Chapter 17
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
BAIRD
It was official.
Maia MacLeod was trying to kill me.
She stared at me.
While the blood pounded in my ears and flew straight to my dick.
A minute ago, when I’d knocked on her flat door, she’d yelled “Come in!” and I’d marched inside, pissed off to find the door unlocked. “I could have been anyone, My!” I called to her, stopping in the doorway of her living room/kitchen. She wasn’t in there.
“I knew it was you from the camera app!” Her voice traveled from the direction of her bedroom.
“I’m just sayin’, keep your flat door locked. You ready?”
“Putting on my shoes.” She sounded a little out of breath.
And then she was there—my lecture on security for a single woman living alone dying in my throat—standing in front of me in a dress that somehow managed to be classy as fuck and the sexiest piece of clothing I’d ever seen in my life.
Maia looked like she was ready to hit the red carpet.
Her dark hair flowed down her back and shoulders, sleek, straight.
I wanted to fist all that hair in my hands as I—
“Fuck,” I huffed out, scrubbing a hand down my beard.
The dress had a modest neckline, but it sculpted to her breasts, her small waist, her luscious hips, and there was a split in the hem that was definitely going to kill me. Her long, gorgeous tan legs looked even longer in the sky-high, barely there strappy sandals she wore.
“My face is up here.” Her words trembled with amusement.
I reluctantly dragged my gaze back to her face. Her makeup was more than usual. Smoky eyes that made the light violet color even more striking.
“Do you even know how beautiful you are?” My voice was rough with the magnitude of my feelings for her.
Maia appeared happily surprised and shocked the hell out of me by asking, “Really?” Like she didn’t know.
That pissed me off. It pissed me off that Maia MacLeod had lived thirty years on this planet and was so damaged by her worthless mum and her moronic ex that she didn’t know she was a fucking goddess among us mere mortals.
I took a step toward her, forcing myself not to touch her, to push too fast, too soon. “You’re always the most beautiful woman in the room, Maia. Always.”
Her lips parted on an exhale. “I think you mean that.”
“I do mean it. I’ve always meant it.”
She glanced away, a shy, sexy smile curling her lips. “I always just thought … you know … you flirt with everyone.”
Shit.
It looked like Callan and John were right. That part of my personality really was coming back to bite me in the arse.
“Doesn’t mean what I say isn’t true.” I bridged the distance between us and held out my hand. “Ready to do this?”
Maia eyed my upturned palm and slowly reached out to take it, my aunt’s ring sparkling in the light. I threaded my fingers through hers and squeezed.
She licked her lips, her gaze searching as if she wasn’t quite sure what was happening between us.
Good. I didn’t want her looking at me with benign comfort.
I wanted her off-kilter. I wanted her heart racing, her skin hot, and I wanted her questioning everything she thought she knew about what we were and could be.
“You look great too,” Maia opined quietly. “You always do.”
“I know that, beautiful, but I appreciate the compliment.”
She smacked my arm with her free hand. “Cocky bugger.”
Laughing, I shrugged and began leading her toward the exit. “You say cocky, I say self-aware.”
Her resultant snort-laugh made me feel about ten feet tall.
The club we were meeting our friends in was on George Street, so only a few minutes’ walk from Maia’s. While she managed in her heels with ease on the pavement, the cobbles were a bit of an issue, and I couldn’t say I didn’t enjoy being able to put my arm around her to keep her steady.
As we strolled toward the pillared entrance of the club, three guys walking toward us practically tripped over themselves ogling Maia.
Possessiveness thrummed through me, my hand tightening around hers as I glanced over my shoulder to see they’d turned to watch her walk away.
They were whistling under their breath and smacking each other in that “Check her oot, mate” silent language when they noted my death stare.
They quickly turned around, and I shook off my uncharacteristic response.
I’d been with attractive lassies before who garnered a lot of attention and it never bothered me. I’d been out with Maia while she was getting attention and didn’t let it get to me.
Tonight, I felt weirdly uptight about it.
I told myself to get a grip as we walked up to the bouncers instead of waiting in line. “Baird McMillan.”
They didn’t even check the list. One of them glanced between us. “Saw you two on the news. Congratulations.” He stepped aside and gestured for us to go in.
“Thanks, mate.” I could hear the whispers starting in line as recognition hit the would-be clubbers.
I searched Maia’s face as we walked inside. “You sure you’re up for this?”
“Damage control,” she replied quietly.
A hostess greeted us like we’d been announced. “Your party is waiting for you.”
We followed her through the already busy club and upstairs where the hostess unclipped a roped-off area and led us toward a table.
Callan, Beth, and John were already seated alongside my sister.
I shook my head as we approached. “Cannae take you lot anywhere, you bougie bastards with your VIP sections.”
They laughed and greeted us as Maia and I slid into the booth beside them.
“Maia, that dress is to die for.” Beth had to raise her voice across the table to be heard over the dance music. “Is that from Pennington’s?”
Maia nodded. “They let me have it for free. Marketing, they said, in case someone takes a snap of it tonight.”
“Well, at least there are perks to being under a microscope,” Ainsley offered. She studied Maia. “How are you doing with all the scrutiny?”
“I guess we’re about to find out.”
Protectiveness had me sliding my arm around her shoulders to pull her into my side. I’d asked her ages ago what perfume she wore because she always smelled amazing. She said it was 21:50 Rêverie. I inhaled it now, denying myself the urge to press a reassuring kiss to her plump lips.
A server appeared at the table to take our drinks order. Once she left, I turned to Callan. “Did you organize the VIP section?”
He shook his head. “Nah. They recognized me when we arrived and led us up here.”
“Nice.”
The drinks soon arrived, and we fell into easy conversation, talking about our weeks and everyday crap. Things got a bit awkward when Beth asked, eyes glinting with curiosity, “So … I’m dying to know how this happened.” She gestured between us.
Guilt tore through me. Around this table sat my favorite people in the world, and I hated lying to them. Maia tensed.
It was Ainsley, the only one who knew the truth, who came to the rescue. “I think it’s better not to talk about that stuff in public. Prying eyes and ears, you know.”
Beth grimaced as I offered my sister a grateful smile.
“Oh, of course.” Beth nodded. “You’re right. I’ll get the tea later from Maia.” She gave her pseudo-cousin a pointed look. I guessed that perhaps Maia had been avoiding her.
This was the worst part.
Though I couldn’t deny that Maia snuggling against me soothed my discomfort.
Not long later, after our third drink, Maia turned to me and said, “I want to dance.”
“That’s where the camera phones are,” I reminded her.
“We came here to be seen, so we might as well enjoy ourselves.” She started to slide out of the booth. I had to curb a masculine groan when I found myself face-to-face with her sequins-covered arse. Such a perfect, pert peach of an arse. John chuckled across the table, and I shot him a wry look.
“She’s trying to kill me.”
My friend flashed a wide grin. “But what a way to go.”
I chuckled and followed Maia out of the booth.
“I’m dancing too.” Beth waved at John to let her out.
Ainsley nodded. “And me.”
Callan snorted. “I guess we all are, then.”
“Nah. I’ll stay here.” John let Beth out, eyeing the table of women across from us. One of them, an in-your-face stunning blond, was eyeing him right back.
“Enjoy!” I winked at him and followed Maia down the stairs. I hurried to keep up with her because even though she traversed them like a pro in her sky-high heels, she’d had three cocktails.
As soon as we hit the floor, I put my hands on her hips.
She glanced over her shoulder up at me, her eyes bright enough that I knew she was tipsy but not drunk.
Heat shot through me as she started popping her hips from side to side as she guided me in a dance-walk into the middle of the crowded dance floor.
Just as I was turning her to face me, a strange woman pushed into my personal space, literally shoving Maia away so she could thrust her fingers into my hair.
“You cut it!” The unfamiliar blond pouted drunkenly as she pressed her body to mine.
I didn’t know this woman. She’d shoved Maia. There were probably camera phones coming out as we stood there. Wondering how to extricate myself as quickly as possible, I didn’t have time to figure it out. She was not so gently thrust aside.
By a seriously pissed-off Maia. “Do you know her?”
I shook my head, worried about where this was going.
Maia turned to the blond who staggered to right herself. “You do not touch strangers without their permission. You do not shove me, and you do not touch him.”
“Fuck,” the blond whined, stumbling. “Shorry. Jusht a Caley fan is all.” She turned away to start dancing again.
I tried not to smile as Maia gaped at me. “Do you have to deal with that all the time?”
In answer, I wrapped my arm around her waist and drew her against me. “It comes with the territory.”
Maia rested her palms on my chest, her violet eyes wide with concern. “No, Bear. It shouldn’t. People don’t get to touch you unless you want them to.”