Some Like It Scot by Donna Kauffman Read Free Book Online

frame stipulated in the law.”
    â€œHow much time do you have?”
    â€œTo be lawfully wed? A little more than four weeks hence.”
    He heard her slight intake of breath. “Wow.”
    â€œIndeed.”
    She slid her hand from beneath his as they sat quietly for a few moments. Then she said, “How long do you have to stay married? I mean, if you’re proposing as a business arrangement, you can’t mean to stay married.”
    â€œI’ve a friend, back on the island—Kinloch, where I’m from—looking into that very thing. I wouldn’t tie anyone down longer than absolutely necessary. Of course.”
    â€œOf course,” she echoed.
    Silence once again descended between them—which he broke by abruptly announcing, “To make matters worse, there is another contender to take my place.”
    She looked at him and he could see her eyes widen. “He’s coming here to ask the same thing?”
    â€œNo, no. He’s McAuley—the direct heir to the title from the other side. He’s back home, wooing any single MacLeod lass who might stray ’cross his path. Given his gene pool is quite favorable, as is his job title and the trust fund he landed at birth, not to mention there are far more available MacLeod lasses than there are McAuleys—of which there are none—I’m thinkin’ he willnae face much of a challenge.”
    â€œOh.”
    â€œIndeed.”
    â€œSo…it’s something of a race, then, to the altar.”
    Graham sighed. That sounded so…pathetic. “Aye. I suppose that’s the truth of it.” How in bloody hell had he found himself in that place? It was mortifying. He just wanted to go home. Back to his fields, his crops, his lab.
    Her hand moved to his again, and she squeezed. “I’m rooting for you.”
    For some reason, that depressed him further. “Thank you. I’ll take all the positive support I can get.” He covered her hand with his own again, and met her eyes as best as he could, given the layers of veil between them. “I’ll return the favor.”
    â€œI don’t know what, exactly, I’d ask you to root for.”
    â€œWell, I can either escort you inside and see you safely wed…or you could take my rented motor car and make your escape complete.”
    She laughed. “Don’t tempt me.”
    He glanced at the church again. “Will no one come to your aid? You’ve been out here for a wee spell. Surely someone inside is concerned for your welfare.”
    She lifted her gaze to the church and held it steadily. “I warned them not to, or I would bolt. I’m sure they’re watching from one of the windows, stunned I had the temerity to do this much.”
    â€œAre you such a timid mouse then? Because you don’t seem it.”
    He saw the red lips curve in earnest. “Thank you. I think that’s the nicest thing you could have said to me. I’m not a mouse. At least not in here.” She tapped her head. “Or here.” She laid her veil-wrapped hand against her chest. “I couldn’t do my job well if I was. And, heaven knows, I’m very good at my job.” She sighed, not sounding particularly thrilled about that fact.
    â€œBut ye don’t make a stand when it’s family. Is that it?”
    She looked at him, though what she could see through all that netting, he had no idea. “No,” she said. “I don’t. Can’t. No, that’s not true. I could. But I don’t. It’s…complicated.” She continued holding his gaze. “But something tells me you, of all people, might understand where I’m coming from.”
    â€œAye,” he said quietly, thinking they were both idiots for allowing themselves to get into such a quandary. But what else was he to do? Perhaps she was facing the similar lack of options. “I believe I do.” He looked up toward the