Page 31 of Scotch & Dreams

She stopped in front of a tall chestnut brown horse. "Wow," she breathed. He was stunning.

“Bolt. He was Helena’s”

Violet glanced back at Lachlan and then turned to face Bolt. Lachlan still had his sister’s horse. It was both sad and beautiful. She stroked Bolt’s white snout. “Does he miss her?”

“Aye.” Lachlan smiled sadly. “I’m not sure who loved the other more. Helena adored him, but he adored her back. Even though time has passed, I do no' doubt that he thinks of her daily, much like the rest of us.”

“I bet,” Violet said softly and patted his soft neck. "Animals grieve too."

"I think they feel much more than we even ken," he said, snapping a carrot in half and giving a piece to Violet.

She held out the carrot on her hand, and Bolt's soft fuzzy muzzle lipped at it until he got it in his mouth and happily crunched it up. Lachlan gave him the other half.

“How many horses do you have?” she asked, noting six stalls.

“At the moment, I have three here. I have another stable closer to town where I board more.”

“Wow,twostables?”

He nodded. “Aye." He strode forward to the end stall, and Violet followed.

“Do you have help with the horses here?"

“Aye. Craig is here full time, and Byron comes ’round a few days a week to help as well. I spend as much time as I can down here, but between here and the town stable and running the distillery, I sometimes dinnae feel like I get much time to ride.”

They stopped in front of the last stall, and Violet sucked in a breath. “Oh, wow.” The horse inside grunted at her, raising its head high. “You are majestic,” she breathed. His coat was a glossy black, and he stood a good two hands taller than the other two.

“Hercules.” Lachlan rubbed his neck affectionately.

“He’s extraordinary. ”

“He’s a Friesian. Fast, strong, intelligent, but he also listens and feels my cues. He’s the most intuitive horse I think I’ve ever ridden. Right, boy?” Hercules nuzzled his face into Lachlan’s broad chest.

“Was Hercules with you that day?” She wondered aloud.

Lachlan looked back at her and nodded. “He got me through then and through many tough times that followed.”

They stood quietly as Hercules ate the carrot Lachlan gave Violet for him.

“Perhaps we should go for a ride sometime,” he offered casually.

Violet felt pleasantly surprised. “I’d love that.”

Did that mean he wanted to see her again? Like a date? Her overzealous mind jumped all over that thought. It was hard not to be attracted to Lachlan. Impossible really. Even now, in a stable, the man was Mr. GQ—tall, broad, dressed in black sweats and impossibly white runners with a black wool overcoat. How he could pull off that look in a flipping stable, she had no idea. And on top of that, he was kind, generous, sweet, and that smile. And… Oh God, and whatever else that was, that sizzling sexy thing when he seemed to be trying to hold himself back. She looked over at an empty stall full of hay, and suddenly, she was imagining hunky Mr. GQ taking full advantage of her.

"Are ye feeling okay, lass? Ye look a bit flushed. We should probably get ye back to bed."

God, yes, take me to bed, Lachlan, her girl bits practically hollered. Violet latched onto Lachlan’s arm as they made their way back to the house. She tugged a bit on his arm, and he looked down at her.

“Thank you,” she said earnestly.

“It’s all right. Nothing like a midnight jaunt to the stable.”

She grinned, loving the way he teased her.

Chapter 19

Rise and Shine

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