Sealed With a Kiss by Rachael Lucas Read Free Book Online

type.’
    Kate laughed, trying to look as if the thought hadn’t even crossed her mind. Tom was over six feet tall, broad-shouldered and managed to make a battered green shooting jersey look the
height of style. He pushed up the sleeves of his sweater as he explained, showing off deeply tanned, muscular arms – the result of hours of physical work presumably, rather than evenings
spent at the gym.
    ‘We get a fair few seals on the island,’ Tom broke through her musings, just in time. ‘Although we don’t usually see so many round this side. This time of year
they’re arriving to breed.’ He pointed out a group of dark-grey heads, bobbing up and down in the water. ‘The grey seal pups are born from now, in September, through to the middle
of December. It’s mainly grey seals we have living around the island.’
    ‘They’re beautiful.’ Kate could have watched them all day. ‘So graceful in the water.’
    ‘They are indeed. Will you walk with me?’
    Kate gulped. He was so incredibly handsome that her knees were having a wobbly moment. He looked like a film star, all bright-blue eyes and suntan and white teeth and dark hair and—
    ‘Have you met Susan yet? I’m just going up for a cup of tea – why don’t you come and say hello?’ He turned and started stalking up the path on long legs, leaving
Kate scuttling behind.
    At this rate, Kate thought, I’ll still be exploring the island by Christmas. And I have no idea who Susan is.
    ‘No, I’ve met Morag, who cooked me a gorgeous breakfast; and Jean, who came over on the ferry to collect me last night. But that’s it so far.’ Kate puffed, trying to keep
up. It was hard work, and she was feeling nervous at the thought of being bounced into another introduction. Everyone here seemed effortlessly confident, certain of themselves and their situation
on the island.
    ‘Oh, you’ll be well fed, living round here. They’ll be fattening you up for Christmas, that lot. Susan and Morag’ll be in cahoots no doubt. They’ll have you in a
kilt in time for the Hogmanay ceilidh.’
    Still trailing behind, Kate remembered her attempts at joining in the ceilidhs that had taken place during her time at Edinburgh University. There had been foot-tapping, mad music, a lot of
whirling about, even more people yelling ‘Wheech!’ and quite a lot of falling over. That might have had something to do with the vast amounts of eye-watering malt whisky consumed.
    ‘Daddy! Mummy, there’s a lady here with Daddy. Look!’ Oh well. It was just as well she wasn’t looking then, wasn’t it? After all, going weak at
the knees over the first gorgeous man she saw wasn’t exactly part of the plan – even if he was ridiculously handsome, he was also very much attached. Kate suppressed a small sigh.
    A small boy ran to the door, stared at her, then ran away down the toy-strewn hall, managing somehow to avoid breaking his neck in the process.
    ‘I’ve brought you a waif and stray.’ Tom kissed the tall, dark-haired woman who appeared in a doorway. ‘I thought, after I’d nearly killed her with fright, that a
cup of tea was the least we could do. Oh, and I’ve got us a wee bit of dinner.’ With a flourish he pulled out a brace of pheasant from inside his coat. Ugh, thought Kate.
    ‘I’ve just been talking about you,’ said the woman, with a warm smile. ‘Morag was riding by on Thor and we had a wee chat.’ She stepped over a toy castle and kissed
Kate on the cheek. ‘Susan MacKelvie. Or Lady Chatterley, as I like to think of myself. I can’t tell you how pleased I am to have someone our age living here.’
    She led Kate through to the sitting room, which was painted white with stripped floorboards, modern furniture and huge, abstract paintings on every wall.
    ‘Coffee? Tea? Gin?’ Tom winked, putting his head through the door of the sitting room. ‘I’ll make them – you two sit down. Come on, Jamie, leave Mummy alone for
five minutes.’
    ‘Coffee?’