Read Online Beyond A Highland Whisper by Maeve Greyson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Maeve Greyson
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be one who might enjoy a bit of a sweet indulgence.”
With a victorious chortle, Trish cocked a brow at Nessa and reached across the table toward the rich dessert. Her smile faded, when the waitress raised the plate out of her reach and mouthed the words, Not for you.
The waitress nodded toward Nessa and set the plate in front of her. “Not meaning to hurt anyone’s feelings but Mr. Gabriel was verra clear. The dessert is for the wee blue-eyed lass. The one with the rosy cheeks that show everything she’s feeling.”
Her mouth dropped open in surprise as Nessa glanced around the table. One hand fluttered to her throat, as she imagined the decadence of the sweet delight. Glancing from the cake to the waitress’s face, Nessa fixed her with a doubting glare. “Is this some sort of joke? Are you sure he didn’t mean the dessert for my friend, Trish?”
A deep rich voice rumbled just behind her as she stared down into the plate. “Why are ye so surprised? Surely, ye don’t fear a wee bit of chocolate that canna be nearly as sweet as yourself?” Gabriel had appeared out of nowhere and nudged a chair in beside Nessa’s seat. “My name is Gabriel. But ye already knew that since Cordelia’s never kept a secret in her life.”
With a giggle, Cordelia placed a fork beside the plate in front of Nessa and nudged Gabriel with her ample hip. “Ye said ye like it when I give the pretty ones your name. Don’t feign the put-upon boss routine with me!” She pulled her notepad from her apron and stuffed their tab in Gabriel’s shirt pocket before moving on to take the next table’s order.
Gabriel clapped Brodie on the shoulder a bit hard and greeted him with a stiff nod. A flicker of malice sparked in his eyes as if the polite smile strained his face. “And you! Ye’ve a lot of nerve showing up in my place after stealing this fine woman out from under my verra nose.”
Fiona trembled and edged closer to Brodie as she curled her hands to her chest. “I intend to be sure Nessa knows she’d best be running in the opposite direction from the likes of a cur like you!”
Gabriel’s eyes narrowed just a flicker; his smile cooled a bit as he tilted his head. “Now, Fiona. I thought we agreed it would be best for all concerned if we considered the past over and done. Admit it, my lost love: we’re all better off putting those days behind us.”
Brodie edged forward, leveling Gabriel with a cold and deadly glare. He scooped one of Fiona’s hands in his own as he leaned farther across the table. His jaw clenched, there was no missing his meaning as his lips curled into a disdainful sneer. “The past is over but it will never be forgotten. Ye would do well to bear that in mind.”
Nessa watched this interplay. A great wrong had happened between these three. She didn’t know what but from the malevolence hovering in the air, it must have been pretty serious. Nessa nudged Trish underneath the table. Do something, she mouthed.
Trish fixed Gabriel with a frosty look and stuck her pert nose in the air. “I thought Irishmen liked well-endowed redheads. I know you’ve relocated here to Scotland but aren’t you veering from your ancestral DNA by chasing after little bitty brunettes?”
Gabriel laughed aloud at the tension-breaking question and stretched out a hand of welcome to Trish. He rested his arm in a subtle sign of claiming across the back of Nessa’s chair. “I’ve been burnt by such a fire many a time before. Let’s just say I feared ye would be too hot to handle and I sought to steer clear of such pain again.”
“What a line of bullshit!” Trish snorted as she downed her second glass of ale.
“Ye see?” Gabriel nodded around the table. “The spitfire just proved my point!” He turned to Nessa, picked up her fork and sliced into the decadent dessert. Rich, chewy chocolate cake surrounded a center of oozing dark chocolate swirling into the heavy cream and powdered sugar layered upon the plate.
“Taste
With a victorious chortle, Trish cocked a brow at Nessa and reached across the table toward the rich dessert. Her smile faded, when the waitress raised the plate out of her reach and mouthed the words, Not for you.
The waitress nodded toward Nessa and set the plate in front of her. “Not meaning to hurt anyone’s feelings but Mr. Gabriel was verra clear. The dessert is for the wee blue-eyed lass. The one with the rosy cheeks that show everything she’s feeling.”
Her mouth dropped open in surprise as Nessa glanced around the table. One hand fluttered to her throat, as she imagined the decadence of the sweet delight. Glancing from the cake to the waitress’s face, Nessa fixed her with a doubting glare. “Is this some sort of joke? Are you sure he didn’t mean the dessert for my friend, Trish?”
A deep rich voice rumbled just behind her as she stared down into the plate. “Why are ye so surprised? Surely, ye don’t fear a wee bit of chocolate that canna be nearly as sweet as yourself?” Gabriel had appeared out of nowhere and nudged a chair in beside Nessa’s seat. “My name is Gabriel. But ye already knew that since Cordelia’s never kept a secret in her life.”
With a giggle, Cordelia placed a fork beside the plate in front of Nessa and nudged Gabriel with her ample hip. “Ye said ye like it when I give the pretty ones your name. Don’t feign the put-upon boss routine with me!” She pulled her notepad from her apron and stuffed their tab in Gabriel’s shirt pocket before moving on to take the next table’s order.
Gabriel clapped Brodie on the shoulder a bit hard and greeted him with a stiff nod. A flicker of malice sparked in his eyes as if the polite smile strained his face. “And you! Ye’ve a lot of nerve showing up in my place after stealing this fine woman out from under my verra nose.”
Fiona trembled and edged closer to Brodie as she curled her hands to her chest. “I intend to be sure Nessa knows she’d best be running in the opposite direction from the likes of a cur like you!”
Gabriel’s eyes narrowed just a flicker; his smile cooled a bit as he tilted his head. “Now, Fiona. I thought we agreed it would be best for all concerned if we considered the past over and done. Admit it, my lost love: we’re all better off putting those days behind us.”
Brodie edged forward, leveling Gabriel with a cold and deadly glare. He scooped one of Fiona’s hands in his own as he leaned farther across the table. His jaw clenched, there was no missing his meaning as his lips curled into a disdainful sneer. “The past is over but it will never be forgotten. Ye would do well to bear that in mind.”
Nessa watched this interplay. A great wrong had happened between these three. She didn’t know what but from the malevolence hovering in the air, it must have been pretty serious. Nessa nudged Trish underneath the table. Do something, she mouthed.
Trish fixed Gabriel with a frosty look and stuck her pert nose in the air. “I thought Irishmen liked well-endowed redheads. I know you’ve relocated here to Scotland but aren’t you veering from your ancestral DNA by chasing after little bitty brunettes?”
Gabriel laughed aloud at the tension-breaking question and stretched out a hand of welcome to Trish. He rested his arm in a subtle sign of claiming across the back of Nessa’s chair. “I’ve been burnt by such a fire many a time before. Let’s just say I feared ye would be too hot to handle and I sought to steer clear of such pain again.”
“What a line of bullshit!” Trish snorted as she downed her second glass of ale.
“Ye see?” Gabriel nodded around the table. “The spitfire just proved my point!” He turned to Nessa, picked up her fork and sliced into the decadent dessert. Rich, chewy chocolate cake surrounded a center of oozing dark chocolate swirling into the heavy cream and powdered sugar layered upon the plate.
“Taste
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