Tormented (Wild Mountain Scots, #5) by Jolie Vines

Author:Jolie Vines [Vines, Jolie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: www.jolievines.com
Published: 2022-04-27T16:00:00+00:00

22

Effie

The Duine Arms buzzed with guests tonight. Behind the bar, Alec served drinks with a grin for every customer. When we’d arrived, I’d grabbed the room keys then hustled the three siblings up the back steps, ensuring their privacy.

I wished I’d been able to hide out in Gabe’s room with him for a little while. But instead, I’d left him to settle his brother and sister then came downstairs. No biggie. We’d find time later.

The door opened, and three people entered the bar. Idly, I scanned them. I knew most people who lived on the island by sight, though obviously not tourists or day-trippers.

But something about the last woman in the group snagged my attention. She was maybe a little older than me, with brown hair twisted in a chunky plait. She slipped off her hoodie and draped it on the back of her seat, settling at her table with two other women. They were smiling, and one stood to go to the bar with their order. But the third woman was less at ease. From her position in the corner, she darted her gaze around the bar, only relaxing when her friend returned with three wine glasses.

I squinted for a long moment, then tore my gaze away. Something about her was so familiar. The connection somewhere in the distant reaches of my mind. Or maybe I was imagining things because my senses were heightened.

My phone buzzed, diverting my focus.

Gabe: Ready and waiting by the car.

I leapt up and called out a thank you to Alec for the free Coke he’d given me, then left the bar. At my Warrior, the little family waved, and I pressed the button to unlock the car. Ariel and Raphael climbed inside, but Gabe waited by my door. His dark hair glistened with the damp of a quick shower, and my insides warmed, the image of him wet and naked doing very nice things to my nervous system.

“Ye look nice,” I quipped.

Gabe’s lips curved. “I didn’t have anything to change into. I hope they won’t mind jeans.”

I furrowed my brow. “It’s a family dinner with kids running around and making noise. As a minimum, I’ll expect lasagne stains by the end of the night.”

“Family dinner. The closest we get is all being in the kitchen at the same time while we make up plates of whatever Raph cooked.”

God, but I wanted to step into his space and kiss the worry off his face. Handle the tension between us in the best way I knew how. And he was staring back at me with the exact same expression.

Simultaneously, we both took a deep breath then climbed into the car.

At the house, my brother met us at the door with his daughter peeking around him. Adaira leapt on me in a hug but was all big eyes for Ariel, the teenager in full makeup and with her hair in long curls over one shoulder.

“Welcome to our home.” Artair swept out an arm. “Gabe, I hear you’re on the mountain rescue team.

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