Page 83 of Never Tempt a Scot

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The music finally died, and Brodie clutched Lydia tightly to him, both of them breathing hard. She lowered her lashes, the exertion giving a healthy color to her cheeks. When their gazes locked again, he smiled at her, his body almost trembling with his joy.

“Has the music stopped?” she asked, her voice almost a whisper.

He lifted his head and looked about, but the ballroom was empty. There was no sign of Rafe, Isla, or Aiden. How long had they been gone?

“Never mind. I still hear music,” Brodie said.

“Oh? You do?” She chuckled. “What does it sound like?”

“A slow waltz.” He softly began to hum the melody of a waltz. Brodie held her hand with one hand and her waist with the other as he danced with her alone in the ballroom. He fell into her blue eyes as he sang an old song his mother used to sing when he was a boy.

Oh the summertimeis coming

And the trees are sweetly blooming

And the wild mountain thyme

Grows around the blooming heather.

Will ye go, lassie, go?

Lydia caughton to the melody and hummed with him as he sang.

And we’llall go together

To pluck wild mountain thyme

All around the blooming heather.

Will ye go, lassie, go?

I will buildmy love a tower

Near yon pure crystal fountain

And on it I will build

All the flowers of the mountain.

Will ye go, lassie, go?

And we’llall go together

to pluck wild mountain thyme

All around the blooming heather.

Will ye go, lassie, go?

Let us go, lassie, go.

Brodie raisedher hand high so Lydia could twirl before coming back into his arms. Brodie held his breath as her body pressed against his.

For the first time in as long as he could remember, he was overcome by joy, pure and untainted. It filled him to bursting. It was both the best and worst of feelings.

“Thank you,” Lydia said as she pressed her head to his chest.

“For what?” he asked.

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