Page 11 of Condor Deck Party

“I like the flannel,” Ros said, and then she wondered why she felt so shy about it. Itwasa nice flannel, grays with a narrow blue stripe, and it looked good on him.

She was suddenly very glad she'd packed her good pair of tan shorts and the sleeveless leaf-green blouse that tied at the waist. It was summery and casual, and from the way Teagan was watching her, worth every penny.

Ros coughed, because as fun as it was watching him watch her, they should probably get on with their evening.

“Did you manage your calls?”

“I did. I’ve got some promising leads, and a couple friends from Colorado are in the area. Are you ready to go?”

“Sure, just give me a second. Hands, please?”

Teagan looked a little mystified, but he held his hands out to her, palm up. It wasn’t until she took his hands to turn them over that she realized quite how eager she was to have an excuse to touch him. Even though she was ready for it, the thrill that coursed through her made her draw her breath carefully.

“What are you looking for?”

“Ah, there it is. Dag was right. That is, in fact, a scar that looks like a chicken.”

“I was securing a loon that absolutely did not want to be secured,” Teagan said, not taking his hand back. “Got a little careless.”

“I’m glad it wasn’t worse. Also he said to call Ard Farron who’s around for a conference.”

Ros realized she didn’t want let go of his hand, and for a brief moment, she couldn’t understand why she ever should. Instead, obeying an instinct she couldn’t have named if she tried, she brought his large hand up, dipping her head down to brush her lips across the scar. It was almost a kiss, and Teagan exhaled heavily, as still as a stone. She realized in a sudden and sure way that he was keeping himself still for her. He didn’t want to frighten her, but right now, she felt the furthest thing from frightened.

“God, but you feel good,” he murmured.

“Just this?”

“If that was all you ever gave me, it would still be good.”

Something about the way he said it, as though from the deep well of longing, and the molten heat of his gaze, made her jump. It wasn’t Teagan’s intensity that startled her. It was her own, the fact that she immediately knew this wouldn’t be the end of it. She would never stop wanting Teagan, and one small kiss would never be enough.

I've just met him! This is utterly unacceptable.

It was unacceptable for the Ros who had come to the cabin, consumed with thoughts of what she had lost and trying to figure out how she was going to get at least some of it back. For the Ros who stood here now, utterly fearless under Teagan’s regard and hungry for more – well...

It was just the beginning.

“We should... That is... We should go get food now,” she managed, and reluctantly, Teagan nodded.

“Yeah. Everything looks better after some decent food.”

Even as she locked up the cabin, Ros felt a pang of regret. Something in her didn’t like the idea of leaving, even if there was a tribe of murderbirds planted on the deck. She wanted to stay. She wanted Teagan to stay, and she wanted them both to stay on the wide bed and –

“Food,” she said too loudly, and she wondered if Teagan recognized why she was suddenly blushing. “Food will fix this.”

*

As a matter of fact, food did help. Louise’s was a local diner where the walls were held together as much by kitschy fishing decorations as it was by plaster, and even with the evening coming on, it was doing brisk business. They only had to wait ten minutes for a corner booth, but by the time they were seated, Ros’s belly ached from the delicious smells and sight of the platters of food being served up all around them.

“I haven’t really eaten all day,” she found herself saying, and Teagan frowned.

“No? Do you not have any food at the cabin?”

“Oh, I do. But with the whole bird situation, I got sort of distracted.”

Teagan held up his phone with a slight smile.

“I’m on the road enough that I need to set reminders to stop for a meal. Otherwise, I just push through until the next town or make do with whatever protein bars I have in the truck.”

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