“I’m not even on the playing field, much less interested in the game.” She smiled and laced her fingers together.
“I’m good looking.”
“And full of yourself.”
“I hae money.”
“So do I.”
“I hae a castle and servants.”
“I have my sisters and a company.”
Ian picked up his fork and cut a little vigorously into his lasagna. “The problem isnae with me finding a willing woman. It’swith me finding the right woman, and that woman is you. I’ve kenned it since the day we met. So we’ll table the discussion for now, and I’ll work at earning your trust. Only when that happens will you open your heart to the possibility that I’m the man you need.”
Becca’s mouth parted. Words escaped her as Ian’s deep analysis sank into her mind.
“You’ll learn to love me. Everyone does,” Ian said before taking a bite and making a face after swallowing his first bite of vegan lasagna.
Becca’s reality had turned back on its axis. “Trust, okay. That might take some time and some effort. Don’t you have that castle and those servants waiting for your return?”
Becca took a sip of her wine. Even though she’d sworn off alcohol, she was going to need it tonight.
“They’ll have to wait. I’m up for the challenge. You’re my future, Becca. You just donae ken it yet.” Ian shoveled another hefty bite of lasagna into his mouth. The face he made was comical, as if he was trying to decide if it was better than eating grass.
“Trust is a good place to start, but from the sound of it, you’re expecting to walk through a wind tunnel and have yourkilt to stay down. You do realize that I’m a Thatcher.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing. I happen to admire you Thatchers, so I’ll start with slaying your demons,” Ian mumbled before changing the topic to lighter conversation.
They’d eaten with easy conversation and finished off half the bottle of wine when the doorbell rang.
Becca excused herself as Ian rose to start carrying the dirty dishes into the kitchen. She pulled the door open to find Danny standing on her stoop.
“Hey.” Her brows dipped. “I wasn’t expecting a visit from you.”
“We need to get a statement from McDougall to mark you off the suspect list. He wasn’t in the parking lot when Martinez went looking for him. Do you have an address for him? We can’t find him in any of the local hotels.”
Becca said, moving out of Danny’s way to let him pass. “It’s your lucky day. He’s here.”
“He is?” Danny asked, stepping into the living room.
“We just finished dinner.”
Danny rested his warm palm on her arm. “If you’re dating this guy, how come I’ve never met him?”
“She likes to keep me her dirty little secret,” Ian announced as he entered theroom while tossing a kitchen towel over his shoulder.
“We’re not dating. We’re friends.”
“If you let friends sleep in your bed,” Ian added.
Becca tossed her hands up and shook her head. “There’s a difference between making yourself at home while I was inebriated and being invited.”
“Did he?” The muscles in Danny’s face hardened.
“No. Quinn would have kicked his ass. He didn’t take advantage of me, just made sure I got home, and then he didn’t leave.”
“Do you want me tomakehim leave?”
