Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 109368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 547(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 547(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
Ramsay considered this. “Perhaps some of us had preconceived notions about you.”
“Some of us being you?”
“I rarely judge a book by its cover. People are excellent at keeping secrets and are never really who you think they are. But … I have to admit, you’ve surprised me a time or two and that’s not easy to do.”
Despite the cold, my cheeks flushed beneath his intense regard.
God, I wanted him.
I didn’t think I’d ever wanted a man as much as I wanted this one.
Feeling breathless again, I racked my brain for a subject change. Pinned to the wall of the bedroom was a photograph of a Highland piper. “So, the pipes … where did you learn to play them?”
Ramsay went with the new topic and to my continued shock, replied, “In the marines. They have a pipe band and as punishment for a prank I pulled on a member of my unit when I was seventeen, my corporal stuck me in the pipe band, and I was forced to learn the pipes.”
“But you enjoyed playing?”
“I did. It had been years since I picked up the pipes, but when I settled in Leth Sholas, Quinn was looking for another piper. Some madness led me to saying yes.” He shrugged, a far-off look in his eyes. “But being part of the band reminds me of my time in the marines. Of being part of a team, of a community. I’d lost that over the years, reverting to the orphan who grew up needing nothing and no one.”
Grateful he’d shared so much, I responded softly, “I guess we all need someone. Even a man who bought an island just to be alone.”
“Not alone. I have a dog.” He flashed me a grin, and I felt a swoop of attraction in my stomach.
I chuckled, suddenly not afraid to let my feelings show in the heat of my stare. “You have more than a dog.”
Blunt as ever, Ramsay replied gruffly, “I’m not a relationship type of man, Silver. I like sex and when I need it, I find someone uncomplicated to have sex with.”
Perhaps it was because he couldn’t run from me here, but I found myself answering boldly, “And I’m complicated?”
Ramsay gave a little huff. “Where do I start?”
“Somewhere,” I insisted.
“Fine. One: You live in Leth Sholas. I don’t sleep with women from Glenvulin. Two: You’re a good thirteen years younger than me. I like women who know the score. Three: You’re hiding something that potentially puts the people I care about in danger. Is that complicated enough for you?”
I raised my chin defiantly. “The only person potentially in danger is me, and we both know you couldn’t care less about me.”
“You believe that and yet you want to fuck me?” He quirked an eyebrow.
My skin flushed at his words. Not at the bluntness. But at the imagery they conjured. The thought of his big body moving over mine. In mine.
“I’m not looking for complicated either,” I whispered, my voice hoarse with need.
Ramsay turned his head from me, and I saw the muscle in his jaw flexing beneath his beard. “Who is threatening you?” he asked the wall.
“Why do you care?”
“Silver.” He flashed me a warning look.
I sighed and shimmied back up the bed and onto one side. “I’m tired. I think I’ll try to sleep through this storm.”
Without another word, I curled up on my side.
17. Tierney
“The blankets are clean.” Ramsay stood and began removing his supplies from the bed. “You can get under it. I’ll take one of the bunks.”
A few minutes later, I’d kicked off my boots and gotten under the blanket. It might have been clean, but it smelled a little damp, like it had been changed a good few weeks before. I curled into a ball on my side and squeezed my eyes closed, trying not to think about how freaking cold it was now that the storm was raging around us.
“It’s blowin’ a hooley out there,” Ramsay muttered, moving around the room.
“What does that mean?”
“Windy,” he replied succinctly. “Will I turn off the lamp?”
My eyes flew open. “No! I mean … please don’t.”
He didn’t respond to that, but he also didn’t turn off the lamp. I closed my eyes and heard creaking as Ramsay got into the lower bunk bed.
I tried to sleep, but my feet were like ice, and I couldn’t rid myself of the chill. Shivering, I curled tighter into a ball, pulling the blanket up around my ears. My teeth chittered.
“You all right over there, Silver?”
I jolted at Ramsay’s question; I thought he’d be long asleep. “I … I c-can’t g-get warm.”
“Fuck,” he muttered. “Do you want me to sleep in there with you? For body heat?”
The funny thing is, if any other guy had offered to do that, I would have known they were using the situation as an excuse to get in bed with me. Not Ramsay McRae.