Page 46 of Love Bomb

Suddenly the door banged open. Bain tore his mouth from hers, and shielded her with his body.

Laughter sounded. It was slightly hysterical. And young.

Rona fought to catch her breath as the room came into focus.

Bain.

Folly.

Snow.

Laughing immature idiots.

She groaned, and her head fell forward to land on Bain’s chest. He stiffened.

“Get out,” he snapped at the boys.

She heard them scramble back into the snow, as one called out a snickering apology. There was no sound of the door closing behind them. Rona looked up at Bain and watched as his face became shuttered again. He backed away from her, as though she was contagious.

Lovely.

As she tried to catch her breath, Bain paced.

Great, they were back to the sinking part of the ride. Rona remembered why she hated rollercoasters—they made her vomit.

“Not again,” he muttered before glaring at her. “You—” he started in an accusing tone before abruptly snapping his mouth closed.

With a shake of his head, he turned and stalked through the open doorway.

Rona took a minute to gather herself before following. The cold air was a slap to her face and knocked the last of the sensual daze right out of her. As she passed the tent with the two teen boys outside, she glared at them.

“That wasn’t funny,” she said. “I’m talking to Dougal about this.”

They paled.

Good.

With a deep breath, she hurried after Bain. He was already in the truck, engine running, waiting for her. In the dim light of the streetlamps, she could see his jaw was set. Too bad. Whatever mood he was in, whatever irrational thoughts he might be having, she was over it.

She climbed into the passenger seat beside him and turned to face him.

“Don’t you dare blame me for that,” she said furiously. “You kissed me. And I haven’t forgotten that you insulted me before you did it. Trust me, it’s every girl’s dream to be told she’s being kissed because the guy feels he’s somehow been forced to do it.” She felt a stab of pain at the words, but chose to feel angry instead. “Take me back to the hotel, Bain. I’ve had enough of you.”

He put the car in gear.

As they drove out onto the high street, he said, “I’m sorry, Rona.”

She wasn’t sure if he was apologizing for insulting her, or hurting her, or kissing her.

“Too late,” she told him.

The damage was already done.

Bain was man enough to admit that he’d made an utter bollocks of things back in the folly. Instead of calmly explaining to Rona that his thoughts and emotions were scrambled because she’d grown up into a fine figure of a woman, he’d insulted and hurt her.

He glanced over at her stoic expression as she sat in the passenger seat and winced. As soon as he parked the car, he’d try again. Hopefully this time he wouldn’t make such a hash of it.

But as they got closer to the hotel at the bottom of the high street, he knew his plans were stuffed. There were cars parked everywhere, and it seemed like the entirety of Invertary were heading into the pub.