Blue Bells of Scotland: Book One of the Blue Bells Trilogy Read Online Free PDF

he'd said wrong. "Making love to you is fun," he added, with enthusiasm, and then, hesitantly, "I guess it would be okay with someone else. I wouldn't know. But it's great with you!"
    "No," she snapped. "Why me? You can have anyone you want, and you've always wanted plenty of others."
    "You know that's not true!" His voice took on a hurt edge.
    "Don't lie to me."
    "I'm not lying! There's never been anyone else, not since I first saw you and fell in love with your angelic smile, those beautiful blue eyes...."
    She snorted. "Beautiful eyes are a dime a dozen. Especially for you. What is it about me?"
    "Your...you...." He gestured helplessly.
    "Because I'm useful? Like doing your party arrangements while you were reeling in that girl?"
    "I wasn't..."
    "I saw it," she said, dryly. "Have fun with her at the party. I'm going to bed." She boosted herself off the window seat, and left his suite.
    "Hey, Amy...." He followed her into the hallway, still holding his shirt. "The town, the castle. Tomorrow?"
    "I guess." She didn’t turn around. "But you know I hate beer." Her door shut with a loud bark.
    Caroline, one of the flutists, sauntered down the hall, her blond bob swaying against her jaw, her black sweater tight, her eyelids at half mast, appraising Shawn's bare chest. "Hey, how you doing?" she said. "Gonna be at your own party?"
    "Wouldn't miss it!" Shawn smiled. His cares slid away like bubbles down a drain, forgotten. "Can I walk you over? In ten minutes?" His eyes trailed her appreciatively down the hall. She turned once to smile at him, swung her blond hair, and disappeared into her room. Yes, he thought, he would enjoy his party.

    * * *

    With Caroline clutching his arm and preening in the limelight, Shawn sauntered into the pub, swinging his trombone case, and surveying his domain: heavy wooden paneling, laughter, a trio fiddling and singing at the back, bottles reflected in the mirror behind the bar, flirtation, tables and booths jostling for space among the shoulder to shoulder crowd of good-looking men and pretty women shouting for his attention. He gave it first to the barmaid. "You have incredibly beautiful eyes," he murmured, accepting a beer and dropping a tip down her blouse. She laughed raucously, pushing his hand away in pretend outrage.
    He sidled up to Dana at the bar, sliding an arm around her shoulder and nibbling her ear. She laughed and swatted him away.
    He drank his ale with the redhead from backstage, pressing her close during a slow song, whispering things in her ear that made her giggle, blush furiously and lean back for more. He ordered a lager, crooned a mournful Caledonia with the band, and pulled out his trombone, playing Blue Bells faster and faster, with snatches of cartoon and movie themes thrown in for fun. He slid into a bluesy striptease, making eyes at Caroline while he played, to the hooting of the patrons. The beer glowed inside him, flushing him.
    "Shawn, put that thing away and join us," Rob hollered, from a poker game in the corner. "Jimmy here thinks he can beat you." Dana, seated at Rob's left, nodded. Bar lights glinted in her spiky auburn hair.
    Shawn laughed, already pulling the mouthpiece from the trombone. "You warned him?"
    Rob grinned. "We told him about your legendary luck. He says prove it."
    Shawn eyed the ruddy-faced Scot, who stared back sullenly. He grinned, packed away his instrument, and joined them. Cards slithered around the table under Jimmy's expert hands, and they settled into a routine. Caroline planted herself on Shawn's right leg, kissing him enthusiastically with each win, while the redhead spilled ample cleavage over his left shoulder, comforting him in each loss. As his money piled up, and the beer soaked his brain, he took more chances. He didn't notice Caroline's pouts as the redhead comforted him more frequently, or the groans of the crowd. Musicians and patrons pressed close.
    "You're almost out of money," Caroline purred in his ear, pulling his face from