Page 5 of Toni and Addie Go Viral

At a guess, Toni would say Adelaine was only a number of years younger than her own thirty-two years.

Mid to late twenties? She had soft hands, the sort that looked like she’d never seen hard work, and impeccable posture.

She was shorter than Toni, softer in some indefinably vulnerable way, and had the sort of mouth that was made for gasps of surprise.

In all, she was a Victorian historian’s perfect thirst trap.

A flicker of familiarity hit Toni. Had they met before?

Toni hadn’t spent much time in Scotland.

This was only her second trip. Maybe Miss Stewart was a type?

Maybe she was a conference attendee? Toni tried to recall all the people she’d spoken to that day, the faces in the seats, and she couldn’t place Miss Stewart there.

“Do you live here?” Toni asked. “In Scotland?”

“Yes,” Miss Stewart said. “Why?”

“I was wondering if we’d met before,” Toni admitted. She didn’t exactly phrase it as a question, but she pointed out, “You seemed to be looking at me when you walked in.”

“Who wouldn’t be looking at you?” Adelaine’s response was a non-answer, but then she stepped closer and stared up at Toni through her lashes. “Can I trust you? You look like I can trust you.”

“I’ll protect you, Miss Stewart.” Toni offered her an elbow this time. Her anti-relationship stance might be tested by Adelaine if they lived nearer one another. Thank goodness for an ocean between us! She smiled at Adelaine and prompted, “So, this is a local play…?”

Adelaine paused. “Maybe. Would you find me a convincing Victorian damsel?”

“I’m not your average judge, I fear,” Toni said with a small smile. “I’m a Victorianist by trade.”

“So I would have to be perfect to convince you, wouldn’t I?” Adelaine’s character slipped slightly then, and Toni liked her a touch more.

“Indeed,” Toni murmured.

“Shall I be perfect for you, Miss Darbyshire?”

Toni ignored the unfamiliar flutter in her stomach and challenged, “Impress me, Miss Stewart. Maybe you’ll earn a reward.”

Adelaine’s answering trill of laughter made Toni suspect for the first time that the younger woman was not quite as innocent as the character she’d adopted, but then she fluttered her eyes and that flicker of wickedness vanished.

Adelaine held Toni’s gaze and asked, “Would you like to play pretend with me, Lady Victorianist?”

In answer, Toni pulled out a chair for her. “I fear that your virtue could be imperiled.…”

“If I’m convincing enough,” Adelaine murmured as she pulled the incredibly thick braid of hair over her shoulder. If it were loosened, she could hide the fact that she had no bra under her thin nightie. “That could be a risk coming here, I suppose.”

“It could.” Toni itched to reach out and use that braid as leverage to pull Adelaine nearer.

She wondered briefly if the hair had been loose on her trip here.

If not, Adelaine had been vulnerable as she traveled.

Toni felt a wave of anxiety at the thought of such risks.

Hopefully, Adelaine had braided it just before she entered the pub.

Adelaine unbuttoned the jacket as she leaned forward. It gapped enough to see the curve of her cleavage but no more. “Surely, you can keep me safe.”

“From everyone but me,” Toni assured her. “I fear I’m not a great supporter of any plans to preserve your innocence.”

Adelaine’s wicked smile returned in a flash. “Oh, thank goodness, I wasn’t sure when you covered me up so quickly.”

And Toni decided that her evening—hell, her entire month—suddenly looked a lot better.

It had been a long minute since she had a woman in her bed.

In her teens and twenties, a steady stream of women had been the norm, but as she passed thirty, her dissertation, job apps, and family drama had been all-consuming.

“Are you unattached then?” Toni asked.

“Does that matter?”

“It does, ” Toni admitted. That was a trait she wouldn’t share with her namesake. Unlike her father, Toni had a strict “no catting around with other people’s wives or girlfriends” stance.

If Adelaine wanted to role-play, Toni was willing to go along with it, but she had rules that had to be addressed first. No married women was number one.

“I am, regrettably, single,” Adelaine began, holding up the hand with the antique fire opal ring. “I have my future engagement ring, but for now, I wear it on the opposite hand. And you?”

“I am single, not even a ring in waiting. In fact, I have—” Toni was going to add that she was permanently single, but she was saved from answering by the bartender stopping at the table. The table service that had seemed sweet earlier, now felt awkward.

“Quite the revolving door,” the bartender teased.

Adelaine frowned slightly and looked down to her lap where her hands were politely folded, and Toni muffled a terse word at her reaction. Maybe the bartender was trying to look out for Adelaine, but it wasn’t like Toni had been there with a date earlier.

“Not that it’s anyone’s business, but the woman who was here was a childhood friend, not a date,” Toni said, sounding sharp enough that the bartender flinched.

“Would you like a drink, love?” the bartender asked, whisking away Emily’s wineglass and Toni’s empty highball glass.

“Lemonade?” Adelaine asked in a shaky voice, not quite looking up.

“No actual lemonade here. Lemon drop? Or hard lemonade?” the bartender asked.

Adelaine looked at Toni, who was oddly charmed by the gesture.

Toni sized her up and decided she looked more like the sort of woman who preferred a fussy umbrella drink than swilling something out of a longneck bottle. “Lemon drop sounds good. Another Talisker for me, too.”

Once the bartender left, Toni tucked her foot under the bottom rung of Adelaine’s chair and pulled the chair closer.

Startled, Adelaine put a hand on Toni’s knee and let out a squeak of sound that shouldn’t be as adorable as it was.

Toni took a breath before reminding herself that whatever else was happening, Adelaine would be here in Scotland next week, and Toni would be back in her condo in Northern Virginia.

“So, first time here?”

“Yes.” Adelaine’s voice was quiet. “Is it obvious?”

Toni reached forward and put a finger under her chin, tilting her head upward so she was looking at Toni again. “Hey? Everyone was a baby gay once. First time going out like this can be scary as fuck.…”

Adelaine gasped, hand covering her mouth.

Toni had a flicker of a suspicion that there was a part of this persona that was actually true. Gently, she said, “You’re safe with me. Unless you’re looking for something unsafe, but if that’s the case, you need to tell me that, Adelaine.”

“Addie. You may call me Addie.”

“Addie.” Toni smiled. “Tell me about you.”

“American in Scotland. I’m working on a local stage production.…” She shrugged. “Terrible impulse control. You?”

“American in Scotland for the week. I teach.” Toni caught her eye before adding, “I’m a fan of beautiful women with bad impulse control.”

Addie giggled.

“Your drinks,” said the voice behind Toni.

Without hesitation, Addie smiled up at the returning bartender. She lifted her drink as soon as it was released and drained half the glass.

The teal-haired bartender exchanged a surprised look with Toni before shaking her head and walking away. Either Addie was a heavy drinker or would be soon on her way to tipsy. Toni wasn’t sure which was worse.

Toni shook her head at what she was about to say.

She wasn’t in the business of policing other people’s bad habits, but she wasn’t interested in either leaving a vulnerable woman alone or handling a drunk.

All she said was, “If you need liquid courage for whatever you’re thinking… maybe you should reconsider doing it.”

“Did you ever want something so badly that you wanted to ignore reason?” Addie asked. “Sometimes it’s easier to play a role or toss back a drink.…”

Toni took a swallow of her single malt and eyed her companion. “So play a role, Miss Stewart. I’m game. Tell me about your character. Married? Job?”

Addie visibly straightened, lowered her gaze demurely, and slipped into her role again. “I live with a relative. He is my chaperone, but I stole away while he was indisposed.” Addie took another drink. “No job, obviously. I’m not that sort of woman. Do you work?”

Toni nodded. “I teach.”

“And your employer lets you dress so…”

Toni quirked her brow. “So?”

“Provocatively,” Addie whispered.

Whatever else Addie was, she was bolder than she looked.

Toni took another look at the curves outlined by thin cotton. “No more so than a damsel in her nightdress.”

When Addie said nothing, Toni asked, “So, Miss Stewart, what are looking for tonight? You’re in your nightdress in a pub. That’s a dangerous move.”

Toni watched her, wondering exactly how committed she was to her playacting and deciding after a brief moment that she needed to know that answer.

Addie stared at Toni with a boldness that Toni wasn’t going to ignore. “I’m an innocent in a vampire play where the lead finds herself seduced by another woman. My character wants to be a little bit debauched before she’s married off or put on a shelf for being unmarriageable.”

“I see.” Toni reminded herself that she was leaving for home in a day. What harm could come of an ill-advised night if they were about to have an ocean between them? Toni wasn’t a huge fan of role-play typically, but… when in Scotland. “And what do you want?”

“You.” Addie’s voice quavered.

So Toni reached out and pulled Addie even closer.

From this angle, Toni’s blazer did little to cover the pert nipples that stood like an invitation under the sheer white cotton of the nightdress Addie wore.

“I am a fan of all sorts of wickedness, my lovely Miss Stewart. If you’re asking if I’m interested, the answer is yes.

So what would you do next if you were writing this stage play of yours? No consequences. No price to pay.”

Addie took several deep breaths, nodded to herself.