Highlander for the Holidays Read Online Free PDF

sexy?
    Walking a bit taller and with the knot in his chest slowly loosening, Ian stayed just ahead and to the side of them but halted at the edge of the woods when they emerged into the parking lot and Jessie stopped.
    “Hey, Tobes,” she said, sounding excited. “I just realized I’m not completely wiped out like I usually am. Heck, I’m not even shaking with lingering terror. Oh Toby, it’s working ,” she said with a laugh, bending to give her dog a hug. “Everyone thought I was crazy for wanting to move to Maine, but I knew this was a powerful place to start my brand-new life.” She straightened with another laugh, and then walked between the cars and pickups toward the bar.
    Ian ducked down and ran alongside her two rows away. Oh, the lass would be safe here, all right—from everyone but him. Because whether or not Jessie Pringle knew it, her brand-new life was going to include Mr. Sexy.
    “Jessie!” Merissa said in surprise as she came around the side of the building, Duncan not two steps behind her. The woman’s already flushed face turned an even deeper red. “We were just . . . It’s not . . . I was . . .” Merissa sighed, and finished tucking her shirttail into the waist of her pants. But then her eyes suddenly widened when Ian stepped out from behind a nearby pickup. “Ohmigod, Jessie ?” she squeaked, covering her mouth as she stepped closer. “You came outside with Ian?”
    Jessie turned and took a step back when she saw him, her face washing pale in the streetlight. “You followed me?”
    Ian held up her purse and cane even as he gestured toward the parking lot. “I realized you’d forgotten your cane and was coming to look for you.”
    Merissa plucked a leaf off Jessie’s shoulder. “Jess?” she whispered, pulling another leaf from her hair. “Did you have . . . Were you—”
    Jessie laughed. “I fell,” she said, brushing at her coat. She darted a suspicious glance at Ian, then waved toward the trees. “I took Toby into the woods to do his business, and I tripped on a root or something.”
    Merissa’s eyes narrowed. “That’s all? You just . . . fell?”
    Jessie walked over and took her purse and cane out of Ian’s hand, then headed toward the entrance. “I don’t know about you guys, but I could use a drink.”
    Merissa pulled her to a stop. “Um, I was just heading back inside to tell you . . .” She looked at Ian, then leaned closer to Jessie. “That I’m going to have Duncan bring me back to the resort . . . later.”
    Ian couldn’t decide if he should wipe that smug look off Duncan’s face right here in the parking lot or drag the arrogant bastard into the woods to beat some sense into him. Duncan had read both women just as easily as he had, and the idiot knew leaving with Merissa would put Jessie in an awkward position.
    “Oh. Okay. I’ll see you back at the room . . . later,” Jessie said, giving Ian an uneasy glance as she continued into the bar.
    After a pointed glare at Duncan that even an idiot could interpret, Ian followed Jessie inside only to find her and Toby standing on the edge of the dance floor staring at their occupied booth. She jumped in surprise when he took hold of her elbow. “We can have our drink at the bar,” he suggested.
    She pulled free with a heavy sigh. “No, I think I’ll just call it a night.” She smiled up at him and patted his arm, letting her hand linger as she said, “But I had a wonderful time this evening, Ian. Thank you.” She gave his arm another pat, then turned and headed over to Paula at the bar.
    As dismissals went, Ian decided as he followed, that was as good as any—if it had come from a maiden aunt .
    “Did you say Duncan paid both bills?” he heard Jessie ask Paula, looking up from her open purse in surprise. She started rummaging through it again and pulled out a twenty. “Well then, here, take this for . . . for your good advice.”
    Paula snorted, shoving the twenty in her apron. “Fat lot of good it