Chapter 23 Ramsay
That was the problem with living on a small island.
Everybody eventually found out everyone’s business.
It had been two weeks since Silver and I started having sex.
Now everybody fucking knew.
To be fair, it might have been my fault.
I didn’t know what I was thinking when I loudly made it clear what was between us at the B and B after Silver’s ex showed up.
I was self-aware enough to know I was thinking with my dick after that arsehole had triggered my territorialism.
It was backward, it wasn’t pretty, and I knew Silver wasn’t mine.
But at that moment, she’d felt like mine to protect.
It still clung to me as she walked off without giving me her trust.
And now, because my pride was stung, I’d inadvertently let everyone know we were fucking.
They were smart enough not to ask me about us, but Silver told me she was treated to innuendo and outright interrogation from her neighbors about what was going on.
She had a charming way of telling folks to mind their own business without upsetting them.
I watched her now as I played the pipes. Silver watched me too, a heat in her eyes I recognized.
Aye, I was going to get very lucky tonight.
I didn’t know why she found my pipe playing such a turn-on, but I wasn’t going to question it.
We were in the middle of Johnny Harris’s farm, about a five-minute drive from Leth Sholas.
Every year during the summer, Glenvulin hosted a small wares festival for tourists, and Johnny rented one of his fields out to the council to use.
Me and the lads were hired to play. Tents were put up around the large field and local craftspeople from all the islands came over to Glenvulin to sell their wares.
Silver had been excited about an antiques dealer from the mainland who was presenting a stall. She and Cammie had raced there first to look for stuff for the B and B. They must have finished up because they’d returned, Akiva at their side, to our stage to sit, drink ale, and listen to us play.
I noted locals glancing at her and grinning conspiratorially.
They could think what they wanted, I supposed.
What was between us was between us.
Whatever it was, I was nowhere near done having my fill yet.
In fact, this need for the bloody American had only gotten stronger every day.
The sex was … it was fucking phenomenal.
That was saying a lot for a man who had sometimes used mind-blowing sex to unearth secrets.
I was pretty sure Silver was in agreement that she and I … well … best sex ever.
And yet, I still could not unearth her secrets.
At least there had been no more threats. She spent most nights on Stòr with me and on the nights the weather was too bad to chance even the short crossing, I’d stayed with her in her tiny flat.
My attention moved to Akiva who rested her head on Silver’s lap, her eyes closed in a nap. My dog could sleep through anything, apparently. And she followed Silver everywhere.
My gut clenched with something like unease, and I looked away to focus on the music.
There had been a couple of years the festival was delayed a day or two due to the weather.
Another year it was cancelled completely.
But the weather this summer had been some of the mildest I’d ever witnessed on Glenvulin, and today the sun was out, shining bright.
Everyone was in a great fucking mood because of it.
Even Quinn whose general mood had improved these last few weeks as he finally let go of the idea of making amends with Taran.
We finished the song and I announced, “Need a break. A drink. Back here in thirty?”
Quinn and the lads nodded, and we placed our instruments behind the stage for safekeeping.
Murray and Laird headed off toward the beer stall.
Quinn and Forde moved around the stage and walked toward Silver and Cammie before I could.
Silver nodded at them in greeting but got up to wind her way through the chairs toward me with Akiva at her side.
“You sounded great,” she said with a smile.
It had taken her a few days to get over being pissed about the secrets I was keeping from her.
Silver knew it was hypocritical of her to stay mad at me and she compartmentalized things.
She’d also told me she didn’t believe in holding grudges.
“You never know when the last time you’ll see someone is.
I don’t ever want to have the regret of harsh words between me and the people I care about. ”
I didn’t ask if that meant she cared about me.
But I liked her words.
I just … I liked her.
That unease shifted through me again, but Akiva barked for attention, drawing me out of my darkening thoughts.
“Hey, sweetheart.” I lowered to my haunches to give her a proper rubdown.
“I saw a piece at the antiques store I want your opinion on.” Silver absentmindedly raked her nails through my hair, and I fought off a visceral, needful reaction to her touch.
I nodded and stood. “Show me.”
A normal man would reach for her hand and guide her through the crowds of the festival.
My fingers twitched as I watched Silver avoid bumping into a laughing couple.
She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.
Usually, Silver kept her hair up in a ponytail.
It was only ever down when we were in bed.
Today she wore it loose in a cascade of blond waves that glinted wheaten gold in the sun.
Heat tightened in my groin as I followed her hand when it dropped back to her side.
She’d never taken my advice to cut her nails, and I was glad for it. I loved the feel of them scratching down my back or digging into my arse as I took her hard.
When we met, I’d never imagined how perfect she’d be for me in that respect.
That she’d get off taking it how I loved to give it.
Fuck, she was making me insatiable. Like a teenager who couldn’t get fucking off his mind.
I blew out a beleaguered breath and Silver heard it, even over the noise of the crowd.
Her head whipped to me. “You okay?”
“Aye,” I bit out gruffly.
She frowned but let it lie.
Another thing I liked about her. She knew when and when not to push.
Suddenly, we were outside the antiques tent.
I raised an eyebrow. It must have been a small feat bringing all this stuff over from the mainland.
“That.” Silver tugged on my arm and led me over to the back of the tent where a large Welsh dresser stood.
“How did she get this over?” I murmured.
“A large boat.” A small, middle-aged woman appeared at my side.
“Is it worth it?”
“If your woman here buys it, it will be.” She grinned cheekily.
I smirked. “I’m afraid that’s not happening.”
Silver smacked me gently on the stomach “Hey, why not?”
“It’s not what you want.” I frowned at the piece. “It’s nothing like what you want.”
“I can’t find what I want.”
Aye, which was why I’d finished crafting it for her. It was supposed to be a surprise. “Trust me. You’ll find what you want.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Oh really?”
“Aye, really.”
“What are you up to?” She stepped into me, pressing her body to my side, her breasts pushing against my arm. “Have you done something that might be considered sweet and thoughtful, Ramsay McRae?”
My gaze dropped to her lush mouth. “Me. Never.”
Her breath hitched at the low rumble in my words. A rumble she recognized.
“Are you buying the dresser or not?” the antiques owner asked from my other side.
I almost bared my teeth at the interruption. “Not.”
Silver bit her lip to hide her amusement and leaned past me to answer politely, “That would be no, thank you.”
“Fine.” The woman made a huffing noise before she left us to engage with another customer.
Resting her hand on my chest, leaning deeper into me, Silver asked, “Did you build me a dresser?”
I sighed. “It was supposed to be a surprise.”
Her eyes lit up. “Can I see it?”
“It’s in my workshop.”
“Maybe we should leave early.” She ran her hand down my chest. “So I can see it and then thank you properly.”
My words were hoarse as I fought to control my body responding to her invitation. “Sounds like a plan.”
“How do you want your thanks?”
I narrowed my eyes and dropped my head to murmur the words against her lips. “My cock in your mouth.”
She shuddered, eyes dilating.
“Silver.” I squeezed my eyes closed and stepped back. “Not here, woman.”
Her answering smile was smug. If I stayed in her vicinity right now, I was going to find a quiet spot behind a tent somewhere to fuck her.
“I’ll see you in a few hours.” I walked away abruptly, clicking my tongue for Akiva to follow me.
“Where are you going?” Silver called after me, laughter in her voice.
Vixen.
“Music to play!” I called back. “Places to fucking be that are not near you,” I muttered. “Bloody death of me. Fucking forty years old, for fuck’s sake.”
“All right there, Ramsay?” Annie called out to me from a cheese stand. Amusement twinkled in her eyes.
“Fine.”
“An awful lot of angry muttering going on there,” she insisted, her eyes darting toward the antiques seller’s tent. “Someone got you in a bit of a tizz, has she?”
I bared my teeth at her in more of a grimace than a grin and strode off toward the stage.
Her laughter trailed behind me.
Bloody small-town living.
Why did I think moving here was a good idea?