Gift-Wrapped in a Kilt (Hot Scots #4)

Chapter Thirty-Four

Jamie seized Gavin's shirt and hauled him close to her, nailing him with what she hoped passed for a stern look. Rory did those better than anyone, and she'd modeled her current expression after his calm but deadly stares. She gave Gavin a hard shake that barely moved his body. "Are ye cracked? You've never done the Highland games before, and Rory's beaten Lachlan and Iain at this. Several times."

Peripherally, she noted Rory's overly pleased smile. Pleased? No. Cocky, he was. She battled warring urges to throttle sense into Gavin and to throttle respect into Rory. She loved her brother, but she worshiped Gavin — in the way a strong woman could worship her man without becoming a lovesick moron.

Jamie tried for another shake with no more effect than the first. "Well? Are ye cracked?"

Gavin's eyes narrowed. He bent his head to spear her with a look as intimidating as any of Rory's, though Jamie was not cowed by it. She knew Gavin well enough to realize he would never shout at her.

In a calm and resolute voice, he said, "I am not crazy, and I can do anything your brothers can. Or your cousins. Or your ex-fiancés. Hell, I'll fight any jerk who tells me I don't deserve you because I know we're right for each other."

Her heart lightened as if it might float out of her body. She loved hearing him say they were right for each other, but she couldn't stand by and let her brother pummel her fiancé into the ground.

Earlier, she'd told Gavin she knew he could handle any harassment from Rory. She'd meant it, but Rory seemed hell-bent on turning a simple tournament into a battle royal.

She pulled on Gavin's shirt, compelling him to slouch over until their faces approached so close their breaths reflected off each other. In a softer voice meant only for him, she said, "I know you're a braw, strapping man. You have nothing to prove to me."

"I know that." He kept his voice low too, their conversation private despite the throng of onlookers. Even Rory wouldn't be able to hear them, and she suspected Gavin realized that, based on what he told her next. "I have to prove myself to Rory. Don't like it, but dammit, I swore to myself I'd do anything to make you happy. Your brothers mean a lot to you, especially Rory. I know what it's like to have an interloper come in and sweep your sister off her feet, take her away to another country."

"You said you don't want to go back to America."

"I'll go anywhere you want." His tone had become tender, his expression too. His eyes, so near to hers, seemed to glow in the sunshine with a warm, golden hue reminiscent of the sun. "If I have to let Rory beat the shit out of me to earn his respect, I'll suck it up and keep going as long as I can, until I pass out or he gives up. That's how much I love you."

Jamie gazed into his luminous eyes, sensing a fire burned just below the surface. The fire matched his resolute tone when he'd said he loved her that much. Enough to endure a beating. She couldn't believe Rory would do that, but her brother definitely wanted to push Gavin to see how long he'd put up with humiliation before his temper got the better of him.

Rory didn't know Gavin. If he did, he would've realized Gavin never lashed out unless someone gave him a bloody good reason, something more than macho nonsense. Gavin kept his cool. Gavin kept his focus on the mission, and he never wavered from his end goal.

She was his goal. Winning over Rory was his mission.

"Let me do this," Gavin said in a fierce whisper. "I've gone through worse for less reason. You are worth any amount of pain."

Tears stung her eyes. No one had ever loved her that much.

She released his shirt and grasped his face, towing him in for a kiss. She made it her mission to outdo the steamy kisses of Rory and Emery, and Lachlan and Erica. She crushed her lips to Gavin's, and when he opened his mouth to her, she locked her arms around his neck and ravaged him with a passion she'd never allowed herself to exhibit even in private, much less in front of her entire family. He answered the strokes of her tongue with coiling lashes of his own, demanding more, and she surrendered everything to him.

He latched his arms around her, groaning into her mouth so softly and sweetly no one could've heard it.

Aidan whooped.

She knew it was him because Lachlan shouted, "Aidan, whose side are ye on?"

The humor in Lachlan's voice was unmistakable.

"The side of true love," Aidan quipped with that tone of faux innocence he'd mastered.

Rory growled. "Are we having the games or watching you ravish my sister?"

"Let them have their fun," Iain called out.

Gavin released Jamie, brushed his thumb across her bottom lip, and straightened. "Game on, MacTaggart."

Jamie angled sideways to Gavin so she could see Rory.

Her brother picked up the hammer and twirled it by its leather strap. "You take the first run. I wouldn't want to embarrass you from the start."

"Of course not," Gavin said, striding forward to snag the hammer from Rory. "It's better if I show you up first. Your wife can lick your wounds for you, Rory baby ."

Jamie expected a muscle to jump in Rory's jaw, but instead, he raised his eyebrows. His lips twitched with a hint of humor.

"Need a wee bit of instruction?" Rory asked Gavin.

"Watched you do it once," Gavin said. He slapped Rory's shoulder. "If an old man like you can pitch this thing, so can I."

"Think you can beat my mark?"

Rory pointed down the green toward a little orange flag planted in the earth with a little wooden stick. There were two flags, actually. Lachlan must've thrown first, like he usually did.

Gavin seemed unfazed. "Yours the closer one?"

Rory chuckled with that threatening glee he loved to use as intimidation. "It's the farther one, laddie."

He pointed again, and she tracked the path his finger drew across the green.

The flag must've been thirty meters away. A hundred feet or so to the Americans gathered with the Scots here on the green.

Jamie bit the inside of her lip. Could Gavin best Rory? Well, Gavin had sworn he'd endure any amount of shame for her. Losing at a manly Scottish sport, maybe that would encourage Rory to be nicer to Gavin.

But she really, really wanted Gavin to win.

She retreated to wait in between Aidan and Lachlan and the American Wives Club.

Gavin took up his position at the starting line, his back to the green, the crowd in front of him. Everyone glued their gazes to the American. Beside Jamie, Aidan and Lachlan leaned in close to each other and murmured things she couldn't make out, holding up fingers as if counting something. Lachlan held up five fingers. Aidan raised ten. They shook hands and aimed their gazes at Gavin.

Were they betting on Gavin's odds of beating Rory? When Aidan glanced at her, she gave him a tight-lipped look she hoped conveyed the fact she didn't like her brothers making wagers about the man she loved.

Aidan hiked up his shoulders and spread his hands.

Gavin wore a determined expression.

Jamie clasped her hands under her chin, tapping her foot on the grass, the anticipation almost too much to bear.

Iain waved to Gavin. " Aller Anfang ist schwer. "

Gavin froze in the midst of raising the hammer. "Are you speaking German?"

"Aye. It means every beginning is hard."

"Uh… thanks. I think."

Iain held his hands parallel to the ground, fingers spreads. "Keep the heid, mate."

Gavin looked baffled.

Jamie's cousin strolled up to their group, smiling and nodding at Erica, Calli, and Emery before slapping the backs of her three brothers.

When he patted Jamie's arm, she smacked his chest. "Donnae be rattling Gavin before his hammer throw. Are ye wanting him to lose? He has no idea what 'keep the heid' means. Why didn't you explain it means to stay calm?"

"He grasped the gist of it. My gesture of steady hands got the point across."

"You made him flustered right before his first hammer throw." She tapped a finger on his chest. "You may be a million years older than me, but that doesn't mean I won't batter you for this."

He gave a lazy shrug. "You can if you like, but I think you're underestimating Gavin. He's made of stern stuff."

"I know." She clamped her hands together under her chin again. "I don't want him to be embarrassed, though Rory would love that."

"Don't underestimate your brother either." Iain hooked an arm around her shoulders and tugged her close. "Women don't understand the ways of men and vice versa."

Jamie decided not to argue with Iain anymore. He never got upset about anything, so she was wasting a good bluster on him. Instead, she let her cousin keep his arm around her while she watched the love of her life do whatever was necessary to win over her brother.

Disaster. Massive. Looming.

Gavin grasped the hammer's handle. He hefted it a couple times, his eyes widening briefly as if he were surprised by the weight but not dissuaded by it.

"Twenty-two pounds," Rory hollered. "Too much for you?"

"If you can take it, I can."

"We'll see if you can beat twenty-seven point three meters."

Gavin hauled in a deep breath.

He swung the hammer above his head, whirling it in a big circle around and around. Once. Twice. Three times. His biceps bulged with the effort, his face was strained. On the fourth circuit, he twisted his torso while his feet remained planted in place and hurled the hammer across the green.

It sailed. And sailed.

The scene seemed to unfold in slow motion while Jamie watched the hammer flying through the air. Her pulse pounded in her chest and thundered in her ears. She didn't breathe or blink or move a muscle until the hammer struck the earth.

Past the orange flag that marked Rory's throw.

Iain jogged out across the field pulling a tape measure after him. Fiona, oldest sister of the Three Macs, held the other end of the tape measure while Iain broke into a sprint to reach the spot where Rory had landed his hammer.

Hoisting the tape measure over his head, Iain announced, "Twenty-eight point four."

Jamie shrieked and bolted for Gavin, shedding Iain's arm, tackling Gavin with such energy he staggered backward a step. Gavin laughed and hugged her to him. She could hardly believe it, and he seemed hardly able to believe it either. He'd thrown a twenty-two-pound hammer.

And he'd outdone Rory.

Iain jabbed an orange flag into the ground to mark Gavin's throw and snatched up the hammer, trotting back to the starting line. A drawn-out zipping noise broke the silence when Fiona reeled the tape measure back into its housing.

Gavin set Jamie down when Rory stalked up to them.

Rory eyed Gavin up and down, then looked him straight in the eye. "Nice throw."

Jamie supposed that was as close as Rory would get to admitting an American had beaten him at his own game. She smacked a wet kiss on Gavin's cheek.

Rory thumped one fist into his other palm. "Games aren't over yet, laddie. One more round with the hammer and then we'll have a go at the stone put and the caber toss."

"Sounds like fun."

Jamie and Gavin backed away to let Rory take his second shot. Once Iain handed over the hammer, Rory swung it fast, letting out a loud grunt as he released the hammer, sending it flying over the green. It touched down nearly even with the flag marking Gavin's first throw.

Iain hustled out with the tape measure, planted a flag, and shouted, "Twenty-nine even."

With a smug smile, Rory faced Gavin and made a sweeping gesture, inviting Gavin to take his next turn.

Iain jogged up with the hammer.

Gavin whirled the thing high and fast as if mimicking Rory's speed. He let the hammer fly, and it soared over the green to thunk down almost even with Rory's flag.

Jamie bounced on her toes, impatient for Iain to make the measurement.

At last, he stabbed the flag into the ground and announced, "Twenty-nine point seven."

She leaped into the air, cheering so loudly everyone gawped at her. She didn't care. Gavin had won another round.

Her gaze landed on Rory, who held his wife close against him. He wore a faintly satisfied smile, which struck Jamie as odd. Rory wouldn't be satisfied with losing. He disliked losing in the games as much as he disliked losing in court.

Rory noticed her watching him, and his mouth curved into an enigmatic smile.

Ohhhh, he was up to something for sure.

While Iain slapped Gavin on the back and the pair engaged in an animated conversation, Jamie tromped up to her brother.

She poked Rory in the chest. "Did you let Gavin win?"

"Why would I do that?" No one did deadpan like Rory.

"Don't play innocent with me." She poked him again. "I may be younger and shorter, but I know how to get what I want from you." Jamie glanced at Emery, then back to Rory. "I'll get your wife to make you tell me the truth."

Emery laughed. "You're on."

Hands on her hips, Jamie bounced up on her toes to nearly level her gaze with her brother's. "The truth, Rory. Did you let Gavin win?"

His wife wriggled in his arms until she had her front plastered to his side. "Spill, baby. Is Jamie onto something here?"

Rory switched his attention back and forth between the two women demanding answers from him. After a few seconds, he sighed and lifted the shoulder not currently occupied by his wife. "I considered the idea but discarded it. Gavin beat me with his own strength and determination."

Jamie angled her head to study him. "Then why did you look so pleased with yourself?"

He lifted that one shoulder again.

Emery rubbed her palm on Rory's chest while she looked at Jamie. "Might as well give. He won't say anything more until he feels like it." She gazed up at her husband with a sweet smile on her lips. "Or until I torture it out of him. But we need privacy for that."

Jamie was glad when Iain and Gavin approached. She was happy for her brothers and their wives, but sometimes she needed a break from their wedded bliss.

Her focus snapped to her left hand and its third finger. The diamond ring glittered in the sunshine. Would she and Gavin behave like her brothers and their wives?

A strong hand closed around hers.

She raised her eyes to Gavin.

He kissed her hand. "I did okay, huh?"

"You did great."

Rory peeled his wife away from his body. "You're not done yet, Douglas. It's the stone put next."

Oh lord . Would Rory never relent?

Gavin pecked a kiss on her cheek and whispered, "Don't worry. I've got this."

And she prayed he did. Their future depended on it.

Because if he couldn't win over her brother, they would have to elope. If he still wanted her after enduring Rory's trials.

She had a sinking feeling in her stomach that her brother had plans.