A recipe for disaster.

Her cell rang and she wasn’t sure who to expect. One of her cousins, maybe. But it was Archibald. This was not a good time to talk. “I’ll call you back as soon as I’m through with lunch.”

She smiled at Grant, who looked like he expected her to tell him who had called and then he’d tell her how much he disapproved.

***

After the meal, Colleen said she was taking a walk in the gardens, and Enrick and Lachlan wished a word with Grant about the tour. Both were concerned that it had not gone well—mainly because he didn’t wish to discuss it. He noted that as soon as she’d made it outside, she’d made a phone call, probably to the person who had called her during lunch. He suspected it was Archibald and that she wanted to speak with him in private. That didn’t bode well.

“Her father was Neda’s flesh-and-blood son, but we were the ones who took care of Neda and her properties,” Lachlan said, getting wound up about the situation all over again.

“Don’t you think she did it for the lass? Her only grandchild, to carry on the family line?” Enrick asked.

Grant ground his teeth. “Colleen has never lived here before. She’s not part of the heritage or the history.” Even though she seemed to enjoy the tour, he suspected it was a passing fancy. Living here day in, day out would be a whole other matter. “She doesn’t care anything about the place like we do. This is home for us. Always has been. She is just a visitor.”

He tried to convince himself of that. What if he was to fall for the lass—not that that was at all likely—but what if he did, and she wanted to leave after the weather got bad? Or she longed for her American home?

He’d be mated to a she-wolf who would be depressed and unhappy, and then what? Would she drink to drown her sorrows? He could envision the whole situation becoming a disaster. Mating was for a lifetime and… Hell, why was he even thinking of such a thing?

“She’s an unwelcome visitor,” Enrick said, although Grant swore his brother was digging for the truth, watching his reaction, wondering what had gone on between Colleen and him.

“Aye,” Grant said, not about to ever tell his brothers he had kissed the lass.

Grant noted Lachlan was watching out the window, his arms folded across his chest, listening to the conversation but interested in something taking place near the gardens.

“What are you gawking at?” Grant asked, crossing the floor to join him.

“The lass who doesn’t belong here.”

Five of his men were supposed to be patching around loose rocks on the seawall. Instead, they were sitting on stone benches, arms folded across their chests, smiling as they observed Colleen. All three of his Irish wolfhounds sat in front of her. Their eyes were focused on hers, their expressions saying they were eager to please.

They never behaved. Even for him. But at least she hadn’t been on the phone for long. Unless she’d just made a hasty date with Archibald. Grant ground his teeth a bit.

“How in the world did she manage that?” Lachlan asked, peering out the window beside them.

“Bribery, it looks like,” Grant said. He couldn’t imagine getting the dogs to mind any other way. Even so, he couldn’t believe they’d behave for treats. After the way they had jumped all over her when she first arrived, he was surprised to see she had so much control over them now.

What if she had kissed him and rubbed that sweet body against his in an attempt to heel him as she had the wolfhounds, only she didn’t even have to give him a treat to make him mind? Bloody…hell.

“Did you know her cousins are arriving next week?” Enrick asked.

“What?” Grant turned to see Enrick’s serious expression. “I thought they were only coming if the lass felt she needed help in handling us,” Grant said, not liking this new scenario one bit, despite having said it was fine with him if they came to visit. Surely they didn’t mean to stay too long.

“Apparently they wanted to come anyway to check out their castle.”

“The properties are the lass’s. Not her cousins’.” Grant hadn’t meant to sound so protective of her. He tried to tell himself he only worried that her cousins would try to dictate to Grant and his pack, in addition to the lass having her say. He let out his breath in exasperation. “What next?”

“Look, they’re following her as if she were the Pied Piper. They’re not jumping on her, but walking beside her like perfectly behaved, well-trained hounds,” Lachlan said.

Grant stared out the window, not believing this. “When exactly are her cousins arriving?” he asked, wanting to take care of this issue right away. He still wondered if the lass hadn’t called them and told them she needed help with the Highlanders.

“Friday after next at 9:45 in the morning,” Enrick said. “Where did you want them to stay?”

“The blue and gold rooms.” Though Grant wanted to have them stay in the White Room while he stayed in one of the newly painted adjoining guest rooms.

Maybe after the kiss they’d shared, she’d changed her mind about him sleeping in the White Room instead of his own chamber.

He managed a small smile.

Chapter 9

Later that night after Colleen had readied herself for bed, she heard Grant opening drawers while he packed some stuff to vacate his chamber. She hated that he had to move, but she couldn’t see any other way to handle this unless he finally and miraculously came up with another bedroom she could sleep in that had a bathroom en suite.