Highlander for the Holidays Read Online Free PDF Page A

someplace the exact opposite of what she was used to?
    He froze with his hands on his face. Was that it? Had Jessie chosen Pine Creek precisely because it wasn’t a crowded city?
    “Oh, T-Toby, you’re the smartest, bravest dog in the whole w-world.”
    Ian dropped his hands to see Jessie pushing herself into a sitting position.
    “I didn’t hurt you, did I?” she asked, running her trembling hands over her pet. “Because you know I certainly didn’t mean to.”
    Ian blinked in disbelief and felt some of the pressure in his chest give way as he stifled a snort. Was she serious? He doubted anything short of a baseball bat could hurt Toby, as the dog was solid muscle.
    “You are such a smart boy,” she continued, resting her head on Toby’s shoulder. “You gave me enough warning so I didn’t embarrass myself and you picked a good place for us to hide. I think we’re going to be okay here in Pine Creek, Tobes,” she whispered, hugging him fiercely. She gave a soft snort. “These trees sure are a lot nicer than a public bathroom stall or janitor’s closet, and there certainly seem to be plenty of them around here.”
    Oh, Christ; Ian’s gut knotted again imagining Jessie searching for a decent place to hide in the city. Toby suddenly looked directly at him—as if to let Ian know he was still on guard—then turned his attention back to his mistress.
    “So,” Jessie said on a heavy sigh as she brushed leaves and spruce needles off her coat, “what do you think my chances are of keeping this from Merissa? I have her convinced I haven’t had an episode in over a month, and we both know if she finds out I had one tonight, I’ll never get her to leave on Thursday.”
    When all she got for an answer was a lick on her cheek, Jessie rolled to her hands and knees and grabbed an overhead branch to awkwardly pull herself to her feet. Ian took advantage of the noise she made and also stood. He picked up her purse and cane, then stepped behind a large tree, peeking back around it in time to see Jessie grab a sapling when she lost her balance. But since Toby obviously expected her to be unsteady, the dog had positioned himself at her side to let her take hold of his collar.
    Ian started out of the woods so he could make it appear as if he were just coming out of the bar to find her, but hadn’t taken two steps before he heard her gasp.
    “Oh no, my boob fell out! We have to find it. Boob, Toby. Find my boob .”
    Ian staggered backward, completely nonplussed as he watched Jessie drop to her knees and Toby put his nose to the ground, and they both began searching the area under the spruce. No, he couldn’t possibly have heard right; she couldn’t really have said she’d lost her boob, could she? Seriously? Her boob ?
    “Oh, good boy!” she cried, taking something out of the dog’s mouth.
    Ian ran a hand over the back of his neck as he watched Jessie wipe an object the size of a woman’s fist on her sleeve. She pulled herself to her feet, pushed her coat aside, lifted her sweater, then tucked the . . . object inside the left cup of her bra.
    “There,” she said, facing Toby as she looked down at her chest. She took a deep breath and pulled at the hem of her sweater. “Do they look even?” She suddenly palmed both breasts, gave them a jiggle, then threw back her shoulders and smoothed down her sweater and scarf again—only to suddenly giggle. “I wonder what Mr. Sexy Ian MacKeage would have to say if I walked back into Pete’s with one of my boobs half the size of the other. ‘Why, lass; I do believe there’s something different about you. Why don’t ye let me slip my hands under yer blouse and see if I can find out what the problem is,’” she said in an exaggerated brogue. She snorted. “In his dreams,” she muttered, grasping the dog’s leash and letting him lead her out of the woods.
    For the love of Christ, how could the woman joke about losing a boob?
    Wait—had she just called him