Catrìona backed up and turned the wheel. She wasn’t looking forward to the next few minutes driving down from the cliff. “Maybe you better close your eyes. The road is rough.”
“Aye, we know the path well, lass.” Braden braced his hands on the front dash.
“Very well, but remember it’s not going to be like riding a horse,” she said as she put the car in gear and eased the vehicle into motion.
They spent the first few minutes in total silence. That was more nerve-wracking than their asking questions. A bump in the road bounced the car, and the once silent compact was filled with very loud Gaelic curses.
Catrìona cringed at the volume of their voices and tightened her hands on the steering wheel. They wound through a few more hairpin turns before they reached a stretch of the gravel road that was straight, if not narrow. Rather than increase her speed, she kept the car well below the posted limit, trying not to cause her passengers any more angst than they already felt.
“We’re almost off the mountain.” Catrìona glanced quickly at Braden. He was pale in the moonlight, but other than that he didn’t display too much emotion. That probably came from being a laird who was not permitted to let his expression say much for him.
Catrìona concentrated on driving and turned onto the stretch of motorway which led her to her hotel. She made the drive quickly and, with the exception of a few comments from the backseat, in silence.
Once the car was parked, she took a deep breath. “Here we are.”
“Where exactly is here ?” Braden said as he gazed out the window.
“This is my hotel.” Catrìona unbuckled her seatbelt and gathered her bag. “We’ll sleep here for the night and then figure something out.”
“Ah.” Braden remained seated. “How do I make this contraption work?”
“Didnae you watch when I did it earlier?” Alec asked.
“Wait one second.” Catrìona reached over his body and opened the door. “See, you pull this black handle.” Alec pulled and shoved at the same time and fell out onto the pavement. “Cursed machine.” He stood and dusted the dirt and rock off his plaid. “Give me a mount anytime. One must be comfortable when you travel.”
“I’m sorry. This is a compact. I didn’t know I’d have company on my trip. There are bigger cars, I assure you, but they come with bigger price tags to boot.”
Braden stepped out of the car and planted his hands on his hips. “We are fair starving. Does your accommodation have food?”
Catrìona slapped a hand to her forehead. “Food. Shoot, I forgot. Let’s get you set up in the room and then I’ll go and find something to eat.”
The three of them made their way along the corridor with only a few strange looks cast their way. Catrìona fed the slim keycard into the door and the red light blinked to green. She shoved the door open and walked inside with Braden and Alec both hot on her heels.
“Here is the bathroom, and here is the remote control for the television. You do know how to use a toilet and what a television is, right?”
“Aye, lass. We’ve kept up with the new inventions over the years.”
Under her breath she said, “Of course you have.” Turning, she slammed into Alec’s broad chest. His strong hands gripped her arms as he steadied her. “Careful, lass.”
She rubbed her abused nose. “Sorry about that.”
“No harm done.” He moved away from her and picked up the remote control.
“I’ll be right back. Don’t leave the room for any reason.” She didn’t know how she was going to explain these two new men and their form of dress, but she had little doubt they would attract attention—a great deal of attention.
“Thank you, Catrìona.” Braden walked up to her and placed a warm kiss on her mouth. His touch shot right through her, leaving her tingling and wanting more.
With a shy smile, she grabbed her purse and left the room.
Since it was getting dark and she wasn’t familiar with
“Aye, we know the path well, lass.” Braden braced his hands on the front dash.
“Very well, but remember it’s not going to be like riding a horse,” she said as she put the car in gear and eased the vehicle into motion.
They spent the first few minutes in total silence. That was more nerve-wracking than their asking questions. A bump in the road bounced the car, and the once silent compact was filled with very loud Gaelic curses.
Catrìona cringed at the volume of their voices and tightened her hands on the steering wheel. They wound through a few more hairpin turns before they reached a stretch of the gravel road that was straight, if not narrow. Rather than increase her speed, she kept the car well below the posted limit, trying not to cause her passengers any more angst than they already felt.
“We’re almost off the mountain.” Catrìona glanced quickly at Braden. He was pale in the moonlight, but other than that he didn’t display too much emotion. That probably came from being a laird who was not permitted to let his expression say much for him.
Catrìona concentrated on driving and turned onto the stretch of motorway which led her to her hotel. She made the drive quickly and, with the exception of a few comments from the backseat, in silence.
Once the car was parked, she took a deep breath. “Here we are.”
“Where exactly is here ?” Braden said as he gazed out the window.
“This is my hotel.” Catrìona unbuckled her seatbelt and gathered her bag. “We’ll sleep here for the night and then figure something out.”
“Ah.” Braden remained seated. “How do I make this contraption work?”
“Didnae you watch when I did it earlier?” Alec asked.
“Wait one second.” Catrìona reached over his body and opened the door. “See, you pull this black handle.” Alec pulled and shoved at the same time and fell out onto the pavement. “Cursed machine.” He stood and dusted the dirt and rock off his plaid. “Give me a mount anytime. One must be comfortable when you travel.”
“I’m sorry. This is a compact. I didn’t know I’d have company on my trip. There are bigger cars, I assure you, but they come with bigger price tags to boot.”
Braden stepped out of the car and planted his hands on his hips. “We are fair starving. Does your accommodation have food?”
Catrìona slapped a hand to her forehead. “Food. Shoot, I forgot. Let’s get you set up in the room and then I’ll go and find something to eat.”
The three of them made their way along the corridor with only a few strange looks cast their way. Catrìona fed the slim keycard into the door and the red light blinked to green. She shoved the door open and walked inside with Braden and Alec both hot on her heels.
“Here is the bathroom, and here is the remote control for the television. You do know how to use a toilet and what a television is, right?”
“Aye, lass. We’ve kept up with the new inventions over the years.”
Under her breath she said, “Of course you have.” Turning, she slammed into Alec’s broad chest. His strong hands gripped her arms as he steadied her. “Careful, lass.”
She rubbed her abused nose. “Sorry about that.”
“No harm done.” He moved away from her and picked up the remote control.
“I’ll be right back. Don’t leave the room for any reason.” She didn’t know how she was going to explain these two new men and their form of dress, but she had little doubt they would attract attention—a great deal of attention.
“Thank you, Catrìona.” Braden walked up to her and placed a warm kiss on her mouth. His touch shot right through her, leaving her tingling and wanting more.
With a shy smile, she grabbed her purse and left the room.
Since it was getting dark and she wasn’t familiar with
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