Read Banished for Free Online Page B

the
sky. Wondered, not for the first time in her life if someone was looking out
for her. Watching her.
    Waiting ...
    A cold shiver prickled down her spine and Chloe walked to the
bathroom, determined a hot shower would pull her out of such ridiculous
musings.
    The next day she
stood in the local store staring at what chocolates were available. Not many by
the looks of it. She bent over and inspected the assortment of bars.
    “You’re a sweet
tooth?”
    Chloe jumped and
turned to look up at the local laird. He towered above her like an oversize
roman statue. She chuckled to hide her unease of seeing him again, and this
time as a single woman.
    “Ah, yes I am.
Terrible habit but I love my sweets.” She pulled the first chocolate she could
find from the shelf. “It’s not the only thing I’m going to buy, I have a list.”
Cian smiled and Chloe bit her bottom lip lest she sigh in delight. She turned
and walked up the aisle and made a point of looking at the cereal packets.
    “How’s the book
going?” Cian asked following her.
    Chloe looked
over her shoulder and noted the little shopping basket in his hand looked
awfully tiny against his body. “Book?” Chloe paused before she realized what he
referred to. “Ah, the book. I haven’t looked at it yet. Thought I would later
today. I’m also going to walk the local historical trail tomorrow.” She shut
her mouth with a snap the instant she realized she was babbling.
    “I like that
one,” Cian said.
    Chloe stilled. “What
do you like?” The image of him hard against her, grounding his heat against her
own assailed her mind. She had liked it as well ...
    He pointed at a
cereal box on the shelf. “That cereal, it’s good.”
    She sighed with
relief and placed a box of cornflakes in her basket. “I’ll return the book in a
day or two. I won’t leave with it, I promise.”
    “I’m not
worried.” He leaned against the shelving and looked down at her. The intensity of
his gaze making the blood in her body pump about a million times too fast. She
pasted a look of enquiry on her face and refused to look like a deer in
headlights.
    “Would you like
some company?”
    Oh, yes please
in my bed. Right now! Her eyes seemed to be glued
to his chest and the muscled, bulging arms that hung at ease at his sides.
Aware she was publically ogling the man, she looked into her basket. What was
she doing? One thing she should do was get the hell away from this man so she
could think straight.
    “Where?” she
asked, having lost all train of thought.
    He laughed and
her mouth went dry. “On your walk tomorrow. Would you like some company?” he
asked.
    “I’m sure you
have other things to do,” she said, heat scorching her cheeks.
    Cian’s gaze slid
over her in a visceral caress. “I’d love nothing more than to show you the
pleasures of my home, Chloe,” he replied, with the merest hint of Scottish
lilt.
    Oh jeepers that
sounded good. Chloe swallowed and watched a passing woman shopper give the
laird a once over. A primitive anger simmered in her blood at the woman’s
gumption. Aware she was glaring, Chloe smoothed her features before noticing
the lairds laughing gaze.
    “I’m leaving at
eleven tomorrow morning. If you still want to come I’ll meet you at my driveway
gate.” She turned and walked off. Inwardly shook her head at her absurd jealousy
over a man who she knew nothing about.
    “I’ll be there.”
    His parting words brought a smile to her lips. This was madness.
    Chloe slumped
back onto the sofa and shut the book of mythology. How was it possible people
made up the most ridiculous things about gods? No one in their right mind would
eat their own children!
    She gazed at the
book and noted an image of Zeus on the cover. He sat proudly on a throne
somewhere on Mt Olympus with a thunderbolt clasped tightly in his hands. He
looked powerful and daunting and oddly ... familiar.
    A knock on the
door startled her. Chloe looked out the lounge window to see who