The pub is fucking crowded tonight, and I almost regret coming out with Alex. But when we’re not working—the tattoo shop is closed every weekend—it can be a bit lonely to hang around at home all the time. I don’t do that well with silence. I prefer the company and sound of people around me instead.

Silence can roar louder when you’re alone than when you’re surrounded by people.

Silence makes you remember the things you’d rather forget.

When he texted me earlier, asking if I wanted to join him again tonight, I jumped at the opportunity. Plus, I wanted to get away from Lise for a while as she kept going on and on about her new horse, Daffodil. I’m happy for her, but when she mentioned the farm, I started to think about Laura again—about her mouth, and what it must feel like to kiss her—and that’s not good for my peace of mind, that’s for sure.

As I sit at the bar, still waiting for Alex, I can’t help but grin at the young fools currently singing along with the folk band on the small stage. You have to hand it to the Scots. They know how to let down their hair and have a good time.

I turn in my seat and jerk my chin at the girl manning the bar tonight. I think her name is Hannah, but I’m not too sure.

“One more, please.” I swallow the last of my beer and hand her my empty glass.

She gives me a flirtatious smile and nods.

“You’ve got it. Waiting for your date to turn up?”

I grin at her. I like her wild, red curls and the way small tendrils escape her ponytail, dancing across her collarbone. Her black T-shirt fits her small frame perfectly.

“I’m just waiting for a friend to arrive.”

She wets her lips as she hands me the new beer. She rests her arms on the bar, and my eyes can’t help but fall down to her tits as they’re pushed together.

Damn. Those are quite a handful.

“I get off at one,” she says. “Will you still be around then?” The flirtatious glint in her eyes is hard to dismiss.

And yet, I hesitate.

“It’s Hannah, isn’t it?” I ask instead, avoiding her question. When she nods, her eyes warm, I try not to feel bad about turning her down.

“Look,” I start, scratching at the old wooden bar. “I’m sort of interested in someone else at the moment, but if that ends up not going anywhere, I’d like to ask you out some other time. You good with that?”

She tilts her head at me. “Well, that’s bad luck for me, but I understand. And yes, I’m good with that. Just let me know.”

“Thanks.”

I blow out a relieved breath when she’s interrupted by another customer at the other end of the bar. Relieved and satisfied with the decision I came to last night—taking it easy on hooking up with anyone for a while—I relax in my seat. I don’t have to wait long before Alex appears next to me.

He claps my shoulder. “Sorry I’m late. I had to help my dad.”

I nod, understanding. “No problem.”

Regret seeps into my bones when I think about Alex’s dad. He suffers from MS and is confined to a wheelchair, but he refuses to leave his home and relies a lot on my friend. It can’t be easy, but every time I’ve asked Alex if he needs any help, he shuts me down. I don’t know why, but I don’t push. We don’t have that kind of relationship yet.

“Aaah, finally,” Alex mutters as he takes the beer from another barmaid. He winks at her, and I chuckle at the fact that he didn’t even have to tell her what draught to get him. “Time to find some pussy and fuck her brains out.”

I laugh. “I see you’ve got your game on tonight, my friend.”

He waggles his eyebrows at me. “That is true. I need to forget what a shitty week it’s been.”

I frown at him and open my mouth to ask him what’s wrong, when he looks over my shoulder, whistling under his breath.

“Well, bloody hell. The object of my desires just walked through the fucking door,” he breathes.

Confused, I turn in my seat, and I can’t help but admire the view and the attractive blonde who just entered the pub. I shuffle in my seat and raise my eyes back at my friend.

“You know her?”

Alex nods slowly.

“Yeah. I did her tattoo a while back, and I can’t get her out of my mind. Her name’s Trish, and I’ve never seen a creature as gorgeous as her before.”

I snort as he rubs his fist over his heart.

“Aren’t you a bit dramatic?” I grin at him, but then turn my head to look at her more closely. I can’t say I’m surprised Alex is taken with her. She’s wearing a cute, black dress that hugs her curves in all the right places, and lots of silvery bracelets on her wrists. But my smile freezes when the woman behind her comes into clear view.

“Fuck me,” Alex curses.

“You can say that again,” I mutter.

Shit, it’s Laura. Again. This is getting too bizarre. She’s wearing black skinny jeans that make her legs seem to go on for-fucking-ever despite her short frame and some kind of halter-neck top that looks as green as moss. Her hair is piled high on top of her head again, making my fingers itch to feel whether it’s as soft to the touch as it looks. As she takes off her black jacket, she scans the bar, and my pulse skips when her gaze lands on me. Her movements jerk to a stop as her eyes widen in surprise, and her mouth pops open.

I smile slowly at her, thrilled I seem to have the same effect on her as she has on me.

“Alex, do you believe in fate?” I ask, keeping my eyes locked on Laura as she scowls at me.

Fuck. Now she’s cute, too.

“Hell, no, but I think I’m about to,” he grumbles.

I glance at him briefly as he stands up and I grin before I look back at the women. Laura raises her head, the scowl still marring her lips. Despite the distance between us, I can still see the stubborn glint in her eyes.

Challenge fucking accepted.

“Me, too, my friend. Me, too.”

Laura turns to say something to her friend, and I brace, prepared to run after them if they decide to leave the pub. To my surprise, her friend begins to laugh as she shakes her head, and she latches on to Laura’s left hand, dragging her behind her. I watch as they go to find a table at the other end of the pub, turning in my seat so I don’t lose sight of them.

This is going to be an interesting night.

* * *

“Trish,” I hiss loudly as she drags me behind her. Her fingers feel like talons on my wrist, preventing me from running in the other direction. “Let me go. We’ll go to another pub.”

“No way, babe.” She turns her head and I roll my eyes at the wink she gives me. “I want a nice gin & tonic, and then you can tell me why that piece of delicious man candy freaks you out so much.”

We come to a stop at a small table for two and I finally find myself free of her grasp. She nudges me in my back and points at the wide, black armchair against the wall. It overlooks the pub, giving me the perfect view of Kristian and his friend.

Frowning, I shake my head.

“You take that seat, and I’ll sit here.”

“Nope.”

Another nudge, this time more persistent, and I have to wedge myself between the small tables to prevent myself from falling flat on my arse.

“You’re so annoying,” I grumble as I sit down, huffing with annoyance. “Besides, there’s nothing to tell.”

Trish takes her wallet and then hands me her clutch. I place it underneath my jacket, half sitting on it.

“No, I’m not,” she trills at me, her eyes dancing with mirth. “Now, wait here, and I’ll go get us our drinks. Don’t move.”

Sighing, I nod, keeping my eyes downcast. I daren’t look up, giving Kristian the satisfaction of seeing how much he’s rattled me. I cross my legs, my feet screaming to be let out of the death traps I’ve squeezed them into. The black, pointy suede boots are cute, and an early birthday present from Trish when she showed up at the farm earlier in the evening. I knew I shouldn’t have worn them out tonight, but I didn’t have the heart to tell her no when she asked me to keep them on.

Guess I’ll just have to sit down all evening.

Crap.

A gin & tonic is placed before me. I swallow the thank you I’m about to say when I notice the masculine, tattooed, and very big hand on the glass.

That’s not Trish’s hands. I look at the tattoos on the man’s knuckles and my heart begins to pound in my ears as I recognise the script. Of their own will, my eyes follow the lines of the gaping wolf as it grins up at me, and my heart skips a beat.

My head snaps up as the chair in front of me is pulled out, and I frown at Kristian as he sits down.

“My friend, Alex, stole your friend,” he says as he sits back in his seat. “She told me to get you your drink and keep you company for a spell.”

My lips turn down as I glance up at the bar.

When Trish lifts her glass at me, her hand resting lightly on Alex’s chest, I want to get up from my seat and throttle her.

Traitor, I mouth at her. Her smile turns into laughter as she winks at me.

“Well, it would seem I don’t have a choice in the matter,” I mumble as I take the drink. I almost wince at the sharp taste of gin, and I remind myself to take it easy tonight.

“There’s always a choice,” Kristian’s low voice catches my attention. I narrow my eyes at him. The intense honesty staring back at me makes my belly dip. “If you really want me to go, just say so, and I’ll be out the door. But let me apologise first.”

I blink slowly. “For what?”

He purses his lips and leans forward, resting his arms on the table, a sheepish grin on his lips.

“For being an arrogant prick yesterday.”

Wow. I didn’t see that one coming.

“Which time?” I look him dead in the eye, completely serious.

He grins at me.

Oh, no, not the dimples again.

“All of them.” He shrugs. “I still think you lied when you said you aren’t interested, but –,” he looks down, holding his hands up towards me, “– I shouldn’t have tried to bait you into kissing me.”

I tilt my head at him.

“Apology accepted.”

His eyes follow my hand as I lift my glass to my lips.

“I still want to kiss you, though.”

I sputter as the drink goes down the wrong way, making me cough.

“What?” I squeak, gasping for breath at the same time. “You can’t just say that to me. I’m a complete stranger.”

“I disagree. From what I’ve seen so far, I know that you’re a great mother. You wouldn’t work at the farm if you didn’t love the animals. And that tells me that while your heart may be soft, you’re also a great businesswoman.”

I gape at him, completely stunned.

The sight of the warmth in his eyes does really weird things to my insides. It also makes me remember how turned on I was last night.

I shake my head a little as I snap out of my stupor.

“Well, thanks. I think. But that doesn’t mean that you’ll get your way with me. I meant what I said, Kristian. I’m not interested in anything with anyone right now.”

He shrugs as he sits back in his seat.

“Well, fair enough, I guess. But…”

He hesitates and crosses his arms over his chest.

“But what?” I frown at him, trying to anticipate his next move.

“How about we try to become friends, at least?”

“Friends?” I squint at him. I don’t buy the earnest look in his eyes, but I have to admit that my curiosity is piqued.

“Yes. I don’t know many people in Scotland, and even though I won’t be here for longer than six months or so, I’d like to make some friends while I’m here. If not, it can get pretty lonely, and no one likes that.”

“I’m sure it’s not difficult to find companions with the way you look.”

As if they have a mind of their own, my eyes trail up his muscular chest. I wonder if he’s got any ink hidden away underneath the black T-shirt, but when my gaze lands on his again, I bite my lip. His eyes cloud over with shadows and I wish I could take the words back.

“Maybe not. But friendships aren’t formed just because you share a bed, or something else, for a night or two. They need time for that, don’t you agree?”

I nod, attempting to hide my wince at the image of Kristian lying with some faceless woman in a bed that pops into my head.

Eeww.

Then I want to slap myself for even thinking like that. It’s not my place. But that doesn’t mean he’s convinced me yet.

“What have you got to lose?” he persists, frowning at me.

“I’ve never known any man who asked me to be friends keep his promise,” I answer quietly. “I don’t have anything to lose, as you put it, but I just want you to know why I’m hesitating.”

He sighs as he shakes his head.

“Stubborn.”

I roll my eyes at him.

“Perhaps, but Scots are known for that.”

“Okay, how does this sound?” He inches forward in his seat. “I know that Lise will be spending a lot of time at your farm, and I’d actually like to come with her from time to time. How about we agree to just try to be friends? And if one of us ends up falling for the other, we promise to say it and not keep it a secret?”

I lean closer so he can hear me better over the sound of the people milling about in the pub.

“Do you keep your promises, Kristian?”

He frowns.

“I try really hard not to break them, Laura.”

He sounds so serious, and that decides it for me. I nod, satisfied with that.

“That’s good. Okay, we have a deal.”

I raise my hand, waiting for him to shake it. When he smiles slowly at me, I suppress a slight shiver. He really is quite beautiful.

“Deal,” he says as he takes my hand.

I shake it once and then release it quickly.

“Good, but I need to make something very clear.”

“What’s that?”

“No more talk about wanting to kiss me. Friends don’t kiss.”

He laughs as he nods. “Okay, you’ll never hear me say those words again.”

Smiling, I toast him with my glass.

“Good. Now, how about I buy you a drink, friend?”

A small glint of appreciation lights up in his eyes, and he nods.

“That would be good. Thanks.”

I nod and stand up to leave him. As I walk to the bar, I wonder if I’ve just made the worst mistake of my life. But then again, what’s the harm?

As long as I keep my libido in check, I’ll be fine.