During the car ride back, I thought of my secret, which only Nairie knew, and chuckled. It was rare for someone to get the better of me. What other things was she keeping to herself?
By the time we got back to the house, Nairie’s head lolled onto my shoulder. She’d fallen asleep on me in the back seat, and I got to feel her body pressed close against mine. I closed my eyes and smelled her hair, reveling in its floral scent. Elspeth cleared her throat and looked at me through the rearview mirror. The sound roused Nairie, and she got out of the car in a daze.
I guided her toward the front door with my hand on her back and turned to Elspeth. “Why’d you give her so many shots?”
Elspeth smiled. “She deserves to let loose once in a while.”
I grunted in annoyance as we climbed up the stairs, and Elspeth took Nairie to the bathroom to help her get situated before bed.
I used the other restroom and scrubbed my face and teeth before bed. I made a mental note to check in on Elspeth after we go over the pub finances tomorrow. Was she really okay, or was she being strong for everyone else’s benefit?
A flash of Nairie’s hand in mine at the wake surfaced in my mind, and I smiled. I liked feeling her small hand in mine and that she leaned on me for support. I pulled off my tie, reliving that close encounter in the kitchen. I could practically feel the heat from her lips. All I’d had to do was lean down and kiss her.But I’d quickly shaken my head to drown the thought.
Nairie wasn’t some one-night stand I could just fuck and forget. The sooner I understood that, the better because living with her wasn’t going to get easier. I dragged a hand through my hair and opened the door to my room but immediately froze.
Nairie was sprawled out on my bed. She was lying on her stomach in nothing but her underwear and a T-shirt. My pulse quickened as I controlled the swell behind my zipper.
I approached her slowly and gently nudged her shoulder. “Nairie... Nairie, you’re in my bed, love.”
She let out a muffled moan and turned over onto her back. The small T-shirt rode up, revealing her smooth,pale skin and the underside of her round breasts. I watched the delicate rise and fall of her ribs and the feminine curve of her belly. Her legs were spread wide across my covers, and my cock hardened instantly.
I took a deep breath and knelt next to the bed, wrapping a blanket around her bare legs. I slipped a hand underneath her upper back and knees. Nairie’s eyes fluttered half open, and we stared at each other for a moment.
“I’m just going to carry you back to your room.”
But before I could pick her up, Nairie clasped either side of my face as her lips parted mine with gentle caresses. A soft sigh escaped her mouth, and I pulled away before letting it go any further. I looked down, and she was smiling.
“Much better than Luke.”
I raised my brows and felt a sense of pride that quickly dampened.Pride for what? A drunk girl kissing you? Get a grip.
I picked her up again, and her long hair brushed against my forearm as I cradled her neck. It felt like silk on my skin. The smell of her this close was intoxicating. I didn’t want to admit that I liked the feel of her as much as I liked that kiss. I gripped the soft curves of her legs and put her in the proper bedroom.
I lay awake, trying to forget the feel of her lips, her curvaceous body, and that damned whimpering sigh. The scent she left behind on the sheets also wasn’t helping. I prayed for a dreamless sleep that didn’t include Nairie half naked.
Despite my best efforts, I still woke up sexually frustrated. All I could think about was seeing Nairie in my bed and our chaste kiss. Before I could alleviate thepressure in the shower, I started my weekend routine with more fervor than ever before. I added an extra mile to my 15K and ten more reps to my strength training. By the time the sun rose, I made my way to the kitchen for some coffee.
I was on the phone with Mum, checking on the business back at the inn. She wouldn’t be honest even if things were going terribly wrong, so I had to confirm with my other staff and family members if things were on track. Turns out Mum’s “Everything’s fine here” was, in fact, not true. I spoke with the vet and found out the carriage horse is starting to show signs of arthritis, the roof of the east wing of the inn needs repairs, the system we use for reservations was acting up, and we were down a housekeeper for the rest of the week.
In addition to solving the inn’s problems, I was still working with my brothers from the service, investigating Angus’s operation. When I got home after one of my tours, he had the balls to proposition me to join the fold—pick up where we left off before I enlisted. But my answer was still the same, a firm fuck off. From then on, Angus and some of his friends would make my life a little more inconvenient out of spite, just to remind me they were watching me. What they didn’t realize was that I had eyes on them from the inside. We’d be closing in on him in the coming weeks, and I wanted to be the one to lock him up and throw away the key.
I rubbed my temples and tried tackling one problem at a time.
I was almost too distracted to hear the shuffling footsteps behind me. Nairie was fully clothed this time, but her long hair was tousled to the side. She had one eye open to block the light now streaming into her face.
I continued to speak to Hamish, the handyman, about the roof repairs and poured Nairie a glass of water with a side of Advil. I wanted to end the call soon, but there were more issues with the inn to discuss. That’s what happened when you owned a building from 1880. I gave Nairie a once over and smiled at her disheveled disposition, hoping at the same time that she did (and didn’t) remember kissing me.
I was about to start cooking breakfast at the stove but felt a small hand on my forearm. Nairie was smiling sweetly and motioned her head for me to sit so I could finish my call and let her cook. I squeezed her hand and thanked her wordlessly as I sat at the kitchen table, watching Nairie prepare the food. I barely got through the conversation with Hamish because Nairie proved to be a very good distraction. She moved with grace across the kitchen, confidently whisking together omelets and cutting up fruit.
I was hungry for more than just breakfast when I thought of our kiss again last night. I couldn’t stop replaying it in my head. The sunlight from the window hit her hair as she worked, and flecks of gold shone in the soft, dark tresses. I wanted to run my fingertips through it like a cascading waterfall. Feeling her touch last night left a memory on my skin, and I closed my eyes to avoid my flustered thoughts.
Her low voice started a soft hum of a song I didn’t recognize, and I couldn’t help but picture this casual normalcy like it was part of our daily routine. Like she was my wife and we were at home enjoying a nice Sunday together. She always took care of me, and the familiar loneliness in my heart ached. I snapped out of my reverie to see her placing a full plate of food in front of me with asweet smile.
I rushed Hamish off the phone so we could enjoy breakfast together in peace. “I was supposed to cook you breakfast, but work caught up with me. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I get it, and I love cooking anyway, so it’s no big deal.”
Nairie’s eyes slowly traveled up my body. I was glistening with sweat, wearing a weighted vest with no shirt. Most of my torso was covered, but she stared at the hints of my pecs and abs. I sat up a little straighter and smirked.
