Page 49 of Scotch & Dreams

Violet held in an eye roll. They were hardly looks of longing. “No. And he probably won’t. He's not interested. He made that clear by not getting in touch after the time we spent together.” It still stung after more than two months.

“Oh, he wantssomethingfrom ye all right. Pig,” Fiona quipped, disgusted.

Violet laughed, though she appreciated the mercurial, instant show of support. “Trust me, he does not wantthateither.”

"All men wantthat. Why do ye think our boss would be any different?"

She thought back and remembered how steamy that kiss had felt, even without him kissing her back. He didn't stop her. And it felt incredible to her, but apparently, it wasn't the same for him. He was a gentleman about it. Of course, he was. He didn't make her feel bad for her poor judgment, but still, how embarrassing.

"’Cause that night I spent at his place, before he was our boss, like a total loser, I tried to kiss him, and he didn't take the bait. Not even a little.”

"I dinnae believe that fer a second. Ye are gorgeous. There is no way he wouldnae huv kissed ye back."

"You are too sweet, but believe me, it was one-sided."

“Unless he had a girlfriend!” Fiona’s eyes went wide.

And the thought unsettled Violet. When she thought back, she was quite certain he didn’t, but he’d never really said.

“I don’t think that’s it,” Violet said, although there was a seed of doubt in her mind now.

“Well, I dinnae ken about then, but maybe he’s changed his mind. Because I'm tellin' ye, that mon smoulders when he looks at ye like he's about to burst into flames.”

“I’m thinking you’ve been reading too many smut novels. He just has those kind of eyes, doesn’t he? The deep blue draw-you-in type. Pure sexy eyes, like they probably are always saying let’s have sex, let me sweep you off your feet, and make babies with you.” Violet sipped her drink, vaguely aware she was getting tipsy.

Fiona looked at her like she’d lost her mind. “I dinnae ken, Vi. I think it maybe ye who’s been spending too much time with the smut novels, aye?”

Violet grinned. “You may be right. Maybe I should just get laid, then I can get that man out of my mind.” She looked around the crowded bar as if she might find the right candidate for the job.

“He’s still under yer skin, is he?”

“Fuck, I confess, I kinda wish he was.”

This made Fiona snort with laughter. “Aye, he’s an attractive one, but dangerous. A girl could lose her heart with him. What about Andy?”

Violet sobered and gave Fiona a look that could not be misconstrued. “Ah, right, so that’s a no, then. Ye ken, I’m sure he’d be keen if ye were. Ye could get it out of your system. Just have a romp.”

Violet looked as though she’d smelled a rotting corpse. “I am not going to have a ‘romp’ or anything else with Andy. We are friends, and that is it.” The two women sat quietly, the bar's music thumping in the background amid the din of voices surrounding them. “Oh my God, have you had a ‘romp’ with Andy?” Violet looked aghast.

“No, no, heavens no! Well, we did come close that one time, but really, we were just pissed out of our minds. Would’ve been a complete and utter mistake.”

“Right, well, thank God for that.” On reflection, Andy was definitely not Fiona’s type either.

Fiona stirred her olive around her martini absently. “I haven’t been laid in ages. I wish someone would look at me the way he looks at ye.”

“Who? Andy?”

“Feck, no! Lachlan.”

“Oh, right, Lachlan.” Violet’s thoughts went back to the first time he'd looked at her. She'd always remember that. His reassuring cerulean blue eyes were a beacon in the storm of her mind.

Chapter 29

The Day the Game Changed

Lachlansatatthesmall makeshift desk he'd brought to the sanctuary the week prior after realizing he needed a quiet corner to do some work. He'd eventually order himself a proper desk, but it wasn't high on the priority list. There were too many other things occupying his mind. He'd situated it in a small back room with wood-paneled walls and two windows that looked out over the rolling hills. It was cozy and quiet—just how he liked it.

As much as he liked the staff and welcomed their questions sometimes, he found himself caught up in all the chatter and blethering. He preferred to make himself maybe slightly less accessible so he could focus on the many operations of running two businesses. That, and if he was honest, he hadn't figured out what to do about Violet. Seeing her drove him to utter distraction.

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