SAMANTHA YAWNED AS she pulled on her black, knee-high boots. “Curse you, Kade Gunnach,” she said to the floor. She’d stayed far past the one-hour promise, falling asleep in Kade’s lap and waking up in his guest room at almost four. She’d attempted to slide out from under the covers, but found herself pulled up against him instead.
“Where are you going?” he’d grumbled.
“Kade, I’m still fully clothed and under a pile of blankets,” she’d complained. “I was thinking I’d go home and sleep there where I can be comfortable.”
He nuzzled her neck and hummed his disagreement. “I like you just where you are. Stay.”
“I’m in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, babe. I really need to get into something else.”
He sat up and rubbed his hands down his face. “If I get you a pair of my pajamas, will you stay?”
Sam yawned. “Do I really have a choice?”
“Of course,” he retorted. “Head all the way home, climb into a cold bed, and find yourself miserable without me.”
Sam giggled. “Well, when you put it that way…”
He gathered up a pair of cotton pajamas that she had a feeling he’d never worn and once she’d changed into them, she met him back in the guest room. He was now in a T-shirt and flannel pants, which showcased his physique nicely. He took her hand and led her to the master bedroom.
“What are you doing?” Sam asked.
“I hate that bed. I want to sleep with you in my bed.”
“Why did you sleep in there to begin with?”
“I didn’t want you to wake up and get scared.” He held the covers back on his large king-sized bed and waited for her to climb in.
“You are entirely too good to be true.” She’d kissed him and then was suddenly jarred awake by his alarm.
Now she sat in her apartment, working on her second cup of coffee and wishing she could sleep for another six hours. Kade was already at work, and she was waiting for Fiona to pick her up for their day of fun.
Don’t fall asleep, love.
She started and wrinkled her nose. I wasn’t falling asleep, I was checking for holes in my eyelids.
Laughter sounded in her mind. I do love your southern expressions.
Good to know.
I’ll make it up to you tonight.
She sighed. I just end up more like the walking dead when you “make it up to me.” Besides, you’ll be at your dinner tonight.
After the meeting.
She let out a quiet snort. I will be sleeping.
Fiona’s at your door. Have fun. I love you.
“How did you know that?” she wondered aloud, and then her doorbell rang.
She pulled open the door and grinned. Fiona stood with Payton in the hallway.
“I hope you don’t mind that I brought Payton,” Fiona said. “She doesn’t like to be without me.”
Samantha laughed. “Hi. Come in.”
The ladies breezed inside and Samantha closed the door. She hugged them and then gathered up her purse and jacket.
“How did you get the day off?” she asked Payton.
Payton smiled. “Fiona finagled it. Anna’s taking notes for the meetings. It pays to have your future sister-in-law related to the owners of the company.”
Sam laughed again as they left the apartment and headed to the elevator. “No doubt. This is going to be fun. Where are you taking me?”
Fiona pressed the button to the private garage. “Much to Payton’s disappointment, I thought we’d take you to the Royal Mile. It’s really touristy, but the shops are adorable, and you can get a bit of Scottish flavor in each store.”
“Let me guess,” Sam mused. “Lots of walking?”
Payton groaned. “Up and down a bloody long hill.”
Sam clapped her hands. “I cannot wait!”
The elevator doors opened and they made their way to the car. Alasdair held the door open and waited for them to slide inside. He drove them to Fiona’s favorite jewelry store and dropped them off with the promise to return in an hour to pick up any packages they may have.
“I’m just picking up the watch I bought Angus for his birthday. They were engraving it for me,” Fiona explained.
“When’s his birthday?” Sam asked as he followed her inside.
“On the fourth.” Fiona grinned. “We usually have dinner together with the family… obviously, you’re invited.”
Sam smiled. “Thanks.”
The bell jingled over the door as Fiona let the door close.
“Ah, Miss Gunnach, perfect timing,” an elderly gentleman said as he came toward them. “I just finished polishing the watch.”
“Thank you, Mr. Ferguson. I can’t wait to see it.”
While Fiona and Payton waited at the counter, Sam made her way around the small shop. Unique jewelry, along with pewter tankards and fun Scottish souvenirs, filled the cases and shelves. She was drawn to a glass case that had necklaces inside. One in particular caught her eye and she had a pang of homesickness. A large ruby surrounded by pomegranates and the pomegranate flower, all interwoven with Celtic knots in white gold hung from a white gold chain. To say it was stunning was an understatement. She’d have to bring Pepper here.
“May I help you with anything?”
Sam glanced at the young man behind the counter and grinned. “No, thank you. Just admiring.”
Payton waved her over to the other side of the store. “Look at these, Sam.”
Sam joined her and felt her eyes widen. Trays of one-of-a-kind engagement rings took up an entire case and the sparkle from the diamonds was impressive.
“Try one on,” Payton said.
“No, that’s okay.”
“Sam, dream a little. If you could pick anything, what would you pick?”
“Oh, stop,” Sam said with a nervous laugh.
“Come on,” she pressed. “Fiona’s going to be a while, so just try a couple. I’m going to.”
The young man who had offered to help with the necklaces stood waiting for them again.
Payton pointed to a ring with a diamond the size of her head. “May I try that one, please?”
“Of course.” He pulled it out and settled it gently on a blue and green tartan cloth.
Payton slipped it on and held it up. “Gorgeous.”
“It’s a little much, don’t you think?” Sam said as she studied the jewelry.
“But look how it sparkles.”
The sales clerk smiled. “Yes ma’am. It’s one of a kind.”
Sam grimaced. “I don’t even want to know what it costs.”
“Four-hundred thousand,” he said.
“Dollars?” she squeaked.
“Pounds,” he corrected.
“Payton, take that off right now,” Sam ordered. “It costs more than a house.”
Payton giggled. “I know, but it’s gorgeous, don’t you think? And certainly within Kade’s budget.”
“So that’s your plan!” Sam exclaimed. “Sneaky.”
“Admit it… this one’s stunning, right?”
Sam shook her head. “You need to quit. Even if we were heading in that direction and even if he had the budget, I would never choose something like that.”
“Killjoy.” Payton handed the ring back. “Show me what you’d choose, then.”
“No, it’s fine, Payton.”
“Please, Sam. Dream with me,” she insisted.
Sam raised an eyebrow and hesitated, but the lure of the beautiful jewelry was too hard to resist. Besides, it was just pretend, right?
Payton pointed to a ring and grinned. “What about that one?”
“No. Too much.”
Sam continued to walk the length of the counter and then, as though it was written in the stars, a ring caught her eye. Celtic knots were woven around the band, coming together to cradle a princess-cut diamond in white gold. “May I see that one, please?” she asked.
“Lovely choice. The center diamond is three-point-nine-five-carats and is as close to perfect as they get. No inclusions, brilliant color, and cut for maximum sparkle.” The clerk pulled it out and after giving it a quick polish, handed it to her. Sam slipped it on her finger and her heart began to slam against her chest.
Sweetheart? What are you doing?
Kade sounded curious and somewhat amused.
Sam took a deep breath and smiled. Nothing, honey.
Why do you sound like the cat that swallowed the canary?
I have no idea. Go back to your meeting.
“It’s beautiful, Sam,” Payton said.
She nodded and studied it for a few seconds before sliding it off and handing it back to the salesman. “Thank you.”
He put it back in the case. “Is there anything else you’d like to look at?”
Sam shook her head.
“Are you sure?” Payton asked. “What about a wedding ring for Kade?”
“You are too much, Payton McFadden.”
She grinned. “Come on, there’s more to see.”
Sam perused the men’s rings and groaned when she found one that was similar to the one she’d tried on. A thick platinum band with Celtic knots wrapping around the ring.
“Oh, Sam. It’s like it was meant to be.”
“Payton. Enough with the finagling.” Sam chuckled. “We should get Fiona.”
The attendant gave her a nod and moved to assist another customer while Sam and Payton made their way back to Fiona. She showed them the watch and then let the owner of the shop wrap it before setting it safely in her purse. “Ready?”
Sam nodded. “Yes.”
Just as they stepped out of the store, her phone rang. Kade’s name came up on the screen.
“Hi.”
“Hi yourself. You’re not having too much fun without me, are you?” he asked.
Sam giggled. “Absolutely.”
“Hmm. Maybe I should meet you. I miss you terribly.”
“Me too, but I have to go. You have work to do and I have shopping to get back to.”
“I love you.”
Sam smiled. “Same here.”
Sam hung up and was led into store after store as they made their way up The Mile to Edinburgh Castle. Lunchtime approached, so Fiona suggested they stop at a restaurant before continuing their trek.
As they waited for their table, Sam let out a quiet squeal when strong arms wrapped around her waist and warm lips connected with her cheek. “Góðan dag, fallegur.”
“Hi.” She grinned up at Kade. “What are you doing here?”
“We decided we couldn’t survive the rest of the day without you,” he said.
“We?”
He nodded toward the front door. Angus and Brodie were greeting Fiona and Payton.
Samantha squeezed Kade’s hand. “Are Payton and Brodie… you know?”
“It’s complicated.”
“Well, you can explain it to me later, then.”
He chuckled. “Can’t wait.”
“You don’t need to worry about me, you know.” Sam slid a hand around his waist. “But I am glad you’re here.”
He kissed her temple. “Are you sure you’re having a good time?”
“I am. Your sister’s a blast and Payton is beyond sweet.”
He smiled. “Are you still tired?”
“Yes, evil one. I am. I could use another dose of coffee.”
“Good thing we’re in a restaurant, then.”
“You’re on fire today, honey.”
Kade chuckled. “Are you sure you won’t come with me tonight?”
“I have a date with a feather bed and comforter. You’re on your own,” she said. “But if you want to call me when you get home, I might let you say goodnight.”
“How generous.”
Sam giggled. “I know. You’re a very lucky man.”
He swept her hair away from her face and ran his fingers through it. “I loved waking up with you.”
She gave him a gentle squeeze. “Mmm. Me too.”
“Our table’s ready, lovebirds,” Fiona said. “If you could stop making googly eyes at each other for five minutes, we can actually sit down.”
The host led the group to the table and Sam smiled when the men seated the women. Sam took her seat, wishing Kade wasn’t at the head of the table. She would have liked to have been sitting next to him, close enough to lean against him and sleep. She stifled a yawn and ordered a triple espresso before staring down at the menu.
Conversation swirled around the table as they waited for their food. Sam leaned forward and reached for Kade’s hand under the table. He gave hers a gentle squeeze. “What?”
She smiled. “I’m just hoping this connection we have works to wake me up.”
* * *
Samantha sat in Kade’s living room and surfed through the limited choices of television stations. The shopping excursion wrapped up after the ladies had dinner and she’d been delivered back home to sleep. She managed almost four hours before being awakened by Kade when his dinner was over.
Now she sat in her favorite chair and waited for him to open a bottle of wine. She changed the channel and landed on the local news. What she wasn’t expecting was to see Kade’s face flash across the screen.
“Are you kidding me?” Sam sat stunned, her mouth gaping open.
“Well, ladies, it appears Scotland’s richest bachelor may be off the market soon,” the news reporter reported. “Dr. Kade Gunnach was seen leaving the Royal McGregor, his arm wrapped around a mysterious brunette, along with his brother Brodie and sister Fiona.”
A photo of Samantha walking next to Kade came up on the screen. She hit the pause button. “Kade?” she called.
“Yes, love?”
“Um, we’re on TV.”
He emerged from the kitchen, a wine bottle and two glasses in his hands. “What do you mean?”
She pointed to the screen with the remote and pressed play again. “Look.”
Kade set the bottle and glasses on the coffee table and sat on the sofa.
“An anonymous source tells us the lady is a new researcher working for Gunnach Pharmaceutical. We haven’t learned her name yet, but we will. She was also seen earlier in the morning leaving our favorite wee jewelry store with Fiona Gunnach and Payton McFadden. Will there be a wedding soon? It’s the question of the hour, and you’ll hear it here first.”
Video of the group emerging from the restaurant played and then a close-up of Kade leaning down to kiss Samantha.
Kade swore and pulled his phone from his pocket. “Hi, Con. Yeah, I’m watching it now. Find out how the hell these vultures know anything about Samantha.”
Sam laid her hand on Kade’s leg. His irritation ebbed a bit, but his voice stayed forceful as he spoke with Connall about the current predicament. When he hung up, Samantha took his phone from him and laid it on the table.
He tried to grab for it. “I need to call Ali.”
She shook her head. “No. You’re freaking out about nothing. Did we or did we not go to a public restaurant and kiss on a public street?”
“Not the point.”
She laughed. “Uhhh… kind of is the point.”
“We have privacy laws in this country, and the damn press is stepping over the line.”
“I didn’t realize you were famous.”
He snorted. “We’re wealthy. We can’t escape it, I’m afraid.”
Rising from the chair, Sam straddled his lap and balanced her hands on his shoulders. “Well, I’ll just make sure I’m wearing something fabulous next time I go out in public. My hair was a mess!”
“You could shave your head and go out in a burlap sack, and you’d still be the prettiest lass in Scotland.”
She kissed him. “I wonder if all the other women in Scotland know what a charmer you are. I don’t relish the competition for your affection.”
He flipped her so she was under him on the couch. “You have no competition, love. There will never be anyone else for me.” He kissed her deeply and Sam smiled in vindication. Kade was effectively distracted from his vendetta.