Page 84 of Say You Will

“Good thinking.”

“I could give you an atomic wedgie.”

“You’re in a prime location for that. I’d drop you like a hot potato. I cannot abide anything in my ass crack.” I shudder. “The horror.”

Franki swats my butt.

“Joke’s on you, darling. I think I liked that,” I say.

She lets out an inadvertent snicker before she swats me once more. This time it feels more like a grope than anything.

There it is again.She is 100 percent feeling me up.

We’re close enough to the house now that our audience can hear us, as well as see us, so I call out in stentorian tones, “Iwant all of you to know that Franki and I are most definitely in a relationship. You may ignore my earlier remarks.”

She freezes. “They’re watching us?”

“Are you okay, Frank?” Gabriel hollers.

I roll my eyes.

“I’m fine. Thank you,” she wheezes back.

“Yes, they’re watching us,” I drawl.

When I continue around the house to the circular driveway where my car is parked, she fidgets once more. “I thought we were going in the house.”

“I’m absconding with you. This place is crawling with people. If we stay here, they’ll continue to watch every single thing we say and do. If I take you upstairs to our rooms, we’ll have people knocking on our doors and constant interruptions.”

I tip my head to a nearby guard as I open the passenger door of my car. “Good morning, Ryan.”

“Mornin’, Henry.”

“Ryan, Henry says he’s kidnapping me,” Franki says sweetly.

“I am, indeed, kidnapping her, but if anyone plans on taking her from me, you’ll need more than reinforcements. I’d recommend an army. And a missile launcher.”

Ryan runs a hand over his military-cut, dark-blond, bristled hair and peers around my back to get a look at her face, then straightens with a grin and a shake of his head. “Have fun, I guess.”

“Ryan,” she scolds with a laugh in her voice, even though I guarantee she’s never met the man in her life before this moment. “Shame on you. What happened to your duty to serve and protect?”

Gently, I settle her in the passenger seat as Ryan says, “Ma’am, you know I’m not a cop, right? I’m loyal to The McRae.”

“I’m loyal to The McRae,” she mimics.

My lips twitch at her snark as I close the door, then jog around the vehicle to slide into the driver’s seat. I’m unsure if she’s going to cooperate or attempt to get out of the car, but she never makes a move to open her door.

When I hit the ignition, she folds her arms across her chest. “Should I call you ‘Laird’?”

I reach for her seatbelt, drawing it across her body. She drops her crossed arms long enough for me to snap the belt in place, then resumes her former position.

I put the car in Drive and maneuver through the security checkpoints on my way to the main road. “The McRaerefers to this family, not to me. However, if you’re into role-play, I’m happy to accommodate you. Bridenapping is a well-loved trope in Highlander romance novels, according to my research.”

A snort of laughter escapes her before she cinches her mouth tight. “I’m not playingMaiden Stolen by the Highlander.”

“Unfortunate. I’d look great in a kilt.”

“Where are you taking me?”

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