Chapter 30
THIRTY
AT LAST
Taylor
How did one propose to the man of her dreams? Over the past six weeks, since Charity had died, it had been my constant preoccupation. Along with grieving, getting my head around a new job, and learning how to live in the Highlands.
I bumped closed the door to mine and William’s very own car—bought with the proceeds of his first photography job—and crossed Castle McRae’s car park. I came here most days to work with Mathilda, and today was no different.
Except it was—I’d had the best idea, and I’d had excellent news this morning. The inheritance I’d been gifted had been cleared for payment. It would be in my account any minute.
There was so much I planned to do with it.
First, I sought Mathilda in her office. I tapped on the open door to find another person inside. With long, burnished red hair and pert features, the woman was utterly gorgeous. And I recognised her from family photos.
“Taylor, you’re here. I don’t think you’ve met Scarlet, have you? My baby sister.” Mathilda beamed from her office chair. “She hasn’t been here in forever since university and her exciting social life took her away.”
I grinned at the newcomer. “No! But I’ve heard all about you.”
“You have?” She offered a neatly manicured hand, and I shook it.
“Ally was over a couple of weeks ago, and he saw something you posted. You were on a beach somewhere.”
A flush stole over her cheeks, fast, highlighting freckles and making her instantly appear younger. How annoying for her. No secret would be safe with such pale skin.
“How did I not know that Ally followed me?” She dug out her phone from her jeans pocket. “I was in Belize with Dad. Hell, I would’ve posted a bikini shot if I knew Ally would see it.” Her eyes lit in wicked delight. “That would freak him out. What’s his account? Did he take the old ones down?”
I gave her the name. “He did. There was something about an old fan of his he regretted. I don’t know the details.
” I guessed William knew what had been bothering Ally.
He’d asked about Ally’s problem with the fan, and they’d had a short conversation mostly made up of shrugs and a silent twin exchange. I hadn’t pried.
Scarlet’s red eyebrows drew in. “Huh. He doesn’t follow me, which means he’s stalking me. I’m going to bombard him with nudes.”
Mathilda clapped her hands to her cheeks. “You will not!”
Her sister laughed and made for the door. “Are you for real? Like I would. Dad would fry Alasdair for the crime of even looking. On that note, I’m going to leave you to work. Nice to meet you, Taylor.”
She breezed away, and I switched my gaze to Mathilda. “Wow.”
Mathilda blew out a breath. “I know. Scarlet plagues Ally. He treats her like an annoying little sister, which drives her nuts and makes her mess with him all the more. That’s why she hasn’t been here—Dad keeps her away because he thinks Ally will take advantage of her.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Ally isn’t like that.”
“No! But Ally plays up to it and acts the idiot when Dad’s here.
He even flirted with my sister once, and it drove Dad insane.
Dad has high hopes for Scarlet. He plans to put her in control of his empire one day.
She’s meant to be focusing all her time on her education, so no boyfriend has ever met his approval. ”
“Talking of empires, how are you fixed up for a chat? I have a proposal for you.”
“I’m at your disposal. With you working here, I have more free time than ever before.” She blinked. “Wait. You’re not breaking up with me, are you? You can’t go! I’ll pay more!”
Snorting a laugh, I waved her off. “Stop! I actually want to give you money.”
“Ooh! I’m listening.”
“We’ve been working well together, right?
And since I’m staying, I’ve been thinking seriously about what I want to do.
” Excitement rose in a champagne fizz. “I’d like to buy into the wedding business.
Become an equal partner with you. You’d keep your role, but I’d take ownership of the new catering function.
Plus, I’ll be better placed to act for you on your maternity leave. ”
My nerves got to me, all of a sudden. I realised how I sounded.
This business was Mathilda’s baby. She’d created it from nothing, and it was thriving because of her and her alone.
“I mean, it’s just an idea. I’d need to learn a lot and fast, and I’ll carry on working for you either way. I don’t mean to step on toes…”
Intelligent eyes watched me. “That’s a lot to think about.” A smile of consideration lit her face. “Do you have this written up?”
“I’ll email it now.” I grinned back. She hadn’t said no outright, so this was a huge step forward.
I made a little noise of glee and switched my gaze to my phone to send the outline over. A message from William arrived as the email sent.
I love you, lass, it read. Ye better be waiting for me when I get in. And by waiting, I mean naked.
My glee turned to instant lust. A week without his hands on me had been almost too much to bear.
How long are you going to keep me waiting? It would be a pity if I started by myself, I typed back.
His reply made me laugh out loud. I’ll walk in the door at seven. And now I have a hard-on. Awkward since I’m in a room full of elderly professors. One is giving me the weirdest look right now. Gotta go, beautiful.
I returned my phone to my bag and then thought about my more exciting plan for the day. My other proposal. Lifting my gaze to Mathilda, I brought her into my planning.
“If you’re available after work, I need a little help. But it’s a secret.”
She lifted one nicely shaped eyebrow. “Intriguing. I’m in.”
And now onto the next part of my idea.
How do you make a grand gesture to a Highlander who didn’t enjoy being the centre of attention? Luckily, the woman who wanted to marry the Scot knew her man well.
Wasp
We approached the crofthouse, and my hurry to get home went on pause as I took in the dark windows.
The castle had been the same: no lights on, and no one home.
“Do ye think they all went somewhere?” Ally asked me.
I’d driven us home after the longest week of work, and though it had been fun catching up, I needed Taylor more than anything.
Then food.
Then her again. All night.
As Taylor and I shared a car, I’d used Ally’s, and now he was going to leave me here and drive himself home.
“Your car’s not even here. Something’s definitely up.” He took out his phone and made a call. “Mathilda? Where—?” Ally listened for a moment. Then he laughed and killed the call.
I brought the car to a halt halfway down the track to my house. “Want to fill me in?” I asked.
“Nope. Keep going.”
Muttering, I drove us the final hundred feet and parked. Before I could get out, Ally placed a hand on my arm. “Good luck, bro.”
“Why do I need good luck?” Then it twigged. “Oh Christ. This is it, isn’t it?”
“No idea what you’re talking about.”
“Aye, ye do. She’s going to propose!”
Ally shrugged and pretend-examined his nails. “Get out of my car.”
I punched his arm then jumped down, grabbing my bags from the back.
Earlier, on the drive home, Ally had asked why I wasn’t the one doing the proposing.
The answer was simple: Taylor needed this.
I’d already told her I wanted to marry her, and I had a ring just waiting for this moment, but also, I liked it.
She was mine and she was making me hers. How perfect was that?
I approached the crofthouse’s door. It opened, and Scarlet, Mathilda’s wee sister stepped out.
“Hi—” I started, but she raised a finger.
“Put this on,” she demanded and held up a strip of cloth. “It’s a blindfold. It goes over your eyes,” she added when all I did was stare.
“Right!” I dropped my bags at my feet and took the cloth, covering my eyes. “Now what?”
No additional instruction came.
But then a hand landed on my shoulder, pushing me into my house.
“Over the step. There you go,” the voice said. My sister-in-law’s.
“Thanks, Mathilda,” I answered. “Is everyone else here as well?”
“Nope. And now you’re on your own.” The door closed behind me with a snick.
The next person who neared, I knew from her scent alone. “Taylor,” I breathed.
The smell of burning also tickled my nose.
Careful fingers found the blindfold and removed it, then I blinked to see my lass in front of me. Her blue eyes took me in, and all I could see was her.
Makeup I needed to smudge. Her golden dress—Christ, what a knockout.
Flickering lights at the edge of my vision had me glancing up to see candles all around the lounge. “What’s this?” I asked, knowing exactly what it was.
Taylor took my hand, entwining our fingers.
“God, I’ve missed you,” she whispered. “I have so much to say to you, but it comes down to this: You are without a doubt the very best person who ever lived. You’re gorgeous, funny, and so kind.
You loved me when I thought I was unlovable, stayed with me when I was making all the wrong choices, and you gave me a home. ”
“Worth every minute of the wait,” I added, emotion flickering like the candles.
“You’re everything to me, so I want to be everything to you. I made dinner, with help. I borrowed a rug, a TV, and Casablanca’s lined up ready to watch.”
I could tear my gaze away, follow her gesture at the lounge at our left, but I wanted to just stare at her. She’d basically described my perfect evening. With one extra thing…
“Marry me, will you?” she asked, so soft and sweet.
Ah Christ, no way could I be manly right now. Fucking shaking, I reached into my pocket and took out the box I’d picked up in Edinburgh.
Then I dropped to one knee.
“Aye, lass. I will. But only if ye marry me, too.”
Her eyes rounded. “Oh my God! Yes!”
Standing, I plucked the ring from the box and placed it on her finger. It fitted perfectly.
“Now for the next part.” Taylor gazed at the ring for a moment then reached back and found the zip of her dress. She pulled. The gold material fell from her body in a silky slide.
I made a sound of pure need. “I get a present, too? I’m going away more often.”
After that, there was no more time to speak.
With urgency, I leaned in and took her mouth, our kiss fast, passion escalating.
I’d had the dream to take her in the entryway, but we’d done that once or twice already, and tonight called for gentler care.
I lifted her in my arms and headed for the stairs.
“You’re going to be my wife,” I told her, placing her on the bed and stripping as quickly as humanly possible. My shirt hit the lamp and my jeans the floor, right over my shoes.
“You know it. Can we get married next month?”
“As soon as possible.”
She leaned to the bedside table and picked up her packet of pills. “I want to ditch these. I want to fill this place with babies that look just like you.”
“Deal.”
Boxers off, I knelt on the bed and dragged apart her thighs, a new force driving me to get inside her rather than play first. Luckily, she had the same idea. She wrapped her legs around my waist, lining me up and arching up to meet my thrusts.
We kissed, made love, many times, laughed about making a baby, then snuggled down with dinner and a movie.
In all my life, I couldn’t have pictured anything more perfect.