A Time & Place for Every Laird Angeline Fortin (read full novel txt) 📖

withremarkable insight. “Now, the courts of Europe are filled wi’ womenwho lure and tease, who seduce wi’ nae intention of giving a manrelief. ’Tis a game to be played and enjoyed on both sides, one atwhich I hae much practice.”

Claire couldn’t help but smile at that. Itseemed for a man of his years, Hugh had all he experience shelacked. “Are you saying that you are an experienced flirt?”

“I hae learned from the best. If ye arelooking to wet yer feet in the pool of light romance, I would bepleased to be the object of yer flirtation.”

“You’re telling me that you’re willing to beteased without expectation?”

“Aye, I willnae take it seriously.”

Ahh, but she might. Hence the guilt. Yet,the temptation Hugh presented was still there, and he was neatlyproviding what she had been afraid to ask for. Flirtation was anice start. After all, how was she ever to know if she could moveforward with her life if she never tried? “Verbal flirtation?”

“I am highly skilled.”

Claire shook her head in amazement at hisego but carried on. “Touching?”

“Has been strictly forbidden,” he saidquickly.

“What if it wasn’t?” she dared to ask andwas rewarded by the heat that darkened his eyes and the flaring ofhis nostrils.

“Then it could play a valuable part in saidflirtation.”

Drawing in a shaky breath, Claire tried tocalm her racing heart, which had been startled into a gallop by thebanked desire in his gaze. Words and touching aside, he played apretty good game with a single look.

Definitely a jumble.

“Kissing?” she whispered almostinaudibly.

His gaze shifted to her lips, and Clairecould practically feel the pressure as they warmed and tingledbeneath that scorching look until she couldn’t help but catch herlower lip between her teeth to stop it. Hugh almost groaned as shedid so, showing as no words could that flirtation was truly atwo-way street.

“At yer discretion and instigation only,” hesaid gruffly, finally looking away.

“Okay,” Claire whispered, more to herselfthan to Hugh, wondering what she was getting herself into. Rightnow it seemed more perilous than taking on the whole of the U.S.government.

Claire held a hand out, and ever so slowlyHugh engulfed it with his large one. His rough palm slid acrosshers, inciting the same riot of feeling that had surprised themboth when they had first shaken hands just four days past.

God! Was that all it had been? Already itseemed like a lifetime.

“Ye mentioned being hungry,” he began,leaving Claire to consider all sorts of hunger. But obviously Hughwould never cease to surprise her. “It’s long past luncheon and Ifind myself hungry as well. Can we return tae the house for somefood ere I wither away?”

The tension between them—of a morepleasurable sort, this time—faded, and Claire marveled at how handyHugh was at driving a person’s moods. That he could censure,humiliate, and soothe in a matter of minutes was astounding, butsomehow he had set them back to rights again.

“You’re right,” she replied, “we should getsomething to eat, and I know just the place.”

Chapter 23

Parking her car in a lot beneath theelevated highway near the ferry terminal, Claire turned off themotor and got out, joining Hugh on the opposite side of the car,where he stood staring up at the buildings surrounding them. “Whatdo you think?”

“It is quite … loud.”

Claire had to smile at that. With everythinghe had seen, noise was the greatest impression downtown Seattle hadmade on him. “Just loud?”

Hugh nodded. “’Twas one of the first thingsI noticed here. There is always some noise, a hum that lingers inthe air, but there is surprising solitude as well. I am far moreaccustomed tae having people aboot.”

“What do you mean?”

“At Rosebaugh, there were at least fiftypeople within its walls at all times,” Hugh explained. “Family,retainers, servants. My home was open tae my clan at all times.Court was even worse. There was nae privacy, even in thebedchamber, which often felt as if it were my valet’s domain ratherthan my own. I hadnae dined wi’ just one person in many years. Theprivacy is unexpectedly agreeable.”

While she was conversely enjoying companywhere she had been alone for years, Claire couldn’t imagine sharingher house with so many people. It would be like attending a familyreunion each day, and she shuddered at the thought. Every day withDanny again? Eighteen years had been enough of that!

“So we’re noisy yet restful?” she teased.“Is that all?”

“Ye might nae be pleased wi’ my otherobservations,” Hugh prevaricated. “Where is this place ye spoke ofwhere we might find a meal?”

“It’s just up the street a ways,” Clairesaid, pointing to the north. “A restaurant called the Crab Pot.It’s a little touristy, but the food is good.”

“That sounds appetizing,” he said, with ahint of facetiousness lacing the words.

“It’s good. You’ll like it.” Hugh onlygrunted but offered his arm courteously to her. With only aheartbeat of hesitation, Claire took it, tucking her hand in thecrook of his strong arm before leading him across Alaskan Way andup the boardwalk. As they walked, Claire relished the warmth ofhaving a masculine arm beneath her hand once again, and Hughsilently absorbed the sights and sounds around them, much as he hadfrom the car earlier. The crush of people and tourists on thewaterfront. The cars, buses, and cyclists to their right. Theboats, birds, and shops to their left.

“What other observations?”

“Simply that ye live in a world ofincredible luxury,” he began, pausing to look over a table coveredwith small trinkets all marked with the city’s name and an image ofthe Space Needle. “For days now, I hae marveled again and again forwhat the future has wrought, marveled that the simplest object” –Hugh lifted a souvenir pen from a cup – “such as this pen filledwith ink is taken for granted.” He rolled the pen between hisfingers for a moment before dropping it back in the cup. “For ye,they are naught but novelties, but tae me, they are nothing shortof phenomenal. Yer people use wi’out care what I once saw asunimaginable. Ye hae machines tae do everything for ye. Tae carryye places, tae cook for ye, tae clean and tae do yer laundry.Everywhere there are machines. It hae spoiled ye and