Heart Melter (22 page)

"Get in, get in. Eileen will be pleased to have you stay the night," Alec said.

When they arrived, Alec excused himself to check on a banging shutter outside of the house.

"I'll help you," Ian offered.

"No need to. Go inside. Eileen’s waiting for you," Alec said.

"Goodness, were you sitting inside the car or out of it?” Eileen teased when she opened the door.  "Come in and I’ll fix you a hot toddy." She led them into the kitchen and added warm whiskey to hot tea laced with honey.

Afterwards, Eileen showed them to a comfortably decorated bedroom with access to a marble-tiled bathroom. A white porcelain tub with clawed bronze feet filled the center of the room. She handed Ian a large robe that probably belonged to Alec and a wine colored velvet robe and silk nightgown for Natasha.

"Let me have your wet clothes. I’ll give them to Tilly and return them to you nice and dry tomorrow," Eileen offered.

“That’s very kind of you. Thanks,” Natasha said.

Eileen smiled. “You’re welcome. Make yourselves comfortable now. Good night.”

Ian showered first so Natasha could enjoy a hot bath. When she returned to the room, the lights were off and Ian was already in bed. She waited a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. As she came closer, she saw Ian’s nude body was turned away from her, a sheet carelessly draped over his hips. Natasha admired his broad shoulders, the smooth muscles bracketing his strong spine and the shape of his compact buttocks beneath the sheet. When he turned on his back and flung an arm above his head, her eyes took in his corded chest muscles and the dusting of dark hair tapering to a V near his navel. 

Just as she reached the side of the bed, he grabbed her waist and hauled her on top of him. She squealed and clapped a hand over her mouth, worried someone might hear them. “I thought you were asleep,” she said, giggling. She slipped out of the robe and laid it at the foot of the bed.

"I thought you'd never get here," he growled, anchoring her on top of him. His hands slid beneath her nightgown and fondled the backs of her thighs and buttocks, stroking, squeezing, kneading as she moaned and wriggled against him.

Tremors of excitement shot through her and searing desire spread to every nerve of her body. Her nipples tightened at the feel of his hard chest rubbing against their tender peaks through the nightgown. Straddling his lean hips, she sat up and pulled the nightgown over her head and off. Ian tipped her forward and kissed her nipples as his hand slid toward the apex of her spread thighs, probing lightly to rub her tender folds with his thumb. 

"You’re dripping honey, angel," he rasped, his voice deep with a Scottish burr.

Natasha’s thighs pressed either side of his hard hips, every muscle pulsating with delicious tremors as he thrust upward, entering her with deep, deliberate strokes.

She dug her nails in his shoulders and matched his rhythm. “Oh yes. Like that. Just like that!”

"You’re in for a looong ride, darlin’," he promised wickedly, delivering a few lusty smacks on her buttocks.

“Watch it, Dr. Who,” she said, tingling with pleasurable spasms. “You’ll wake the neighbors.”

The following morning, Natasha stretched and smiled, remembering Ian’s sexy playfulness the night before. They were back to where they’d once been, comfortable enough with each other to tease and play, even during sex.

Gazing at him tenderly, she tickled his ear with a soft kiss on the lobe. "Wake up, Highlander. We have to get the car, remember?"

"What time is it?" Ian asked in a sleep-roughened voice. He buried his face in the pillow and didn’t open his eyes. He looked so gorgeous and relaxed, she would have loved to stay in bed with him all day. 

She glanced at her watch. "It’s seven-thirty. I want to get back to our cottage."

"Go back to sleep," he ordered. "The stores don't open until ten."

She blew softly in his ear. "I don't want to sleep. I want to talk."

Ian turned over and gazed at her, his silver-green eyes slumberous beneath coal dark lashes. "About what?" he asked lazily.

She smoothed his tousled hair from his brow and drew in a steadying breath as she prepared to ask him a crucial question.

“Tell me about Danielle Parkhurst,” she said, ripe with curiosity as she searched his eyes.

“Bloody hell. You woke me up to ask about Danielle?” Ian muttered, fully awake now and out of sorts.

Natasha’s chin shot up. “It’s a reasonable request. No need to get your feathers ruffled.”

“I’ll ruffle more than your feathers.” Ian’s voice rumbled out of his chest in a sexy growl as one strong arm snaked and pulled her toward him. He cupped her breasts in his hands and kissed the pink buds. “Beautiful,” he breathed between kisses. 

A wild shiver coursed through her, but she set her jaw and scooted away from him. “Not now,” she said in a strangled voice, the moisture from his kisses teasing her tightened nipples.
Damn him
. Ian knew the power he wielded over her. If she let him continue, she’d melt in his arms and all talk about Danielle would be over. “You’re playing dirty.”

“What’s wrong with playing dirty?” he said with a wicked grin.

“No playing until you tell me about Danielle,” she said doggedly.

Ian shook his head. “Stubborn lass. What do you want to know about her?”

"Everything.”

"I don’t talk about previous relationships,” he said stiffly.

"That’s chivalrous of you, but she’s also your partner. Isn’t she?" she persisted.

“We’re no longer involved and our connection is strictly business. End of story," he said firmly. Ian’s unshaven chin stuck out belligerently.

Natasha rolled onto her stomach and propped herself on her elbows to study his face. “Why are you being so tight-lipped?”

“Let it go, Tasha,” Ian said. “There’s nothing between us anymore.”

“Oh, never mind. Forget I brought it up,” she said crossly. She yanked the robe over her shoulders and pulled the sash tightly as she got up from the bed. “Do you and I even have a future together?”

Ian shot up and was at her side in seconds. Grasping her shoulders, he grated, “Aye, we do, damn it. What brought that on?"

Her eyes flooded with tears. “I feel sick inside that I’m going to leave and you’ll be here with Danielle,” she admitted brokenly. “I know it’s stupid and weak, but I’m jealous and it’s eating away at me.”

He gave her a little shake. “Haven’t you been listening to me? I told you Danielle and I are over. Don’t you trust me?”

“I don’t want to share you with anyone,” she said in a small voice. “I want to be with you, but you haven’t said anything about…” Her voice trailed off uncertainly as she dashed hot tears from her eyes with her knuckles.

“What makes you think I’d let you leave here without a commitment to return?” he demanded, eyes blazing.

She hiccupped and looked down. “You haven’t said anything about wanting me in your life permanently.”

Ian lifted her chin and peered at her. “You’re being daft, Tasha, and unfair. You asked me to take it one day at a time and I did.” Sighing deeply, he leaned his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. “I should have followed my instincts and told you exactly how things are.”

“What do you mean?” she said shakily.

He held her face between his hands and kissed her hard. “You’re mine. Every morning I wake up and every night I fall asleep beside you, I’m grateful you came back to me.” He kissed her tear-streaked cheeks and looked deep into eyes and straight to her soul. “You’re not leaving until we find a solution. I’ll work around your show, commuting back and forth, whatever it takes to be together until we can make definite plans for our future.”

She stared at him in wonder. “Are you saying you’re willing to compromise, to make concessions for my career?”

“Damn right I am. I’ll move heaven and hell to make it work. If I’d done it years ago, we wouldn’t have wasted so much time apart.” His eyes glittered with fierce resolve. “I love you, and I’m not going to lose you again.”

“You’ll never lose me,” she said, her heart bursting with so much love it hurt. “There’s no one in the world I love more than you, Ian.”

“And there’s no one in the world for me than you, angel,” he said, kissing her tenderly.

Later that morning after Ian left with Alec, Natasha went downstairs and found Eileen in the kitchen. "Good morning, Eileen.”

Eileen turned to her with a warm smile. "Morning, Natasha. I trust you slept well," she said, eyes dancing.

Heat rose to Natasha’s cheeks as she wondered if they’d been too loud in their lovemaking. "Yes, very well. Everything was comfortable. Thank you.”  

"Would you like a cooked breakfast?"

Natasha glanced at the fluffy scrambled eggs and kippers with grilled tomatoes and toast. "Looks delicious. I'd love some," she said, brimming with happiness over Ian’s recent affirmation.

“Cuppa coffee or tea?”

“Coffee please. Just black.”

Eileen served Natasha a mug of steaming coffee and set a plate of hot food before her.  Brodie came up and begged charmingly on his hind legs, dancing for a morsel of food.

“Stop that, you wee rascal,” Eileen scolded fondly as she lifted the dog on her lap and fed him a piece of toast. “The lads had quite an appetite this morning before they left.”

“I’m sure,” Natasha said, smiling at the image of Ian and Alec wolfing down Eileen’s good cooking. “I’m not complaining because it’s been wonderful staying in your cottage, but we’ve been roughing it with canned and dry goods.”

Eileen smiled wryly. “Not exactly gourmet, eh? Do you like to cook?”

“I do. Although it’s only me and my little dog in my apartment.”

“What are your plans after Rico is caught?"

Natasha was taken aback by her candid question. She had spent a week avoiding that very question and now Eileen had uttered it quite calmly.

"I have to go back to New York. I’m under contract in the show," Natasha said.

Eileen fiddled with her napkin. “What about the danger?"

“I won’t return until it’s safe. Hopefully, that will be soon. But who knows?” Natasha stared at the food on her plate, suddenly losing her appetite. In all her euphoria over Ian’s renewed love for her, she hadn’t thought about Rico and the mob. 

"What about Ian?" Eileen asked.

Natasha gave a dreamy sigh. "I adore him."

"And he adores you. It’s plain to see."

“I’m thrilled we’re back together again. It wasn’t easy to regain his trust,” Natasha said with a sigh.

Eileen nodded vigorously. "Aye, Ian is a force. He dominates any room he walks into. Like my fiancé, Callum,” she said with a sly grin.

“You’re engaged?”

“Aye, we’re having a Christmas wedding.”

“That’s wonderful! How romantic,” Natasha said with a sigh. “Will you be getting married in Skye?”

“Aye, then Callum and I will move to Edinburgh. It’s lovely that Ian wants me to work at his clinic. He has always had brilliant ideas and plans."

“His plans for the charity clinic are impressive. I admire him so much for it. I just hope we can work around my career," Natasha said, surprised she was sharing the fears hidden deep in her heart. 

"Anything is possible with love,” Eileen said confidently.

“Ian is close to realizing his dreams. I want to be a part of them.”

“You will. He just needs to get his inheritance back from that Anitra woman," Eileen said, shaking her head. “It isn’t fair he’s fought that battle for so long.”

Natasha froze at the sound of her mother’s name. "Wait a minute. What does my mother have to do with this?”

Crimson splotches stained Eileen’s translucent skin on her neck and face as she gaped at her. “Your mother is Anitra?” she said, aghast.

“Yes, she is,” Natasha affirmed. “How did you know her name?”

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know she was your mother,” Eileen said in a choked voice.  “I would have never brought it up. Please believe me.”

“I do. What does she have to do with Ian’s inheritance?”

“Me and my blasted mouth,” Eileen moaned, clapping a hand over her mouth. “I shouldn’t have said anything!”

“You can’t stop there. I need to know. Please tell me,” Natasha beseeched.

Eileen clasped her trembling hands on the table. "Late one evening, after a night of drinking and carousing, I overheard Ian and Alec talking. Ian was worked up and talking loud. He said he couldn't move back to Glenhaven until he got his half back from Anitra."

The blood drained from Natasha’s face as she stared at Eileen, slack jawed. "What else did he say?" she asked, ignoring the rapid palpitations of her heart. “Tell me everything.” As repugnant as it was, she had to hear the whole story.

"I don't remember anything else," Eileen said, bolting from the table. "You'll have to ask Ian.”

Ask Ian.
Natasha dreaded that conversation with every fiber of her being. “I have no idea why he didn’t tell me about it,” she fretted as hot mortification spread over her face and neck. She pressed her cold hands to her reddened cheeks and took a calming breath.

“I’ve really done it now. Ian's going to be furious with me. Alec too. I am so sorry," Eileen said.

“It’s not your fault. Please don’t feel badly. I’m glad I know. I had wondered who held so much power over Ian’s estate.” Natasha swallowed against the knot in her throat. “Knowing it’s my mother makes me want to die right here.”

Eileen hugged her. “Don’t feel that way. We can’t control what our parents do. You only have to answer for yourself to Ian. He must have had a very good reason not to tell you.”

“I guess,” Natasha said doubtfully. Her hands gripped the edge of the table, her knuckles white and sore. How could Anitra have gotten hold of such a large chunk of Ian's inheritance? He had said his father’s mistress owned the other half. Something was off here.

Natasha sucked in labored breaths as her lungs tightened into a painful vise of despair.

“Don’t take it so badly,” Eileen soothed. “Ian loves you. It’ll all work out in the end.”

“From your mouth to God’s ears, Eileen,” Natasha said fervently.