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Will bent over, examining the finer details. Rhona prodded her finger in the soil. Calum checked around. Was Morven ok? She was ambling down the hill to where the grass sloped to a white sandy shore.
Will and Rhona’s interactions were perfectly normal. But a swell of irritation bubbled in Calum’s gut. Why didn’t Morven come back and call Will away? Surely he was too close to another woman not to annoy her? Rhona laughed and waved wildly as she explained something.That should be me.Why hadn’t he listened or cared? He wanted to coax that joy from her; it shouldn’t be Will.
Because this is work.Just work.
Screw work.He almost said the words aloud, words no one would believe he could utter. But he had to face facts. He liked Rhona for Rhona. She lit the touchpaper on his skin and sent a fire to his soul. For all he hated touching and contact, right now, he wanted nothing else but to hold her in his arms.
What was she doing? She leaned over, pointing at something.That top… Shit.Will was getting an eyeful.How can he find that bloody wall more interesting?Jesus Christ.Calum loosened his collar and cleared his throat. ‘Will, I think Morven wants to head home, she’s pacing over there.’
‘Oh, right.’ Will straightened up. ‘Yes, we should start walking back. But I’d love to come another time and see how this is getting on.’
‘Any time you like,’ Rhona said. ‘This’ll take at least a week, maybe more. It’s impossible to put a time on it.’
‘Or a price,’ Calum muttered.
‘Thank you.’ Will waved as he headed towards Morven.
Calum vaulted out of the ditch and fell in step with Will. ‘Remember, don’t you go blabbing about her working here.’
‘I won’t.’ Will tapped his nose. ‘I’m glad to see you’re trying to mend the feud.’
‘That’s not what I’m doing.’ Mending things with the Lamonds was a step too far. ‘She’s getting paid to be here and I’m saving myself the difficulties of hiring an outside contractor. At the end of the job, we part company and that’s that.’ Good god, he sure could spout the shit. How could he listen to himself?
‘Aye, business as usual,’ Will said.
‘Exactly.’
‘Same way you like your women.’
‘Meaning what?’
‘Does the job, then off she trots.’
‘Shut up.’ Was that what people thought? True, he didn’t do long-term relationships but that wasn’t because he enjoyed casual flings – far from it. He hated one-night stands or intimacy with people he didn’t know but he didn’t dare attempt longer relationships. Who’d have him once they discovered what lurked inside him?
‘Just don’t do that with this one. She’s too nice for that.’
‘Do what? There’s nothing going on here.’Another lie.Plenty was going on, if only in his mind, but he was on a roll. ‘Stop trying to see things that aren’t there.’
‘Wouldn’t dream of it.’ Will poked his tongue into his cheek.
‘Good.’
Will took Morven’s hand and Calum waved them off. Once he was sure they were out of earshot and sight, he scooted back to Rhona, hopped into the trench and crouched beside her.
She scratched at the ground with her pick, her nails black. ‘Do you think they’ll blab?’
‘They better not.’
She stopped scraping and met Calum’s gaze. ‘I do feel a bit bad not telling people.’
‘Hopefully it won’t be for much longer.’ An ache swelled in his chest. Part of him didn’t want to say goodbye to Rhona, the same part that wanted to draw her close, extra close. But he had to, of course he did. She was a Lamond and always would be. No getting round it.
She glanced back at the soil with a faint trace of a smile.
‘What were you telling Will?’ he asked.
‘Nothing that’ll interest you.’
