The Beast of Stornoway

Chapter 19: Van

Black lace. 

Van groaned as he pulled a pillow over his face. He couldn't get her damn knickers out of his mind. He turned over and stared out the window. The sun was just peeking over the horizon and the rooster was announcing the day. He didn't sleep very much. His mind was too busy playing reruns of his embarrassing encounter with Amani. He would love nothing more than to avoid her for the rest of his life.

But he couldn't, not today anyway. She was coming to the horse auction.

Maybe I should fire her.

Then he wouldn't have to see her or think about that sexy fucking underwear she'd bought.

"Fuck...." He groaned into the pillow. He couldn't fire her. Benny wouldn't hire another assistant for him. He wasn't joking this time. 

I just won't talk to her. 

That way he wouldn't embarrass himself even more. This was absurd. He'd had countless women throw themselves at him and he'd always been able to talk to them, even if it was just to dismiss them. He didn't trip over words or act so irrational.

What the hell was I thinking  barging into her room and going through her clothes like that? I could care less about my other assistants' attire for outings.

But Amani wasn't like them.

And the thought of her buying clothes on sale and borrowing clubs really bothered him. She was worth more than that and deserved far better.

Whoa, what? 

He frowned and shook his head as he got out of bed to stalk to the bathroom. He shouldn't care what Amani was worth or what she deserved. She was just the hired help. It was none of his business what she bought for herself and how much it cost. He angrily twisted the shower faucet and watched the water run from the shower head. He held his hand under it to test the temperature.

Nope. 

He wasn't going to care about the things she bought for herself. He was going to get her lace knickers out of his head and he definitely wasn't going to speak to her today. He could handle that. He nodded to himself as he shrugged his clothes off and stepped into the shower.

He took a deep breath.

I'm Van Blarcum, Lord of Stornoway and women don't affect me. 

He hadn't been affected by a woman since his ex-fiancée left him at the altar five years ago. He had never felt the need to be in the company of a woman, or anyone for that matter, since then and he wasn't going to start now. His life worked just fine without that kind of stress and drama, but damn those knickers were so – 

Stop thinking about her goddamn underwear, Blarcum! 

He turned off the shower and hastily wrapped a towel around his waist as he padded into his room to get dressed. He would get through this day like he always did. He was going to focus on the damn horses and nothing else.

He glared at himself in the mirror. 

Stop letting her affect you, Blarcum.

He took a deep breath and yanked the door open to march down the stairs to the foyer where his stablemen were waiting for him.

"Good morning, Lord Blarcum." They greeted him with a bow.

"Morning," he grumbled as he rolled his cuffs over his forearms. He stared at Rory and Arthur and realized there was someone missing. Van's jaw ticked. Amani was late.