Page 66 of Scotch & Shortbread

“No, he must still be tied up with work. Ach, Quinn, I’m so sorry, lass, but I’m going to huv to get on my way. I’m thoroughly enjoying our chat, but I confess the jet lag has caught up to me.”

“No, no, that’s fine. I can drive you. I have my car just out front.” Quinn was happy to offer Lachlan a ride back to Alex’s. She did feel a bit nervous about being back at his place. Even if it was only to drop Lachlan.

“I dinnae want to put ye out. I can take a cab it’s fine,” he said through a stifled yawn.

Quinn smiled. “I learned the hard way that cabs and Ubers don’t go up Alex’s way. I’ll take you. It’s the least I can do.”

The drive was just over half an hour, but Quinn was glad for the distraction. She wasn’t in a rush to get back to her stewing heartache. Lachlan drifted to sleep as they drove, but Quinn didn’t mind. It was still better than being alone at the inn right now. Alone with her thoughts. It had been nice getting to know Lachlan and learning more about Alex. Really nice, but also really shitty. Just a painful reminder of all the lovely that was not hers.

Quinn gave Lachlan a nudge when they got to Alex’s cabin. He awoke with a start.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. We’re here.” She nodded towards the cabin. It was a relief in a way not to see Alex’s truck parked outside, but still, it was hard to see his place again. A surreal feeling settled over her as memories from only a couple of days ago flooded her. That time had come and gone. It was over now.

“Thank ye, Quinn,” Lachlan said getting out. “It was truly such a pleasure spending the afternoon with ye. I hope to see ye again soon, but if for some reason we do not cross paths, I wish ye all the best, lass. Truly, I do.” His expression was warm.

Quinn nodded, trying not to feel sad for all that she knew could have been, but likely wouldn’t. “It was a really great afternoon. Thank you, Lachlan.”

39

Oh Mean Cop

AsLachlandisappearedintohis brother’s cabin, Quinn looped around the driveway and headed back down the mountain road. She couldn’t help the tear that slid down her cheek. It had been lovely meeting Lachlan, but it drove home all that she was missing out on with Alex. Alex’s family sounded wonderful, and if they were anything like Lachlan, she was sure they were all amazing. God, she wondered if Alex knew just how lucky he was to have such a family. To have people who loved him so much and had his back. To have a sibling who would travel across the world just to check in. It was something Quinn had never known in her life.

She drove along the darkened winding roads back to the inn deep in thought. Flashing lights in her rearview mirror caught her off guard, and then the whoop of the siren caused her heart to stutter. Her first thought was Alex. Would she ever not hear a siren and think of him? She growled in frustration. She'd been speeding. Again. Apparently, she hadn’t learned her lesson.

With the glaring headlights and flashing blue and red police lights in the darkness behind her, she could just make out the silhouette of the officer stalking towards her car, and her heart thudded in her rib cage. The knock on her window startling her from her spiralling thoughts.

Through the window, she saw his black uniform and his black gun in its holster around his trim waist. She rolled her window down. “I need ye to step oot of the vehicle.” His voice commanded her before she could say a word.

Mean Cop. “Alex, I’m not getting out. If you want to give me a ticket, then just do it, and get it over with,” she said angrily with her heart fluttering in defiance.

“It’s Sergeant Mackenzie, and I told ye to step oot,” he said in a deadly serious voice.

Quinn's cheeks burned as her pulse kicked up wildly. What the heck? How dare he talk to her like that? Oh, she would tell him exactly where he could go! She huffed angrily, getting out of her car and slamming the door behind her, not caring how loudly the sound echoed in the quiet of the night. But then when she was standing toe to toe with him, her traitorous heart thundered in her chest.Frick. She'd spent the afternoon with his gorgeous twin, but it was nothing compared to the gorgeousness of the man before her. Mean Hot Cop was bite-your-lip-as-heat-licked-between-your-thighs sexy. Dark stubble lined his strong jaw. He was chiselled rugged sexiness, and she loathed herself for wanting to jump his bones. Fortunately, she was too angry to get completely sidetracked by his hotness.

“I’m out, okay. Now what, Alex…Sergeant Mackenzie?” She couldn’t keep the scorn from her voice. She was ready to blast the man, but when she looked up at his too-handsome face under the shadow of his police cap, she was almost brought to her knees. Alex Mackenzie’s stormy blue eyes were shining on her….lovingly?

He stepped closer to her and cupped the side of her face gently with one strong hand. “Christ, I missed ye,” he murmured before bringing his lips down on hers and claiming her in a feral-searing kiss.

Quinn whimpered and felt like her knees might buckle. There was so much passion in his kiss. How could he make her melt just like that? His kiss lit her on fire and drowned her at the same time. The headiness of him taking her, sweeping his tongue into her mouth, needing her. But a voice in the back of her mind emerged through the greedy hunger she felt for him.No, Quinn, she thought.No.It’ll just end in more heartache. As hard as it was, she forced herself to pull away from him.

“Alex, I can’t do this.” Her breath was heavy as she turned away from him.

Quinn’s words were an ice-cold shower on Alex. He stepped back from her, realizing it was going to take more than kisses to win her over. But when she turned back to him, he saw the hurt in her eyes, the hurt he’d put there… A fiercely protective feeling came over him. He needed to fix this. Fix his mistakes. And he silently vowed, then and there, that he'd never be the cause of her hurt ever again.

“Oh my God, what happened?” Her expression suddenly changed when she noticed his bandaged hand.

“It’s nothing, lass.” He tried to brush it off.

“Tell me,” she said firmly.

Alex didn’t want to talk about his hand, but he supposed it was a good thing that she cared to know at all. She said she didn’t want his kiss, but she’d kissed him back too, at least for a moment. He’d felt it. He desperately wanted her forgiveness. He never wanted anything so badly, but at the moment, the lass was fixated on his bandaged hand.

A car drove past them, reminding Alex that they stood on the side of a dark mountain road. “Come, let’s sit in my truck and talk.” There was trepidation in her beautiful brown eyes, and it looked like she might argue, but much to his relief, she nodded.

He opened the front door, offering her his good hand to help her in, and he felt stupidly pleased when she let him help her up. He'd take the small win. Striding around to the driver’s side, he got in beside her. She sat with her hands folded tightly in her lap. Her big eyes looked at him expectantly. God, it was so good to see her but it tore at him—the apprehension that emanated from her. There were dark shadows under her eyes, and her pretty face had subtle puffiness to it. He knew all too well the telltale signs of too many shed tears, and his gut twisted. How could he have hurt her?

“Are you okay?” she asked, nodding toward his bandaged hand, breaking his thoughts.

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