“What is it, sweetie?”
“I’m not dressed right!”
Confused, I studied her for a second in her adorable red winter coat and matching hat. Underneath she wore a navy dress and navy ankle boots. The kid couldn’t be any cuter. “You look beautiful.”
“But I’m not dressed like a princess.” Her eyes flew toward the castle. “I should have put on my unicorny dress.”
Thane and I looked at each other, both of us clearly trying not to laugh at how cute she was. Then suddenly I realized how close our faces were. As if Thane realized it, too, a strange, hot tension sparked between us, and we jerked back in our seats.
“You’re perfect, sweetie,” I said, scrambling to unbuckle my belt and get away from my boss. “Come on, I’ll help you out.”
Once Thane had paid for our entrance, we walked into the castle, Thane’s hand on Lewis’s shoulder as he talked to him about the castle’s history. Despite his age, Lewis hung on to his father’s every word. Eilidh, while old enough to appreciate the castle’s beauty, just as Thane knew she would, was too young to take much of anything else in.
So while her dad lingered with her brother over every little thing in the rooms that were open to the public, I took photos of everyone with my camera phone and only stopped Eilidh at the parts I thought she’d like. Like the room with the old-fashioned ceremonial clothing. She seemed right at home in the opulent drawing room and wanted to touch anything shiny. Thankfully, Eils, despite her big personality, listened when she was told not to do something.
Okay, so she listened after the third time I told her with a sharpened tone not to touch. And that was only after she shot me a dark look that made me want to laugh. But I didn’t. Because if she knew how funny I found her antics, she’d never again see me as an authority figure.
We were standing in the fanciest dining room I’d ever seen, and it was like I’d stepped into one of the period dramas I loved so much. A hot breath suddenly whispered across my ear, and a rumbly, masculine voice said quietly, “I’ll take Eils if you want to have a proper look around now.”
Goose bumps prickled my neck, and I couldn’t look at Thane as I nodded. “Sure, that would be great.”
“I can take you around,” Lewis offered.
“Sounds good.”
“Come on, Eilidh-Bug.” Thane grasped her hand. “Do you like the castle?”
“Can we live here?” I heard her ask as I followed Lewis out of the room.
For the next half hour, Lewis led me back into rooms I’d hurried through with Eilidh, and I discovered not only had he been listening to his dad but he had retained nearly everything Thane had told him. Smart as a whip.
Once we were done, we headed downstairs and found Thane waiting with Eilidh. “Did you enjoy it?” He grinned down at me.
Squeezing Lewis into my side, I replied, “With the best guide in the world showing me around? Of course.”
Lewis blushed a little but grinned when his dad smiled proudly at him. “Right. Time to see the gardens. The falconry display is on in twenty minutes.”
“What’s fall-rony?” Eilidh asked as we wandered the grounds.
While Thane tried to explain to his five-year-old daughter about the ancient art of using birds of prey to hunt, I peered over the edge of the top tier of the back of the grounds, amazed. Thane had not been kidding. The castle was perched above the lower gardens with many steps down to get to them. Despite being tiny in comparison, the landscape had the same beautiful order and formal grandeur of Versailles. Beyond that was the sea, gleaming like a tranquil mirror.
Though it was a cold November day, only a very slight sea breeze blew past, the sun cutting through the iciness to create perfect, crisp salty air. My favorite kind of day. Thane lost Eilidh’s interest five minutes into the garden walk, and she took off with Lewis to run around instead. I captured photos of them with my phone, and Thane approached me while I snapped a picture of them staring up at a fountain. They did so in the same manner, and with their dark curls, there was no mistaking they were siblings. Thane leaned into me to see the picture, and I caught a whiff of his fresh, citrusy scent.
“Can you send that to me?” he asked.
“Sure.” I met his gaze, swallowing hard at his nearness. “I’ll send them all to you.”
Our eyes held for a moment too long.
“Ree-Ree!” Eilidh shouted, breaking the tension.
Ignoring the butterflies in my belly and the worries in the back of my mind, I hurried to Eilidh just in time to talk her out of climbing into the fountain.
By the time we arrived for the falconry display, Eilidh was mulish, bored, and hungry. She was done with the fairy-tale castle. “Just a while longer,” I assured her, lifting her into my arms.
It was clear Thane really wanted to see the falcons, so I handled her while he and Lewis moved closer in the small crowd that had gathered around the falconer and his Peregrine.
“I don’t like the bird.” Eilidh held on tight to me.
“It won’t hurt you, sweetie,” I promised but took a few steps back. “Better?”
“No, I’m hungry,” she growled in her monster voice. Not so cute when she was on the verge of a tantrum.
“Eilidh, we won’t be long.”
“I want to go now!” Her voice got louder, her scowl deeper.
I gave her a stern look as she tried to slide out of my arms. “Eilidh Adair, today is your dad’s day. This is for his birthday. And your dad doesn’t ask a lot from you, so you’re going to behave and let him enjoy his day.”
She pouted, her eyes brightening with tears, but to my relief, she clamped her lips closed and snuggled her head against my chest.
“Good girl,” I whispered, turning to look toward the show.
Instead, I caught Thane staring at me. His eyes smiled and he mouthed, “Thank you.”
I smiled back, wishing my heart didn’t race at a mere tender look from him.
Thankfully, he turned back to the display. It was pretty awesome, but Eilidh was getting heavier and more restless in my arms by the second. I was grateful when it ended.
“That was really cool, Dad,” Lewis said as they followed us up toward the castle.
“Glad you enjoyed it … do you fancy stopping in at the tearoom for something to eat?”
“YES!” Eilidh yelled.
I winced. “Eilidh, my ears.”
“Sorry!” she said, not sorry, and then slipped out of my arms like an eel before I could stop her. She made to rush precariously down the stairs to be with her father, and my heart leapt into my throat. Thane, however, quickly dove forward and grabbed her up into his arms. Happy to be there, as well as delighted food was on the agenda, she let him carry her with no complaints up the steps.
A little out of breath when I reached the top, I bugged my eyes out at Lewis who grinned at me. “I think I need to start running with my sister.”
“Nah, you’re just old,” he teased.
I guffawed, horrified, and glowered at Thane as he laughed. “If I’m old, what are you? Ancient?”
That just made him laugh harder.
Sexy bastard.
Trying to get Eilidh to sit down in the tearoom was a nightmare. There was a glass cabinet filled with cake, and she just wanted to stare at it. Not that I didn’t understand the fascination. Eventually, after promising she’d get a piece of whatever cake she liked, we got her to sit down at a small table. And by small, I mean, my knees kept knocking against Thane’s.