Glitter flashed through her eyes. “Property inspection and service.”
That was as much a cover for reality as my answer had been. Not technically a lie, but not the whole truth either.
“Well, here’s your chance: impress me,” I urged. “What do you think of this place?”
Maggie made a show of tapping her chin and looking around. I didn’t miss the way her gaze flickered over me as it swept over the room. That small look, that short glance, set off a burst of something warm in my chest—a place that was usually cold and dead.
There was no denying my attraction. I wanted to keep her here or maybe take her home with me. In the quiet of my room, I could unwrap her, ferret out her secrets, and enjoy her undivided attention.
My dick twitched at the thought.
“It’s a dive bar.” Maggie’s response snapped me out of the wicked trail of thoughts. “It’s prime real estate here in downtown. It boasts of a relaxed atmosphere, but with appetizers in the twenty-dollar range and a full meal that could cost a couple hundred bucks, it’s giving the cliental the feeling of slumming it while catering to exactly what they’re used to having.”
A laugh barked unbidden from me.
Liam McDonagh would hate to hear his beloved pub described as a slum, despite the accurate assessment. Maybe I would tell him…whenever I managed to hunt his ass down. I wanted to establish a working relationship with him as soon as possible, since it was never a bad thing to have a strong ally in my back pocket. I was already amicable with the Italian families, which meant I just needed to make plans with the Irish.
But I pushed aside the weight of business and focused on the present distraction.
“I like that. You aren’t afraid to speak your mind,” I breathed.
Maggie played with her straw, not taking a sip. “I never caught your name.”
For a split second, I almost told her. But since she was hiding behind the ridiculous nom de guerre, I gave her an equally ridiculous response. “Nic.”
“Nic.” She tasted the word. “Okay, Nic, well, it’s been a blast, but I have to catch my bus.”
I stiffened. “You’re taking the bus?”
“Yep.” Maggie slid from the booth. “Sure am.”
I followed and snatched her wrist. The zing of electricity was hot and sharp—and wholly unexpected. I sucked in a breath.
Maggie’s eyes were wide. While a drop of fear danced through the captivating irises, there was something else simmering there as well.
“Let me offer you a ride,” I insisted, hating how hoarse my voice sounded. “Or at least pay for a cab.”
Maggie tugged her arm, but I wasn’t ready to let her go quite yet.
“Not necessary,” she ground out.
I pulled her close, leaning down. The sweet scent of citrus tickled my nose, and I took a deeper breath. “It’s the least I can do, since you’re new in town.”
Maggie laughed, the sound hollow and without a drop of humor. “You’re so fucking full of yourself.”
Those pouty berry red lips had a naughty side. It didn’t surprise me at all to hear the bad word come out of them, but the reaction to do something about it made my dick stiffen even more.
“It’s not safe in the big city.” I slid my fingers up her soft skin. Blood raced through her veins, making her pulse beat wildly. My breath hitched to feel it.
Her opposite hand clamped down on my wrist. “It will be a cold day in hell when I can’t take care of myself.”
There wasn’t a doubt in my mind she couldn’t do just that. With a sigh of resignation, I let her go. She dropped her hands to her side.
The smile she gave me was full of vitriol. “Thanks again for the coke…Nic.”
Her tongue popped the final consonant.
I stifled a groan. The urge to get laid had been dormant, suppressed by the overwhelming demands of living abroad. But it had been far too long since I’d taken care of that judging by the strong rush to grab this woman, pin her down, and show her why we would be magnetic together.
