He grinned, and it knocked the breath right out of me.
Ramsay’s eyes sharpened ever so slightly before dropping to my mouth. My lips actually tingled beneath his attention.
“You shaved. And cut your hair.”
His attention jumped back to my eyes. “I do that occasionally.”
“It looks good. Hygiene-wise, I mean.” I shrugged.
His lips twitched. “Right. Hygiene-wise.”
I tried not to, but my lips strained against a laugh and too late it huffed out, my cheeks hot. Ramsay’s eyes warmed with amusement. I was breathless again. I wanted to reach up on my tiptoes and press my lips to his to settle this overwhelming awareness between us.
“Ramsay!” A woman suddenly shoved past Cammie, knocking her slightly into Forde and me out of my Ramsay stupor. “Oh, sorry!” she apologized cheerfully, almost stepping on Akiva who jumped to her feet and growled in warning. “Goodness!” The woman halted in fright, staring down at the dog.
“Akiva, heel,” Ramsay ordered, patting her head in reassurance. He eyed the newcomer, a pretty, very tall, very voluptuous brunette who had attractive laughter lines around her eyes that told me she was perhaps a decade or so older than me. “Ava, what are you doing here?”
She eyed Akiva warily again as she shimmied past me, forcing me backward so she could press a hand to Ramsay’s chest and lean up to kiss his lips.
Oh.
Okay, then.
When she pulled back, it forced me to retreat farther, and I had to apologize to a tourist I’d knocked into. Cammie scowled in annoyance at the rude newcomer.
“You might sayexcuse meto people,” Cammie told her bluntly.
The woman’s eyes widened, and she glanced over her shoulder, flushing when she saw she’d shoved me out of the way. “I’m so sorry! I’ve just come barreling in. I’m Ava.” She turned back to Cammie. “I’m Ramsay’s?—”
“What are you doing here?” the man in question repeated gruffly, seeming pissed.
The brunette slumped. “I’m late. I know. I caught the ferry over ages ago so I didn’t miss your gig, but then I fell asleep in my hotel room.”
“You came over for the gig?”
“Aye, I wanted to surprise you.” She beamed sweetly at him.
That’s when I remembered Cammie telling me Ramsay was seeing someone from the mainland.
Apparently, it was more than a casual fling.
Crushing disappointment made my feet feel like they were sinking into the floor.
“And you’re staying in Leth Sholas?” Ramsay’s expression hadn’t cleared beyond stony confusion.
“I missed you.” Ava shrugged. “I know you were planning on staying with Quinn tonight, but I thought you could stay with me at my hotel. I’m better company.” She flicked me a look, as if suddenly remembering I was there. And she paused. She studied me as if she was seeing me for the first time. “Sorry … who are you?”
There was a change in her tone. A wariness. “I’m Tierney. Nice to meet you.”
“Are you here on holiday?”
“No, I live here.”
Ava’s jaw clenched ever so slightly as she turned back to Ramsay and cocked her head in accusatory question.
And that was my cue to leave!
“I think I’m done for the night,” I told Cammie as I put my half-empty glass on the bar top. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
