Chapter 18 Ramsay
“It’s looking good.”
I turned from taking a swig of water to find Quinn studying the built-in wardrobe in the smaller of the guest rooms. Akiva got up from her spot in the corner to get a rubdown from my partner.
Silver wanted hanging room and a place to put folded items, so I was creating both within the same tiny space.
It allowed us to put in interior walls to provide the rooms with small adjoining bathrooms. All the plumbing and plasterwork for those were done.
Our team worked fast and efficiently, which allowed me to get in and do what I was good at.
The bathroom fixtures were ordered and would arrive in two weeks, so I wanted to get as much of the woodwork done as I could before work really started in the en suites.
“Aye. Only two more rooms to go.”
“You’re not tired after last night?” Quinn gave Akiva one last pat before he straightened and my dog wandered out into the hall.
Hearing the smirk in Quinn’s tone, I shrugged, pretending indifference. “Nah.”
Silver and I had woken early in the bothy.
She’d slept after I’d made her come, but I’d only gotten a few hours of shut-eye.
It didn’t matter. I didn’t sleep long hours on a normal day.
The storm petered off toward sunrise and I’d woken the warm woman in my arms and reluctantly dragged her out of bed.
We hadn’t spoken about what occurred, but the tension crackled in the air between us.
It took us almost ninety minutes to make it to the ferry dock, just in time to meet the islanders leaving for Glenvulin.
Donal stopped us before we got on my boat and asked Silver if she was all right. He explained he’d driven me to the bothy, something I’d forgotten to tell her, so caught up in this fucking inescapable attraction between us.
Touched by his concern, Silver had apologized for missing the ferry and kissed Donal’s cheek in thanks. The man’s ruddy face turned even ruddier, and he gruffly told her to “Get on with yourself,” but I could see he was pleased by her attention.
She had that way about her.
A warmth that drew people.
Made them care.
Made me care.
Fuck.
Silver was quiet, contemplative, on our way back to Glenvulin, and I wondered if she regretted what had happened in the bothy.
After we’d disembarked at Leth Sholas harbor, I’d walked her down Main Street, nodding to locals as we passed, and stopped outside of the building I’d had under surveillance.
For perhaps the first time in a very long time, I wanted to let my sensible, logical side go piss in the wind when it came to Tierney Silver.
I wanted her.
And I knew if she still wanted me back, I was going to have her.
I refused to acknowledge the relief that had poured through me when Silver turned to meet my eyes and boldly asked me to come to her place that night.
“I’ll pick you up instead,” I’d replied gruffly. “Take you over to mine.” My gaze had crawled up the building, assessing it. “We can’t be loud here.”
Her breath hitched and when I’d returned my attention to her, her eyes were filled with desire. “Tonight.” She’d nodded with a small smile filled with the knowledge of her feminine power. Then she disappeared inside, and it had taken everything within me not to follow her up those stairs.
“Did something happen between you and Tierney on Kiln last night?” Quinn asked now.
I studied my friend, thinking not for the first time that he would have made a good spy. He was more perceptive than most if he could read me.
“Aye.” I didn’t want to lie to him. “Not sex. But something. It isn’t serious.”
He raised an eyebrow. “So you’re going to sleep with her?”
I nodded because Quinn was about the only bloody person on the planet I didn’t have to lie to and wouldn’t.
“I won’t tell you what you already know.” Quinn considered me. “But the fact that you’re letting your dick rule you should tell you something here.”
Hiding my irritation, I asked blandly, “Like what?”
“That maybe it isn’t your dick that’s ruling you after all … but something else entirely.”
I sneered at the insinuation. “Believe me, it’s only sex.”
“If it was only sex, you’d find someone else.”
“She’s young, she’s beautiful, and she wants to fuck me. Could you resist that?”
Quinn narrowed his eyes like he knew I was deliberately being an arsehole. “I hate to bloat your ego, McRae, but there are plenty of young pretty things who’d like to fuck you. You could have your pick and you know it.”
I scowled, turning away. “Look … if you think this will interfere with our business …” I could barely spit the words out, “I’ll finish it before it starts.”
Honestly, I think Quinn stayed silent so long just to torture me.
“Nah,” he finally said with a sigh. “This is probably going to blow up in your face, but Tierney isn’t the type of woman to take it out on me.
She won’t fire us because of you. But be careful.
She’s been through a lot and doesn’t deserve to be used. ”
I whirled on him. “Is that what you think? That I’m using her?”
“You won’t mean to.”
“Tierney Silver is a grown woman. She’s the one who doesn’t want complicated.”
Quinn shook his head. “Ramsay … I know you know better than that.” He walked out before I could reply.
Staring at the work I’d done, my mind roiled with Quinn’s veiled remark. Frustration built with every second because he was right, wasn’t he? Was Silver really a casual fuck kind of woman?
Maybe I did need to call this thing off before it got started.
I contemplated it as I moved through the house in search of my dog.
Then I spotted her as I crossed what would become the dining room out onto the garden.
Akiva was outside with Silver. My dog was tugging her around the garden with the stick in her mouth while Silver laughed.
It was a warm day after the storm and she wore only a tank top with her jeans.
Her breasts strained against the material, bouncing with her laughter in a way that sent blood rushing to my dick.
As if she felt me, Silver suddenly turned, squinting against the sun.
Recognition lit her face and she gave me a sultry smile.
A visceral need tightened in my gut.
How long had it been since I wanted someone this much?
Ever?
Fuck it, I thought gruffly.
Tonight Tierney Silver would be mine.