#5 Highland Strangers

Eilidh POV

The string quartet played something soft and expensive sounding in the background, but all I heard was the steady thump of my own heartbeat. Cat’s elbow nudged my ribs. “They’re still looking,” she whispered without moving her lips.

“Aye, I’ve noticed,” I murmured back, my eyes fixed on the golden whiskey in my glass. I wasn’t about to give them the satisfaction of seeing me stare. My father Duncan was pulled away by an old friend across the room, and the second his hand left my arm, I felt them move. A shift in the air, a ripple through the crowd.

They closed the distance without hurry, like they had all the time in the world. The one who stared at the airport reached us first, the faintest smirk on his lips.“Evenin’, lass,” he said, his voice a deep, velvet brogue that curled right through me like smoke. “Thought I recognised ye.”

I arched a perfectly shaped brow and smirked. “From where?”

“The lounge at LAX,” he said simply. “Ye were the one drinkin’ champagne like the flight was just an inconvenience tae yer day.”

Beside him, his twin chuckled... lower, rougher. “And here she is again, lookin’ like she’s about tae own the room.”

Cat grinned like a cat who caught the canary. “And you two are?” The smirker inclined his head slightly. “Kieran.” He nodded toward his brother. “And that’s Callum.”

“Eilidh,” I said, meeting Kieran’s gaze head on. “And this is Cat. Though I reckon ye already knew that from the way ye’ve been starin’ all night.”

Kieran’s mouth twitched into an almost smile. “Observin’, lass. There’s a difference.” I tilted my head. “Aye, there is. One’s polite, the other’s presumptuous.”

Callum’s grin deepened. “And which are we?”

“That remains tae be seen.”

Cat made a sound that was half laugh, half squeal, and slipped away under the excuse of refilling her glass, leaving me alone with them. Kieran stepped a fraction closer, enough for the faint scent of whisky and cedar to reach me. “Then maybe we ought tae make our case.”

I sipped my whiskey, pretending my pulse wasn’t thrumming like a fucking hummingbird in my throat. Can they see my pulse? Bloody hell.

“Maybe ye should.” I purr in return.

Kieran’s gaze was steady and unblinking, the kind of look that made you feel both seen and stripped bare at the same time. Callum’s was different, sharp and assessing, like he was cataloging every twitch of my lips, every shift in my stance.

It should’ve made me uncomfortable. Instead, it had my skin buzzing, and damn it all, I was intrigued. “Do ye dance, lass?” Kieran asked, his voice cutting smoothly through the chatter and music.

I lifted my glass. “Only if the partner’s worth the trouble.” His answering grin was slow and almost cat-like. “I’ll take my chances.”

Before I could reply, he offered his hand, palm up, patient but confident, like he already knew I’d say yes. My pride wanted to hesitate, but curiosity won. I slid my fingers into his, the warmth of his touch grounding me in a way I wasn’t expecting.

The crowd seemed to part for us as he led me toward the dance floor. The string quartet shifted to something rich and slow, perfect for ruining a woman’s self control.

Kieran moved like he’d been born to it, one hand firm at the small of my back, the other cradling mine. He kept me close enough to feel the heat of him, but not so close it could be mistaken for desperation. His movements were smooth, controlled… practiced.

“Ye’re light on yer feet,” he said, his eyes locked on mine. “I grew up learnin’ how tae waltz before I could drive,” I replied, my brogue curling thicker.

“Explains why ye’re leadin’.” His mouth quirked. I smirked. “Only because ye let me.” Over his shoulder, I caught sight of Callum leaning against the column where we’d met, arms crossed, watching. Not casually, intently. Our eyes met, and the corner of his mouth lifted in something between a challenge and a promise.

Kieran dipped me slightly, his hand firm at my spine, bringing me back up with ease. “My brother seems tae think ye’re trouble,” he said softly.

“He’s nae wrong,” I murmured, the words slipping out before I could stop them. Kieran chuckled, low and rough. “Good.” The song ended, but neither of us moved to step away. The space between us was a single breath, the air charged and humming. Finally, I broke the moment, slipping my hand from his grip.

Kieran’s hand slid from my waist, slow enough to feel deliberate, and he gave me that lazy, self assured smirk again. “Ye dance well, lass. I’d wager it’s no the last time.”

“Careful,” I said, my lips curving, “I might hold ye tae that.” Before he could answer, a voice cut through the hum of the gala like a blade.

“Eilidh.”

I turned to find my da, Duncan, standing a few paces away, his jaw tight, eyes hard as granite. Isla, my ma, was beside him, one elegant hand clutching her tartan wrap like she needed to keep it from slipping, or maybe to keep from balling it into a fist.

“Excuse us,” Da said to Kieran, his tone polite but sharp enough to bleed. He didn’t wait for a response, just took my arm and steered me away. Ma’s heels clicked behind us, each step clipped and precise. The moment we were far enough from the crowd, Da’s voice dropped low. “Do ye know who that man is?”

I arched a brow. “Aye. Kieran. And his brother’s Callum. Met them tonight.” Isla’s expression was pure frost. “They’re MacAllisters.” I frowned. “And…?”

“And,” Da growled, “their family’s been at odds wi’ ours for decades. Land disputes, business betrayals, court battles. The MacAllisters are ruthless. They’d cut the legs out from under a MacLeod without blinking.”

Ma’s eyes sharpened. “They’ll smile tae yer face and put a knife in yer back, Eilidh. Men like that dinna dance with a MacLeod unless they’ve somethin’ to gain.”

“Or maybe,” I said coldly, “he just wanted a dance.” My da stepped in close, his voice a quiet warning. “Nae, lass. This is nae harmless flirtation. Ye’ll stay away from them. Both of them. I mean it.” My lips twitched, the perfect balance between defiance and politeness. “Aye, noted.”

But as Da and Ma led me toward another circle of family friends, I felt Kieran’s gaze hook into me from across the room.

And I didn’t look away. I was way past the point of allowing my parents to run my life. They'd see soon enough.