Wake Me With a Kiss: A Fairy Tale Retelling (Regency Fairy Twists Book 1) Read Free Page B

it was I that happened upon ye and not some
ruffian.”
    “Ruffians frequent your land, do they?”
    “Not yet. Only stubborn, sleepy lasses do apparently. But I wouldnae be
pleased should ye come to harm on my land.”
    Gaze narrowed into sharp slits, she eyed him. “Well, if you are done
insulting me, I shall take myself off of your land and you can be rid of me, my laird.”
    Now why did his title sound like an insult? So far it had simply sounded
strange and foreign, but the way she had just said it, she might as well have
been calling him the worst of men.
    “See that you do.”
    “Good day to you, my laird.”
    She gave a hasty dip that was no doubt not meant at all genuinely and
snatched up her basket. Hamish was forced to grab Rupert before he darted off
after the woman. He held the dog tight until she had vanished into the woods
and gave him a rough rub on the head. Rupert issued a sort of huffing sound and
settled into his hold.
    “I know the feeling, mutt. I know the feeling.”

 

Chapter
Three
    The scent of books
surrounded her. Rose inhaled deeply and smiled. At least in the bookshop she
would not run into any brazen Scotsmen, nor would she think of them.
    Certainly not. She would not recall his blazing blue eyes or the curl of
his black hair. Nor would she think of his thick legs, dusted with hair.
    Shaking her head, she forced her attention to the leather spines,
decorated with gold. She only had a little time before Aunt May would want to
return home so she needed to find something new to read. She picked up a red
book and flicked it open.
    What sort of a man wore Highland dress in the lowlands anyway? Should he
not be attempting to blend in rather than stand out? The huge length of him in
a kilt had certainly surprised her. As a laird, would he not want to appear
respectable?
    She chuckled to herself. Respectable…what an impossibility that would be
for that man. He had said he was a soldier. Well, it certainly showed. She did
not know many people but she knew gentlemen did not behave as he did,
practically insulting her and speaking so coarsely.
    Rose stared at the title page. But, of course, he had looked terribly
charming with the dog. The way his giant hand had ruffled its head. Not to
mention he had picked Rupert up as a stray. That was certainly admirable and
surely meant he had some kindness in him.
    Peering harder at the text, she huffed and slammed it shut before
putting it back. Why could she not even enjoy herself in her favorite place in
the world? It was all that wild Scotsman’s fault. She had thought of their encounter
continuously for the past day. Why she should be so preoccupied with him, she
did not know, but she could only conclude it was because she rarely met anyone
so disagreeable.
    “Nothing to yer liking, Miss Rose?” the shopkeeper asked.
    She glanced his way. “I am struggling to choose,” she admitted.
    He came out from behind his desk, his long, lanky frame seeming to bend
and wave as he did so. Mr. Sherbourne had owned the bookshop since before her arrival
in Scotland and had always seemed immensely tall to her, even as she grew. His
arms were like thin twigs and all of his clothes never quite fit him properly.
But even though he had seemed like a giant to her the first time she had met
him many years ago when her aunt had brought her here, he had a kind twinkle in
his eye and he had taken to her as soon as he’d realized her love of books.
    The highlander had been tall too, she thought vaguely. Though entirely
differently built and he had no soft, inviting twinkle to his eye. His
shoulders had stretched impossibly wide, testing the width of his plaid and
shirt. Rose doubted Mr. Sherbourne could ever stretch anything.
    “I did get in a few new titles the other day,” he said, drawing her
attention to a stack of books on the desk. “There was one I thought ye might
like.”
    “Only one?”
    He chuckled. “Well, the others were philosophy.”
    She smiled.