Page 52 of Scotch & Shortbread

Alex’s hand that was stroking her back now held the arm of the chair. “I was in special ops in Scotland. I had it made,” he said as if she hadn’t heard how great his life had been.

Quinn untucked herself from Alex’s lap and was about to stand when his strong arm caught around her waist pulling her back down onto him. “Dinnae leave.” His voice was strained.

That voice nearly broke her. She could almost feel his internal struggle. She softened and lifted a hand to his stubbled jaw. The man held onto so much pain. She could see it now in his stormy blue eyes, and it pierced her heart.

Alex’s thoughts were as deep as a Scottish glen, and he held Quinn to him as if she were a healing balm for his tumultuous soul. Without another word spoken between them, the evening’s conversation hanging heavily, they soon drifted off to sleep.

Alex awoke a time later. The logs were burnt through, and the remaining glowing embers did little to warm the room. Quinn still lay peacefully in his lap, her head resting against his chest. Alex liked her in his arms. Something about it just felt good. Stroking her soft hair, she stirred.

“Mm,” she sighed sleepily. “Sorry, I must have fallen asleep.” She yawned and for the second time that evening attempted to get off his lap, but before she could, Alex’s arm scooped her up. He stood up holding her close.

“Ooh,” she squealed in surprise. Alex chuckled as he carried her to the bedroom. Laying her on the bed, he pulled off his t-shirt and sweatpants before getting in beside her. The coolness of the room had penetrated the bedding, and he felt Quinn shiver before he pulled her tight to him and they both fell back into a peaceful sleep.

31

Christmas Morning With All the Trimmings

Thesmellofbaconwrestled Quinn from her sleep. As she opened her eyes, her stomach growled hungrily.Oh heck yes, she thought. “Mmm,” she groaned, stretching. Memories from the night before trickled into her mind. It was a crazy conversation, but she felt like she and Alex had grown closer.

It got a little tense though before they’d fallen asleep. She understood regret, but at the same time, she’d learned how pointless regrets were. All anyone truly had was the here and now, so why live in the past? Was Alex’s past stopping him from really living in his present?

Quinn had learned in her own life that you could either let your past rule you or you could let it change you for the better. Not that it was always easy, but she refused to get bogged down in the negatives. She would always find the silver linings.

Biting her lower lip, she realized they never got to talking about the picture from his sporran. Where did his wife and kids fit into the mix? Could they have been before all the stuff with that Kate woman? They had to have been. Quinn was befuddled, but she wasn’t going to push Alex—especially not today.

It was Christmas morning, and they both deserved to have an awesome day with no more heavy talk. A spark of childlike giddiness made her smile, and she hopped out of bed and headed down the hall.

As she approached the kitchen, she stopped in her tracks and took in the mouth-watering sight of Sergeant Alex Mackenzie. His sweat pants hung low on his waist, and he was shirtless. The chiselled plain of his abs dipped below his sweats, and he turned back to the stovetop giving her a view of his stupidly broad muscular back and shoulders.Wowza, Merry Christmas Quinn, she thought slyly.

Yesterday had been so intense and real that she’d almost forgotten about the sizzling attraction she felt for him. Almost. When she was on his lap, despite the seriousness of the conversation, she was far too aware of everywhere their bodies touched. The feel of his hand absently stroking her back. His strong chest supported her as she leaned into him. His spearmint, woodsy scent. It was hard trying to deny her every visceral reaction to the man. He’d made it clear that nothing physical would be happening between them, so there was no point in indulging her fantasies.

Alex glanced up at her when he realized she was there, and his grin turned her legs into warm Christmas pudding. The man certainly didn’t make it easy on her.

“Good morning, Happy Christmas, lass. Did ye sleep well?” Alex asked as he turned back to the pan on the stove.

“Merry Christmas.” Quinn said brightly leaning against the kitchen wall. “I did. I didn’t even notice that you’d gotten up this morning.”

“Ye looked like ye were in a peaceful slumber when I left ye,” Alex said, transferring perfectly golden pancakes onto a plate. The thought of Alex looking at her while she’d slept did funny things to her belly.

“I’ve made us a wee Christmas breakfast,” he said, adding a batch of fried bacon to an already piled-high platter and bringing it and the pancake plate to the table.

“Wow,” Quinn breathed, looking at the breakfast feast before her. The table was beautifully set with two place settings. Plates, bowls, and platters filled with bacon, eggs, toast, pancakes, sausages, blueberries, strawberries, Christmas oranges, and a box of chocolates filled the little wooden table. In the middle of it all was a red tapered candle giving off a warm glow.

Quinn had never awoken to a Christmas breakfast. In fact, no one had ever made her a feast like the one before her.

“This is amazing,” she said blown away. “I can’t believe you made all of this.”

Alex watched her delight, and it made him feel ridiculously good. Wanting to surprise her, he got up early and got started on breakfast. Christmas morning breakfast in Scotland with his family had always been special and a rather grand event. Alex wanted to create a special Christmas morning for Quinn. Even though it wasn’t a Scottish breakfast with his family, he was feeling some of that warm Christmas goodness, and he could tell Quinn was feeling it too. God, watching her light up with joy over things was addicting.He couldn’t wait to surprise her with the other plans he had in store for the day.

“I dinnae cook as good as my mam, but it should do,” he quipped, pulling out a chair for her to sit.

“Thank you,” she said as she sat down. “I suspect your mom would be impressed with all of this.” Bear lumbered over to where Quinn sat and laid his head in her lap.

Alex chuckled. “Aye, I think ye might be right. I’ve let her believe that I have nae idea around the kitchen so that I can sit back and enjoy her cooking.”

Alex scooped some kibble for Bear into his bowl and then snagged a piece of bacon from the platter to add to his pup’s breakfast. In an instant, Bear was there, and Alex gave him the go-ahead to scarf it down. He picked up his white t-shirt from his chair, and when he noticed Quinn’s none-too-discreet perusal, he took his time letting the shirt slide down over his chest and abs. He would forgo the shirt altogether for her, but he could hear his mam now, reminding him to mind his manners at the table.

“This is just incredible, Alex,” she breathed. Her eyes scanning the table. “It looks so beautiful.”

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