Page 40 of Scotlander

She put on her best snarly voice, got right up in his face and said, ‘And what makes you so wise and all-knowing Mr I’m-Just-A-Worker-Bee?’

Ha! She’d got him there. That’d make him budge.

She waited.

And waited.

Not so much as a flicker.

Cripes.

She was so close to him now she could feel his breath on her lips.

He moved in closer.

Man he smelt delicious. Buttery toast served on a hay bale.

She was desperate to lick her lips but as this was turning into a rather intimate smackdown, she ran the risk of licking his as well. Definitely not an option. So she bit down on her lower lip. Hard.

‘I’m your husband,’ Finn said, his lips almost grazing hers as he spoke. ‘I know everything.’

Seriously? That’s what he was going with? The husband-knows-best line?

‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘I think you’ve confused me with someone who’s just escaped from a break-off Mormon cult.’

She tipped her head to the side, which let just enough sunlight in to see that his cheeks were pinking.

Awwww.

He’d been kidding.

She felt the tight knot in her chest give a little.

‘Talk to him,’ Finlay said. ‘You’ll feel better. I promise.’ He spoke with conviction. As if he completely believed in her ability to face this situation head on even if she didn’t.

‘But—’

‘Talk to him.’ He gently swept his work-worn hands along her shoulders down to her elbows and then, with an encouraging nod, turned her round.

She looked at Gabe, who was now standing apart from Lachlan, but still holding hands and still very much in his thrall.

He looked so beautiful. So perfect. And, for the first time since she’d met him, she felt as if she was finally seeing the real Gabriel Martinez.

She’d deeply wanted to believe that Valentina had set this whole elaborate adventure up so that, even though she was gone, Willa would always have a link to her through Gabe. But that had never been the plan. And with that realisation Willa felt a raw, savage pain rip through her as the tenuous link to Val was torn away.

She must’ve cried out, because Gabe turned in alarm.

‘Willa.’ He scrubbed his hands through his inky mop. ‘Dios, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have— I need to— This is—’ He held out his hand towards Lachlan and choked back a sob.

‘I’m Lachlan.’ Sexy Hipster Beardy Man stepped forward to shake Willa’s hand. His hands, like Gabe’s, were soft and supple city-man hands, but not without an undercurrent of strength. His aura was warm and open. Compassionate. As if he was filled with nothing but peace, vegan sausages and organic, virgin-harvested sage smoke.

He cupped her hand in both of his and just held it, gazing at her with a soft smile on his face, until he kind of blurred. The hot tears of embarrassment she’d been trying to keep at bay had finally begun to streak down her cheeks, plopping quite unceremoniously on to her boobs.

Fucking boobs!

She tugged her hand out of Lachlan’s and pulled Finn’s coat closer round her. Her gaze shifted to Gabe, hoping for some sort of explanation, but he said nothing.

‘I’m Finn.’ Finlay stood close behind her, as if sensing she needed the support, and stretched his hand out towards Lachlan.