A Laird to Hold by Angeline Fortin (free children's ebooks online .TXT) 📕

How were they to find a way to Dunskirk when even public transportation seemed thin? Walk? Hitchhike? It was beginning to appear those were their only options. Then there remained the journey back.

“Could we rent a vehicle as Scarlett did? Or use the one she left at Dunskirk if we make it that far?”

“Scarlett’s calling the rental company to pick up the car. We couldn’t drive it anyway or rent one ourselves because neither of us has a valid license.”

Disappointment washed over Connor and he mumbled a curse. He’d been looking forward to getting behind the wheel of an actual automobile. He wouldn’t confess it aloud, but driving a car was the one thing he’d anticipated from the future world and one of the primary reasons he’d volunteered for this mission. Quite frankly, he wasn’t about to let an insignificant thing like a license stop him from driving.

Emmy continued, unaware of his unspoken plan. “Maybe a bus or train?”

“Where would we find one?”

They were a minute or two into a discussion of their options when a vehicle pulled up to the curb next to them. Connor braced himself for another histrionic response.

“Ye looked troubled,” the driver said, leaning out the window. “Perhaps we can be of assistance?”

“Thanks,” Emmy answered for them. “We appreciate the offer, but unless you’re heading an hour or so south of town, I doubt you can help.”

“As it happens, we’re going in that direction.”

Connor lifted a disbelieving brow at the driver’s ready agreement. How unexpectedly fortuitous. “Really?”

“Aye.”

* * *

What an incredible coincidence, Emmy thought. The driver appeared friendly enough. Darkly handsome with light blue eyes, the man had a dazzling smile that revealed deep engaging dimples.

Not at all the serial killer type, but you never knew.

Bending, she looked farther into the car at the redhead in the passenger seat. The woman smiled, warm and welcoming. Sympathetic and safe. But again, you never knew.

“I doubt they’d offer us a ride only to kill us along the way,” Connor murmured under his breath, well aware of her tendency to imagine the worst-case scenario in all things.

“That’s just what a psychopath would want you to think.”

The woman in the car leaned across the man behind the wheel and smiled up at them cheerfully. “Don’t worry, we’re normal.”

The sweet American accent soothed away the remainder of Emmy’s wariness. “You don’t mind?”

“Not at all.”

“Dinnae look a gift horse in the mouth, lass,” Connor muttered. “Besides, this automobile looks far more exciting than the bus we traveled on before.”

The car was a sleek, black Vauxhall SUV. There was a reasonable chance it had more horsepower than Connor would ever stand a chance of being in for all his dreams of even owning a car in their future. No doubt the acceleration would slam him back against the seat in a way an A-Model Ford could never hope to.

And this guy behind the wheel looked like he enjoyed a little speed himself.

A wicked grin lifted Emmy’s lips. This could be fun.

For her, at least.

“Sure, if you’re certain you don’t mind the trip.”

“No’ at all.”

Scarlett

“I wish I’d known about this the first time around.” Scarlett looked down at the dark, downy head resting against her chest and gently stroked the soft skin of her newborn’s back.

The nurse assisting her bit her lip, but couldn’t disguise her raging curiosity. There wasn’t a person in the walls of the infirmary who wasn’t mad with questions. Not only about how Scarlett had succeeded in hiding her pregnancy so effectively but how her now-toddler had managed to slip past the media’s rabid, watchful eye. Some, like her shift nurse, effectively refrained themselves from asking. Others weren’t as circumspect. Scarlett wanted to bite her tongue for bringing up her personal life, even in casual conversation, but the past five years had broken the habit of caution that had long been ingrained in her.

“Skin time has shown to be effective with most infants but especially with preemies,” was all the nurse said aloud. She repositioned the baby until she was sprawled against Scarlett’s bare chest, then tugged a sheet up over them. “We’ll just keep her there for a while then try to have you feed her again. It would be beneficial for her to have the father do some skin time, too-oo-ahh…”

The word trailed off with a whoosh of an exhale as Laird came out of the attached bathroom bare but for his gold pendant and the towel around his waist. He was drying his hair with another towel. His thickly muscled arms flexed while droplets of water sprinkled his massive chest, following the light sprinkling of hair across his pecs and trailing down his rippled abs like a waterfall. Dark hair clung to his thick thighs and calves.

“I wouldn’t be minding a little skin time there myself,” the nurse murmured then turned beet red when she caught Scarlett’s raised brow. “Beg your pardon, miss. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

Figuring the nurse could be forgiven since Laird was indeed a sight to behold, Scarlett allowed herself a small, gratified smile. “He is something, isn’t he?”

“Oh, aye, I don’t blame you for keeping him for yourself at all. I know I would.”

Laird looked at Scarlett over the towel as he wiped his face and shot her a wink accompanied by a wicked grin. He’d heard their conversation. Conceited man. As if he didn’t already know how women drooled over him in his own time, now he’d own the twenty-first century as well. She’d have to make sure she did something to temper his ego. Couldn’t have him getting too cocky.

With one last lingering look, the nurse left them, closing the door behind