"Sorry," she replied quickly.
"No one touches that," he growled.
"I said I was sorry." Margaid mustered a smile and stepped away from the charm, but that didn't seem to appease him and her eyes locked on him as he approached the gangplank to join them on the dock.
Finnbar Clague had to be at least six foot three. He was a paint colored, dark chocolate brown with white spots all over. His body was like a human, with hands and fingers instead of hooves, but he had massive rippling muscles as he crossed his arms. He was bare chested and her eyes trailed over his rippling muscles down to his narrow waist. His jeans were tight over thick muscular thighs and there was a faint outline of a very prominent bulge that made the butterflies in her stomach flutter wildly. The long flowing mane was dark chocolate brown and was flying loose behind him in the breeze, almost as if he were running.
Was that what they called windswept? She half expected to see him in a billowy shirt. She tore her gaze away and met his eyes which were sea green, glowing, and intense as he scowled at her.
Whoops. He'd apparently caught her staring at him.
She quickly looked away, embarrassed by the momentary lapse of lust that had hit her unexpectedly. First, she'd touched something he clearly didn't want anyone else to touch, and then she'd been caught ogling him.
Not off to a good start, Margaid.
It had been a long time since she'd been on a date or had a boyfriend, because work was her life. Being raised by a tenacious single mother had taught her many valuable lessons in life and one of them was to put her career first and men at a very distant second. That never sat well with past boyfriends, so she just gave up on dating in general. It was easier that way, albeit lonely.
"Finn, this is Dr. Margaid Davis from fisheries. She's been sent by the government to do a study of the pickerel in the lake, as well as the health of the watershed in general.”
Finn's eyes narrowed as he leapt off the gangplank and landed on the dock in front of them. "I see."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Margaid said, brightly extending her hand.
Finn didn't take her hand or even really acknowledge her presence. "I have some business to attend to. I can take Dr. Davis out in a couple of hours."
Finn was not talking to her, he was acting like she didn't even exist at all.
Typical.
What a jerk. Gorgeous or not, he was just like all the other chauvinistic, trophy fishermen she'd dealt with in her career.
“When would you like Dr. Davis to return?” Jim asked.
"Dr. Davis can speak for herself," Margaid interjected.
Jim’s cheeks flushed red and he nodded.
"Can she? Can she also keep her hands to herself?" Finn asked, sarcastically.
"I offered my apologies, that's all I can do. As for our arrangement, a couple of hours would be fine. I have to gather my equipment."
Finn's gaze locked on hers. Those sea-green eyes were wild with intensity, and she felt a flutter deep in the pit of her stomach. “Meet back here at noon?"
"Good enough for me."
"I'll be leaving right at noon. Don't be late," Finn snapped.
"I wouldn't dream of it, Mr. Clague, seeing how you'resobusy here."
"Yes, well, I'm glad that's sorted," Jim said nervously. "Come, Dr. Davis. We'll finish up some paperwork at the government office and then I can leave you to it."
"Thank you, Mr. Mason." She nodded curtly at Finn, who was still standing there, arms crossed and glaring at her as she walked away.
He was a salty old sea dog or horse or whatever you wanted to call him. She wasn't sure what kind of mythical monster hewas, but she really didn't care. She had a job to do and nothing was getting in her way.
Certainly not a sexy, broody, grumpy monster.
"Well," Jim said as they walked off the dock. "That went better than I expected. Finn is notoriously…reclusive."
