Ian (Las Vegas Sidewinders Book 15) Read online

  “Sounds like you’ve had a rough day,” Len chuckled. “Drink’s on me. Name your poison.”

  She managed a tired smile. “You’re very kind. Thank you. Anything on tap.”

  He poured her a beer and motioned to the food that was being brought out. “Steak and ale pie, and fish and chips, for the lot of them. Help yourself, there’s plenty.”

  “Oh, thank you, but I’m okay.” She was starving but she didn’t want to feel beholden to strangers.

  “It’s not a problem. I’d like to think someone would feed my sister if this happened to her in the States.” He paused. “You’re American, yeah?”

  “Yes. From Seattle.”

  “Welcome to Scotland.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Have a drink with us!” The blond guy who’d lent her his charger put a glass of champagne in her hand.

  Everly looked at it and then gently shook her head. “Thank you, but I’m not comfortable taking an open drink from a stranger.”

  “And you’re a smart lass too.” Len smiled. “It’s no problem. Opening a new bottle now.” He pulled one out from under the bar, showing her that it was sealed before opening it and pouring her a fresh glass.

  There was no way to say no now, so Everly took it graciously. “Thank you so much. You’ve all been very kind.”

  “Get yourself some food, lass. I promise it’s not poisoned.”

  She gave him a wry smile. “I’m fairly confident you’re not trying to poison the entire pub.”

  “Aye. Not good for business.”

  Everly filled a plate, her stomach rumbling as the delicious scent wafted up to her nostrils. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until just now and she had to force herself not to throw her face into the plate the moment she put it down.

  “What is it?” she asked instead, trying to rein in her excitement.

  “Steak and ale pie. Delicious marinated beef, in a brown gravy, covered with pastry. Go on, give it a try.”

  Everly decided her pride wasn’t going to do a damn thing for her growling stomach and she picked up the fork Len had given her. She cut a piece of the puff pastry and stabbed a chunk of beef so she would taste both. Her eyes closed and she let out a soft moan of delight. Holy shit, this was amazing. Why didn’t they have this in the States?

  She chewed slowly and eventually swallowed, anxious for another bite. When she opened her eyes, she realized both Len and the cute guy who’d gotten her the charger were staring at her. Good grief, she’d practically had a very public food-gasm in front of these two strangers. All while covered in mud and still soaking wet. This day was apparently not getting any better. Except maybe for the steak and ale pie—it was pretty damn fabulous.

  “Looks like your cooking has a new fan,” the really good-looking guy said.

  Len chuckled. “That’s why I own a pub, mate.”

  “Damn right.” The cute guy turned to Everly. “I’m Ian, by the way.”

  “Everly.” She extended her hand and looked up into a pair of emerald-green eyes that were stunning. It was a little jarring that the color was so vivid, and she was momentarily mesmerized.

  “What’s everyone celebrating?” she asked when she’d gathered her wits, anxious for a diversion from the urge to continue staring into his eyes.

  “Er, winning the Stanley Cup.”

  She cocked her head. “The what?”

  He chuckled. “The big silver cup over there? It’s the trophy you get when you win the championship. It’s like the Super Bowl of hockey.”

  “Oh!” Her cheeks felt a little hot as she realized he was probably a professional athlete. No wonder he was so good-looking, with a smokin’ hot body to boot.

  “Not a hockey fan, eh?” Ian looked more amused than anything else, and his green eyes sparkled as he grinned at her.

  Everly knew next to nothing about hockey, but she’d heard something about a Las Vegas team winning a championship this year. Finding a group of them celebrating in Scotland was an interesting surprise, but under normal circumstances, the gorgeous man in front of her would make her want to know more about hockey. Ian was not only sweet and a bit chivalrous, but seriously gorgeous. Unfortunately, he was a professional athlete who probably had women crawling out of the woodwork and she looked like a drowned rat covered in mud. She’d done her best to freshen up in the bathroom, but there was only so much she could do with nothing but the few items in her backpack. Besides, she didn’t have time to flirt tonight. She had a hundred other things to take care of that were far more pressing.

  “I’m more of a football girl,” she admitted, “but I did hear about the team in Las Vegas winning the whole thing this year.”

  “The Las Vegas Sidewinders,” he said.

  “So you play professional hockey,” she said thoughtfully. “I don’t think I know the first thing about the game other than you play on the ice and score goals.”

  He smiled. “You probably don’t want to get me started on hockey—I could talk about it all night.”

  “Are there a lot of Scottish hockey players?”

  “Not in the NHL, no.” He shook his head. “I’m the only one currently, though there have been a handful over the years. We’re more about rugby and foot—er, soccer, here in the U.K.”

  “That’s what I thought.”

  “Are you here on holiday?” Ian asked.

  “No, it’s a business trip. I’m a photojournalist.”

  “Lots of great things to take pictures of here in Scotland. How long are you in town?”

  “I’ll be in the country a month or so, though I’ll be traveling around a bit. Depends on if the weather cooperates. I know it rains a lot, so I’m going to have to be diligent about getting the bulk of my photos done on the days it’s not.”

  Ian nodded. “Definitely can’t count on the weather here.”

  “That’s what I’ve been told. What are you doing here? Other than celebrating, I mean.”

  “This is my hometown. Well, about ten minutes from here. We all get a chance to do whatever we want with the Cup for a day so I opted to bring it to my hometown, both because I would be coming home for the summer anyway, and because I want to share my love of hockey with my friends and family. Not to mention bringing a little bit of hockey to Scotland since it’s not as big a thing here.”

  “Looks like everyone is having a good time,” she said, looking around.

  “This is the after-party. It’s a shame you weren’t here earlier. There was a big parade in Edinburgh, then we took photos and signed autographs for a few hours. It was a lot of fun.”

  “It sounds like it.” She smiled.

  “Where are you staying?” Ian asked her after she’d devoured half of the food on her plate and started to slow down.

  “The Bergen Inn? It has free parking and is in Edinburgh, so it’s pretty central for me. I’ll spend a few nights up in Inverness and the Isle of Skye as well, but my itinerary isn’t nailed down because of the weather.”

  “What do you photograph?”

  “For this trip, it’s all about castles. My best friend is a journalist and we’re doing a coffee table-style book focusing on a modern take on the history of Scottish castles, heavy on photography and all the stories that don’t make it into most of the history books. The publisher was going to send both of us, but Margot can’t travel because of her daughter, Gracie, since she’s only three. So I’m doing double duty as photographer and researcher, with Margot guiding me and writing most of it up when I get back.”

  “Is Huntington Castle on your list?”

  Everly frowned, chewing her lip thoughtfully. “That sounds familiar. Is that the one owned by a cranky old duke who won’t let anyone on his property or allow photographs without written permission?”

  Ian laughed. “That’s the one. That cranky old duke is also my grandfather.”

  3

  Had she seriously just insulted his grandfather? Everly turned bright red. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorr
y. I didn’t—”

  Ian cut her off, still laughing. “No worries. It’s one hundred percent accurate. He gets twisted when it comes to the privacy of our family.”

  She grimaced. “I’ll be sure to avoid Huntington then.”

  “Well, you might have an inside track now,” he said, giving her a broad grin that revealed dimples.

  Good god, this guy was beyond gorgeous. In addition to the stunning color of his eyes, he was blond with chiseled features and broad shoulders. It was really a shame she looked like she’d just been playing in a pigpen.

  “You’re very sweet,” she said, finishing every last crumb of the food in front of her.

  “My mother is a huge aficionado of Scottish history and especially our home. Full disclosure—it wasn’t ours back in the day. It was originally built around 1250 A.D. but mostly destroyed in the 1600s. All that’s left of the original structure is the brick fireplace in the kitchen and part of one of the watch towers. It belonged to another clan for a long time, but when my paternal great-grandfather married my great-grandmother, she decided she wanted to live in a real castle. The family seat at the time was a run-down old building that she hated. So he went house-hunting and found Huntington. It’s really a fascinating story. I’m sure my mother would be pleased to speak with you about it if you were interested.”

  “Are you kidding?” Everly sat up straighter. “That sounds wonderful. I would be honored to meet her… I don’t have to meet your grandfather, do I?”

  He shook his head. “Not at all. Well, before you go tonight, give me your number and I’ll give you a shout tomorrow after I talk to her.”

  “That’s so sweet of you. Thank you.”

  “Of course.”

  Len came over and refilled their glasses from the bottle he’d opened just for Everly, and Ian thought it was good that she’d refused to take a drink from a man she didn’t know. A woman traveling alone had to be careful and there was a tiny part of him that wanted to make sure she was okay. She was also beautiful, and he hadn’t been able to tear his eyes away as they’d been talking, so any excuse to keep talking to her worked for him.

  “I really shouldn’t be drinking so much,” she murmured as she pushed her plate away. “But it’s been a rough twenty-four hours and I’m ready to relax a little.”

  “I agree.” He glanced around as someone put money in an old jukebox and the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive” came on.

  “I haven’t heard this song in ages,” she said, laughing.

  “It’s a fun place to hang out. I’ve known Len for years and he runs a good establishment. That’s why I brought the party here after we finished downtown.”

  “Do you come home often?”

  Ian sighed slightly. “Not nearly enough, no. I play hockey from September until at least April, more if we make the playoffs. This year, we went all the way, and it took us almost to mid-June. And I have to be back in Vegas by August or so, just to get back into my routine and such.”

  Their eyes met and he wondered what it was about her that was drawing him in. She was stunning, despite her muddy clothes and wet hair. Her blue eyes twinkled when she laughed and he’d have to be dead to miss the full, round breasts her wet T-shirt had been plastered against. She was slim and blond, with long legs and a great ass. Her looks caught his attention, of course, but there were tons of beautiful women in the world and he didn’t usually find excuses to talk to them. Especially not a tourist in his hometown who would be going home soon.

  He downed the rest of his glass of champagne. “Len, get us another bottle?”

  “Coming up.”

  “Oh boy.” Everly laughed. “Are you trying to get me drunk?”

  “Not at all. Just trying to go deep into vacation mode.”

  “I hear that.” She sighed, lifting her glass after Len filled it. “I’m excited about being in Scotland but it’s been a bitch of a trip so far.”

  “Well, perhaps now it’s taking a turn for the better.” He reached out and pushed a wet lock of hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered a fraction of a second too long, as their eyes met again. Damn, he wanted to kiss her, and that was ridiculous. He’d known her a whole thirty minutes.

  “It definitely is.” She didn’t look away either and it seemed like everything stopped for a few seconds. Despite the loud music and boisterous laughter of his friends, it was like it was just the two of them.

  “So what’s the first thing you want to do in Scotland?” he asked finally.

  “Sleep!”

  He grinned. “After that.”

  “Edinburgh Castle is really high on my list and, of course, Loch Ness.”

  “Anxious to get a glimpse of Nessie?” he asked.

  “For sure.”

  “If you give me a list of all the castles you’re planning to photograph, I can probably give you some tips on how to get to them and where to stay if you haven’t already booked.”

  “I haven’t. Like I said, my schedule is up in the air because of the weather. I can’t plan to spend three days in Inverness if it’s going to pour all three days.”

  “You’ll get some wonderful weather, along with the rain and misery. Spending nine months of the year in Vegas, it’s nice to see some rain, though I’m sure I’ll be sick of it by the time I leave.”

  “Isn’t it hard to leave your home?” she asked.

  “It’s not been my home in a long time,” he said softly. “Obviously, this will always be home, so to speak. I’m a proud Scot, but I left in high school to play upper level hockey and then went and played at Harvard in the U.S. So I haven’t lived here in a dozen years.”

  “Your family must miss you, but I bet they’re so proud.”

  He looked away, reaching for his glass and taking a sip. “Yeah, proud, for sure, but it’s hard on them. My grandfather has…expectations. As my father’s oldest son, I’m supposed to take over the family business, do things I don’t want to do. Not now anyway.”

  “Do you have brothers and sisters?”

  “I do. My brothers are all here…” He motioned with his head, pointing out a few of them. “My sister said she would come up later, but I haven’t seen her yet.”

  “So couldn’t your brothers take over the family business?”

  “They could, but it’s not that simple. We’re a country, and family, steeped in tradition. What Granddad wants, he usually gets, and what he wants is for his oldest grandson to take over the business when he retires.”

  “Sounds like a lot of pressure. What you do, as a professional athlete, must have a lot of that same pressure, so you get it from both sides.”

  “Yes and no. Difference is, I love what I do now.” He absently looked over to where his friends were laughing and joking. “I work with some of the finest men I’ve ever known. I live with one of them, and the bunch of us are together almost every day, nine months of the year. We live, travel, and play together. I can’t imagine not having them in my life anymore.”

  “Doesn’t sound like you have much time for a personal life.”

  “I suppose I’d make the time for that.” He looked into her eyes again and felt himself getting lost in their depths. She was a bit of a temptress, bewitching him the moment their eyes met, and he didn’t understand this indescribable urge to kiss her. “With the right person, of course. Lots of the guys are married, have kids. You find a balance. What about you? You have a boyfriend back home?”

  “No.” She shook her head. “I’m on the road a lot. I work as a staff photographer for a local newspaper and I also do a ton of freelance work. Plus, I live with my best friend, who has a three-year-old that keeps us both busy.”

  “Pretty lass like you, that’s hard to believe.” Had he just called her lass? His Scottish always came out more heavily when he was drinking.

  “Hard to believe a handsome guy like you, who’s also a pro athlete, isn’t taken either.”

  “Yet here we are.”

  This time they smiled as their gazes
locked. They’d found an interesting common ground and the attraction between them was hard to ignore. They continued to talk and get to know each other, scooting their stools closer together as the room got louder and more people came in. A few people stopped to talk to Ian, but while he was polite, his attention was completely focused on Everly. He felt a bit like a schoolboy again, with a crush on the pretty, new girl. As much as he loved his friends and family, he would have done almost anything to be alone with her tonight instead of struggling to hear her amidst the chaos of the pub.

  As they finished a third bottle of champagne, he realized he was going to be too drunk to think clearly if he kept going, and he asked Len for a bottle of water.

  “Slowing down?” she teased.

  “Nay. Just need to hydrate or my head’ll be on fire tomorrow.”

  “That’s smart. You think I could have some too?”

  “Of course.” He handed her the bottle and watched as she drank almost half.

  “I feel like I’ve known you forever,” she said as she handed it back to him.

  “Same.” He cocked his head slightly. He leaned closer to her, hoping his voice was loud enough for her to hear but not so loud anyone else would. “Do you think you might want to go to dinner—”

  “It’s time for a toast!” Tore came running over to them, interrupting Ian’s attempt at asking her out. Unfortunately, Tore was shit-faced and unsteady on his feet. He had the Cup in his hands as he barreled in their direction.

  “Tore, slow down—” Ian tried to cut him off, but Tore was on a mission, laughing as he lifted the large trophy and faltering a little just as he approached them. He tumbled forward a few steps, the silver cup wobbling precariously in his hands.

  Everly tried to move out of the way but her foot got tangled in between Ian’s and she toppled sideways, right into Ian’s chest.

  Ian watched in horror, unable to stop what was happening as the Cup turned on its side. All he could do was wrap his arms around Everly to keep her from falling as at least three bottles’ worth of champagne splashed all over both of them.