Finally, with the night growing later, she finally stood. “I should probably head out.”
When she dug into her purse for money, he waved her hand away.
“I’ve got you.”
Alarm flashed in her eyes. Maybe he’d chosen the wrong words.
“It’s a glass of wine. I insist.”
“Besides,” Aleck added as he passed the table again to pick up empty glasses from another one. “Haven’t you realized your money is no good here?”
Her eyes widened with disbelief. “You guys…”
“Look, if you ran up a hundred dollar tab, I might have to come down on you and charge half.” Aleck shrugged. “But I’m afraid arguing at this point is useless.”
Her cheeks reddened and she looked uncertain. “Okay,” she finally relented. “But take my tip money.”
She dropped a twenty on the table and rushed toward the door before anyone could argue.
“The cheeky lass.” Colin grinned and reached for the money. “Don’t mind if I do.”
“Actually, I mind.” Ian stood and plucked the bill from his brother and handed it to Kenzie. “You should be ashamed, stealing from your sister. She earned this.”
“Appalling manners. The lot of you.” Kenzie tucked the twenty into her bra. “And are none of you going to offer to drive her home?”
“Actually, was making my way to do just that.” Ian flashed a quick smile and strode toward the door.
Kenzie intercepted him before he reached it. “I’m glad you’re driving her home, but don’t mess things up this time.”
“How would I mess things up?”
“Don’t break her heart. It took her grandmother dying to return to the island. I’ve missed my best friend, and if you do anything—”
“I’ll not do anything she doesn’t want me to do,” he said softly. “I love you, dear sister, but this really is none of your business.”
She shook her head and fire flashed in her eyes. “I think it is, but I’ll trust you. You’re a good man, Ian. When you want to be.”
“When I want to be,” he agreed lightly, and then hurried outside after Sarah.
Chapter Ten
Ian caught up with her when she was halfway across the gravel parking lot of the pub. She seemed to make her way to the street.
“Sarah,” he called out. “Hold up, please.”
She glanced over her shoulder, and he smiled when he heard her sigh of frustration.
“How are you getting home?”
“I took the bus, if you must know.”
He caught up to her. “Let me drive you home.”
“It’d really be better if you didn’t.”
“Might not be better, but it’s safer. It’s late. You shouldn’t be out walking alone at night.”
“The island isn’t really all that dangerous from what I remember. Just the occasional deer bent on a suicide mission.”
His lips twitched at that comment. “We may be safer than Seattle, but the island is not without crime.”
And when you were a woman barely five feet tall, beautiful and out alone at night, you could be seen as an open invitation to be attacked.
He didn’t add that last bit, but knew she had the sense to have realized it. Though she had walked out of the bar alone, without even asking anyone to walk her to the bus stop.
Irritation pricked that she could be so foolish.
She was probably just trying to escape from you, his conscience argued. Still it did little to alleviate his irritation that she took her safety so lightly.
“I’d really rather take the bus—”
“And I’m really not negotiating with you on this, Sarah. Either you let me drive you home, or I’ll toss you over my shoulder and place you in my car.”
“Did you really just threaten to abduct me?” she sputtered.
Tired of her stalling, he took another step toward her. “Sarah.”
“Fine. I’ll let you drive me home. But you can be such a bully,” she grumbled, not looking pleased in the slightest.
“You call it bullying. I call it being protective.” He gestured for her to walk in front of him. “I’m parked in the back.”
Once they were in his car and heading to her gran’s place, he made little effort to talk. Knew she wasn’t really in the mood after he’d pretty much strong-armed her into driving with him.
When he pulled up outside her house she’d opened the door before he’d even stopped.
“Thanks for the ride.” She climbed out, slammed the door and ran toward the front porch.
Did she really think he’d let her go scamper off that easily? He smothered a laugh and followed her.