Chapter 20
Ruby had clearly seen Bex’s disappearance into the bathroom as permission to climb into bed and curl up at Duncan’s feet.
It was an adorable sight, although she couldn’t help but think how angry Kenna would be if she found out.
Never had Bex known a cat love their owner as much as Kenna loved Duncan.
Unfortunately, that also came hand in hand with her moody, sulky side that reared its head whenever he wasn’t there.
She had no doubt that when Duncan got back to the lodge that day, Kenna would have knocked her fair share of picture frames and books onto the floor, just to make a point.
Although given that all Fergus’s other dogs were also in there, it would probably be hard to tell in all the chaos.
‘Are you just going to stand there all morning looking at me?’ Duncan groaned.
Bex’s heart jolted in surprise. As her pulse continued at an unexpectedly quick pace, she momentarily debated what to do, before she crossed the room and took a seat on the edge of the bed.
‘Sorry, was just thinking, that’s all.’
Her chest fluttered as Duncan offered her a lazy smile.
She’d always loved morning Duncan, with his scraggly hair, sleepy eyes and the lopsided smile from the pillow creases on his face.
Then again, she loved midday Duncan, strolling over the glens completely at one with the land he knew and loved so well, and evening Duncan, who sat on the sofa giving her foot massages as the fire crackled and the smell of wood-smoke filled the air.
There hadn’t been a version of Duncan she hadn’t loved.
But now didn’t seem like the right time to tell him that.
‘Who were you talking to in there? Sounded serious.’
Bex shook her head. There was no way she was filling Duncan in on the contents of her conversation with Nigel. She’d worried about what Duncan would do if he learned Kieron had threatened her. She dreaded to think how he’d act now Kieron had seen good on that threat.
‘No one. Just Daisy. How are you feeling?’
‘I like seeing you when I wake up,’ he replied. ‘I’ve missed it.’
‘I’m not sure I’ve missed your morning whisky breath,’ Bex said jokily, trying to distract from just how much she enjoyed it too. ‘You look like you need some coffee. Or some breakfast.’
‘My head hurts.’ He winced. ‘A lot.’
‘So does that mean you don’t want food or coffee?’
A smile curled up at the corners of his lips. ‘Will you snuggle back up in bed with me if I say no?’
It took all of Bex’s willpower not to whip back the duvet and climb under the covers with him. The way his eyes held hers, with nothing but pure pleading in them, was enough for her to even forget the outside world existed. Only it did. Her conversation with Nigel had proved as much.
She chuckled. ‘Well, I’ll need a coffee. But I can bring it back up here if you want. Get you one too?’
Rather than replying, Duncan pressed his lips tightly together, only to wince. Only then did Bex notice the purply blue bruise that spread out across his jaw. Most of it hidden beneath his beard.
Gently, she ran her fingers across the tender skin. ‘He got a good hook in there.’
Duncan grunted. ‘I wasnae ready. That’s all…’ He frowned and rubbed his temples. ‘Did I hit him back? I kinda remember hitting him back and… why’d I think I saw your folks? Maybe he clattered me harder than I thought.’
‘Yeah, you definitely need a coffee,’ Bex said, standing up to leave.
‘But you’re gonna come back, right?’
She turned back to Duncan, only to see his frown had deepened further.
‘I was thinkin’ ’bout what my folks said. About hunkerin’ down. It would sure be easier to do if I had you there with me. And you wouldnae have to hide the dog up here, either.’
Bex tried to think rationally. Kieron was already out for her blood, and she wasn’t even with Duncan.
She couldn’t imagine what stunts he might try to pull if she was.
Not only that, but how would it affect Duncan’s case with the inheritance?
Kieron wasn’t going to be the only one who claimed that she was trying to rig things to her own advantage.
The more time she spent with him, the harder it was to say no. And at the end of the day, it didn’t matter what Kieron, or anyone else, thought. It would be the DNA test that proved who was the rightful heir.
‘Duncan…’ she said quietly. ‘I’m sorry.’
His expression pinched. ‘For what? You didnae sock someone too, did ya?’
She laughed. ‘No, I didn’t punch anyone.
If I had done it probably would have been you for getting so stupidly drunk.
’ She let out a sigh. ‘It’s just all this stuff with the house and him kicking you out, it wouldn’t have happened if I’d gone about things differently.
You know. Through the lawyers. The way I was probably meant to. ’
Duncan’s shoulders rose upwards as he drew in a lungful of air. ‘Hey, you did what you thought was best. Cannae ask for more than that.’
She nodded her head, feeling all the unspoken questions filling the air around her. As she stood there, not sure whether she should stay or go, he reached out and took her hand.
‘Bex?’ he said softly. ‘Can I ask you something?’
‘Of course. Anything.’
He nodded before a smirk twisted on his lips. ‘Can you put some chocolate in my coffee? Make it a mocha? I think I need the sugar.’
With a shake of her head and a chesty laugh, Bex slipped her hand out of his.
‘Okay,’ she said. ‘One mocha coming up. And maybe while I’m downstairs, you can take a shower. That stale whisky smell is not good on you.’
She grabbed a towel from the side and tossed it at him.
‘You don’t want me to wait so you can join me?’ he asked, catching the towel with a grin.
‘Maybe next time,’ she responded, before she could stop herself, but then for some reason she couldn’t explain, she repeated herself anyway. ‘Maybe next time.’