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She lowered her voce even further. “What’s wrong with him? Why is he in trouble? I don’t want to get mixed up in something illegal.”
Finley sighed, his disgust coming through loud and clear even across the miles. “Give me some credit, Sis. It’s nothing like that. Do you have your laptop handy?”
She frowned. “Yes. It’s here on the kitchen table. Why?”
“Google Ian’s name. It’s easier than me trying to explain.”
With Ian seemingly engrossed in a motorcycle magazine, Bella sat down and switched the phone to her left hand. With her free hand, she typed in what she needed and stared at the top hit. It was the website for a well-known entertainment magazine. Not one of the nastier tabloids, but simply a pop culture, lots-of-photographs publication.
The lead story was hard to miss. Meet the twenty most eligible bachelors in Great Britain. She sighed audibly. “Seriously, Finley? You stuck me with a society playboy?” Ian’s name was number two. Prince Harry, understandably, had snagged the top slot. Hard to compete with royalty.
“It’s not like that, Bella. Ian’s a scientist. An engineer. He hates all the attention. It’s ruined his life. All I’m asking is that you let him hide out for a couple of weeks ‘til this blows over.”
“Your trip to Greece was supposed to also be my six weeks of peace and quiet. So I could work on my research. You’re not playing fair, Finley.” She loved nothing more than solitude and getting lost in her books.
“He won’t get in your way, I swear. The man’s as much of a hermit-nerd as you are.”
“Hermit-nerd? That’s a bit insulting, don’t you think?”
“Are you saying it isn’t true?”
Her brother’s teasing made her smile reluctantly. “No. But I’m still miffed at you. If I find out you’re trying to marry me off again, you’re in big trouble.”
“Never crossed my mind,” Finley swore. “You and Ian are too much alike. It would never work. His IQ might even be higher than yours. I shudder to think what your offspring would be like. They’d probably come out of the womb talking in complete sentences.”
“Can we please quit discussing my reproductive organs and get back to the fact that you double-booked your house?”
“What was I going to do, Bella? The man was desperate.”
“Fine.” She sighed, closing her computer. “But you owe me for this one.”
“No problem. My lovely wife has already picked out some ridiculously expensive Greek jewelry to bring back to you.”
“It may take more than shiny baubles to make up for this.”
“Whatever you say. Relax, Bella. Ian is harmless. You won’t even know he’s there.”
Bella ended the call and stood in the doorway, assessing her new guest. At the moment, he seemed perfectly calm and content. Not at all like the man she had met half an hour ago.
She joined him in the other room, wishing she had put on something more impressive than faded jeans and an old college T-shirt that morning. “Finley vouched for you. And he explained about the whole magazine thing. I suppose I have no choice but to allow you to stay. It’s not my house, after all.”
“I’m sorry to put you out,” Ian said with a lopsided smile that conveyed remorse and regret. “I’ll try to stay out of your way.”
Since the man was well over six feet tall and exuded raw, shiver-inducing sex appeal, Bella found that highly unlikely. “A few ground rules,” she said tartly. “No loud music.”
“I use headphones.”
“You clean up after yourself in the kitchen.”
“I’m a neat freak.”
“No more asking me to lie to the paparazzi.”
Ian stood and stretched. The bottom edge of his shirt rode up, revealing two inches of flat, hard, tanned masculine abdomen. “I understand, lass. ’Twas not fair of me. But in my defense, that ravening pack of wolves has been at my heels for the past two weeks. I haven’t been able to leave my flat. My mail has been filled with strange boxes…women sending me their underwear…” He trailed off, shuddering and wincing.
“I assume you have to be rich to make that list,” Bella said. “Don’t tell me you have a title, too.”
He shook his head. “No, thank the Lord. I come from a very ordinary small village outside of Glasgow. The only reason I made that bloody bachelor list is because I patented a rescue apparatus that was picked up by the Royal Navy and others. Turned out to be lucrative. That wasn’t why I did it. The money’s still in the bank. I’m jabbering. I’ll shut up now. In my defense, I’m not very good at small talk.”
