Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 43444 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43444 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Her hair was still a short, sleek cap of black silk, framing big eyes and lips that weren’t as quick to smile as he would have liked. Whenever she relaxed enough to give him a grin, it was more of a rush than winning a fight had ever been. He wanted to feel that every day. To have the right to make her happy. The right to keep her.
She already owned him, body and soul.
“Why aren’t you asking why I’m here?” She asked, her voice subdued. “Aren’t you curious?”
He grazed her cheek with his knuckles. “Well, you’ve missed my birthday by a few days, but I’ll admit to hoping you finally finished my blanket and wanted to tuck me in personally, to see if it fit.”
“Why didn’t you tell me it was your birthday?” she asked, sounding upset, before dropping her eyes to his shoulders. “I’m sorry I missed it, but that’s not why I came.”
She bit her lip and he gripped her chin between his fingers gently. “What has you so worn out with worry, Nightingale? What brought you all this way alone?”
Had she met someone else? Would fate be that cruel? After all his hard work, and as close as he was to reaching his goal, was she really here to tell him they were over before they’d been given a chance to begin?
“Tell me.”
She looked around the narrow cobblestone street as if someone were watching. “Not here. When are you free?”
“As long as no one needs me, I can take you back to my place as soon as I let them know.”
She was already shaking her head. “I—there’s a cute little inn not far from here. The woman who checked me in kept trying to slip me a copy of her nephew’s CD, but she was sweet. Can you finish up and meet me there?”
As much as he wanted to see her in his apartment, surrounded by his things, he had the feeling he would need to pick his battles carefully. Right now, getting her comfortable enough to tell him what was wrong was his priority. She’d be in his bed soon enough.
He watched her weave in place and he cupped her shoulders to steady her, wanting to kiss the shadows from her eyes. “You are tired, aren’t you, darlin’? Are you sure you don’t want me to drive you?”
“I’m sure.”
He sighed. “Text me the name of the place and your room number and go rest. I’ll be there in an hour.”
She nodded, staring at his lips for one breath-stealing moment before she turned to go. He started walking backwards, unwilling to let her out of his sight.
His wife had a glorious ass.
When she turned the corner, he scowled, wondering if he should have walked her to her car. How far away had she parked, anyway?
Forcing himself to turn, he made his way into the bar where Trevor Collins was cleaning a glass, speaking in low tones to his seated father.
William’s cousin, Seamus, was a publican who knew how to build a pint, and a wizard of a chemist when it came to creating his own brews, but Trevor made William think of home.
Old Pat’s training, he imagined. Or something he passed down in the blood that made the man a born tender. Easy to talk to, eyes like a hawk, shoulders broad enough to cry on or toss you out on your arse if you stepped out of line. In the old days, William would have steered clear of a man like that. He wouldn’t have been able to make a living under that kind of scrutiny.
Trevor’s sister, Keira, was standing in the doorway that led to the restaurant, watching William with a question in her eyes. “You were gone a while.”
“The situation is taken care of,” he assured her as he walked to Pat’s side. “Sent the lady home in a cab.”
“And her date?” Trevor eyed him. “Does he still have the use of all his limbs?”
William tried to look shocked. “As if I would harm a drunken hair on the poor man’s head.”
Pat’s shoulders shook with suppressed amusement. “Heaven forbid.”
William nudged the old man with his elbow and leaned closer. “I don’t think your son knows what a law-abiding lover of peace I am. It might have something to do with my pugilistic prowess. Or maybe it was our initial introduction.”
He’d gotten the job thanks to Trevor’s brother-in-law and his contacts with the Finns and Ken Tanaka. He liked to think he’d kept it because of his sparkling personality, but he wasn’t quite that full of himself.
Trevor smirked. “I don’t think your friend knows what a low tolerance I have for abusive men in general, Pop. I’m not sure he’d have gotten off so easily if I’d taken him outside.”
William couldn’t help but approve. “Knew there was a reason I liked you. Now if no one is in desperate need of my services, my wife has showed up out of the blue requiring my attention. Think I can take the rest of the day after dealing with the afternoon clean up?”