Читать книгу The Celtic Knot - Shannon MacLeod - Страница 9

3

Lily’s phone rang before eight on Saturday morning, and she groaned aloud when she caught sight of the caller ID. “Morning, Lucas. It’s awful early, don’t you think?”

“I got to bed at a reasonable hour last night,” he chided. “Need you to come in today. I’m going over commission statements.”

Lily’s silent internal tantrum went on for a long moment before she gave up. “I’ll be down there quick as I can.”

Damn, damn, damn, she groused, yanking her hair into a loose ponytail and throwing on a pair of faded jeans. She selected her favorite Horizon World Domination Tour t-shirt out of sheer pique, knowing how much Lucas disliked the loud and rowdy rock band.

They worked together in silence, but around one, Lucas suggested they break for lunch at the barbeque place next door. He wolfed his food down then helped himself to Lily’s plate, taking what she didn’t finish. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you,” he began. “The old man is finally handing over the agency to me and we need to start thinking about the future.”

Lily froze. The pulled pork sandwich she had eaten became a lead weight in her stomach.

“I want you to have your producer license before we get married…”

Lily remembered the earlier discussion between her and Beth and decided to test the waters. “What about Bella?” she asked.

“Who?”

“Bella. My cat,” she reminded him.

Lucas looked as if he had just smelled something bad and shrugged. “There’s no reason why she can’t stay outside, I guess. I don’t want her in my house, though.”

“Bella’s not staying outside. She’s an indoor cat,” Lily said firmly. “That point isn’t negotiable.”

“I bet she sleeps with you, doesn’t she?” he said, helping himself to the last roll. “Well, you won’t need the cat anymore because you’ll have me to snuggle up next to. I hope you don’t mind me saying it, but I’m looking forward to our wedding night.” He took her hand, smiling down at her abstinence ring. “I’m glad we decided to wait for each other.”

His eyes are so…flat looking. Lifeless. Not like those beautiful emerald eyes…Lily started in surprise, wondering what had elicited the stray thought. She plastered a smile on her face and pulled her hand back as soon as politeness allowed. “We should probably get back,” she said.

Looking startled by her abrupt change of mood, he waved for the check. Lily dug around in her purse for some cash, knowing he expected her to chip in. And he’ll keep that receipt to write off lunch even though you’re paying half, her inner voice grumbled. They walked in silence back to the office and once again tackled the bookkeeping. After an hour, Lucas spoke up. “Why don’t you pick up a pizza and come over later?”

“I can’t,” Lily said carefully. “I’m working tonight and it wouldn’t be fair to them to call in this late in the day.”

“Whatever,” he snapped. “Nice to see your priorities are in order.”

His lips pressed together in palpable annoyance, and when she left at four, he never even looked up.

The evening got off to a slow start but Lily didn’t even notice it had gotten dark until Esmeralda gave her a nudge. “Why don’t you take a break, stretch your legs,” the older woman suggested. Lily had been dying to explore a little when the park was open and a slow night seemed the perfect opportunity to meander the spider web of streets.

You’re looking for him, her little voice accused.

“No, I’m not,” she insisted, wandering down street after street and browsing the myriad of goods for sale. More than once she stopped to pose with park patrons eager to have their photo taken with someone in authentic costume. She was nearly at the opposite end of the park before she finally admitted to herself that yes, she was looking for him. And no, she hadn’t seen him. Damn. I wonder if…

“Can you tell us where the list field is?” Two college-aged men asked, snapping her out of her daydreams.

The pungent aroma of ale hit her as soon as they spoke. Wrinkling her nose in distaste, she pointed in the general direction of the center of the park. Having imparted the requested information, she continued on her path but it wasn’t long before she realized she was lost. Her current darkened location was the incomplete new section, closed to the public. I had no idea the Castle was this big, she thought, turning to go back the way she came.

Those same two young men followed her on unsteady legs, the taller of the two staring openly at the plunging neckline of her blouse. “Hey, fair maiden. Out here all by yourself?” the other leered.

Oh, this is bad. Really, really bad. Even if I scream, nobody’s going to hear me over the park noise. Should’ve stayed where I was, Lily berated herself. She fought the rising panic and kept her voice even. “Of course not,” she snapped.

As the men raised their gazes, no longer looking at her, but over her, their expressions changed. Muttering something unintelligible, they stumbled away in the opposite direction.

Weirdos, she thought, then whirled as someone cleared their throat quietly but deliberately behind her. Lily’s breath left her in a soft oomph as she crashed into a solid wall. No, not a wall. A hard, muscled chest clad in white linen…a leather doublet…the hawk and topped with…those beautiful green eyes. Oh, no, no, no.

“Good evening, milady.” The handsome man from the night before gave her a warm smile, a hint of amusement playing around his lips. Her knees quivered and his hands shot out. He caught her elbows, his wrists just brushing the sides of her breasts in the process.

“Oooh!” Lily gasped at the intimate contact. Her face flooded with color when the quivering spread and consumed her entire body with the speed of wildfire.

“Are you all right?” he asked, his brows knitting together.

She couldn’t lift her voice above a whisper. “Uh…yes, milord,” she stammered.

The corners of his mouth definitely twitched that time. “’Twould appear you’ve wandered far and I can see you have no chaperone,” he said in deep, musical tones. “These are dangerous times, milady, and there are unscrupulous men about. If you are going back to your tent, might I have the honor of escorting you there?”

Rendered speechless from his chivalrous offer and flushing even deeper, all Lily could do was nod. With a dazzling smile that set her heart to racing, he took her hand and placed it in the crook of his proffered arm. Drawing admiring glances from the crowd of park patrons, they moved together through the park and soon arrived at her tent. “Thank you,” she mumbled.

Taking her hand, he raised it to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to her fingertips. “The pleasure was truly mine, milady,” he said in a husky voice. She smiled in reply and turned to go into the tent but stopped short and whirled around before entering. “Wait, I didn’t get your…”

He was nowhere in sight.

“…name.”

Sighing, she turned around to enter the tent and burst into immediate laughter at the two women standing before her again, gaping in open astonishment. “Oh, my God,” Beth said. “Tell me you got his name this time.”

Embarrassed, Lily was forced to admit she had been so awestruck she didn’t even talk to him, much less ask any questions. She explained about getting lost in the park and the mystery man turning up when those two men were busy scaring the daylights out of her. Beth would not be pacified, however. “Details, dear. I need details.”

“He’s very polite,” Lily said promptly. “He’s got an accent. And he smells really nice.”

“Okay, well, that’s something,” Beth said, rolling her eyes. “Nice like Polo nice, or nice like something else?”

“Something else. Clean, like sandalwood. Mint, maybe.”

Another wave of customers flowed into the tent and she and Beth returned to their cards. Even though Lily searched the crowds for the remainder of the evening, she didn’t catch another glimpse of the man she hoped to see.

Later that night, Lily lay in bed and stared up at the ceiling, absently stroking the cat. “Those beautiful green eyes seem so familiar but I know I’ve never met him before, Bella,” she mused, “I’d definitely remember someone as magical as that” She picked up the framed photo sitting on her nightstand. Taken at a USF homecoming game, Lucas had the school mascot painted on his cheeks and his shaggy hair had still been dark brown. He stood with her his arm thrown carelessly around her shoulder and his smile wide, but not reaching his eyes. She laid the picture face down. He has no real claim on me, she thought. “Do I love him, Bella?” she asked the cat, who stretched to give Lily access to more of her tummy. “I don’t know about that, but the one thing I do know is Lucas doesn’t take my breath away like the guy from the Castle does. I’ve felt more in five minutes with this man than I ever have with Lucas, and I don’t even know his name.”

She replayed the evening over and over again and in her best corny pirate voice growled, “Best ye beware, mistress, lest the highwayman steal yer heart away,” before drifting off to sleep.