Heard you might need it with the way she was mean-mugging you last night.
“Son of a bitch,” I growl, scowling at my phone. My fingers fly across the screen.
Me
She’s staying with me.
I don’t know why I tell him that. It’s not his business. Saoirse isn’t anyone’s business. And yet…
Me
Permanently.
Walker
JFC. Already?
I send back the shrugging emoji, and then quickly decide to steer him away from the subject.
Me
Tanner wants the run finished before Christmas. Can it be done?
Walker
By Christmas? That’s seven days.
Me
I’m aware.
Walker
Fuck my life. It’ll be tight, but we can make it happen. It’ll mean doing the bare minimum with the windbreaks in the north field so we have enough hands.
Me
The windbreaks can wait. Put Bishop in charge of the run. He’s done construction before, so he knows what the fuck he’s doing. Your brother can help him.
Walker sends me a thumbs-up. With him, that can mean anything from “I’ve got it” to “Worry about yourself, motherfucker”. God only knows which it is today. But I shove my phone back into my pocket anyway.
By the time I make it back to the kitchen, Saoirse is at the sink, rinsing dishes.
“You don’t have to do that,” I murmur, leaning against the doorframe to watch her ass when she bends to place a rinsed plate in the dishwasher.
“Yes, you do. The dishwasher isn’t a miracle worker, Flint.”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “I meant, you don’t have to clean up, Sugar Plum. That’s my job.”
She slides the door closed on the dishwasher and then straightens, turning to face me. “You probably have enough to do around here already. Besides, if I’m going to stay here, I need to do something. I can’t just mooch off you.”
“Mooch off me?” I cock a brow, pushing away from the wall to stride toward her. “You aren’t mooching, Saoirse. You’re staying safe.”
“Feels the same to me,” she grumbles.
I stop in front of her, telling myself to keep my damn hands to myself. But do I listen? No. I reach out, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear before I tip her chin back with a finger. “You aren’t mooching,” I say, my eyes locked with hers. “If I didn’t want you here, I wouldn’t have asked you to stay.”
“Asked me?” Her gaze darts across my face, her blue eyes huge in her pale face. “I don’t seem to recall there being a question involved in that discussion. It was more like threatening and browbeating me into doing things your way.”
