My Seductive Highlander by Maeve Greyson

of the small glass vial, put it to his face, and breathed in—deep. The bile burning at the back of his throat gradually calmed to a tolerable level. “Thank ye, mistress.” He passed the tiny glass over to Angus. “Breathe it in, lad. It helps.”
    Angus grabbed the bottle and snorted in a deep breath. “From now on, we walk. Or find a horse. Ne’er again will I get in such a contraption.”
    “Agreed.” Graham nodded as he turned back to Lilia’s concerned gaze. “Thank ye for the healing oil. I feel much better.” Or maybe ’twas the mere sight of her smile that had settled him and made him whole.
    Graham slowly rose then held out a hand to help Lilia to her feet.
    Lilia cast a dubious look at his extended hand then quickly rose without touching him.
    Disappointment weighed heavily in his chest. She didna wish to touch him. She feared the strange connection they’d discovered last night.
Aye.
He supposed he couldna fault her for bein’ a wee bit leery. Mother Sinclair’s words rang clear in his mind.
Lilia thinks allowing anyone to help her is a sign of failure. She’s a stubborn hellcat.
Well…stubborn hellcat or no’, Mistress Lilia was meant to be his. And he intended t’make damn certain that it came to pass. The surety of the thought surprised him.
Aye. I want this woman
.
I want her for m’verra own.
    “Come inside. I’ve got some coffee made and Vivienne is attempting to bake some scones but I wouldn’t get my hopes up about those if I were you.” Lilia gathered her robe higher above her bare feet and padded up the walkway ahead of them. When she reached the top of the stone steps, she turned back. “Alberti, are you coming inside or are you going straight to check on the shops?”
    “Straight to the shops, lovie.” Alberti cast a pointed gaze at Graham and Angus then turned back to the car. “Call me if ye need me. Or have Vivienne give me a ring. I can be back here at a moment’s notice.”
    The man called her
lovie
? In front of him? Graham glared back at Alberti. He’d tend t’that insult later when Lilia was no’ about. “She’ll no’ be needin’ the likes of ye. I can assure ye of that well enough.”
    He didna ken what it was about that man, but he didna like him. Alberti acted as though he had some sort of rights over Mistress Lilia. The fool had best get that thought out of his head this verra second. Graham stomped up the steps past Lilia, slid his hand past hers to the door latch, and pushed it open for her. “Allow me, mistress.”
    Lilia’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t think you can be snarky with my friends then sugarcoat it with chivalry. I’m not stupid.”
    Again, Graham breathed in the sweet fragrance of her, steeling himself against the urge to bury his face in the silky tresses tumbling about her neck. Memorizing aromas was a carryover from his days as a dragon. Even if struck blind, he’d ken Lilia by her unforgettable scent. “I’d ne’er be foolish enough to think ye stupid.” And he wouldna. He’d been around the other Sinclair women enough to ken that ye damn well best be on yer toes whenever they were about.
    Lilia gave him a look that nearly made him laugh out loud.
Aye and for sure. Mother Sinclair didna lie. This one is a hellcat.
He could see it in her eyes. “Yer family sends their love and they truly did send me here to watch o’er ye.”
    “I’m fully capable of taking care of myself, thank you very much.” Lilia led the way down the hall to the small kitchen. She unhooked four cups from beneath the cabinets and lined them up beside a strange gurgling machine steaming on the counter. “And you can tell them that when you and Angus go back.”
    Stubborn one, eh?
She’d soon find out he could be a mite stubborn too. “Angus and I will no’ be goin’ back. Ye’d best learn that straightaway.” Graham eased closer and lightly tapped a finger across the top of her hand. “We are here. To stay. With yerself.”
    Lilia blinked up at him,