Page 57 of Scotch & Dreams

Anna forgotten, Lachlan was wondering who the hell that boyo was with Violet. He wasn’t familiar. Did he come with her? Was he a date? Surely not a boyfriend. The thought was a vile one. Lachlan struggled to get a grip, and he wondered when he'd become a possessive neanderthal. He didn't own her.Yet,his lizard brain supplied. He caught sight of them again, heading to the foyer for the whisky tour.

He couldn’t help himself as he followed along behind, unable to take his eyes off them. Something the man said made Violet burst out into laughter. God, she was a beautiful lass. But he wanted to be the one making her laugh, among other things. The more he saw, the more his mind began to calm. To his great relief, they didn’t appear to be a couple, likely just friends, perhaps a date for the night. The poor sap looked at her with appreciative eyes, but it was unreasonably satisfying that she did not look at him the same way. There were no sparks in her eyes when she looked at him, just a kind lightheartedness. Lachlan felt certain that Violet had no love interest in this guy. The tension eased from his shoulders.

What would he have done if they were together as a couple? It was a thought that genuinely bothered him. For the first time, he realized that he’d lose his mind if Violet started dating another guy. That was not even a possibility he could think about, the very idea made him feel like he might go crazy. Out of control.

He raked a hand through his hair. What had gotten into him? He had decided he would catch up and join the group, but when he noticed Violet drop behind the rest, he couldn’t resist the moment to be alone with her. He never intended what was about to happen.

Chapter 34

A Tasting in the Barrel Room

Shestoodaloneinthe barrel room, slowly walking and taking in her surroundings.

“I should huv ken I’d find ye here.” Lachlan stood leaning casually against a stone wall near the entrance, only a few feet away from her.

“Oh my God, Lachlan, you scared me half to death,” she said with a start, and he wondered if the look in her eyes was something more than nerves.

“Sorry, lass, I didnae mean to catch ye off guard.” He watched her savouring the sight of her in his cask cellar. Many people had walked these rooms, but none so captivating as Violet Munro.

“I’m surprised you managed to steal away.” There was something in the way she said it. He recognized it. Subtle as it was, she sounded jealous. Had she seen him dancing with Anna?

“Aye, it’s been a busy evening. And of course, I have hosting duties to attend, whether I wish to or no’.” He hoped to make it clear without saying the words that the dance she might have seen was a duty and nothing more. "Ye look beautiful, Violet.” Beautiful was the understatement of the decade.

“Thank you,” she said quietly, looking down shyly. Didn't she know how gorgeous she was? How tempting?

“How was your trip?” She asked, turning toward the casks casually, as if to inspect them—although he felt certain she was trying to deflect from the chemistry that flickered so readily between them.

“It went well,” he said casually. “I could’ve used your counsel on a few things, though. I missed talking with ye.”

“You did?” She turned back to him, their eyes connecting.

“Aye, verra much.”

She studied him as if she were trying to decide how much stock to put into his words, but then she turned away from him. “I can’t believe you grew up with all this.” She waved her arm, gesturing to the casks, and changing the subject. He'd let her—for now.

“I suppose it’s not your typical childhood, but it was a good one.” He supplied.

“I bet.”

“We spent a lot of time here, both in the distillery working and learning, but also out on the land. It’s where I mastered my hide-and-seek skills.”

She giggled, and it was like music to his ears. “One of the top childhood skills.”

“Aye.” He chuckled. “Right up there with tag and red rover."

She laughed. He loved to see her so light-hearted. It was the first time since she'd been working at the sanctuary that she had let her guard down enough to speak of something other than business. It seemed like her walls were not so high tonight.

“I learned not only how to make whisky but how to take pleasure in drinking it.” He gave her a wink and stepped over to the casks.

She nodded. “I can imagine.” A distant roar of laughter sounded from upstairs. “It’s pretty packed up there,” she said lightly.

Lachlan turned and closed the distance between them, not taking his eyes off hers. “Aye, it is, and of all those people, it was ye I wanted to see tonight.”

Her mossy green eyes looked up at him.“Really?” There was a sweet little quiver in her voice that awoke his cock.

Her cupid bow lips were slightly parted, and he could feel the chemistry thumping between them, sparking wildly, like atoms bouncing around trying to escape a stopped beaker. A wave of primal satisfaction rolled through him as she looked up at him with desire in her eyes.Mine—the word felt like a sacred oath.

“Aye, really.”

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