CHAPTER 29

ISOBEL HAD NEVER BEEN TO London before. She’d never been anywhere. The farthest she’d travelled was Glasgow. It’d been three miserable weeks since she’d let Callum walk out of the hospital. Three weeks to think about her life and what she wanted to do with it. Three weeks of camping in Agnes and Mairi’s living room while the police went over the debris of her home. Three. Long. Miserable. Weeks.

And now she stood in front of Benson Security’s London office, their very grand London office, and wondered what the heck she was doing. There hadn’t been a single word from him. Nothing. Of course, she hadn’t contacted Callum either, but still, the fact he hadn’t even been in touch to find out if there was a baby or not worried her. Did it mean she’d missed her chance and he didn’t want her anymore? She wouldn’t blame him. She came with a lot of baggage.

“Hello?” The speaker on the wall came to life, making her jump. “Hello, miss, are you planning to stand out there all day or do you have some business with Benson Security?”

The voice was female and polite, but it still made Isobel rub her clammy palms on her jeans. “Um, I was hoping to see Callum. Callum McKay.”

“Do you have an appointment?”

“No.” Should she have made one? “I can come back if he’s busy.” Maybe.

She wasn’t sure she’d have the guts to go through this again. In fact, the only reason she was there this time was because she had backup. Her sisters and the kids had come with her to London. They were at the zoo while she went to talk to Callum, and would be there to pick up the pieces after she’d learned that this was all a mistake.

“What’s your name?”

She cleared her throat, wondering if she should give up and walk away. “Isobel Sinclair.”

“Oh my goodness! You’re Callum’s woman. Come in, come in.” There was a buzzing sound and the door popped open.

Hesitantly, Isobel let herself into the building. The reception area had obviously been remodelled, and was more open than she would have expected. There were massive plants everywhere, a comfortable waiting area with beautifully upholstered seating that matched the colour scheme and a grand staircase that led upstairs. Dominating the space was a large reception desk, painted lilac, with the company logo in the centre of it, and behind that was an office. A woman peeked out of the office door, but didn’t come any closer.

“Hi,” the woman said shyly. “I’m Julia. The office manager. Sorry about the intercom. Our receptionist moved to Scotland and I don’t like to man the desk.”

“Hi,” Isobel said, and awkwardly came to stand in front of the reception desk. “Is Callum in?”

Julia nodded and said to her shoes, “I’ve sent for Joe. He’ll take you up to him. Callum’s in a team meeting in the conference room. I’d take you, but Callum’s been shouting a lot lately. A lot more, I mean.”

“Oh.” Isobel glanced behind her and wondered if she should sprint for the door.

“Don’t scare Callum’s woman, babe,” a handsome man said as he came down the stairs. He looked Italian and sounded American, and his eyes melted at the sight of Julia. He held out a hand to Isobel. “Joe Barone, Julia’s fiancé. You have no idea how glad we are to see you. Callum has been like a bear with a sore paw for weeks.” Joe studied her. “Please tell me you’re here to stay?”

“Joe!” Julia said. “That’s between Isobel and Callum.”

“Babe, he’s driving us nuts. He needs his woman.”

“So I’ve been told,” Isobel said wryly.

She’d had daily phone calls from different members of Callum’s team, extoling his virtues and begging her to take him back. She’d explained that she’d never kicked him out, she only needed time to think, but nobody paid any attention to her protests. She’d even had a scary old woman called Betty call her and tell her to get her backside to London and give Callum some nooky to calm him down. Isobel shook her head at the memory.

Joe’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Been getting some hassle from the crew, then?”

“And someone called Betty.”

“Ouch. You attracted Satan’s attention. That’s not good.”

Isobel wasn’t sure what to say to that, so she said nothing.

“Come on, I’ll take you up to him.” He started for the stairs.

“Good luck,” Julia called before disappearing back into her office.

“You aren’t going to break his heart, are you?” Joe said as they went up the stairs. “If that’s why you’re here, it’s probably best if you just leave. I don’t want Callum losing his mind. He has the access code for the armoury in the basement, and I don’t fancy trying to disarm a pissed-off Scot.”

“As your fiancée would say, that’s between Callum and me. But I’ll try to keep him away from weapons.”

“That’s not the answer I was hoping for.” Joe led her down a corridor towards what sounded like a riot. “Tempers are fraying. Especially Callum’s.”

As they approached the door, with the brass plate declaring it the conference room, Isobel could make out voices.

“I don’t care if you think it isn’t your job,” Callum shouted. “Suck it up and get on with it.”

Isobel shivered at the sound of the voice she’d missed so much these past weeks. It didn’t even matter to her that he sounded like he was about to go on a rampage.

“I am not your employee,” someone else said. “I’m your partner. I don’t take orders from you or anyone else.”

Ah, it was Rachel. Isobel cast a glance at Joe, and he shrugged. “Welcome to Benson Security, or as we fondly call it, hell.”

“You’re part of this team,” Callum roared. “I’m in charge of this team. You need to pull your weight.”

“And you need to get laid before we kill you,” Rachel shouted. “For the love of Gucci, call the woman and tell her you’re sorry. Do whatever it takes to get her back. Buy her things. Give her money. Promise her a pony. Just get her back before it’s too late for all of us.”

There was a roar of approval at Rachel’s statement.

“For the last time,” Callum barked, “we didn’t split up. She needs time to think.”

“About what?” Rachel asked.

“How the hell am I supposed to know? Can anyone really tell what a woman is thinking? She’s had some bad experiences. She needed to think. I’m giving her time because I’m a bloody modern man! If I wasn’t, I’d have thrown her over my shoulder and locked her up until she got over this crap.”

“You’re a modern man?” someone asked.

“Damn straight. I’m sensitive,” Callum shouted.

Isobel started to giggle and covered her mouth. With a shake of his head, Joe put his hand on the door.

“You can see why we need you,” he said as he pushed the door open. “Hey, Mr Modern Man, you’ve got a visitor.”

Isobel followed him into the room and found everyone seated around a large table. Well, everyone except Callum and Rachel, who were standing at one end, glaring at each other. As soon as they all saw her, there was a cheer.

“About time!” Elle shouted.

Isobel blushed, and then her eyes caught Callum’s. Everything else faded away. His jaw clenched, his eyes narrowed and then he was stalking towards her.

“Everybody out,” Megan shouted, and people rushed past Isobel without even stopping to say hello.

Isobel froze, like prey in the sight of a large, hungry cat. Callum came right up to her, slammed the conference door shut, slipped his hands under her arms and lifted her. Her back slammed against the wall and his mouth was on hers. All before she’d even managed to take a breath.

She was here.

Nothing else mattered except the fact Isobel had walked into his office on her own two feet. She’d come looking for him and he didn’t care why, because no matter her excuses, he wasn’t letting her go this time. He threaded his fingers through her hair and clasped the back of her head as his mouth came down on hers.

Bliss.

Cinnamon-chocolate bliss. Isobel. Nothing tasted like Isobel. Nothing slaked his hunger the way she did. Nothing felt as good in his arms as Isobel. He’d been lost without her. Trying to work his way back into his life while he felt like he really was only half a man. His better half was missing. She was in Scotland, trying to find herself. And he’d run out of patience waiting for her. He’d planned to give her until the weekend and then deal with the situation the only way he knew how—kidnapping.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on. He felt her legs curl around his hips as he pressed her against the wall. It felt right. Perfect. He felt complete for the first time in weeks. And he needed more. He needed to be inside her. Joined to her. Part of her.

She ripped her mouth from his and he moved to her throat, teasing the sensitive skin he found there.

“I came here to talk,” she said breathlessly.

“Then talk.” He just didn’t plan on stopping while she did it.

Her fingers tightened in his hair, and she tugged his face up out of the crook of her neck.

“Callum, I need to talk.” She didn’t look like she needed to talk. She looked like she needed him.

“The only thing I want to hear is you telling me that you’re here for good. Have you decided to give us a chance, Isobel?” Man, she was beautiful.

Her blue eyes softened. “Yes,” she said, and Callum wanted to roar.

A cheer went up from the hallway.

“Bog off!” he shouted at his team, but he’d lost the edge of anger that had been riding him for weeks. “Perverts,” he muttered before taking her mouth in a kiss that was punishing and desperate.

Damn, he needed to get inside her. She pulled her lips from his again.

“That means taking us all on. Jack and Sophie too.” She looked at him, anxiety in her eyes.

“I spent the past three weeks decorating bedrooms for Sophie and Jack. One is bubble-gum pink and covered in glitter. The other is full of video games and workout gear.” He kissed her nose. “You’re mine, Isobel Sinclair. And those kids are mine. Never worry about that.”

The depth of emotion he saw in her eyes humbled him. His woman. His. And he was never letting her go.

“I’m not pregnant,” she whispered against his mouth.

Disappointment washed over him. “Do you want to be? Because I want to be inside you right this minute.”

She smiled at him and melted his heart. “Let’s get settled first.”

Aye, he liked the sound of that. “I don’t have a condom here.” Which meant he had to drag Isobel through the building, past his grinning team, and out the back door to his house at the end of the garden—all the while sporting a hard-on from hell.

She put her hand in the pocket of the denim jacket she wore and pulled out a little foil packet. “I came prepared, for a change.”

He grabbed the condom and kissed her hard.

“It was Mairi, wasn’t it?” He put her on her feet and started pulling off her jeans.

“Yeah,” Isobel said with a giggle, because they both knew her chances of remembering were slim to none.

Callum stripped her of her jeans, shoes and underwear in record time before sheathing himself and lifting her again. When he had her pressed between his chest and the wall, the way he liked it, he stroked her hair. “I promise you foreplay the next time.”

“You keep saying that,” she whispered against his mouth, “but it never happens.”

“I’ll work on it.” He reached between them and lined himself up with paradise.

They groaned as he slid into her wet heat. Muscles tensed as he fought for control, Callum rested his forehead on Isobel’s. They stood like that, joined, together, complete.

“Never leave me again,” Callum whispered.

“Silly man, I didn’t leave you this time. I just needed to sort out my head.”

“Are you done with that?”

“Yeah.” She clenched around him, and they both moaned. “I fell in love with you in Arness.” Isobel confessed.

Callum felt a warm glow spread throughout his body. “I’ll always love you, Isobel Sinclair, and I’m going to spend a lifetime showing you that you made the right choice this time.”

“Are you saying I broke the Sinclair curse?” She smiled, teasing him.

“Aye, that’s exactly what I’m saying. Now give me your mouth, woman. I need to taste you.”

And Isobel did just that.