Read Online Callum by Melissa Schroeder - Free Book Online

dampness in her knickers. She crossed her legs, hoping to ease the tension. Unfortunately, it had the opposite effect. Moving about was just aggravating the situation. How the bloody hell could she keep herself from vaulting over the desk and jumping him? The man could get her hot with just a look. What would it be like if he actually touched her?
    Mentally cursing, she shoved the thought away. He finished his call, but she didn’t look up, couldn’t. She didn’t want him to see her blushing, guess the thoughts running like an adult film through her head.
    Silence descended on the room then. Unbearable, aggravating. Even as she looked over the notes she’d taken that day, her mind wandered. An itch formed between her shoulder blades, and as she always did in uncomfortable situations, she moved to fill the silence.
    She risked a glance at him, almost grateful that he was reading something on his desk.
    “You’re after some land?”
    He didn’t look up. “Aye.”
    “Here in Edinburgh?”
    “No.”
    She sighed. “Please, Mr. Lennon, don’t overwhelm me with conversation.”
    His lips twitched. “I’m a man of few words.”
    She laughed, and he looked up at her, his eyes warming and his lips curving as they shared a moment of amusement. Phoebe ignored the flip in her tummy.
    With a sigh, he leaned back. “I’m looking to buy some land in the Highlands.”
    “Hmm, I love that part of Scotland. I’ve only been up there once, but I’m hoping to make a trip up there.”
    “Have you visited the Highlands before?”
    She nodded. “Yes. Simon and I went there for our honeymoon. We stayed up at Balmoral.”
    His smile faded, and he picked up his pen again to get back to work. “Yes, well—”
    “Where in the Highlands?” It was rude, but she couldn’t help it. She told herself she wanted to know more about him to help with her research, but she knew better. Callum Lennon intrigued her, tempted her. Even the sound of his voice was a temptation, and when he turned that intense, intelligent gaze on her… She repressed a shiver.
    “North of Inverness.”
    “That narrows it down.”
    His expression softened. “It’s old family land I’m trying to gain back.”
    Again, he looked to get back to work, so she searched for something that would gain his interest. “How do you feel about the clan system having a laird still in charge of some of these estates?”
    His narrowed gaze told her that she’d hit on a delicate subject. “’Tis our heritage.”
    “I was at a debate a couple of years ago, listening to the pros and cons of it. It seems an archaic way of living.”
    “The English can say nothing about our system being archaic. You’ve got a monarch who does nothing more than drain money.”
    “The majority of tourists who come to London do so because of the monarch. So in a way, it funds our economy. I understand a lot of these estates are going bankrupt.”
    “’Tis the fault of the laird in charge. If some of them would diversify, they wouldn’t have a problem. An estate costs a lot to run. Most of the castles are in disrepair and need an infusion of cash to return them to their grandeur. That’s just a small part. Another is the lack of interest among the younger generation. They’d rather live in Inverness or Glasgow, or even here in Edinburgh. Without youth, the estates are slowly dying. You also have an older generation that refuses to get their hands dirty with common work.”
    The passion in his voice stunned her for a moment. It was the first time he’d voluntarily shown any emotion.
    “You love the Highlands, the way of life.” She didn’t ask. She knew the answer. He nodded just the same. “Then why do you live here in Edinburgh?”
    The animated look on his face faded. The unreadable mask returned. “For business.”
    Before she could point out that he could do that anywhere, there was a quick knock at the door. Angus ambled in, tossed a smile in her direction, and then looked at his