Chapter 28
TWENTY-EIGHT
CIARA
I glanced at Alex in the driver’s seat. “Are you sure you’re okay with this? I know you have your own business and your own work to do.”
He reached over to settle a hand on my thigh. “You’re my priority until this is sorted. Period. That means I’m your bodyguard whenever and wherever you go. Besides, I’ve got some stuff I can work on from my laptop.
“Like hacker kind of stuff?” We’d talked late into the night, with him filling me in more on the sort of work that was his specialty. When Isobel had been under threat and Ewan had needed information on her manager, Alex had been his go-to source. I was fascinated and curious.
He laughed. “No. That I would not be doing from just anywhere. I’m on hold in that arena until I hear from my handler.”
His handler. Because he’d had one of those. It sounded very James Bond, though he’d assured me that the reality was nothing at all like that.
“No, I’ll be working on basic stuff for the business. We’re going to need a website, newsletter, that kind of thing. All that stuff is also in my wheelhouse.”
“Oh yeah. That makes sense.” Kyla was responsible for those things for Ardinmuir Event Planning.
“Before we get there, we should go over what you’re going to tell everyone. The fewer people who are aware that your brakes were tampered with, the better. Not that I think any of your family or coworkers were involved, but the fewer people who know, the less likely that information is to spread.”
“Right. Of course. The police said the same. I’ll just tell them that since I’m without a car, you’re playing chauffeur. Easy enough. For bodyguard purposes, do you need to be in the same room or simply on the premises nearby?”
“Same room is easier, but that’s harder to explain. I have no reason to believe you won’t be safe at the castle, so long as you stay with others and don’t leave on your own. So if you can find me a workspace near where you’ll be working, I’ll be fine. I just need a decent internet connection.”
“We can handle that. Go on and park around back. We’ll go in through the kitchen. If we’re lucky, Angus has been baking. There might be pastries for breakfast.”
“I won’t say no.”
He parked beside Kyla’s car.
Before we got out, I laid a hand over his. “There’s just one more thing you should know.”
“What’s that?”
“Given you’re here and you’re a physically capable individual, there’s a very strong possibility you’ll get drafted to lift heavy things. Everyone’s significant others help with that when they’re around.”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “I’m happy to do anything and everything as your significant other, Hellcat.” He hooked a hand behind my neck and drew me in for a kiss that addled my brain and made me rethink the wisdom of coming to work instead of staying home, where we’d be in close proximity to privacy and horizontal surfaces.
“Remind me why I thought I should come to work?”
“I seem to recall something along the lines of not wanting to leave everyone hanging with the wedding coming up this weekend.”
“Right.” I reached out to trace a finger over his lips. “Just… put a pin in this for later?”
He nipped the tip of that finger. “Aye, I can do that.”
I was grateful for the stiff wind that cooled my cheeks before we stepped into the kitchen.
Angus and Munro were lingering over their morning cuppas and the paper. As I’d hoped, fresh scones were cooling on racks lining the big center island.
“Ciara, love, what are you doing here?” Angus demanded. “You’re supposed to be resting!”
I accepted his warm, vanilla-scented hug. “I’ve rested until I can’t rest anymore. Time to get back to work.”
Munro was next. He gave me a gentle squeeze and studied me with dark eyes. “You don’t look too bad off. Maybe a little tired around the edges.”
“Concussions will do that. But I’m on the mend. Promise.”
He glanced behind me to where Alex stood just inside the doorway. “I see you’ve brought your young man. Welcome back to Ardinmuir.”
“Thanks. We weren’t formally introduced last time I was here. I’m Alex Conroy.”
“Good to meet you. You’re one of the lot opening the outdoor adventure company in town?”
“I am. You’ll have to come down and check us out when we’re open. We aim to have something for everyone.”
“We’ll have to do that.” Angus draped an arm around his husband. “Have to try new things to keep ourselves young.”
I leaned in to kiss both their cheeks. “Neither of you will ever be old.”
Angus’s cheeks pinked. “Oh, go on now.”
“Only if I can steal a scone for the road, as it were.”
“Take as many as you like, lass.”
“You’re the best!” I snagged two. When Alex started to move on by, I gave him a pointed look. “If you want one, you’ll need to grab your own. These are both for me.” To emphasize the point, I took a big bite. “Mmm. Apple cinnamon.”
“So it’s like that, is it? Fine, fine.” Grinning, he picked up a scone for himself and followed me out of the kitchen.
I’d already devoured my first one by the time we made it to the office. Kyla, Afton, and Sophie were in the middle of a meeting when I strode in.
“What are you doing here?” Kyla demanded.
“Last time I checked, I still work here.”
“But you were injured,” Sophie insisted.
“I’m going stir crazy at home. I can work, and I want to work. So here I am.”
They all looked past me to Alex.
“Alex is playing chauffeur for me right now since I’m without a car. I’m waiting for insurance to process my claim, and that might take a while.”
He lifted a hand in a wave.
“He’s got some work of his own to see to, but he’ll be around and available to do any heavy lifting, should we need him.”
“Happy to help,” he seconded. “Where do you want me to set up?”
“I was thinking he could borrow your office, Sophie? He needs decent internet, and I know it’s spotty in various parts of the castle.”
“Of course. That’s fine. I’ll show you where to go. It’s just down the hall.”
When Sophie started to rise, I waved her back down. “No, no. I’ve got it. No reason to make you fight gravity if you don’t have to.”
“Do you want some tea or coffee to go with your scone before you go?”
“I’ll be fine. I can make my way back to the kitchen if I need to.”
“Are you sure? Because there are a lot of twists and turns between here and there, and I promise you’ll want another of those scones once you taste it.”
“I navigated the Amazon jungle in the dark with no gear. I think I can make it back to the kitchen.”
I blinked at him. “Why is that so hot?”
His smile spread, slow and wicked. “Competence porn.”
“Yeah, we’re having a conversation later about why you even know what that is. Come on, Mr. I Don’t Need Directions. I’ll show you to Sophie’s office.”
Once I got him settled and set up with the Wi-Fi password, I went back to get to work myself.
“Okay, catch me up. Where are we on this weekend’s event?”
All three of them were staring at me in expectation.
“What?”
Sophie just arched a brow. “That didn’t look very fake to me.”
I thought of what had happened between us yesterday and fought not to blush. “We’ve gotten close,” I admitted.
“How close?” Kyla asked.
The blush was a losing battle. “A girl doesn’t kiss and tell.”
“I’m betting he’s a hell of a kisser,” Afton sighed.
“You’re pregnant and married,” Kyla reminded her.
“Exactly. Pregnant and married. Not dead. You heard him. Competence porn. It’s attractive for a reason.”
I really needed them to stop talking about Alex and any kind of porn in the same sentence. “Right, well, Ewan still doesn’t know, and it’s going to stay that way until I can talk to him in person myself. I’m not at all sure how he’ll handle the idea of me dating one of his mates. So, can we just table this and get to work?”