by Cali MacKay
He pulled open the door and watched her breeze in, dragging his pup behind her. “What the hell happened to her?”
She looked down at the dog before turning those blue eyes on him with a look of confusion, a smile tugging at her full lips. “I took her for a run. How is she supposed to look?”
“That dog’s crazy-and hasn’t ever stopped being crazy. I’ve never seen her this-”
“Calm?” Her eyebrows perked in question as her smile widened.
“Aye. Calm.” A deep blush stood out against her luminous skin, her cheeks flushed from the exertion of her run and the brisk wind from the sea.
“It’s amazing what a bit of a workout can do for the mind and body.” She reached down and unclipped the leash before handing it to him. “I can come by and get her again tomorrow if ye’d like. I hadn’t realized it when ye gave me your card, not being familiar with the roads and all, but we’re neighbors.”
He squeezed his eyes shut for a long moment, his head suddenly pounding. “Och, tell me ye’re not staying at the Campbell cottage.” Rowan Campbell had moved in with her boyfriend, Angus Macleod, a few months ago, leaving the home empty.
“That’s the one. Belongs to a friend of Iain’s. They were happy to rent it to me since it was just sitting there, and it’s got two rooms, which is convenient since my brother will be joining me for this job sometime in the upcoming weeks-had a bit of an overlap in projects.”
It figured, since Iain and Angus were the best of friends. And if Maggie was in the Campbell cottage, that made her his closest neighbor. Shite.
“No need to take the dog for a run tomorrow-or any other day for that matter.” He’d never get to sleep in if she kept coming around to steal Piper.
“Ah…well then, I’ll leave it as an open offer in case ye change your mind.” She started to wander, her gaze drifting around the room. “Mind if I grab a drink?”
“This way.” He sighed. At least she seemed to have mellowed out a bit. Only took her over an hour of exercise. “Since I couldn’t get back to sleep after being dragged out of my bed at the bloody crack of dawn, I got started on the schematics.”
She followed him into the kitchen, beaming a huge smile at him. “See! You got a head start on yer day. Doesn’t that make ye feel good?”
“No.” He pinned her with a steely gaze, hoping she’d get it through that pretty head of hers and leave him alone. “I get plenty done on my own schedule, thank ye very much.”
Her brows perked up in mock defense. “Never said ye didn’t, boyo. Don’t go getting yer knickers in a twist.”
He grabbed a glass, tossed some ice in it and filled it with water. “Here.”
“Thanks.” She drank half of it in one go. “So do ye want to go over the changes? Or are ye kicking me out?”
Damn if he wasn’t tempted-just to make his point. Yet he didn’t show her the door-and she would no doubt make him regret his decision. “Might as well get started since ye’re already here.”
He led them into his living room where he liked to work. She wandered about, taking it all in. “This is really nice. Wow.”
“Thanks.” Though she was right-it was a gorgeous room-he was pleased that she liked it. He’d renovated the older home a few years back and the living room was his favorite, with a large stone fireplace that ran up to a cathedral ceiling and a row of windows flanking it, opening the room to the cliffs and sea just beyond.
“Ooo…do ye play?” She’d wandered over to where his guitar sat in the corner, unused for far too long.
His back went up as he pushed back the wave of emotions that hit him, and tried not to speak through gritted teeth. “No. Not anymore. If we could get to work…?”
Her eyebrows perked in question, but she said no more as they took a seat on the sofa, side by side, where he’d been working.
He unplugged his laptop and handed it to her, ignoring the way his shoulder and thigh brushed against hers as he shifted towards her to point to the diagram he’d pulled up on the screen. “The schematics ye’ve drawn up are great, but ye’ll see I’ve made some changes to the routing, which will make things more efficient and speed up yer processes.”
With her brow furrowed and her lips pressed together, she looked over his proposed changes. He was half expecting her to refuse to make the adjustments or give him a tongue-lashing for messing with her work and plans. Instead she continued to read on, her gaze intense.
She looked over and nodded, a smile slowly turning up on those full lips. “Nice work, Conall. I think ye’ll be a good addition to the project.”
Oh. Not quite what he’d expected. It’s not that he needed her approval, but it was nice to know the next few months of working with her might be amicable. “Well, I appreciate ye saying so.”
She handed him back the laptop, her blue eyes alight. “I should get going. Still need to shower before heading to the job site.”
He stood with her and walked her to the door. “I’ll see ye there, aye?”
She nodded and walked off, the cottage only a quarter of a mile down the road. He watched her go, her thick hair pulling free of its bindings as the wind blew in off the sea. She could be a dangerous distraction-except that he had no time for distractions of that sort. Nor did he have the desire.
Yet he still stood there, watching.
Chapter Three
Happy with everything she’d managed to accomplish, Maggie decided to wrap things up for the day. She’d seen Conall poking around while working on his own things, but they’d both been busy. There was something about him that she found intriguing. It was as if he gave off a certain energy which immediately pulled her into his orbit and she couldn’t help but be drawn to him. She knew it the moment he walked into a room, the air around her shifting with his presence, making her fully aware of the nearness of him.
Maybe it had to do with his sharp intelligence-or how stern and serious he was. Not many seemed to challenge him or get in his way, not wanting to be on the receiving end of one of those golden glares. Not that it bothered her any. It only made her curious to find out what was behind the façade-and she had no doubt it could be a whole lot of fun finding out. Alone on the job site, Conall could be just the thing she needed to keep boredom at bay when she wasn’t working.
That was one of the advantages to working with her brother, Liam. They got along well, and when working in an area when they knew not a soul, it was good to have his company-when he was around. In the meantime, she’d have to find other ways to keep herself entertained, and for now that plan included Conall, even if he didn’t know it yet.
Andrew wandered towards her as she packed up her tools. He was the foreman for the construction company that was rebuilding the church ruins, and definitely a good-looking man. From London, he was in his late twenties or early thirties, tall with a muscular build, sable brown hair and brown eyes. He seemed nice, and normally she’d be more than a little interested. Yet she just couldn’t get into him for some reason. Their chemistry seemed off. Not that he had given up trying.
“I don’t suppose I could interest you in a bite to eat and a pint. The pub has surprisingly good food, and seeing how it’s a Friday, I was thinking we could venture towards one of the larger towns not too far from here. If you’re up for it, of course.” Andrew hitched a thumb in his jean pocket, his head cocked to one side, a lazy smile on his lips.
She zipped her bag and stood. “I appreciate the offer, but I have to catch up on some emails and other work.”
“Are you sure? I promise to keep you entertained-and it’s not like the emails won’t be there when you get back. Come on, Maggie. You’ll have the whole weekend to answer them, and you’ve got to eat at some point, right?” He shifted his weight as his gaze wandered over her face, a sweet smile on his lips.
Iain walked over and saved her from having to come up with another excuse. “I’m glad I caught ye before ye’d left for the day. If ye have no plans for the evening, Cat would love to have everyone o
ver for dinner-wants to thank ye all for the hard work ye’ve been putting in. Not to mention, she’s been experimenting with some new recipe and is desperate for mouths to feed.”
Not exactly what Maggie had planned for the evening, but she knew better than to turn down invitations from her clients, especially when they were wealthy and well-connected. She glanced at Andrew, wondering if she’d be stuck turning down his advances the rest of the night. Probably no way to avoid it.
She managed a smile for Iain and hefted her bag onto her shoulder. “Sure. Thanks for the invite.”
Andrew smiled in her direction before looking back to Iain. “Sounds perfect to me.”
Iain clapped his hands together. “Excellent. If seven works for ye, that would be grand.”
Maggie hefted her tool bag onto her shoulder and followed him towards the door, hoping to leave Andrew behind. Luckily, it worked. “I’ll see you then.”
With her tools locked up on the bus and everything secured for the night, she grabbed her helmet and hopped on her motorbike, a gorgeous Triumph Speedmaster. Black, moody, and mean, she loved her bike. Loved the feel of its rumble and speed.
“Ye heading home?” It was a Scottish lilt rather than Andrew’s English.
Relieved, she turned to find Conall walking towards her, his car parked next to her bike in the makeshift parking lot. It was currently no more than grass, dirt, and puddles of mud, but it’d all get paved over once the construction wrapped up. “Yeah. I’m desperate to get home and wash the day’s dirt and grime off me. The beginning of a job is always the dirtiest.”
The old church had most of its walls standing before the renovation started, but the roof had been mostly caved in. Cat and Iain had spared little expense adding on to it and bringing the original part of the building back to life. It’d be gorgeous once it was completed, a perfect home for the Hope.
“I wanted to thank ye for taking Piper on that run. She was knackered afterwards. Never seen her so quiet in all my life.” He shifted his weight, repositioning the strap of his laptop bag.
If Maggie had to guess, this was probably the longest conversation the man had all month outside of work. “Like I said, I’m happy to take her with me in the mornings. She’s good company.”
He barked out a laugh. “Is she now?”
Maggie shrugged, a smile tugging at her lips. “Well, a running partner who actually speaks would also be nice. But since I know I’ve got a better chance of getting hell to freeze over than to get ye out for a run with me, Piper will have to do.”
“I run. On occasion.” His eyes narrowed in annoyance as the wind caught his hair, blowing it across his face.
“Do ye now? Well then, I might just have to drag ye with me.” She could have laughed at the expression on his face. “Or not. I’m happy to change up my exercise routine if there’s something else ye’d rather do.”
She could think of so many different ways to get a workout with him. She just couldn’t help herself. A woman would have to be blind to miss that the man was damn good looking with his strong jaw covered in stubble not quite long enough to be a beard, thick longish hair, and those gold eyes, so incredibly cat-like. Damn. He made her want to be so very bad-not at all professional of her, even if she didn’t mind crossing that line once she’d clocked off for the day.
“Did Iain invite ye to dinner?” He shifted his weight again, as if growing impatient.
“He did-and Andrew too. I take it yer going?” It’d be nice to have someone other than Andrew and her employers there.
Not that she didn’t like Cat and Iain. They were great-but they were still her clients. And the last thing she wanted or needed was to be encouraging Andrew by hanging around with him. She liked him enough and on paper he looked great, but that spark between them was missing, and there was nothing you could really do about that sort of thing.
A hint of a smile tugged at his lips, transforming his face and lighting his eyes with a fire she hadn’t expected. “A bit hard to say no, isn’t it? Don’t get me wrong-they’re great. But it’s not really my thing.”
She met his smile with a wider one of her own. “I had the same exact thought. Guess I’ll see ye later then?”
“Aye. I suppose so.”
She kicked her bike to life, the roar of it breaking the silence of the glen. With a grin at Conall and a teasing flick of her eyebrows, she put on her helmet and took off, knowing he was still watching her-and no doubt thinking she was going too fast. She had to laugh. Fast indeed. The bike hugged the curves of the winding roads, as the engine thrummed underneath her, her ride home already over just as she was starting to really enjoy herself.
With more than two hours to get ready for dinner, Maggie opted for a nice long soak in the tub, her mind wandering to the things she’d need to accomplish in the next few days. Once she started a project, she always liked to rethink things. It was one thing to design a system based on the diagrams you’d been given, and another to actually see the space you’d be working with-especially once you had the chance to work the area and become familiar with the space and its quirks. And old places had quirks aplenty.
The changes Conall wanted to make were good ones, and she found that she didn’t mind working with him. They seemed to respect each other’s work territory, and that wasn’t something she always got on a job site.
It left her wondering what Conall would be like tonight. Would he remain serious and tight-lipped? Or would he relax a bit once he wasn’t working? She’d caught glimpses of what he might be like if he’d just loosen up-and she’d be happy to help him get there, even if she had to drag him, kicking and screaming. He was a challenge, and one she’d be happy to tackle.
Knowing she’d have to ride her bike to Iain’s, she picked out a pair of dark skinny jeans and a pretty bohemian top, and then paired it with her leather jacket and calf-hugging chocolate suede boots as she headed out the door, a bottle of wine in hand. Again, the ride to Cat and Iain’s was a short one, and she swore she’d take the weekend to go for a nice long ride along the coast.
Cat answered the door and invited her in, taking her jacket and the bottle of wine with a thank-you. “I’m so glad you could make it. Everyone’s hanging around by the fire, and be sure to get Angus to pour you a drink. I just have a few last-minute things to take care of, but I hope you’ll make yourself at home.”
Maggie let Cat get back to her cooking as she looked around the place on her way to the sitting room. She remembered the small castle from her first visit to meet with Cat and Iain, and found that she was still as captivated by the place as she was the first time around. The tall ceilings, the aged dark wood paneling, the ancient tapestries, the period paintings-and a far too inadequate security system. She’d have to mention it to them in the near future.
She quickly scanned the room of people, realizing she knew almost everyone there. Angus and Rowan, whom she’d met when she rented the cottage from them, and there was Andrew and his boss, Phillip, along with a few more of their employees, Johnny and Clyde. There was an older gentleman, whom she believed to be Iain’s father, and Cat’s assistant, Tansy. Conall had yet to show up or was wandering about elsewhere in the home. Not that Maggie was disappointed-not yet, at least.
Andrew spotted her, but she avoided his gaze and wandered towards the bar, happy to make small talk with her landlords. In response to Angus’s question, she said, “A glass of red would be lovely. Thanks.”
“How’s the cottage working out?” Rowan cringed with a smile. “I know it’s pretty basic-and it can get damn cold and drafty.”
“Actually, it’s perfect. It’s big enough, everything works, and the views are just gorgeous. The area’s perfect for a morning run.” Though she might sleep in tomorrow morning.
Angus’s brow furrowed. “I hope ye’ll be careful, lass. It gets foggy in the morning and ye don’t want to stumble off the cliff.”
She gave him a smile. “That’s what Conall said-though with fewer words.”
>
Rowan laughed. “Sounds about right. Isn’t he also working on the museum?”
“He is. In fact, we’ll be working together so my systems work seamlessly with his. I’m surprised he’s not here already.” She glanced over her shoulder, but he still wasn’t around-and she’d now inadvertently caught Andrew’s attention. Turning back to her discussion, she hoped she could avoid him just a little longer.
Angus scoffed. “I’m not in the least bit surprised. Probably waiting until the last moment to show. Hell, I’m shocked he even agreed to come. He’s yer neighbor, ye know.”
Humor sparked in Angus’s eyes, making Maggie think he was far too mischievous a man. He threw Rowan a glance that spoke volumes-one of those looks between lovers when they need no words. She missed that silent communication. The way you could have an entire conversation with a simple look. And Angus was clearly head over heels in love with the beautiful redhead.
It made her think of her own love life-or lack thereof. It was hard when she was constantly on the road. Eventually she’d like to give a serious relationship another try, though she’d learned from her past mistakes. It was one thing to have a bit of casual fun, but if she were going to fall in love and give her heart to another, she could only do that utterly and completely-and they better be willing to do the same. She refused to settle for someone who couldn’t reciprocate at the same level.
Thinking of Angus’s words and her morning run, she had to smile. “I actually paid him a visit this morning to drop off some plans and see if he wanted to go for a run, but I’m afraid I probably woke him up. He’s got a great dog, though. Ended up taking her with me.”
A smile danced on Rowan’s lips, her eyes sparkling. “Be forewarned-Piper’s a bit of an escape artist. Although she’s gotten into the habit of beelining it to the cottage when she does get loose.”
Angus shook his head, his lips pursed, though there was still humor in his eyes. “That’s because ye’d give her treats when she showed up at yer door. It’s no wonder she tries to escape every chance she gets. Rewarding bad behavior is a very bad habit, love.”
