Pepper, the Highlander & the Dead Guy

“She needs to lie down.” I heard someone say.

I really didn’t need to lie down. I was quite comfortable where I was—in the Highlander’s arms. OMG! There was something terribly wrong with me. I barely ever—okay let’s make that never—felt comfortable in any of the guys’ arms I’d ever been involved with, which could have been the reason why my relationships—few to barely any—went south real fast.

I sighed at the utter nonsense of my thoughts.

“Feeling all right, lass?” Ian asked, having turned his face down toward mine, his cheek brushing my cheek and sending goosebumps rushing over me.

Not only was there concern in his dazzling brogue, but I suddenly got a whiff of him and, good lord, did he smell good. I don’t know what men’s cologne he was wearing, but it was one alluring scent. I closed my eyes, letting it swirl around me and intoxicate my senses.

My eyes shot open. What was the matter with me? I was sounding like one of Amy’s romance books she was addicted to.

“Pepper?”

I stared at him. His brogue seemed to caress my name.

“You haven’t answered me, lass,”

“I’m fine,” I said in a bare whisper.

“You’re more than fine,” he said his warm breath brushing faintly across my lips.

I was definitely stuck in a romance novel and to make matters worse he carried me to a couch, and I almost didn’t let go of him when he placed me down on it—almost.

I had to get out of here. I’d embarrassed myself enough for one day. I moved to sit up and cringed at the pains that poked at me.

“Stay put, Pep.”

I opened my eyes, though it was more of a squint since I felt Ian’s warm breath on my face which meant he was close—and he was. He was squatted down in front of me, his face only a few inches from mine. One look at his seductive, blue eyes and I bolted up off whatever I was sitting on, fighting the dizziness that struck me.

Ian quickly slipped his arm around me and sat me down, sitting next to me. “Take it slow.”

I was surprised to hear honest concern in his voice. “Really, I’m fine. I’ve taken more spills in these woods than I care to remember.”

“And yet you come back for more,” Ian said, a teasing twinkle in his eyes.

I decided it was time for some direct answers. After all, it was only prudent to know about who was living next door to me, not only for my own safety, but to satisfy my nosy nature.

“Ian Macgregor,” Amy said with a sigh before I could say a word.

I glanced up at her and rolled my eyes. She was grinning like a fool at him when usually it was the men grinning like fools over her. “I know his name. How many times are you going to say it?”

“It’s always nice to hear my name spill from a beautiful woman’s lips,” Ian said with disarming smile at Amy.

Was Amy blushing? She never blushed, but then he was sounding like a hero from a romance novel. I shook my head slowly not wanting to make myself dizzy again and as I did, I took notice of the room we were in. There was photography equipment everywhere and a large white backdrop where models would stand, the background to be filled in later. A long folding table held bottles of water, an assortment of energy drinks, and two urns with the fixings for coffee or tea. There were also baskets filled with various assortments of snacks from healthy to not so healthy.

It struck me then who Ian was, and I inched away from him and looked to Amy. “Tell me it’s not him. It can’t be.”

Amy grinned, looking happier than I’ve ever seen her. “It is,” she confirmed, nodding.

I turned as Ian stood, grinning at me.

It was him. I remembered hearing about him time and again but never associated the name that Amy would sigh over repeatedly.

He was Ian Macgregor the hottest, sexiest, most in-demand romance cover model around. And he was my new neighbor.

5

“I hope you don’t mind having my photography studio next to you. The woods, the lake, and the different seasons make it a perfect place for photo shoots,” Ian said.

“She doesn’t mind,” Amy answered quickly.

The door opened and a guy peeked his head in. “She okay?”

Ian waved him in. “She appears fine. Pepper, Amy, this is—”

“Beau Hadding,” Amy said like a high school girl meeting the high school heartthrob.

Beau scooped up her hand in his and before placing a kiss on it said, “A beautiful woman who has me at a disadvantage, now that’s a first.”

I rolled my eyes. I had a feeling I was going to be doing a lot of that, but then he was a good-looking guy, well-built, of course, with dark blond hair that brushed his broad shoulders, and he wore a kilt and no shirt.