Page 27 of Scotch on the Rocks

“Absolutely not … this was years ago.”

“I knew it! Isoknew there was something between you. Did it happen while you were with Alistair?” April’s tone held no judgement whereas Mal had the posture of an animal caught in a trap.

“Of course not! A year after it ended.”

“Fuck.” Mal swiped a hand over his jaw and stood. “I shouldn’t be here for this.”

“Sit,” April and I said in unison. He complied instantly.

“It’s just girl talk.” April pressed a kiss to his shoulder then turned back to me. “So you were together?”

“The key word isalmost.”

She waved a hand like the difference was inconsequential. “How did it happen?”

“I was attending a conference in Glasgow, we bumped into each other at a bar.”

“Was it good? The lead up, I mean.” She rolled a finger and Mal wheezed, face dropping into his hands.

“What do you think?” I returned dryly, recalling the desperate tremble in Callum’s hands as he tugged me into his lap. He’d fucking wanted me. Until he hadn’t. “I might not like the man but even I can admit he has a body made to do bad things too.”

“Better than Alistair?”

I pursed my lips, considering. “Different. It’s hard to fully compare. Sex with Alistair was always incredible, but this was … I don’t know,charged. In a way I’ve never experienced before.”

“Kids, that’s what we call a build-up of sexual tension.” She spread her hands at her sides as though she were holding court.

“That’s it—”

“No, stay,” I begged before Mal could leave. “I need your opinion.”

He grimaced, eyes squeezing. “Please don’t.”

“If it helps, I know all about your sex life.”

His eyes shot open, pinning April where she sat.

“What?” Her tone was entirely unashamed. “I need someone to brag to and it can’t be Heather. That leg thing you did against the wall last week—”

“So you and Callum?” he cut in evenly, though his face had taken on the sheen of a red balloon. I’d never seen a person so embarrassed.

Taking it easy on him, I rolled with the subject change. “Almost and only once.”

“Christ.” He scrubbed a hand across his jaw, in a way I was coming to learn was a nervous tic. “This is the most bizarre conversation of my life.”

“You’ve never been tempted again?” April asked.

“No.”Every time I want to come.“He’s always an arse to me.”

“That is classic teasing-the-girl-you-like-to-get-on-her-radar.”

“Oh, really?” I shot a pointed look at Mal. “That’s not what you said six months ago.” Heather had said the exact same thing about Mal and April had shut it down. Hard.

“And then I learned that Mal was in fact pining away like a sad grizzly bear night after night—”

“I wouldn’t say night after night, exactly. Just a little light pining … you know, a normal amount of masculine pining.” Said the man currently taking part in this excruciating discussion for no other reason than the woman at his side. The pining levels weren’t up for debate. “You never mentioned Callum was into June.”

“I thought it was obvious. Besides, it goes against girl code.”

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