Lynn Montagano - Catch My Breath

“Get your eyes checked, MacCourty,” he said dryly. “It’s nice to see you again, Amelia.”

Darren’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. He looked from Alastair to me. “You two know each other?”

“We met last night by the bar,” Alastair answered, “she was having some trouble negotiating the carpet.”

“Well then. We should get walking toward the stadium," Darren said. "It's about a twenty-five minute walk from here and the match starts in forty-five."

Stephanie linked arms with him as they started up the street. "We'll lead the way. You guys try to keep up.”

I fell into step with Alastair. A nervous, twitchy energy radiated from every cell in my body. We walked silently side by side for several minutes.

"So, this rugby thing I saw you playing earlier. When did you start?"

"This rugby thing…" He mimicked me. "You have quite a way with words."

“Are you going to tease me or answer my question?” I raised an eyebrow, looking at him incredulously.

“University.”

“Do you play anything else? Or is rugby it?”

“That’s pretty much it for organized sport. Work doesn’t allow me much free time, so I only get to join in on the weekends every so often.”

“Is this one of those free weekends?”

“It seems to be.”

His arm bumped into mine and I noticed a little smile cross his lips.

“What would you normally be doing if Darren hadn’t asked you to the game?”

“Working, probably.”

“That sounds amazing ,” I snickered. “Do you ever have any fun?”

“You are quite the curious kitten, aren’t you? Questions, questions, questions.”

“They’re instrumental in getting answers.” I replied with a grin.

“Fair enough.”

As charming as he was, I could tell he was also extremely guarded. He steered the conversation away from himself so it focused more on me. I was just as guarded though. For the time being, I planned to keep him at arm’s length.

We all huddled at the street corner waiting for the crosswalk signal to change. As we stood in silence, I noticed several women staring at Alastair. They casually sized me up before whispering amongst themselves. He flicked his gaze from me to them. When we got the go-ahead, Alastair placed his hand at the small of my back. It was a light touch, but I was aware of the warmth bleeding through my sweater.

The stadium loomed large in the distance. I could hear singing and chanting the closer we got to it. Darren passed a ticket to each of us.

“Now, this is very important,” he said solemnly, looking at Stephanie and me. “You must only cheer for my side.”

Stephanie burst out laughing at Darren’s seriousness. “It’s just a game, D.”

“It’s so much more than that, Steph,” he exclaimed, turning to walk through the gate. Alastair and I followed close behind. Once we got past the turnstiles, we walked through a tunnel into the stadium. Our seats weren’t too shabby; along midfield, tenth row. Darren attempted to explain the finer aspects of the game to Stephanie. She shot me a pleading look of help and surrendered to his lessons.

“Is this your first proper Scottish football match then?” Alastair asked.

“Yep.”

“If you have any questions I’ll do my best to answer them.”

“Thanks, I think.”

He smiled slightly as we settled back into our seats to watch the start of the match. It was an uneventful game up until the final two minutes.

Tens of thousands of people erupted into a massive throaty cheer as the soccer ball scooted past the keeper and hit the net with a low swoosh. Darren and Stephanie leapt to their feet and joined the celebration. The home team had just taken the lead away from the visiting rivals.

A sea of green and white scarves waved from side to side in a show of solidarity for the home team. The crowd noise didn't let up as the last seconds of the match ticked away. When the final whistle blew, everyone roared.

"Now that was a goal." Darren pumped his fist in the air. "First good win in a while. A celebratory pint is in order.”

Cool, drizzling rain fell as we walked toward the main road. I stifled an I-told-you-so while watching Stephanie cower away from the droplets.

Oodles of iconic black cabs zipped through the streets. Alastair hailed one effortlessly. Stephanie bolted inside as soon as it stopped. Darren joined her, leaving me alone with Alastair for several seconds. When I made my move, he wrapped his fingers around the doorframe, blocking my ability to get in.

“I have to admit, I’m not much of a football fan. I almost told Darren ‘no’ today.”

“What changed your mind?”

A sly grin curled his lips. “He said he wanted to introduce me to his American friends, Stephanie and Lia. Since I learned your name this morning, I figured you would be one of them.”

He came to see me? My knees almost gave out. A crazy, voracious tremor of desire raced through me. I brushed past him and climbed in. Stephanie gave me a funny look as I settled into the little jump seat facing the three of them. The cab was severely lacking in the visual stimulation department. I struggled to find a place to rest my eyes that wasn’t tall, lean, sinewy and hot. Alastair looked far too amused at the expense of my discomfort.

Thankfully, the cab ride back to our hotel in the West End was quick. Darren suggested we all go to a restaurant nearby for some sandwiches and drinks. I dove into my burger the minute it hit the table. My stomach snarled angrily at the unintentional neglect it had received over the past few days.

"They don't feed you in the states?" Alastair asked in mock disbelief. "I would assume you could get a good hamburger there on any street corner."

"Lia has spent most of the past day sleeping," Stephanie teased.

“I said it last night, I’ll say it again. Have more pints. Never mind the sleep," Darren waved his hand in the air to ward off the notion.

Stephanie flashed a smile before leaning back against the booth to chat with Darren. I became abundantly aware of Alastair’s presence to my left. His arm brushed mine as he turned to face me.

“Is this your first time abroad then?"

“No,” I paused. “Where in England are you from?”

“Ascot. It’s to the west of London.”

“Ascot? Like the races?” Visions of big hats and suits with tails popped into my head.

“Yes, like the races.” He smirked.

I rolled my eyes and took another bite of the burger. He ran a hand through his hair. It looked so soft and silky. I clenched my fist to stop myself from reaching out and touching it.

"What do you think so far?" he asked, rubbing the stubble on his jaw. “Of Scotland, I mean.”

The hamburger lodged in my throat. Trying to eat next to this beautiful creature was not for amateurs. Every move he made was calculated and seductive.

Draping his arm across the back of the booth, his fingers brushed against the curve of my shoulder. I noticed Stephanie sneak a glance in my direction and grin. I sat up straighter, giving her a look.

"I haven't really seen much of it, but so far so good," I answered.

His fingers traced my shoulder, then the nape of my neck. It was a soft touch, but it was powerful. I fought to maintain a serene expression as I studied his features. He really was fiercely handsome. His fair skin was porcelain smooth. Charm oozed from him, along with a huge dose of raw sexuality. Against my better judgment, I was hooked.

“How was the rest of your run this morning?” he asked, hovering the bottle of beer in front of his sculpted lips. He parted them and waited for my response. I nearly slipped off the seat. He took a sip and smiled slightly.

“Fine.”