Ross barely resisted running a hand through his hair. Bloody hell, courting a woman was more difficult than he remembered.
Stepping back, Ross allowed Lorna to dish out their breakfast. When she finished, he took the bowls to the dining table and Lorna followed with the coffee and cutlery. They were just about to sit down when there was a knock on the door.
Lorna frowned. “My children rarely knock, so who stops by at eight in the morning that isn’t family?”
She moved to answer the door, but Ross moved in front of her. “Let me. Your nightgown is too thin for strangers.”
Amusement danced in her eyes. “I’d hardly call the people of Lochguard strangers.”
“You know what I mean.”
The knock increased in its intensity. Lorna motioned toward the door. “Then answer it before someone thinks I passed on during the night.”
Shaking his head, Ross exited the dining room. When he opened the door, the tall bloke from the day before, who had walked with Lorna and Fergus, stood there. Ross hated having to look up to meet the dragonman’s eyes, especially since the bloke was more handsome than Ross liked. “Yes?”
The dragonman looked around Ross. “Is Lorna up and about yet?”
“Who wants to know?” Ross growled out.
The man raised his brows and answered, “Ah. You must be the one she hesitated about yesterday.”
The dragonman’s statement made Ross wonder if Lorna had wanted him as long as Ross had wanted her. “And who the bloody hell are you?”
“Stuart MacKay of Clan Seahaven. Lorna and I are old friends. I just stopped by to see her before I leave later today. We have a lot to catch up on.”
The mention of the too handsome man leaving made Ross stand a little taller. “Well, she’s eating her breakfast. You’ll have to come back later.”
Stuart opened his mouth, but Lorna’s voice boomed out before he could say anything. “Ross Anderson, he’ll do no such thing.”
Turning his head, Ross spotted Lorna. When she stopped next to him, she looked to Stuart and smiled. “Hello, Stu.”
When Stuart smiled back, Ross clenched his fingers. The sooner he could get rid of Stuart, the sooner he could find out about the full extent of their past. Lorna had claimed they’d nearly been mated, and he wanted to know if she still had feelings for her old lover. Stuart’s presence was a blatant reminder of how much he still had to learn about Lorna MacKenzie.
Lorna stepped aside, the motion causing her nightgown to show more of her figure than Ross liked. “Come in, Stu. I have enough porridge for you, too. I know it’s your favorite.”
Of course, it bloody was.
As Lorna guided Stuart to the kitchen, Ross took a deep breath and tried to get a grip on his jealousy. Lorna had chosen him, end of story.
And yet, his brain understood that, but his heart was being bloody stubborn. Breakfast with Lorna’s “old friend” would test his patience.
Be careful, Anderson, or you might push her away. Aye, Lorna didn’t like unnecessary drama. The trick would be in not becoming a third wheel to their conversation because there was no way he was leaving Lorna alone with the dragonman. Ross trusted Lorna, but given the flash of hunger and male appreciation in the dragonman’s eyes a minute ago, he trusted Stuart MacKay about as far as he could throw him.
~~~
Lorna shouldn’t like Ross’s jealousy around Stuart, but both woman and beast rather enjoyed it.
Her dragon huffed. I like knowing Ross would fight for us. Even if Stu challenged him to a battle, I think Ross would accept if it meant keeping us.
Aye, I agree. Our human is more like a dragon-shifter than he knows. Maybe living on Lochguard has rubbed off on him.
Why do you say that as if it were a bad thing?
Stuart’s voice interrupted Lorna’s conversation with her beast. “I half expected for at least one of your children to be here. From what Fergus told me, your cottage is never empty.”
Ross grunted. “It’s not empty.”
Lorna bit back a smile. “Last night was a bit special, and Faye stayed with a friend. Besides, as Ross pointed out, he’s here with me.”