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“I’m starving, actually. I’d planned to grab dinner back at the hotel, but—”

“Let me make you something then. Here, take a seat.” I latched onto the chance to occupy myself with cooking so that I wouldn’t be so hyperaware of his every move, how even the way he scratched at his cheek was sexy to me.

Tristan went to sit on a stool by the counter, and Rua came out from her spot behind the couch. She hopped up onto her tree, getting a higher vantage point to suss Tristan out before she ventured any closer.

“Cute cat. My sister has two, Honey and Bunny. Honey loves me, but Bunny isn’t too keen. Then again, she’s skittish and doesn’t really like anyone except for Nuala, so there’s that. One time our dad came to visit, and Bunny got so freaked she clawed a hole through the net curtains as she dove for the window.” He paused to look at me while I was pulling ingredients from the fridge. “Sorry, I’m rambling.”

I cast him a curious look. “Nervous?”

“Yes.”

His answer shocked me. Tristan didn’t strike me as a man who got nervous very often. It appeared I wasn’t the only one who felt the tension between us, the addictive way it ratcheted my heartbeat up a notch. I tried to act casual. “Why? It’s only me.”

“Only me,” he parroted. “I honestly think you have no idea of the effect you have.”

My stomach whirled at his statement, and once again, I didn’t know what to say.

“Effect?”

His cheeks turned ruddy. “It’s a good thing, I promise.”

“Well,” I flushed, “in that case, thank you.”

He looked pleased. “You’re welcome.”

I cleared my throat, forcing my gaze away from his distractingly handsome face. He had quite the effect on me too, but I didn’t tell him that. “I’d planned on making a cheeseburger for dinner. If you’re not a red meat person, I could—"

“Erin, I could absolutely murder a cheeseburger right now. In fact, I’ll eat two if you have enough ingredients. Today has been so hectic I’ve barely had time to eat.”

“Been busy?” He nodded. “Are you feeling a little more prepared for the opening?”

“A little. There’s still a lot to do, and it’s the final countdown.”

“You’re going to go back to the hotel to work after you leave here, aren’t you?”

He didn’t even bother to deny it. “Yes.”

“Tristan, you need to rest. How much sleep have you been getting?”

“I’ll sleep when the hotel’s up and running. Until then, I can survive on less.”

I frowned, not liking the sound of that. Tristan was his own person, and his health shouldn’t be any concern of mine, yet I found myself walking around the counter and pulling him off the stool.

“What are you doing?”

“Taking you to lie down.”

“Okay, then,” his voice was husky. I shot him a look. His expression lost its humour. “I’m sorry. I’ve been told on one or two occasions that I’m a relentless flirt. It can be hard to shut off.”

I pressed my lips together, resisting a smile before throwing open the door to my guest bedroom, which I’d thankfully cleaned only last week, so it was still in good order. I led him inside, then pulled back the duvet.

“I’d describe you as more of a charmer than a flirt. You have a skill to know where the line is.” Tristan was a good leader, and he knew how to subtly charm people into following his orders. Although when he was alone with me, he was a flirt, which never failed to draw out my fluster.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” he said, while I motioned to the bed, “Get in.”

“Erin, I really don’t need to rest. I promise, I’ve survived on much less sleep in the past.”

“Tristan, you’re exhausted. It won’t kill you to lie down and take a nap while I make dinner. You’ll feel better for it. And then you can go back to the hotel and work all night if it pleases you. I’ll at least know you got some rest.”