52. Chapter 52
Chapter 52
Drunken Haze and The Light of Day
Lachlan couldn't have been happier 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 something he should 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.
"I would have been there for you, you know. I could have helped with taking care of Sally or listening or anything really,” Violet said, and he loved her for it.
"I should huv talked to ye. I thought about it so many times last week. I wanted to tell ye, let ye in, but at the same time, it's like I didnae want anything to put a damper on the beautiful thing between us. I felt so helpless last week. I didn't even ken how to tell ye about it.”
"I suppose I can understand that. I can't imagine what you all went through. But just so you know, you can tell me anything, Lachlan. I will be here for you."
He looked up into her mossy green eyes, and his heart felt cracked wide open. God, how he adored her. His hand found the nape of her neck, and he pulled her mouth to his, needing to taste the whisky off her lips. And as soon as he did, she opened her mouth to him, and he swept his tongue against hers, tightening his grip on her in his lap.
"Oi, ye two."
Lachlan cracked an eye open and saw Drew's grinning face, far too close to his and Violet’s for Lachlan’s liking.
"Time to get a room, aye?"
Violet snorted, hiding her face in Lachlan's shoulder.
A short time later, they'd said their goodbyes, gotten in an Uber, and arrived at Lachlan’s. After letting Sally out, he slid his fingers through hers, holding her hand in his and led her upstairs to his bedroom. It was hard to believe it was only this morning she'd kissed him goodbye in this very room and then some. They both washed up and got into bed. They lay side by side, looking at each other in the darkness.
Violet's head was spinning a bit from the cask-strength whisky she'd drunk, and she could tell she wasn’t the only one feeling its effects. It was a comfy, lazy sort of buzzed state they found themselves in.
"Do ye ken how glad I am ye are here with me, lass?" Lachlan said.
And it felt good when she realized that she did. There wasn't a doubt in her fuzzy, drunken mind. She leaned in and kissed his lips in the darkness, and he sighed against them and then laid his head with his nose against her neck, and he breathed her in. That was the last thing she recalled before falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Violet awoke to the sun streaking across her face through Lachlan's bedroom window. She felt a touch of a headache, but it was better than she imagined. She glanced over and grabbed the water she only now remembered Lachlan had put on the nightstand for her—he was always taking care of her. She gulped it back and then lay back down, stretching with a smile on her face as she looked over at the thoughtful, handsome man sleeping beside her.
Tucking her hands together beneath her pillow, she studied his face. Morning stubble graced his strong jaw, and his Adam’s apple bobbed slightly with his steady breathing. His nose was strong and straight with slightly flared nostrils. His lashes fanned out against his skin. She loved to see his dark brows quirk in an arch, and his lips? Oh, those lips of his… She wanted them on her.
As if hearing her thoughts, he stirred. His cerulean blue eyes opened, and his lips lifted into his crooked smile. "Good morning.”
"Good morning," she said back as they lay watching each other in what felt like some kind of warm love bubble.
There was no denying it. She loved him with every ounce of her being, and she was certain that he had strong feelings for her, too. Perhaps love, like Drew had said, but in the light of day, was it true? Did Lachlan love her? Maybe. She was going to try not to get hung up on it. She felt so much better knowing why he had gone MIA last week, and she didn't blame him. She couldn't imagine the trauma of what he and his family had endured. It was a relief that his sister Orlagh was going to be okay.
Violet still had one thing niggling her, though.