Page 88 of Scotch & Dreams

"What's happening here, then?" Alex asked, looking between them.

"As far as I can tell, Lachlan's gone and fucked something up," Drew supplied. "I think he should just tell her he loves her already, aye?"

Violet's heart jumped into her throat.

"Aye," Alex concurred as if they were discussing whether or not the sun would come out tomorrow. "Right, well, are we drinking? Kian's mam Mary just pulled out a bottle of the good stuff. An eighteen-year-old Macallan."

"Good ol' Mary, bless that woman." Drew laid a dramatic hand on his heart.

Lachlan continued to look at Violet while his brothers nattered around them. The corners of his mouth were tilted in a heart-stopping smile. Her head was spinning.

"He's not wrong ye ken,” he said, as if it were only her and him, and then he dipped his head to give her a swift fleeting kiss that still had the power to set off fireworks low in her belly. Lord, help her. She was as changeable as the wind because right now, with every fiber of her being, all she wanted was the man towering over her with a sexy twinkle in his eyes, looking at her like she was a slice of artisan cheesecake on a jailbird's lunch tray.

Chapter 52

Drunken Haze and The Light of Day

Lachlancouldn'thavebeenhappier that Violet was there at The Coo's House. They still hadn't had much chance to talk. When they got back to the bar, Fiona was there waiting, and she and Violet chatted for a bit before Fiona went off with some other friends who'd arrived. He couldn't take his eyes off Violet. She was so beautiful, and seeing her interact with her brothers made him feel a sense of pride. She was intelligent and engaging, and her brothers seemed to enjoy her company and vice versa. Not that it surprised him, but he liked that she fit in so easily.

Drew had been chatting with her for the past ten minutes or so, and as Lachlan watched, it occurred to him he might not have decked Drew hard enough the first time. He overheard him asking Violet where she'd gotten her gorgeous blond locks. That was somethingheshould be asking her, not his damn flirty brother.

And when he touched the ends of her hair, Lachlan's fists clenched. Before he could go over there and pound the shite out of Drew, Alex threw an arm around his bunched shoulders. "Dinnae fash, Brother. Ye ken Drew is always the flirt. It doesnae mean anything. It’s his nature. Besides, ye can see she is no' falling prey to his charms. It's obvious she only has eyes for ye."

"Easy for ye to say. It's no' yer woman he's flirting with." Lachlan was still pissed at Drew. Although he had noticed Violet looked his way often, and it pleased him.

Alex arched a brow at him. "I dinnae think I'd ever see the day where Saint Lachlan was possessive over a lass.”

It was true. Before Violet found her way into his heart, he hadn’t had a possessive, jealous bone in his body, but some primordial part of him told him she belonged to him—plain and simple. Drew had leaned in and whispered something in Violet's ear, and she threw her head back and laughed.

"Och, that does it." Lachlan chucked back the remainder of his drink and stepped in front of Drew, shooting him a warning glare as he did, and then he scooped up Violet into his arms before sitting back down on the stool she'd been on, with her now securely on his lap—where she belonged.

She was laughing breathlessly. The sound danced over his skin, making him hunger for her. He nuzzled against her ear, breathing in her sweet vanilla scent, savouring the feel of her on his lap. This was much better.

"What was my brother whispering to ye?" he asked, feeling calmer now that she was in his arms.

She looked at him, taking his face in her hands, and a grin spread across her beautiful face.

"He told me you were thinking about ways to kill him and that I should laugh at what he was saying and watch how you reacted.”

Lachlan shot his eyes back to his little brother, who gave him the cheekiest grin and lifted his glass in salute.

"Bawbag," Lachlan muttered.

Drew laughed good-naturedly, turning back to talk with Alex.

Violet's finger slipped through the unbuttoned top of his shirt and stroked gently against his chest, and he brought his gaze back to hers. She looked serious despite her soft stroking that both calmed and aroused him.

"What is it, V?" he asked.

"I know this might not be the right time or place, but I just need some answers, Lachlan.”

"Aye, of course. Ask me anything. I'm an open book for ye lass.”

She looked as if she were trying to formulate the right words, and Lachlan decided it might be better to just start at the beginning and explain what he could about why he'd been so off. "After I left ye the other morning, I had a message from my mam. Orlagh was in the hospital." The words were stuck in his throat even now.

"Oh my God." Violet tensed in his arms, her eyes searching his, concern etched on her beautiful features.

"She's okay," he quickly assured her. "But she hadn't been that day." Lachlan managed to explain to Violet about the hellish week with Orlagh.

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