“But you’re not too sure?” He set the window wipers to a faster speed and eased up on the accelerator, not taking his attention off the road. “I am one ofthoseO’Gradys.”
“Positive.” She slanted him an ice-princess look, lifted that elegant nose just so. “I’m pretty sure you’re not hiding horns under your hair, although you might be concealing a tail. Even so, I’m confident I’ll get through this ordeal unscathed. I’ll grab a ride back to Napier. There’s bound to be someone heading to the city.”
Dallas barked out a laugh, amused at her sly humor lurking beneath the hauteur. She didn’t act like any Drummond he’d come into contact with in the past. He’d thought he might have consigned himself to an hour of chilly silence—more than an hour in these driving conditions. But she’d tossed his assumptions on their butt, and he found himself wanting to explore her mentally. Ditto the physical.
“What do you do for a job?” He shot her a quick glance, caught the wrinkling of her nose.
“My mother organized a place for me at a charity. I’m working for them at present, but I’d prefer a position with more challenge.”
“What sort of employment are you looking for?” Hearsay said Laura’s older sisters had never worked in their lives. They’d done the socialite thing, found rich husbands and married. They were now popping out a new generation of Drummonds to heap down hate on the O’Grady family.
“I enjoy organizing things, which makes me a natural in the administration field.”
“Are you good with computers?”
“Not bad. Any program I don’t know, I can learn. I’m a quick study.” Her chin lifted a fraction as if she expected him to challenge her statement.
Again, he found a smile pushing his lips for escape. He enjoyed a woman who surprised him. “If you weren’t a Drummond, I’d offer you a job.”
“What sort? What do you do?”
Again, not the reaction he’d expected. “My brothers and I own a couple of Irish bars in Napier, and I have several rental properties. It’s getting too much for me to handle the paperwork along with the day-to-day things.” The pub where he had his office wasn’t in the best part of town. Nah, he couldn’t see Laura slumming it atO’Grady’s. “We’re thinking of buying the old pub in Clare.”
“The one that closed down due to fire damage?”
“Yeah.” Dallas peered through the windshield, not taking his eyes off the road.
“Can I interview for the job?”
Dallas slowed even further until his truck crawled. Closer to the Shannon Pass, the rain slapped the windows, obliterated the scenery. What he could see of the sky was a sullen gray and lightning flashed in the distance, followed by a rumble of thunder. “You want to work in a pub? Maybe I should checkyoufor horns and a tail. You have an impish sense of humor.”
“I’m not joking,” she said, and he felt the weight of her gaze. “But if you want to check me for devilish signs you go right ahead. I might enjoy it.”
Dallas opened his mouth, shut it again, risked a swift glance in her direction. A tiny grin played around her luscious lips. Oh yeah. She was pleased with herself. “I’m an O’Grady, sweetheart. I don’t possess the right bloodlines for you.”
“My parents want me to marry James Summerville.”
Another glance away from the road. Her big brown eyes held silent messages, and it took him an extended second to grasp the stray snippets of gossip and knit them together. His lips pursed in a silent whistle. “Isn’t he gay?”
“Yup, but James wants marriage. A… Sorry, you don’t want to hear about me.” Laura wiped a round circle on the passenger side window. A polite dismissal of the subject. “I don’t like the look of this rain. If anything it’s getting worse.”
“It’s not looking promising,” he agreed, deciding to let her get away with the change of topic. “Not wedding weather.”
“My cousin was set on an early spring wedding. Heck, I picture her stamping her foot and having a full-blown tantrum about the weather. She should’ve listened to the wedding planner. This time of year is always unpredictable.” Wily amusement colored her voice, and Dallas found his lips quirking. He fought the need to fall into a full-out smile of delight. If she’d been anyone else, he’d proposition her, offer her a cozy weekend of hot sex at his cabin.
But that wasn’t gonna happen.
She was a Drummond.
“What about the rest of the guests?”
“My cousin had that covered. Her fiancé flew in guests via helicopter yesterday. They’ve had an entire week of celebrations planned.”
“So why aren’t you there partaking in the social festivities?”
“I told my mother she arranged this job for me by twisting arms and mowing over objections. I couldn’t, in good conscience, duck out whenever it suited her because I’d taken the job from other, more qualified people. And while she was spluttering trying to marshal objections, I hung up on her.” Satisfaction oozed from each word.
“Lady, you’re bad.”
