This wasreal.
This. Was.Real.
And so was she.
His Rose.
“Obdurate spunkmuffin! Dissembling bungle-shite!” The bellow from the hallway had Bull and Rose both stiffening.
He pulled away from her just enough to press his forehead to hers and try to steady his breathing as he slid the ribbon and ring back under her blouse.
His lips curled as he whispered, “For fook’s sake, Rose,” and she stifled a chuckle.
“The blaggards arelaughingabout this? Georgia? Georgia! They’relaughingat me! Turbulent turd-trumpets!”
As Rose’s mother swept into the room, Bull reluctantly stepped away from her daughter. He bent to scoop up the briefcase, using the motion to surreptitiously readjust his trousers which had becomequiterestricting in the previous few minutes. Meanwhile, Rose crossed to the breakfast table as if nothing was amiss.
And it wasn’t exactly amiss. Just askew. In his trousers.
“Good morning, Mother. My, the weather is?—”
“To hell with the weather,” Demon snarled. “Ye werekissingthat arsehole! Dinnae pretend ye werenae!”
“Why…” Rose blinked innocently, glancing back at Bull. “I suppose I was.”
“Rosie…”
Her father’s growl sounded threatening, and Bull reacted before he thought it through logically. As Demon leaned toward her, his brows lowered menacingly, Bull darted forward, putting his shoulder in front of her and his body between her and her father.
No.
A father who stiffened, shock showing in his eyes.
“Bull,” Georgia murmured soothingly. “My husband has never hurt anyone he loves.”
Aye. Aye,logicallyBull knew that. But he’d seen that anger directed at the woman he loved, and…
Sighing, he shook his head and lifted the briefcase. Adistraction. That’s what they all needed. “Would ye like to see the portrait and hear what brought us here?”
Rose leaned forward, ticking points off on her fingers. “First a hack to the train station, then a train. Then another train, then a brief sojourn in Alnwick, facilitated by another hackney and a fall through some ice, then the train again, then a hired carriage. Then my own two feet.” She nodded firmly. “That is what brought us here.”
Bull hid his smile as Georgia rolled her eyes.
Demon, however, wasn’t distracted.
“Rosie’s here because this is her home.”
“It will notalwaysbe, Da.”
Her father jerked back. “What ye—what do ye—how can ye…?”
Exchanging a slightly sad smile with her mother, his Rose shrugged. “I mean, one day I will have to marry and move away, right?”
Georgia slid her arm around her daughter’s shoulders. “Only when you are ready, love. Only when you find a worthy man to partner with for the rest of your life.”
When Rose’s gaze flickered to him, Bull felt himself standing taller, even as he looked away in guilt. What could he offer her, other than a lifetime in a rented flat, working dangerous cases?
For a moment, he wondered what it would be like, to have her in his life. To have herworkingwith him. She’d already proved she was more than capable at his work… But she’d also asked him what he’d do if he had to close down his agency.
