Page 146 of Lovers' Dance

“Fine, and your family’s distillery?”

“Aye, all’s well at the moment,” McGregor said. His gaze returned to Madi and Matt felt the strongest urge to punch the man when he let his eyes roam over Madi’s body. Matt moved ever so slightly, turning a fraction into her. McGregor’s gaze flew upwards and a light flush of embarrassment covered his face as he immediately avoided Matt’s look. Tosser. Did he think Matt wouldn’t notice?

Madi nudged Matt with a giggle falling from her luscious lips. “Dougie’s accent is cool, Matt. Like the great Sean Connery.”

“Och, lass, ye cannae mean that.” McGregor’s Scottish drawl became more prominent and Madi’s face lit up. “I’ve met him, ken. When I was a wee laddie. Almost pissed meself from fright.”

Madi laughed and glanced up at Matt, brown eyes sparkling. Matt’s mouth curled up at the edges at her expression. So bloody beautiful she was. And all his.

“Why don’t ye both join us tonight?” McGregor asked, gaze jumping between Madi and Matt. “Ye like whiskey, aye Madi? My family makes the best whiskey in all of Scotland.”

“No, thank you,” Matt said immediately. “We have plans.”

“Some other time then?” McGregor asked. “I promised the wee lass a taste of haggis, neeps and tatties. She hasnae lived until she’s tried Scottish food with a dram of whiskey at the side.”

Matt arched an unamused eyebrow at McGregor. The arse. He was an Oxford graduate and perfectly capable of speaking without his native vernacular. He only emphasized it to delight Madi, and she was delighted, Matt noticed.

“Another time, Dougal,” Matt said in a voice that brooked no argument, stepping away and drawing Madi with him.

“Aye, another time then,” McGregor said, eyes resting on Madi as she murmured goodbye to the group. “That’s a bonnie lass ye got there, Matt.”

“Yes, I know,” Matt responded curtly, before saying goodbye and ushering Madi away. When they were out of earshot, Matt leaned down to mutter in her ear, “Dougie? You have a nickname for McGregor? You just met the man.”

She shrugged and pointed out Bella and Nathan to him. “He’s funny and has the cutest accent. He said I could call him that. What does ‘ken’ mean?”

“It means ‘know’, and I ken you have his card in your purse, poppet.”

She twisted her head to peer at him, a mischievous grin on her face. “Are you jealous?”

“Aye,” Matt muttered sarcastically, beckoning to Nathan. “You know I am, poppet.”

Madi turned into his body, offering her mouth to him in that sexy pout of hers. Matt claimed her lips ferociously, not caring they were in full view of everyone and, seconds later, forgetting they weren’t alone. Her mouth. Bloody hell. He could happily spend forever kissing her.

A loud, piercing whistle broke him out of the intoxicating haze he’d fallen into. Matt raised his head slowly, eyes fixated on her moist lips. Thoroughly kissed—that was what her mouth looked like. Another wolf whistle came from not too far behind him, and Matt reluctantly moved back.

“Wow, Matt,” she whispered, gazing up at him with wide eyes. “I think we have an audience.”

Matt shrugged. “Sod them, poppet. Let’s get out of here.”

Twenty minutes later, the four of them were back in his car and driving through Central London.

“Matt.” His poppet twisted in her seat. “Aren’t most of the access points to the Thames closed off in Central London?”

“The boat is waiting for us at Westminster pier, poppet.”

Her expression of eagerness filled him with satisfaction. This was a great idea and Matt was thinking of their next date and how he would top this one. By the time they arrived at their destination, she was buzzing with excitement and linking arms with Bella as they clicked down the pier in their heels. Nathan exchanged a wry look with Matt as Bella began an impassioned conversation with Madi about the architectural history of Westminster and the surrounding buildings.

“The girls are enjoying themselves,” Nathan mused quietly. “This is nice, Matt. Feels like forever since we’ve done something like this.”

“Feels like forever since I’ve had the urge to do anything like this,” Matt quipped, eyeing the ramp and Madi’s confident strides. She walked fearlessly, trusting her step, no matter how high her heels. Matt liked that.

“Bella has taken a shine to Madi,” Nathan said softly, a pensive look on his face. “You’d better watch out. She’s charged me with the job of keeping you on the straight and narrow this time around.”

Matt jerked to a stop. “I beg your pardon? What’s that supposed to mean?”

Nathan chuckled under his breath, and nudged him forward. “She warned me if you fell into your usual womanizing habits while seeing Madi, she’ll never forgive you. You know Bella can hold a grudge.”

Matt grumbled under his breath, annoyed and a tad ashamed at what Nathan had confided. He pushed the thought aside. That was his past; Madi was his future, and the idea of him cheating on her was ridiculous. He wanted her, no other woman could compare. She had ruined him for anyone else and he was fine with that.

---