“Give me the details.” Iain drummed his fingers on the burgundy placemat in front of him.
“I was four at the time. Dad took me down to the stream for a swim and Daniel was there with his mother. I had this frilly pink two-piece swimsuit on, one Dad had bought me for Christmas, but Daniel wasn’t wearing a stitch of clothing. He was frolicking in the nude and loving it.” She selected two slices of crusty bread and smeared them with cranberry feta and passed one to Iain. “So I ditched my swimsuit too not realizing boys looked quite different to girls until I got closer to Daniel in the water. Even at four, that appendage of his was rather impressive. Emma would definitely be furious if he lost it.”
Daniel choked on his bread. “No more,” he rasped. “Ask him what his earliest childhood memory is. You need to switch the subject now.”
“Hold on.” Iain hauled her chair smack up against his. “Do you recall this same memory?” he gritted at Daniel.
“I’m not the one who agreed to answer any questions.”
“Answer me.”
“Sheesh. All right. I’m a month older than Isla, and I’ll never forget swimming in the stream with her. Her brown hair swung down to her waist, covering every part of her. I saw nothing, nothing.” He swiped a hand in a definitive-no gesture across his neck. “That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.”
“I have your meals.” The waitress beamed as she placed hers and Daniel’s dishes before them, walked back to the kitchen and returned with Iain and his brothers’ meals. “Is there anything else you’d all like?”
“I need a sharper knife,” Iain demanded. “Pronto, please.”
“No, he’s fine.” Isla smiled at the young woman. “Thanks for these meals.”
“You’re welcome.” She strode over to the corner table where a family of four seated themselves and pulled out her notepad and pen from a pouch belted around her waist.
“You need to calm down.” She picked up Iain’s cutlery and passed it to him. “Those pork chops of yours look delicious. They’re a definite favorite of mine too. In fact, I’ll eat any red meat provided it’s tender and juicy. I like my chicken crumbed or in a sauce, and my fish as fresh as possible and pan-fried. All vegetables are a go, except tomatoes and cucumber. And I adore dessert, particularly if there’s chocolate in the mix, then I’m all over it. Did you get all that? I’ll repeat if needed.”
“No, I heard every word, and you have my most grateful thanks for the information.” He cupped her nape, brought her mouth to his and devoured her in a hungry kiss. When he let her go, she almost clambered onto his lap for more.
“Well, for that steamy kiss, I’ll give you a promise. From this moment on, I’ll never swim in the nude with any man other than you.”
“I accept your promise and will hold you to it.”
Perfect. One mate calmed, and one promise she was happy to uphold.
“Now, it’s your turn, Iain. What’s your first childhood memory?”
“Accepting the very first of Kirk’s stupid dares. We were terrors when we were younger, always getting into trouble.” He cut into his roasted potato drizzled in gravy and ate a forkful. “Around the age of four, Kirk challenged Finlay and me to climb the highest tree, the one that butted right up against the rear curtain wall.”
“And did you climb it?”
“Kirk’s always egging Finlay and me on to do stupid things, and being that Kirk’s the youngest, we have a habit of giving into him. Can’t let him get into trouble all on his own.”
“I would have loved to have had a sibling, someone to share getting into trouble with.” She cut into her steak.
Finlay popped a fry between his lips. Of the three of them, he had more freckles smattered across his nose and cheeks, as well as a rather beautiful Celtic tattoo on his right bicep. Kirk meanwhile had the same golden eyes as his brothers, but a glimmer of starburst yellow rimmed the edge. All three were the same in looks yet with the odd unique difference. Iain though, she’d never mistake him for his brothers. Just looking at him made her heartbeat pound and her body heat.
With his gorgeous gaze on her, Iain snuck one of her fries. “Are there any other seers in your clan, other than your father?”
“There’s usually one born in every generation. They’re particularly strong in my direct line, but Dad’s the only one at the moment. We’re overdue for a seer birth.”
“I’d like to meet your father, as soon as it’s possible.”
“I’m sure he’d like to meet you too.” Beside her, Daniel polished off his steak and rubbed his belly. He was being far quieter than usual. “Are you all right?” she asked him.
“The less I talk, the less trouble I get into.”
“I see, although you’ll still be in trouble if you didn’t order me a dessert.”
“I’d never forget that. I ordered Death by Chocolate.”
“Oooh, yum. I love y—”