Page 17 of Dissonance

That Scottish brogue curling around the words does something unfair to my nerve endings.

“Do what?” I manage.

“Get fired up.” The corner of his mouth lifts, just barely. His version of a smile. “I’d forgotten how hard it is to look away when you do.”

Heat crawls up my neck before I can stop it.

“Lachlan,” I warn, irritated and aroused in equal measure, “that’s inappropriate.”

“Aye,” he agrees, like it’s simply a fact. His gaze drops to my mouth for a beat before returning to my eyes. “Doesn’t make it less true, Mo Chridhe.”

My pulse thuds hard in the side of my neck, loud enough I’m convinced he can hear it. I hold his gaze, stubborn even now, and for one reckless second, I wonder what would happen if neither of us stepped back.

“What did you just call me?” Suspicion cuts through the haze before I can lose my head completely. “You’ve said that before.”

That small, infuriating almost-smile again. “Nothing you need to worry about.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“Look it up, Thea.”

Infuriating bastard.

He straightens, and stoic Lockie returns like he never left at all.

“I should get back.” He tilts his chin toward the hallway. “They’ll be wrapping up soon.”

“Right,” I reply too quickly, smoothing the front of my shirt out of habit.

He turns, pausing at the threshold, knuckles rapping once against the doorframe.

“You’re good at what you do,” he says, the last of the tension gone from his voice. “I know that.”

He’s gone before I can decide what to do with the whiplash of emotions. I stand there, lips parted, frustration and something far more dangerous tangling in my chest. When I finally sit back down, I push my glasses up my nose and open a new browser tab, fingers hovering over the keyboard. I don’t even know how to begin spelling whatever he called me. Sighing, I stare at my screen before closing out of it.

Work first.

Always.

But it takes longer than it should for my hands to stop shaking.

Chapter Seven

Thea

Mae

I’ve pushed your eight a.m. to nine-thirty.

You’re welcome.

A smile tugs at my lips as I read her message, thumbs tapping the screen in reply.

Me

I didn’t ask you to do that.

Mae