Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Becca’s head pounded as she struggled to open her eyes.
How much had she drunk last night? She snuggled into the warm, naked body next to hers.
Her eyes shot open to find a bare male chest. What the hell had she done?
She was afraid to move, afraid to breathe, as she tried to replay last night’s events.
She lifted her gaze to find Ian staring down at her.
“You’re awake.”
Her hand traveled lower down his abs, stopping where his kilt should be. “And you’re naked in my bed.”
“Aye. Was it good for you? If you donae remember, I’d be glad to give you a repeat performance.”
She jerked her hand away and rolled onto her back. Ian rolled with her and brushed her hair out of her face. His eyes sparkled as a lazy smile grew on his face. “Is that any way to greet your fiancé?”
His words were jumbled as she tried to process what he’d said. “Come again?”
Ian’s lips twitched before he nuzzled his nose into the juncture of her neck. “Fiancé.”
Becca shoved his shoulders to look him in the face. “You’re joking.”
“I’d never joke about my intended, Becca. I think you’ll look like a beautiful angel in my colors.”
Becca’s stomach rolled, and the room started to spin. She shoved Ian off her and slid out of the bed. The quick movement had her covering her mouth and running to the bathroom.
“Relax, Becca, we dinnae set a date yet.”
Becca’s stomach tightened and her throat burned as she threw up the contents of last night’s dinner and drinks into her toilet. She heard the door open but didn’t bother to look to know he was crowding her bathroom. He wet a washcloth and held it in place on her neck.
“Are you done, lass?”
Becca flushed and laid her head on the porcelain, unable to move from her drained energy. “What did I tell you last night?”
“Everything,” he answered, scooping her up into his arms and holding her against his naked body.
The muscles on his warm chest heated beneath her palm.
She’d inched it toward his neck to pull him down for a kiss before she realized what she was doing.
I’ve lost my damn mind. “You didn’t get dressed. ”
“Nae. My only concern was you. I’ll get dressed after I tuck you back in.”
“I’m not a child.” Her voice rose in anger, making her head throb as he lowered her back down to the bed.
“I’m well aware, although these lights bring a whole new meaning to using a night light,” he said, keeping his voice low. You’re in need of a good spanking for keeping the truth from your sisters.
She’d heard his words as if he’d said them aloud. The smile on his face led her to believe that he knew it too. Heat crept into her cheeks.
“I ken you heard that, but I think we should wait until you feel better before you start explaining, in detail, everything you’ve been keeping from your family. I should redden your sweet ass to match your cheeks.”
She closed her eyes and pulled the covers over her face. “I did tell you, didn’t I?”
“Aye. Which makes me wonder why you claimed I’d have eyes for your other sisters. If you can hear my thoughts, you know that you are the only one I’ve ever undressed.”
Becca groaned and turned from his voice. How had she been so stupid to drop her guard? The only good the alcohol had done was to drown out his appearance, unless he hadn’t killed again. “What else did I tell you?”
“We’ll talk about the rest after I make you some coffee and toast.” Ian walked out of the room closing the door behind him.
Maybe she hadn’t spilled the beans on the secret she’d done well hiding for over twenty years.
She glanced at her bedside clock and chewed her lip.
She’d slept until almost noon. She had only a couple hours to get rid of her pounding headache, and the Highlander, in order to catch Danny at the police station.
She could do that. She’d find a way to run him off. She was good at getting men to run.
Becca sat up and clenched her eyes closed to brace herself from the spinning room.
Her stomach grumbled and lurched with each movement.
She slowly rose from the bed, clutched the wall for balance, and stumbled back into the bathroom.
After brushing her teeth, she started the shower.
The hot water would help wake her just as much as the coffee, when it was done.
She stood under the spray, letting the water soak into her skin.
“Lass, you all right?” Ian’s voice was outside the shower door.
“Don’t you knock in Scotland?”
“Aye, but I’ve already seen you naked.”
Heat flooded her cheeks. Was there no end to her embarrassment? “Is there anything else you forgot to tell me?”
“You said you’d marry me.”
“I did not,” she answered with a growl and braced her hand on the shower wall and dropped her head.
“Aye. You did. Call me if you need help washing your back,” he called out, his voice trailing as she heard the click of the door.
She clenched her eyes closed, and her shoulders sagged. No way had she agreed to get married. She couldn’t. She wouldn’t. Plain and simple. Not after her dreams.
Ian dug through Becca’s pantry and fridge looking for anything edible.
The words tofu and whole grain were like a foreign language.
He’d made her what his ma used to pour down his throat to ease his hangover in younger days.
Thank God it required only vegetables or he would have had to find the nearest store.
He’d blended it while she was in the shower, knowing the noise alone would make her want to cut off her pretty little head.
He fixed her a piece of toast and had it waiting, along with the drink that was sure to put hair on her smooth, creamy, delectable kiss-worthy chest. He was admiring his handiwork when his cell phone vibrated. He was quick to answer after checking the caller ID.
“How is she?” Quinn asked in a new mother, tired voice that told Ian the newborn bairn had kept her up most of the night. The fight normally in Quinn’s attitude and voice had softened some since the birth, but not much.
“She’s hung over,” he said, turning back to look out the window over the kitchen sink. The bright sun in the afternoon sky glinted off the strategically placed gnomes in the backyard garden.
“Any nightmares?”
“Nae, she’s in the shower. I think she’s scared to come out after I reminded her that she agreed to marry me.”
“You better not have taken advantage of my inebriated sister, McDougall. Not unless you’re ready for a real war between our clans.”
“I dinnae touch her.”
“He undressed me,” Becca hollered.
“Ian,” Quinn growled.
“She’s to be my wife, Quinn. I couldnae in good conscious let her sleep uncomfortable, so I changed her. Hell, I havenae even kissed her yet. I dinnae molest her.”
“How would I know?” Becca said from behind him.
Ian turned around to look at her. Her wet hair was up in a ponytail.
Her face was clean of makeup. Her eyes were bloodshot red, and her face was paler than normal.
“You’ll know when I touch you, Becca. I promise that.
” He let out a lengthy sigh. “I’ll call you back when I leave. I need to tend to her.”
“I don’t need tending.”
“Yes, she does,” Quinn and Ian said at the same time.
“I’ll call you back.” Ian hung up and handed Becca the bright green drink.
“What is it?” she asked while sniffing the conconction.
“A cure for a hangover. Drink it fast.”
She took the glass, and pinching her nose, she began to drink while he grabbed her a bottle of water from the fridge and picked up the two aspirin he’d already pulled out for her. It wouldn’t get rid of her headache entirely, but the aspirin would help with some of what she was feeling.
Becca made a gagging reflex as she finished the last drop. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and took the water and the pills.
“That will set you straight.” Ian pulled out the chair in front of the plate of plain toast. “Sit.”
“I’m not a dog, Ian.”
“I ken, and you’re no’ a child,” he said, taking the seat opposite of her. His gaze locked on hers. “Last night you said that the killer comes at night. What did you mean?”
Becca lowered her gaze to the table and clenched her eyes closed. She apparently had told him her big secret. She was officially cutting herself off from any more alcohol. She obviously made bad decisions when under the influence. Maybe that was why Aunty Betty didn’t drink.
“I cannae help you unless you tell me.”
Becca lifted her eyes to meet his gaze. Concern was etched in the planes of his face. The Highlander that liked to joke was gone, and the one sitting across the table from her meant business. “I didn’t ask for your help, Ian, and I’m not marrying you.”
“Yet,” he said, rising from his seat. You will.
“No, I won’t.” She answered his unspoken thought.
“Tell me what I want to know,” he demanded, crossing his arms over his chest, “and I’ll leave.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Then it looks like I’m here another night,” he said, picking up his phone. “I’ll go ahead and call Collin to bring me some clothes since you’re adverse to me running around your house naked. Just think…you willnae have to use your nightlights, and you’ll save a bundle on your electric bill.”
“You’re serious?”
He walked around to her chair and cupped her shoulders, leaning down to whisper in her ear. “As serious as Quinn is crazy. You tell me what I want to know, or you marry me. Those are the only two ways you’re getting rid of me. So, which is it going to be?”
She remained silent. Neither one of her answers would get her out of being bent over his knee.
“You lay a hand on me, and I’ll cut off your family jewels.”
He kissed her neck. “I look forward to you handling my jewels.”