Highland Fling (12 page)

Aleck looked equally uncomfortable. “I did. Delonna works with me and was in need of a holiday.”

His dad cleared his throat. “Oh, aye, of course. So you’re…ehm, let’s see, you’re friends?”

Delonna held her breath. How the hell was he going to answer that? You didn’t screw your friends every possible chance. But they weren’t a couple, were they? She snuck a glance at Aleck and was stunned to see his neck was turning red. Interesting.

“We’re, uh, well we’re—”

“Oh for goodness sake, it’s none of our bloody business, Rodrick,” Brenda interrupted in exasperation. But then she paused and her gaze swung to Delonna. “That is unless you’re about to surprise us with another grandchild?”

Delonna nearly choked on her beef. “What?
No
.”

“Shite, really, Ma?”

“
No
!” Delonna emphasized, a little panicked now.

“I was just askin’,” Brenda said innocently, her eyes dancing. “And don’t be swearin’ at your mother.”

Aleck glanced Delonna’s way, shooting her a silent apology.

“Well, no need to rush on a baby,” Rodrick said cheerfully. “We’ve got little Ben now to tide us over for a bit. And I cannot wait to meet the little lad on our next trip to the States.”

“You’ll love him. Your grandson is adorable,” Delonna said quickly, latching on to the chance to change the subject from a potential baby in her uterus.

Brenda beamed. “Aye, we’ve seen him when we had a Skype session with Sarah and Ian last week. He’s got the McLaughlin green eyes, he does.”

“He really does.” Delonna glanced at Aleck. Ben’s eyes were the same beautiful shade as his uncle’s.

He caught her gaze and her stomach did a little dance as something silent passed between them. There was a shuffle of movement and they both swung their attention to Aleck’s dad who struggled to get out of his chair.

“What are you about? We’ve just sat down,” Brenda said in exasperation.

“I need to use the bathroom,” he grumbled, a sheen of sweat breaking out on his brow.

Aleck brushed aside his mother who tried to rise, and moved to his dad’s side instead, helping the older man despite the protests.

Delonna watched the two and saw the same stubbornness in father in son. They were similar in not only appearance, but also personality, she’d begun to realize.

She took a moment to glance over Rodrick, and had an idea what Aleck would look like in a good twenty-five years or so. His father must’ve been around sixty. His hair was mostly gray now, though still held a fair amount of black. His face was weathered, but still handsome. His forehead wrinkled in an area that showed he might be prone to scowling just as much as his son. Though there were lines around his mouth that said he didn’t hesitate to laugh as well.

“Be back in a moment,” Aleck called out as they disappeared down the hall.

“He’s rather good with his father,” Brenda murmured.

Delonna nodded. “He is.”

“Much more patient than I am.”

“Well, you’ve had a lot on your plate. I’m sure you’re much more patient than you give yourself credit for.”

Brenda took a sip of the beer in her hand and gave Delonna a considering look. “How long have you known my son?” she asked.

Shifting in her seat, Delonna gave a small smile. “Oh, well, a few years, I suppose. I’ve worked at the pub for a while now.”

“Aye.” Brenda nodded, her speculative gaze missing nothing. “I’m quite surprised he brought you here, honestly.”

“I am too. It’s not cheap—”

“It’s not the money, so much. It’s just that you’re the first woman I’ve ever seen Aleck spend anytime with besides his sister or sisters-in-law.” Brenda paused, her brows drawing together. “There was just Cassie, but that was ages ago.”

Cassie? Was this the ex Kenzie had begun to mention last week? The girlfriend from Aleck’s past?

Before she could ask, or his mom could elaborate, the men began to return from the bathroom. Delonna could hear the slide of the walker in the hallway.

Brenda stood and went to pull out her husband’s chair. Despite all the bickering from earlier, it was sweet to see the kiss she pressed against her husband’s temple when he was seated again. And the way he caught her hand and pressed a kiss to the knuckles.

Delonna’s heart warmed a little, and she turned her attention back to her food, feeling almost intrusive on the tender moment.

When dinner had ended, they sat in the living room for a bit, chatting, before the evening began to wind up.

“Did you want a break, Ma?” Aleck asked. “We’ll stay with Da if you wanted to head to the pub for a pint?”

Delonna had assumed his mother had been joking, but glancing at Brenda, she saw the other woman was clearly considering it.

“Not tonight, son,” she finally said. “But if you don’t mind coming over tomorrow, it’ll give me a chance to run to the grocer.”

“Of course we will,” Delonna answered, before Aleck could. “We’ll bring breakfast. Find a bakery with something tasty.”

“Oh, if you’d pick up Starbucks, that’d be lovely!” His mother’s eyes lit up.

“Starbucks?” Delonna repeated, a little surprised.

“Aye, there’s one on the Royal Mile, not far from here. I do enjoy a good mocha.”

“Oh, of course. We’ll grab some, um, Starbucks.”

Delonna couldn’t help but smile. She’d come all the way from the Seattle area and her official first breakfast in Scotland was going to be from Starbucks.

“But I’m sorry to say that we’re a bit tired tonight,” Brenda murmured. “Why don’t you kids go out and have some fun. Visit your cousin at his pub.”

“Your cousin owns a pub too?” Delonna glanced at Aleck.

“Aye. It’s all in the family.” He gave a lazy smile. “And I did promise we’d stop by if possible.”

“Well I’m game if you are.”

“Go,” Brenda encouraged. “Have fun.”

“Have a pint for me,” Rodrick agreed. “Your ma is being quite stingy on allowing me my drink.”

“You can’t be mixing alcohol with your meds, luv.”

“Bah. I’ll not believe that for a moment.”

“Right, then.” Aleck hesitated. “Well, if you’re sure you don’t mind?”

“Go.” Brenda waved them away. “We’ll see you in the morning.”

Chapter Thirteen

The pub, it turned out, was within walking distance. The autumn night was chilly, but dry fortunately. Really, the climate didn’t seem altogether that different from the Pacific Northwest.

Delonna was still drinking it all in, and glanced up in surprise as Aleck caught her hand, lacing his fingers through hers.

“You were quite charming with my parents.”

“Was I?”

“Aye.”

“Well, they’re lovely people.”

“They can be obnoxious. Like with that grandchild comment.”

“Oh yes.” She grinned. “That part where they not-so-tentatively threw out there that you may have knocked me up?”

Aleck didn’t smile in response. If anything he seemed a little sobered by the conversation.

“Aye, that part,” he muttered. “Sometimes they jump right over the line of discretion in the sand.”

“I completely get it. I have parents too.” She squeezed his hand in encouragement as they made their way carefully over the cobbled streets. “So what’s your cousin like?”

“Hmm. He’s a bit like Kenzie, personality wise, but with a penis.” He grinned now. “He’s blunt. Funny. Blithe. A nice bloke really. He’ll unintentionally insult you at some point tonight.”

“I’m not easily insulted.” She glanced around the buildings they walked between. At night the old city seemed even more gothic and haunted maybe. A shiver ran through her, and it wasn’t entirely from the cold.

Surprisingly, it was quiet with only a few people out and about, even though it wasn’t yet seven.

“Are you tired?” Aleck asked softly.

“No, I’ve got a second wind now. I’m too excited to be here. And I think I got enough sleep on the flight to hold me a few more hours.”

“Me too. Actually, one moment.” He stopped suddenly, causing her to nearly stumble on the uneven streets.

“What is it?”

“This.” He backed her up against a cold, craggy building and caught her mouth with his own.

Her breath caught and she looped her arms around his neck, her tongue slipping out to stroke against his. The kiss was lazy and unhurried, as exploratory as it was gentle.

There was something so utterly romantic and whimsical about kissing someone in a foreign city. Especially a fascinating medieval city like Edinburgh.

When he lifted his head, her heart was skipping a bit quicker and happiness was riding through her blood.

“That was nice,” she said softly.

“Aye.” He brushed another light kiss against her lips. “I’ve missed kissing you.”

“You kissed me when we arrived at the flat.”

“That was this morning.” He smiled. “I want you, Lana. And if it wasn’t so damn cold, I’d likely take you in one of these wynds.”

“What’s a wynd?”

“The alleys between these buildings, luv.”

“I see. And, no, you wouldn’t.” She shook her head and drew a finger down his chest. “You’d never risk getting caught breaking the rules. Despite your bad-boy antics, you’re a pretty good guy.”

“Bad boy, you say?”

“Mmm.”

“You think I’m a bad boy?”

“I don’t know, would a straight-and-narrow guy screw his employee on the pool table?”

His eyes closed and a shudder ripped through him. “Christ, Lana, I’d rather not go see me cousin with a bloody hard-on.”

“Me cousin?” That distracted her. “Off the plane not even a day and your Scottish dialect is already back in full force.”

“It tends to do that. And look how brilliantly you changed the subject.”

“Well…” She shrugged innocently and glanced down at his crotch. “I was trying to play nice and not get a rise out of you again—”

“Not helping here.”

She stood on her tiptoes and nibbled on his earlobe. “Let’s go check out your cousin’s pub, and I promise to take care of your hard-on later.”

“
Lana
.” He hissed.

Laughing, she tugged at his hand and they started off down the street again.

Shite, but this woman kept him on his toes. Kept him always hungry for her, and enjoying life in a way he hadn’t in, well, maybe ever.

Aleck led her through the small, quiet streets of Old Town Edinburgh and finally to the pub inside one of the buildings.

Fortunately, the last few minutes—and imagining hairy, mean nuns from his childhood—had brought his erection back under control.

They opened the door to the pub and walked inside, and it was only seconds before they were spotted.

“Aleck McLaughlin.” His cousin’s voice rang out. “You dos cunt! Welcome home.”

“Did he just call you a cunt?” Delonna whispered, looking stricken. “Because I’m about to be genuinely offended on your behalf.”

“Oh, don’t be, luv. It’s an endearment,” he said briskly.

“Seriously?” She shot him a look of disbelief. “What the hell kind of endear—”

“Ted! How the fook are you, cousin?” Aleck released her hand to give his equally tall and burly relative a hug.

“I’m very weel. Life is good and I can’t complain. So good to see you abandon your Yankee life for a bit to come see family.” Ted’s smile widened as he looked at Delonna. “And who’s this lovely lass? You’ve gone and got yourself a girlfriend, have you?” The man demanded, his gaze sweeping over her. “Not bad. Not bad at all.”

Delonna blinked, and then said, “I am right here, you realize.”

“Aye, you are. I can’t quite stop looking actually. That jumper does lovely things to your—
oof
.” He broke off as Aleck smacked him in the back of the head.

Christ, if Delonna had picked up the fact that Ted was about to compliment her breasts, she showed no sign of it. Maybe just a little amused, actually.

“Stop while you’re ahead, Ted. It’s fookin’ good to see you, man. Been far too long. Now pour my arse a whisky. Neat. It’s been a long day of travel.”

“Not a problem. And you, lass, what’ll you have?”

She scanned the menu above the bar. “I’ll take one of your ciders, please.”

“A cider and whisky for the lovely couple.” Ted moved behind the bar and prepared their drinks.

“Not so different than our pub, hmm?” Delonna murmured, glancing around. “Although…Aleck, there are dogs in here.”

His lips twitched. “Aye.”

“Not like medical dogs, but like regular pets.”

“Mmm hmm.”

“Do you see that?” She leaned toward him and lowered her voice. “There’s a super fat pug that I’m pretty sure is sharing an order of fish and chips with a dude back there.”

“Aye, we allow dogs in the pub,” Ted said with a grin, returning with their drinks. “It’s not so uncommon here, you see.”

“Apparently.” She took a sip of her cider and made a sound of content. “Even better when you’re drinking this while
in
Scotland.”

“Not a dog person, is she?” Ted asked Aleck. “More into the cats?”

Aleck shrugged. “I think she swings both ways.”

Delonna eyed them both suspiciously. “Did this conversation just get dirty?”

“Dirty?” Ted slid a round glass that matched Aleck’s her way. It was filled two fingers high with an amber liquid.

“She’s a filthy mind, Ted. Best not go there.”

“I do not have a filthy mind,” she sputtered, elbowing him in the ribs. “Okay, maybe a little. What is this?” She lifted the glass. “Aleck ordered the whisky, not me.”

“Scotch whisky, lass. Highland Park. We’re all having a toast.”

She raised a brow. “This is classy stuff.”

“Aye, only the best for me cousin and his new lass.” Ted winked and poured himself a glass. “Cheers, mates.”

Aleck lifted his glass. “Cheers.”

Delonna echoed the toast and then they all sipped and enjoyed their whisky. No amateur hour of tossing it back like the customers at the pub back on the island.

“That was fantastic.” She set the glass down a moment later. “Thank you, Ted.”

He nodded. “Glad you liked it.”

“And I actually
am
a dog person, so if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go say hello to that pub-crashing pooch.”

They watched her stride off and kneel beside the dog, having no problem striking up a conversation with the owner, it seemed.

“Well if she isn’t a wee cheeky thing.” Ted shook his head. “Pretty as fook too, cousin.”

“Aye.”

“You’d better marry her quick, or someone else will.”

Aleck froze and he curled his fingers around the empty glass. Why did it always come back to relationships? To marriage? Then again, he shouldn’t have expected anything less when he’d brought Delonna to Edinburgh.

He’d never even brought a girl to dinner until last week when Delonna had come along. But then he’d had a reason then. To keep her safe. And that was also the reason he’d brought her to Edinburgh. Well, part of it. The other part was him imagining over a week without her in his bed.

“No marriage,” he said with a brief smile. “We’re not that serious, really.”

“No? You’re quite certain?” Ted looked amused now.

“Aye.”

“Hmm. Then you’ll not mind that Jeffrey seems quite taken with her.”

Jeffrey? Aleck swung his attention back to where Delonna seemed more interested in the dog’s owner now. She laughed at something he said and pushed her blonde braid over her shoulder, reaching down to pet the dog again.

The bastart Jeffrey kept talking, but Aleck didn’t miss the way the man ran an interested gaze over her. Lingering on her large chest that Ted had nearly pointed out earlier as well.

Fook it all
.

“She’s just the friendly sort,” Aleck muttered, trying to keep his words casual.

They were sleeping together, that was it. It shouldn’t bother him the least if she chose to flirt with another fellow.

“Aye, I can see just how friendly she is. Chatting with about five blokes now.”

The hell she was. Jaw going tight, he reluctantly glanced over his shoulder again. Sure enough, there were six, not five, men crowded around Delonna and laughing. It was as if this Jeffrey wanker had invited his mates over to join the fun.

“How long are you here for?” Ted asked. “Will you have time to drop by and see me family?”

“We’re here for just a week, but yes, let Marie know we’d love to come visit.”

“She’ll be thrilled. Give us a moment, while I help this fella.” Ted moved down the bar counter to talk to another customer.

Aleck didn’t mind, because it gave him a moment to glance back at Delonna. She was laughing and interacting with the men quite easily. He’d always assumed her friendliness was just part of the job, but clearly her personable chatter went beyond bartending. He shouldn’t have been surprised.

As he continued to watch, the bloke who’d just been up at the bar ordering something from Ted returned to the group and handed Delonna a drink.

Another bloody man joining the group and trying to get her tossed. He heard her weak protest, but the man brushed it off, and a moment later she accepted the beer.

“Careful, Aleck, your jealousy is showing.”

“Jealous?” He gave a hard shrug. “Delonna’s a grown woman, she’ll do as she pleases. At the end of the night, I know whose bed she’ll be in.”

Ted winced. “Och, but that’s a bit crass. Even for you.”

It was, and he hated that he’d said such a stupid remark aloud. He hated even more that his cousin was right, and he was experiencing a remarkable amount of jealousy for someone he was supposed to just be sleeping with.

His cousin began to whistle, and though not completely familiar with pop music, Aleck was pretty certain he recognized that Beyonce song about “putting a ring on it” or some such shite.

Scowling, he tapped his glass on the counter and muttered, “Stop winding me up and pour me another one of these, you dos cunt.”

His cousin threw back his head, laughed, and then went to grab the whisky.

Maybe she shouldn’t have accepted that drink from the new guy, Delonna mused.

What was his name? Kevin? She’d drunk the whisky, and then that cider, and now with a beer she was starting to feel really good. Like, really good.

She sat in a chair with the men, listening to them joke and chat. At first she’d felt a bit guilty at not returning to Aleck after going to visit the dog. But when she’d seen him laughing and chatting with Ted, she figured he’d probably want a few minutes to catch up with his cousin.

Besides, these guys here were harmless. Talking about their dogs, whisky and of course, asking questions about America and how did she like Scotland. Oh she liked it just fine, even though she’d only been here for a half a day and hadn’t seen too much.

She didn’t mind keeping dialog light and just listening to them talk though. She could pretty much close her eyes and hear a Scot talk all day. Their accents were fabulous. She told them as much after her third drink.

“We’ve no accents, you’ve the accent, lass,” one protested with a loud belly laugh.

“Aye,” another chimed in. “I knew she was American the moment I heard her at the bar.”

“Yes, my apologies.” She grinned and rubbed the doggy behind the ears again. The pug had shockingly abandoned his fish and chips in favor of her attention.

It was a different dynamic than the regulars at McLaughlin’s Pub. Not that she didn’t love McLaughlin’s. She did. But there was something a little more down to earth at the pubs around here. Personable.

She was having a blast. Though a quick glance back at the bar counter found Aleck was now watching her, and he didn’t seem all too pleased. Maybe it looked bad. Like she had a male harem or something.

“Well, thanks for letting me hang out for a while. I’d better get back to my…” Was she allowed to say boyfriend? Was Aleck her boyfriend?

No, idiot, sleeping with someone does not make them your boyfriend. You’d need to have “the talk” first.

“Aleck McLaughlin? She’s Aleck’s girl?” one of the men asked, disappointment lacing his words.

“I’m here with Aleck, yes.” It was a safe response.

“Och, there goes any chance you had, Ernie.”

As the general ribbing continued, Delonna made her way back to the bar and sat down on the stool next to Aleck.

“Having fun?”

“Yes,” she answered, completely honest. She gave a slow laugh and shook her head. “A hell of a lot of fun, actually. I love it here. You run a fantastic pub, Ted.”