Layla grinned at her, glad to see her friend—and thrilled to see her so damn happy.
Maybe I can have that, too.
But she didn’t trust herself to even think the words. Instead, she turned to Duff.
“This is Sassy, appropriately named shop manager. She’s another one to watch out for,” she teased.
“I’ll be sure to keep my back to the wall from now on,” he responded, making Sassy grin.
“I like this one,” her friend said. “I think he’s a keeper. And you’ve heard about my reputation for matchmaking—I always know these things.”
Layla felt her tongue stall in her mouth—what could she possibly say to that? But Duff spoke up.
“She hasn’t quite decided yet, but thank you for the vote of confidence, Sassy.”
“Big, strapping dude like you who I could see from across the room treats her like a princess? Not even a question.”
Treats me like a princess. Yes, he does.
“Ooh, have to go say hi to someone. You two stay out of the punch,” Sassy warned. “I made it myself and I know for a fact it’s dangerous stuff.”
“We shall take your sage advice,” Duff said, and Sassy stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek.
“Yep. Keeper,” she said over her shoulder as she walked toward the front door.
“Do you know everyone in here?” Duff asked.
“Not quite everyone. I haven’t spotted Shea and Shep yet.”
“So, all I have still to face is the intimidating Kitty?”
Layla laughed. “If you’re lucky.”
“This party should have come with a warning. Ah, don’t look like that, lovely. I’m joking. I’m ready for anything, and your friends seem like good people. And here comes Kitty.”
Kitty approached, a cocktail of some sort in one hand and fanning herself with the other. “My, oh my. I just met the hottest guy and he mixed my drink for me and asked me to come talk with him. I don’t have long, so let’s get down to it, Duff. You’re Jamie’s cousin and I know he wouldn’t have invited you to go into business with him to represent the SGR name if you weren’t a good guy. But you also have the rep as a bit of a womanizer at The Bastille, so I’m suspicious.”
“I suspect you’re suspicious by nature, yes? Yeah,” Duff responded while Layla cringed a little. “But I’ll admit to having been a bit of a man-whore since arriving in the States, so I can understand your concern. If you’re worried about my intentions toward Layla, well, that I’m still trying to figure out myself, to be honest. But”—he paused, laying a hand over his heart—“I can promise you her well-being is my first concern, and that I’ve hung up my dancing slippers while we figure this out.”
Kitty reached out and patted his enormous biceps. “Good Dom. Nice kilt, too.”
He grinned, his dimples flashing. “Why, thank you, Miss Kitty.”
“You about to tip a ten-gallon hat to me? Because if not, then I think we’re done for the moment and I can get on with the evening’s debauchery.”
“I’m . . . not certain what a ten-gallon hat is, but I think not.”
“All right, then.” Kitty leaned in and kissed Layla’s cheek, whispering, “He’s a good one, honey.”
Layla squeezed her friend’s hand before Kitty moved back into the crowd. Duff immediately looped an arm around Layla’s shoulders.
“I like her, I have to say. I take that sort of loyalty as a good sign. You know, I’ve always felt someone’s friends tell a lot about a person.”
“I’ve always thought so, too. What kind of friends did you have back in Edinburgh?”
“The truth? Not as good as they could have been. It’s a small town, ultimately, and the guys I went to school with didn’t necessarily take the best path—mostly they turned out to be a bunch of knobs. I was closest with Leith for a long time—and with Jamie, of course, although he was far away. I have a feeling I’ll make better friends here. Finn is already becoming one of them.”
“He’s a great guy.”
“Yeah, he is. And I like Rosie quite a lot. Do you think they’d want to have dinner with us sometime?”
“Dinner?” Her stomach tried to tie itself into a small knot. “Isn’t that sort of a ‘couple-y’ thing to do?”
He was quiet for a moment, and she couldn’t read what was going on behind his suddenly blank expression.
“I suppose it could be looked at that way. Would that be a bad thing?”
“I don’t know. Is that really what’s happening here, Duff? I mean, was that your intention coming into this? Because I don’t think it was.”
“Nah, you’re right that it wasn’t my intention. But it seems to be happening anyway.” He paused, his dark brows furrowing; then his voice softened. “Wouldn’t you say so, Layla?”
Looking up into his handsome face, she took a moment, allowing herself to explore every fine, strong feature: the cut jawline; the high, carved cheekbones; his beautiful deep-set eyes. The wide, lush mouth set off by his dimpled cheeks that seemed almost too sweet for his utterly masculine face. And she realized she wanted nothing more than to look at that face, as often as possible. But did she dare want that? Did she dare ask? Instead, she started to shake her head, but Duff grabbed her face in a gentle hand.
“Tell me, Layla. If that’s what’s happening here, do you mind so much? Because I don’t. I like it. I like you. In fact, I care very much—much more than I expected to, but there you have it. Despite our worn and injured souls, this has turned into some sort of romance.”
Her heart jumped, then soared to such sudden heights, she couldn’t find the words to answer. All she could do was smile up at him, and lift her chin for his kiss. When his lips touched hers, the party and all the people in it melted away beneath the force of emotion that sealed their kiss. She knew only the caring between them and the warm press of his mouth. And maybe—just maybe, if she dared to even think it—what she thought could be the beginnings of love.
CHAPTER
Ten