just met thirty seconds ago."
I lower my leg so now both feet are on the floor, and my kilt hides my dangly bits. I hadn't noticed I was flashing everyone.
Eric smirks, but to his credit, he looks me in the eye now. "Guess we never did formally introduce ourselves. I'm Eric Taylor, and this is my sister Courtney Taylor. We're fraternal twins."
"Aye, Rebecca told me about you two. She's very proud of her children." Since he introduced himself and his sister, I feel obliged to do the same. "I'm Thane Buchanan, by the way. Your mother works for me at my distillery."
"Yeah, she told us about that. Courtney got all excited, hoping Mom would marry a Scottish guy. My sister's had a thing for kilts ever since she read her first Scottish historical romance novel."
Courtney sits forward, her attention focused on me. "Do you always wear a kilt?"
