Page 116 of Carnal Wagers

“Maeve…”

“Even Erel’s been worried about whatever is going on with you two. That should tell you something. Other than whatever business you had together, he told me he hasn’t really heard from you either.”

A prick of pain pulled my attention down to my nails, where I had picked a cuticle back. I cringed and tried to smooth the skin back in place.

“I’m fine. I promise.”

“Listen, babe. How about we meet up tomorrow? I’ll push some things around so we can have some girl time.”

“Not tomorrow. Cillian and I planned a full day with indoor karting and then a flight to see the Niagara Falls.”

“Sweetie, do you hear yourself? You’ve spent the last month with him nonstop. Surely, he can fit me into your tight schedule. I haven’t seen you at all. I need my Frenchie fix.”

“No, ah, my ears. Not that nickname.” Her using it meant she had reached the end of her patience.

“Well then, don’t keep me waiting.”

I dropped my forehead to the cool granite island top and groaned. “Fine. We can postpone.”

Her voice dropped into a low and hoarse shriek. “Yes. Finally. That a girl.”

“There’s no need to exaggerate.”

“Meh, I’ll be the judge of that. Okay, so lunch? There’s this new place on Boston Wharf Road I’ve been dying to try out.”

“As long as we go dress shopping after.”

“Yikes, not my idea of fun. Reel that back in, please.”

“Impossible.”

A shadow shifted and grew in the open sliver of Cillian’s office doorway. His hand slipped through and opened the door fully. Tension seemed to slough off his shoulders when he locked eyes with me. With a little gesture to the phone pressed to his ear, he turned back into his office but left the door open. It gave me a direct line of sight to his desk, which he sat back at, still in full conversation.

Direct line for me to see him or for him to see me? Maeve called this my cage. Was that what he was doing? Keeping an eye on a pet?

I mulled on my bottom lip and busied myself with the coffee machine. Caffeine worked wonders at reducing my restlessness. The machine buzzed and whirred as it spat and poured the soul-black liquid into a teacup.

“Al, you all good?”

“Yes, coffee break.”

“So confirm. Dress shopping’s a no, right?”

I huffed and gulped down the espresso. “You wish. I need your opinion.”

“Didn’t mobster man buy you a new wardrobe?”

Cillian glanced up over his laptop and snagged me in his snare. How often did he do that? It hadn’t bothered me before Maeve’s comments. In fact, I’d found his constant attention endearing. Now, I wondered if I wasn’t deluding myself. I wrapped my arm around my waist and turned my back to him.

“He did, but this is for a gala coming up in a few days. He planned for a personal shopper to come, but this is the perfect excuse for you and me to spend some time together.”

“You need an excuse?”

“That is not what I meant, and you know it.”

“Do I? Do you?”

“Maeve,” I groaned.