Chapter 7 Dinner For Two #2
Niall met her gaze, and she glimpsed his bear in the gold swirl that suddenly dominated his eyes. A slow smile crept across his face, spellbinding in its charm. It transformed him from a grumpy bear to a sexy shifter who’d attract any woman’s attention.
“I might enjoy that,” he said in a sexy rumble.
Her mouth dropped open, and she pressed her lips together once she realized. “You would?”
“I’ve confessed already. I like you a lot. You’re intelligent, excellent at your job, and you don’t bore me with your prattle.”
Suzie rolled her eyes. “Thanks, I think.”
He grinned, and her breath caught. He looked much younger and more carefree when he cast away his serious side. “Also, I enjoy looking at you. Plus, you aren’t afraid of my temper.”
“Okay.”
Niall pulled up in the parking lot for a pub Suzie hadn’t yet visited—The Black Bull.
Once out of the vehicle, she snapped a shot of the pub sign depicting a snorting black bull.
Fields sat on one side of the pub, full of contented Highland cattle chewing their cud.
Suzie skipped in that direction and took a photo to send to her father.
A cattle farmer, he’d enjoy seeing the hairy, horned beasts.
Niall waited patiently, leaning casually against the hood of his vehicle.
A tiny smile played on his lips, and she had the strange desire to touch him or at least run her finger over his mouth and test it for softness.
She had the oddest feeling that this man used his grumpiness as a barrier, and he was marshmallow-soft inside.
She was seeing a side of him that most didn’t.
“Are you done?” he asked.
“For now.” She savored the touch of his hand on the small of her back as he pushed open the double front doors and showed her into the dimly lit pub. The floor was wooden underfoot, with several standing tables and eight tables with chairs to the right.
“Grab a table while I get us a drink,” Niall said. “What would you like?”
“I’m working my way through the local gins, so I’ll take a gin and tonic, please. Something with botanicals.”
Niall returned five minutes later with a pink gin and tonic, a beer for him, and two bags of crisps. “The kitchen is closed for another hour.”
Suzie nodded and took a sip of her drink. “Nice,” she said. “Is it a local one?”
“Made in Edinburgh, according to the barman.” Niall’s gaze went past her to the door, and he snapped out a curse.
Suzie half turned in her seat, but Niall’s hand shot out to stay her.
“No,” he said in an undertone. “Perhaps they won’t notice us.” He cursed again.
Suzie set down her drink and reached for a packet of crisps.
The tension in Niall spread to her, and a bolt of apprehension shot through her when she saw the smile on Niall’s mouth—the one that didn’t reach his eyes.
Whoever he’d spotted had knocked him off balance.
She could practically feel his bear vibrating beneath his skin, which set her feline on edge.
She tugged at the top of the crisp pack, exerted too much force, and spilled crisps across the table.
“Sorry,” she whispered.
“Niall,” a masculine voice said, the owner halting behind her. “Fancy seeing you here.”
Something about the smug note in the voice raised her hackles.
Intuition told her this man had known their location.
Did that mean he’d followed them from the castle?
Had he shot at them? Her gut cried yes, and Suzie had learned to trust her instincts.
Her mother knew stuff, too, although their grandmother—her father’s mother—dismissed this freaky power out of hand.
“Who is the pretty lady?” a second masculine voice asked.
Suzie’s stomach flipped, but she plucked a crisp from the packet and popped it into her mouth. Niall tensed even more until he reminded her of a coiled spring. Whoever these men were, Niall loathed them. She could see it in the hard glint of his eyes.
“Aren’t you going to say anything, baby brother?” the first voice said, its taunting quality irking Suzie. “Introduce us to your friend.”
She hated bullies. Especially now since hindsight told her she and Edwina had started to tread this path.
That of a thug. She hadn’t liked what she’d seen and thought she’d become a better person.
She’d certainly tried. And she recalled the pain in Niall’s voice when he’d told her about his family and their cruel treatment.
Suzie picked up her drink and savored the botanical notes of the gin as she swallowed. Summer fruits, juniper, and herbs. She’d quiz the barman later and see how good she was at distinguishing the flavors.
“Hey, Runt. You don’t seem pleased to see us. Afraid we’re gonna steal your lady friend? Or did you pay for her company?”
Suzie’s breath hissed through her teeth, and she opened her mouth to fire a reprimand.
Niall beat her to it. “That’s enough. What is so important that you must hound me? Whatever you want, spit it out and leave.”
“What about the niceties that you’re always harping about?” one brother asked.
“Quit mucking around,” Niall snapped. “What. Do. You. Want?” Fury glittered in his expression. His bear was mighty pissed, as evidenced by the amber flecks in Niall’s hazel irises.
One brother edged around the table and into Suzie’s sightline.
He matched Niall’s height, and she could see the resemblance in the eyes and cheekbones.
Handsome in a hard way, he bore a scar that ran from his ear to the corner of his mouth.
He’d slicked his hair back with something that darkened the color to muddy brown and wore a thick gold chain around his neck.
This was the sort of man her grandmother had warned her about.
One she might’ve flirted with once but now sensed was trouble. Niall was worth ten of him.
Suzie wanted to tell Niall and his brother that, but she remained mute. She and Niall could talk later.
The second brother appeared, his smirk provoking her urge to strike. They thought Niall would capitulate and do whatever they wanted.
Niall pulled out his phone. “Tell me what you want, or I’ll contact the police and tell them you’re the ones who were shooting at us in the forest.”