HighlandHeat (7 page)

It began almost two years ago with two stores opened and
doing well when a well-known stylist she knew by reputation alone phoned and
asked her out for lunch. While they ate, she’d been given a few brief details
about his female client of a certain age who was about to marry for the second
time and wanted to change her public image. She’d offered options and ideas
suitable for a soon-to-be wife who would be in the public’s eye. It had been an
interesting discussion that later became a request for a personal meeting with
the woman in question. It wasn’t until she’d been invited to the stylist’s home
that she discovered the client was actually a lady who was about to become a
member of the royal family. Not that her opinions or ideas had changed
afterward, she stayed true to what she thought was the right direction for this
woman to take.

That had been a big day for Grace. The Duchess had been very
nice and adventurous, willing and ready to step out of the traditional box when
it came to her hats. They had tea and talked about colors, shapes and her
desire for the
wow
factor. Grace thought it couldn’t get any better and
yet it did. They had started that day with something for the Duchess to wear
for the engagement announcement and hadn’t looked back since. Despite the fun
they’d had creating the ultimate accessory for the older woman to wear, she’d
still been surprised when the telephone call came, notifying her about the honor
soon to be granted to her and her shop.

Once she’d been informed about the granting of this tribute,
people from the warrant office had met with her personally. They told her what
was about to come her way. She was to expect and prepare for the media to
contact her requesting details about the duchess, her purchases and pictures of
her in them, as well as firsthand accounts of their meetings. They also said
she should anticipate an increase in both foot-traffic and purchases at all her
stores, although at first the London store would most likely be the focus.

She was ready for it all, which, unfortunately, now left her
with time to contemplate the gorgeous man who’d made a place for himself in her
mind. Whoever he might be, he held her undivided attention. With a few
sentences, an insult and one seriously sexy body, he’d managed to shake her
equilibrium like no one had ever done before.

Slumping over her desk, Grace felt frustration filling her
from the toes up. Maybe she should try to focus her thoughts of him on less
seductive areas. There was one thing she kept glossing over and it might help
things if she figured it out. There was something oddly familiar about him. She
couldn’t put her finger on it and hadn’t heard his name, but maybe she knew
him. It also appeared he had a twin or sibling there with him.

Grace knew her faults and memory, or lack of one, resided at
the top of the list. This man was so very good-looking she didn’t think it
possible anyone could forget meeting him. Twins, for that matter, were usually
quite memorable. Maybe she wasn’t remembering what he looked like correctly.
She had been fuming at the time, so it was likely a few details had been
skipped over or embellished.

Then again, there was no proof the two men in kilts were
related at all. They’d looked similar, but the hair was very different. Though
superficial, she had a feeling the wild tresses said much about him and
encouraged her fantasies to add an untamed element.

Damn it!
It didn’t matter how good-looking he was or
if he had a hundred relatives, she still couldn’t put a finger on why she
thought she knew him.

Having no luck in that direction, she tried again to change
the focus of her wayward mind. Beyond his appearance, what he’d said was
another oddity that stood out in her mind. She didn’t want to make excuses for
him, though maybe he deserved the benefit of the doubt for at least one thing.
After having spent most of the night thinking about their encounter, Grace had
reached at least one conclusion. The hurtful words he’d thrown at her had not
been thought out. Instead, she believed he’d said them to get a reaction from
her. Well, he definitely had and much more than she was sure he’d expected to
receive.

Enough already!

Fine
, she snorted, deciding to cut her loses and move
on. She felt more relaxed for having made an effort to solve the quandary he
presented, but no more. She had no problem admitting to curiosity about the
stunning man and wanting to know more. Unfortunately, she’d hit the end of the
line. It wasn’t possible to unearth anything more, so she’d take back of her
life and move on to the present.

“Grace? Grace, are you back here? Oh dear, where is that
girl? Grace?” The clicking of high heels clattered down the hallway and
emphasized the woman’s calls.

“Yes, Aimee, I’m in the office. Is everything all right?”

Before she could come out from behind the desk to meet her
store manager, the woman came skittering into the office and stood there
staring at her with her mouth opened. With a hand on her chest as if holding
her heart in place, she panted for air. The usually perfectly proper and
dignified woman gasped for breath and spoke in bursts. “I think…you should…come
out…front…now.”

“What is it? Is everything all right?”

“Yes, yes, but please, luv, you must come out front right
now.” Frantically waving her hand, the woman shooed her boss forward. “Why
didn’t you tell me you knew that man?”

“What man?”

“Oh, please! You go up to Edinburgh claiming to be working
when I’m sure you’re actually spending time with, well, with the sexiest young
stud of Scotland.”

“Aimee! What would Terrence say if he could hear you right
now?”

“He’d say, ‘My darling wife, if you can get his attention,
you can have him’.”

“I’m shocked! No way would he give his wife over to another
man.”

“He would because he loves me. Now hurry, young lady,
hurry.”

Together they walked at a fast clip down the hallway toward
the front of the shop. Grace stopped when she saw the beauty that greeted her.

Standing in the center of the stylish and obviously feminine
shop was a pair of very masculine trouser-encased legs holding an immense
bouquet. Dozens of long stemmed, pure white roses, surrounded by lush sprigs of
heather and an occasional thistle, all wonderfully arranged in a large cut
crystal vase. Besides the legs, all she could see of the man were two rather
sturdy looking hands holding the arrangement.

Surprised, she suddenly didn’t know what to do. The bouquet
was stunning. At first glance, it eloquently brought images of home to her and
gave a great deal of comfort no bouquet ever gave her before. However, she had
no one in her life who knew her well enough to send such a wondrous gift that
spoke so clearly and specifically to her heart. She was sure it was a mistake,
but didn’t want to say anything that would make such a joyful offering
disappear. She was enjoying it too much to turn the flowers away.

Grace blinked and tried to think of what to do. She was at a
loss, so she simply took in the beautiful sight before her. After a moment, she
finally began to focus on the details. There were those strong, powerful hands
her gaze kept going back to. Were they familiar? Had they touched her before?
Next, she took in the fine wool pants and black brogues. When she put the
clothes together with those hands, it said to her that this was definitely not
the average delivery man.

Looking at Aimee for guidance, she instead found the other
woman with her eyes glued to the floral arrangement with a look of
unexplainable longing. Obviously, no help was coming from that quarter or from
any of the other ladies who silently stared at the flowers. With a deep breath,
Grace took the initiative and stepped forward. She tried to see the face behind
all the flowers, only it proved impossible with such an abundance of flora. She
went for her second option and simply spoke.

“Hello, um, may I help you?”

“Yes, lass, but first, where should I put your bouquet?” The
deep voice, full of cool lochs and craggy hills, came to her from amongst the
beautifully fragranced blooms. Now she knew who it was. There was no mistaking
the man standing behind the beautiful spray or the emotions that sprang to life
after hearing his voice.

“Oh yes, of course. Here on this desk would be perfect. Um,
thank you.” Once the arrangement had been safely set down, there was no chance
of hiding from the man who had equally riled her anger and lust. Nor did she
want to. The desire he created still danced through her body. Now he was here
in her space and her passionate soul instantly lit up like Bonfire Night.

“Good morning, Grace. I needed to apologize to you in
person. Last night I was both wrong and rude. You asked for my help, and while
I was willing to lend a hand, I never should’ve taken information overheard as
fact. Will you accept my apology?”

“You’re Hamish Buchanan!” Without pause, she reached out to
shake his hand. He was one of the most important people in her home country and
it was an honor to meet him. This proved the point that last night he had her
so totally messed up that she’d failed to recognize him. She’d known of this
man since birth. Well, that was an exaggeration, but she still should’ve
recognized him. Although in her defense, she couldn’t remember seeing a photo
of him in years.

The story was that he should never have been born, much less
lived the full and extraordinary life he had. When she was a child in primary
school, the story of his birth had been told again and again. It was an
incredible tale, with a book full of beautiful illustrations to match. Because
the way his lovely blond hair had been depicted, she’d come to believe that
when his mum died, the halo from the angel who escorted her away had been
placed upon his head for hair.

Looking at the wild mane of hair, she could still see how
the impressionable child inside her had come to such a whimsical conclusion.

She held her hand aloft, waiting for his to reach out to
shake hers, except it didn’t. She was about to drop it to her side when one of
those beautiful and powerful hands she’d been admiring earlier gently took hold
hers and then she felt his lips softly grazed along the top. It was
old-fashioned, gentlemanly and left her feeling very much a woman. He startled
her even further by turning it over and pressing a longer, more heated kiss to
the throbbing pulse point on her inner wrist.

Grace gasped at the wickedly delicious touch of his lips and
could have sworn she heard the others sigh in unison somewhere behind her. She
wasn’t sure they actually did this, but that’s how it played in her head. The
man brought with him an air of courtly manners that managed to make her feel
like someone he wanted. She felt no shame in her desire for him and was fine
with him knowing it, feeling her pulse racing beneath his lips. It was a
natural reaction to seduction and nothing to be embarrassed about.

Standing there in the front of her shop, her body cried out
for this man’s touch. There was no doubt in her mind what he was doing. Without
trying, he was seducing her to such a level there was no chance of her denying
whatever he offered. As far as this man was concerned, the negative two letter
word was banned from her vocabulary. She was ready and eager to drop to her
knees, to beg for his body to take hers, however he would.

“Oh my.” Aimee whispered behind them before she shooed the
two assistants away. Thankfully, someone was watching out for her because her
brain had turned to mush as his gaze burned her with an erotic fire.

She was pleased when a small group of women entered the shop
and an excited twitter grew as the groups joined together and talked hats.

“Would you like a cup of tea?” Not really thinking about
what she was doing, Grace made the offer simply because she didn’t want him to
leave.

“Yes, that would be great, thank you.”

Whatever she thought was going to happen when she brought
him back to her office ended up being far from reality. The minute the door
closed, what she secretly wanted to happen, actually did. This stunning man
made a pass she never thought about denying.

“Are you single, lass?”

He invaded her personal space, crowded her. It was
uncomfortable, yet not intimidating or unwanted. Her first response to his
closeness was completely physical. Heat washed through her and her breath
picked up its pace. The large and powerful masculine presence pushed everything
away except for the passionate needs she’d been fighting since last night. Her
passion rushed forward, eager for his attention.

“Grace?”

His deep voice rumbled over her skin, through her veins and
down deep into the soul of her sensuous inner woman. The breath she’d been
about to take was caught in her throat along with an answer. She was affected
in every way by this man, and yet he’d simply held her hand and kissed her
wrist.

This man was going to be big trouble and she wanted it all.

“Y-yes.” She had to clear her throat before trying again.
“Sorry. Yes, I’m single, why are you asking?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” He stepped closer still and used his
finger to smooth a strand of hair behind her ear.

She shook her head no, as if not understanding what he was
saying. But she did know what he meant. He wanted her. Her heart raced wildly,
her nipples hardened in anticipation and a pulse began to play in her pussy.
Since first laying eyes on him, she desperately needed relief from the intense
desire that controlled her body and now the chance was finally hers. There was
no thinking about what was happening, merely what her driving hunger told her
she should be doing. She needed to accept whatever he offered. She needed to
step even closer to him, feel his hard solid body pressed against her softer
one and give herself to him.

Somehow this man called her buried lust to the surface to
play. Even better was the promise of satisfaction. She didn’t dare think of
denying him.

Unable to help herself, Grace lifted her head, leaned in
until she almost touched his neck with the tip of her nose and softly inhaled
his scent. As she’d thought, his unique aroma smelled of cool, damp days in the
highlands, walking across fields, with a crisp wind whipping against her face
with an essence of sex appeal all his own. The man was highly addictive.

In her body and soul, the reason she gave herself up as an
easy acquiescence to him was based on one thing. For her, Hamish Buchanan was
home.

The man may be dangerous to some, but not to her. He felt
safe, secure and accepting. Like Scotland, like home.

While her mind was lost in how his presence made her more
aware of her needs, he’d moved even closer. One hand cradled her head while the
other held her hip and brought her to him, holding her flush against his body.

From his feet to his very broad shoulders, he was solidly
built and if she wanted, her head could rest with ease over his heart. She felt
the length between his legs was hard, deliciously large, enticing her to reach
and touch it. Stroke her fingers along its length and grip it with pleasurable
intentions. The temptation was almost too much for her to handle.

Oh, boy.
Goose pimples spread rapidly across her body
and that was the only warning she had before everything escalated. His nose nudged
its way to her ear and whispered softly. Grace wasn’t sure she heard him
correctly until she felt his words fill her body and knew she had.

“You smell of our home, lass. Soft heather blowing across
green hills.”

Grace sighed quietly. Oh, yes, she was definitely in the
deep end here. They were so similar. Thinking of him brought her desire to
submit herself to him rushing to the front. Even if he wasn’t in to the scene,
she had to have him. The flowers had made her weak with joy and his special
scent made her want to rub her body all over him. Her naked body.

Suddenly she was scared at how quickly he’d been able to get
beneath her skin. Maybe she should put some distance between them. Lifting her
hands to brace them against his chest, she was prepared to push him away,
except they landed on seriously hard pecs. She couldn’t do anything other than
let them rest on him, absorb the feel of him.

“No!” She gasped breathlessly. To put distance between them
wasn’t what she wanted to do and knew her doubts in doing so were obvious. Her
eyes rose and clashed with golden brown orbs.

Her fingers clenched against his chest while she thought
about not taking them away, and instead move them down to unbutton his suit
jacket, rip open the fine shirt beneath and smooth her fingers over the muscled
flesh. An image of pressing kisses across his bare chest paused in her
conscience and waited for further contemplation. Did he have hair across his
chest or was it bare?

“Oh, yes, Grace.”

“No, this isn’t rig—”

“Wherever and whenever we are together is perfect for us.”
Hamish held her head still and closed the distance between their mouths,
stopping just before their lips touched. She could feel his breath caress her
lips with each word he spoke. “Nothing will ever be off-limits between you and
me.”

“We aren’t compatible,” she said without thinking.

“I think we are.” There was no hesitation about him or his
belief in his claim. The complete assurance he possessed that they’d be
together turned her on even further.

“Hamish.”

“Shhh, trust me, everything will be fine.” His tongue
reached out and traced the slightly parted seam between her lips.

She wanted to believe him, but couldn’t.

“How do you know? I might like, well, something different.”

Different, that was putting it mildly. Hamish Buchanan was
well known throughout Scotland and the world. His reputation was impeccable,
never a bad word mentioned about him personally or professionally. The tabloids
painted him as a gentleman, a gentle attentive lover, who had a problem with commitment.
She never heard or read so much as a hint that he was into playing sex games
like the ones she enjoyed. That kind of information would be worth a pretty
penny to a woman who felt jilted and had been left behind.

The man was powerful and controlling, the side of him that
attracted her most, and she seriously doubted he’d ever pushed it to the limits
while in the bedroom.

When he paused in his sweet seduction and looked at her with
confusion on his face, Grace could have kicked herself. Did it really matter if
they had a delicious bout of vanilla sex? He had her quivering with need since
last night. Honestly, at this point in time, she wanted him any way she could
get him.

She blinked, ready to tell him it didn’t matter, when a
naughty grin graced his face. He appeared even more confident than he had
before. It was as if he knew he had the means to ease her needs.

“Listen to what I have to say, then be truthful and tell me
if my needs don’t meet with yours.”

Was this man ever not entirely sure about something? All she
could manage in return was a small nod and waited to hear what he had to say.
Thankfully, he didn’t need any more input from her to continue his sweet
seduction of her mind and body.

“I want you in my bedroom, stripped of everything except for
a pair of these high heels you’re wearing and sheer black stockings. After
that, I’ll strap you onto a spreader bar, something to keep your stance wide
and ready. This way I can see, touch and play with your delicious wet pussy.
And trust me, you’ll be dripping. Your arms are secured to another rod for me
to position you for our pleasure.”

She groaned, wanting what he offered without any further
delay. Did he read minds? How was it possible that he knew what she liked?

“Maybe this bar will hold you bent in half, placing you in
the perfect position to suck on my cock with your beautiful mouth. Or so I can
fuck you from behind. It could be your arms are stretched far above your head—”

“Stop!” Grace called out with a rasping voice. “Please,
Hamish, stop talking.” He was too much, what he was saying was too much for her
to take in. She could feel the heat of her need rushing to her cheeks. They
were so close, his body held no secrets from her. She felt exactly how much he
wanted her and was thrilled to have the ability to bring him to this state. He
gently held her head in his big hands and looked deeply into her eyes, her very
soul.

Before they went any further, she needed to understand how
he knew exactly what was going on inside her. Had he figured out what she
wanted and given her the words to bring her to him, or did he really want what
she did?

Her gaze felt heavy with need as they rose to meet his.
There was no way to hide what his words did to her, nor did she want to pretend
otherwise. She could feel moisture gathering low in her pussy, preparing the
way for his possession and didn’t doubt he’d take her to unimagined heights.

“How did you know?” She finally whispered, smoothing a
shaking finger across his full lower lip.

He caught and held her the digit in his mouth, then softly
bit down, trapping the tip between his teeth. His tongue teased the finger and
sucked, all the while watching intently to see what effect his actions had on
her.

“How?” She whispered again, unable to look away from his
mouth where he gently worked on her finger.

“I told you what it was
I
wanted, nothing more,
nothing less. Your saying you might want “something different” merely confirmed
what I wanted was similar to yours. You see, we are well matched for each
other.”

Finally the small distance between their lips was bridged.
He kissed her, pressing against her plump folds, testing their suppleness. The
need to taste her was difficult to ignore. The woman was perfect for him. He
wanted to go slow and savor every moan, every flavor, every move she made
against his body, only it was difficult.

Soft, delicate arms slid up and wrapped around his neck.
Hamish felt her ankle hook around one of his, in return his entire body
tightened with need. It felt like she wanted to climb him, surround and consume
him.

He loved it!

This wasn’t how he’d expected their meeting to go. He’d
planned to apologize, give her flowers and invite her out for lunch. Get to
know her, but he wouldn’t complain about how it’s changed.

The side of him that had felt a desperate need to hunt was,
for the moment, content. He felt more at ease because his quarry wasn’t merely
in sight, but in his grip.

Late last night, he’d received all the information he needed
to know exactly how wrong he’d been about Grace Strachan. In fact, he felt a
great deal of pride in how, under her own initiative, she worked to become an
extremely successful entrepreneur in a reportedly cutthroat industry. Then
there was when she’d said she wanted something different. It couldn’t be more
obvious they were meant to be together.

Through her skirt, he stroked her lush bottom and thought
how, like his own tragic start helped mold him, her life helped make her into
the woman she was today.

All the passion he’d experienced upon first seeing her had
combined with what he now knew about her and warmed the possibilities before
them. The desire to possess her ruled so much of his mind, Hamish found it
difficult not to strip her naked and bend this beautiful woman across her desk,
claim her as his, as was his right.

It felt like his right.

She moaned when he slipped his tongue between her lips to
taste her essence. Searching her mouth, stroking and tangling tongues, he
couldn’t get enough. Hamish pulled her head closer still and gently turned it
to the side so he could delve in even deeper.

On his next breath, as he inhaled deeply through his nose,
he felt like a whole man. This was what his life had been missing. More
specifically, he’d needed a beautiful sexy woman who was strong enough to be
his other half, in and out of the bedroom. She was smart, full of vision,
energy and courage, as well as soft and feminine.

He was on a passion high and had to do something about it.

Now.

A quick hooded glance around the room told him there was a
flat surface close at hand. Slowly, while still kissing Grace, he started to
back her up until he had her locked between his body and the desk. He released
her head and used both hands to start gathering up her skirt until he could
reach beneath and grasp hold of her ass. He was stunned by what he found and
didn’t find.

“Shit! Grace, are you wearing stockings?” His unsteady hands
caressed their way up her thighs before kneading her bare ass cheeks over and
over again. He couldn’t get enough of her soft, silky flesh. There were no straps
or fabric of any sort to hinder the sensuous path he took over her body. Her
stockings must be the type that stayed up on their own. If he reached higher,
he might discover if she was completely nude or wearing a thong, only he didn’t
want to know the answer just yet. Sometimes waiting made things even sweeter.

Besides, he didn’t need to know what kind of undergarments
she wore to think about how utterly delicious and wicked she was.

With her skirt no longer confining her movements, she moved
a leg until it slipped around his hip. With that one move, he was lost to
whatever she wanted. He’d give her anything and everything, immediately, if he
could just get inside her wet heat.

With his hand on her backside, he pulled her into his body
and ground his iron-hard cock against her mound. He didn’t remember ever having
the pressure building at his temples not be his mind’s main focus. Right now
all he could think about was the sweet, sensual woman wrapped around his body,
toying with his senses.