Page 27 of Welker

“I can help,” Moira chimed in, then looked sheepish. “If I decide to stay here, that is. I’m pretty handy, since I’ve had to do everything out at my property, by myself.”

Of course she had.

Welker silently added “good with tools” to his list of Moira’s attributes. The inventory of positives regarding this woman was quickly surpassing any negatives. Her normal, standoffish attitude had somehow, in just the past several hours—and much to his stupefaction—slipped.

“Okay, then.” Callie tapped the counter with both hands. “It’s a plan. We’ll eat, then get out of here.” She tipped her chin to Moira. “Should I leave you some more clothes, just in case you find yours in bad shape?” She pointed. “Those fit you really well.”

Moira blinked. “Oh. These belong to you?”

Callie laughed. “Whose did you think they were, Welker’s?”

“I, um… I didn’t…” she trailed off, her face actually coloring up with the barest tinge of red.

Welker huffed, catching her drift, and even though Moira looked cute as hell because of her assumption, he couldn’t keep the bitterness out of his voice. “Nope. She didn’t think I was a cross-dresser. She thought the clothes belonged to some random woman I picked up and brought home.”

Which hurt.

Welker knew he had a reputation for being a player, but he really didn’t hook up all that often. Certainly not as much as when he was younger. As a matter of fact, Welk couldn’t remember the last time he’d shagged a willing lady.

Callie grinned. “Then it’s a good thing I can tell her she’s the first woman besides family that you’ve ever invited into your home.”

“I am?” Moira’s voice actually squeaked.

CHAPTER NINE

Moira couldn’t quite find her tongue. She was the first non-family-female to step foot in Welker’s house? Of course, it was under construction, maybe he…?

“How long, exactly, have you been living here, Welk?” she asked. Moira thought it was a good question, but caught the sly glance exchanged by Callie and Sabira, and knew they saw her inquiry as less than innocent.

“Three months, give or take,” he answered, not clueing in, for which Moira was thankful. “As soon as the weather turned in June, I locked the door to my condo and moved in here.”

“He never had woman at the condo, either,” Sabira added cheekily.

Welker soured in her direction, but his expression toward Moira gave nothing else away. He seemed…curious as to where she was going with this? Was he daring her to rebut what Sabi had said; perhaps call him out on his reputation?

Moira would do neither, since she’d latched onto another piece of information that he’d let slip; one that she deemed far more important, at present.

“You have an empty condo in town that you’re not using?” she challenged. That could be the solution to her living situation.

Welker chuckled, this time figuring her out. “Sorry to burst your bubble, Moira, but it’s been rented.”

Damn. She knew that would have been way too easy.

“Why are you worried about staying here?” Callie asked. “Welk’s got plenty of room, and the security couldn’t be better.”

“Right. About that last thing,” Moira questioned, still not ready to engage about the why’s and wherefores of her comfort-levels. “Why exactly is this place set up like Fort Knox?” The question had actually been bugging her ever since Welker mentioned it.

Three faces shut down.

What the…?

“Did I say something wrong?” Moira asked, puzzled, yet determined to get to the bottom of things.

Callie looked at Welker, whose lips had fused together in a scowl.

Sabira simply shrugged. “Nope. But the answer is Welker’s to share because it’s beyond our paygrade,” she informed, plating up pancakes, bacon, and eggs. “Now let’s eat before our breakfast-for-lunch gets cold. Then we’ll be out of your hair if you two want to share all the things you’re not talking about.”

It looked like Moira had been denied, and clearly she wasn’t going to get the answers now that she wanted about whatever sketchy thing in Welker’s past had made him so cautious. But she’d find out what he was keeping close, even if she had to dish some of her own shit to do it.

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