She gave an indignant sniff. "He asked me out for a drink. I told him I was married." She waved her left hand in the air and wriggled her fingers to show Seamus the gold wedding band. The ring glittered in the afternoon sun, making Seamus aware of the matching band on his left hand.
"And?" It seemed to Seamus there was a definite and at the end of her sentence.
"He said that didn’t matter. I--"
"Dirty old leech," Seamus snarled. He didn’t like the sound of that. He still couldn’t believe Aislyn would be so gullible. "I hope you told him to get lost! In the nicest possible way, of course."
"Will you let me speak?" Aislyn snapped. "Let me finish, before you start lecturing me like a two year old. Well, are you finished? Can I speak?"
"Someone should have taken you over their knee when you were younger."
"And spanked me?" Aislyn asked, her tone sugary sweet.
Seamus took two steps towards the bed, a glint in his eye. "It’s not too late for someone to take you in hand, sweetheart."
"Ohh! Threats."
Seamus gritted his teeth. The little vixen. "Why don’t you tell me what you told him?"
"I told him I was married and he suggested we both go along for drinks. I thought you would want to meet him in person so I accepted. We’re due at his cabin at six thirty for drinks and canapés." As she finished, her blue eyes were full of challenge. "Did I do good, or what?"
"You did very well." His tone sounded grudging.
Aislyn preened. "I know."
"But you’re still a little baggage." And I should put you over my knee except I don’t trust myself to touch you.
"Should we have a plan? What are we doing for the rest of the week? Are we going to keep watch at night?"
Aislyn’s questions reminded him of the missing kakapo chick. "It looks like one of the scavenger hunt competitors has managed to steal a kakapo chick from Little Barrier Island. The D.O.C. staff noticed it was missing during routine checks yesterday."
"Can a chick live without the parents? I don’t know much about kakapo or any of the birds human side." Aislyn rolled her eyes. She gestured at the book laying face down beside her on the bed. "Don’t say more reading. I’m doing so much reading now my eyes are turning square."
"Kakapos are a type of parrot. They are nocturnal and aren’t big on flying so they’re susceptible to predators. It was thought they were extinct at one time but in 1952, they were found again. D.O.C. have captured all the known birds in existence and put them on pest free off shore islands in the hope they will breed. This year has been the most successful breeding season ever and the numbers have increased to 86." Seamus felt his mouth tighten. "85 now that one has gone missing."
"And if we let the rest of the competitors bag a chick each, the kakapo will be extinct in no time."
Seamus shrugged. "The only good thing I can say about the competition is that they specified the chick must be alive. That gives the competitors an incentive to look after the birds. They need incubators to keep them alive."
"Can we get leads on the people who’ve purchased incubators?"
"No, they’re common since incubators are used in the poultry business."
"But they’ve got to keep the birds somewhere. And that lizard thing."
"The tuatara."
"Yeah," Aislyn said. "I think maid service might notice a bird or a lizard in a guest’s bedroom."
"There are lots of holiday cottages for rent around the Auckland area. Waiheke Island would be ideal. Lots of them have a private jetty."
Aislyn sighed. "So what you’re saying is it’s like looking for a needle in Murphy’s haystack. Nigh on impossible to find."
"Afraid so."
"Did Gill have any information for us?"
Oh, yeah. Seamus wished she hadn’t asked. "I arranged to call him in a couple of days, sooner if we have anything important to report."
"All right." Aislyn leaned forward as she wriggled about to find a more comfortable position on the bed.
Seamus averted his gaze but not before the green silk robe gaped. He caught a glimpse of creamy curves before the fabric settled back in place. Hell. What did he do now? The female wasn’t wearing a bra.
"How do we handle the visit to John Watson’s cabin?"
"Let me do the talking. I don’t want you within ten feet of the man. Then, after tonight, you are not to speak to him unless I’m present. Is that clear?"
"Crystal." Aislyn’s sniff managed to convey her extreme dislike of the idea. Seamus was hard put not to laugh. However, when he found his gaze drifting to the neckline of her robe for the second time, his humor dissipated fast. He needed distraction--one that would last the week. For a few brief seconds, he thought about Renee. He should tell Aislyn about his betrothed. Pure selfishness made him hesitate. After this week ended, he would confess, but right now, he wanted to spend time with Aislyn. He wanted to enjoy her company, her wit, and sense of humor, even if she did drive him mad and tested his reserves of willpower.
"So you want me purely for decorative purposes?" Aislyn queried.
Seamus nodded, thinking he had finally got through to her. "That’s right."
Aislyn nodded and Seamus observed the thoughtful look that passed across her face. "Okay," she said, after another pause. "I can do that."
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Soft footsteps indicated that Aislyn was finally ready. Seamus spun around from his position on the terrace and watched her walk past the large, double bed toward him. Two steps away from him, she paused to cock one hip in a model’s pose. She made a loud ahem sound to attract his attention, but his gaze had already found its mark.
The short midnight-blue dress clung to every curve and stopped a good six inches above her knees. Thin straps held the top in place, leaving her arms and a large expanse of soft skin on show. The black high heels showcased her legs and gave her extra inches in height. His breath hissed out while his eyes clung to a pair of stunning legs. "You can’t go out for drinks wearing that!"
Aislyn tossed her head. "Gary and Jacob thought the outfit looked great when we went out shopping to buy clothes. Jacob’s a fashion expert. He knows what he’s talking about."
"But it’s too ... too...." Seamus gestured with his hands, feeling the heat gather in his face. The dress was so abbreviated it should have been called a shirt. Seamus tried to keep his gaze off her legs and the large expanse of chest displayed so delectably. Who was this Jacob anyway? She’d mentioned the man a couple of times.
"Too what?" Aislyn said sweetly.
"There’s not enough material."
"Jacob said it shows off my legs. He said I’ve got great legs." Aislyn turned to study her reflection in the mirror, and Seamus almost swallowed his tongue.
The back of the dress ... there wasn’t one. At least, not what a sane man would call a back, just the two little straps that tied at her neck, underneath the mass of copper curls. They told him she wasn’t wearing much in the way of underwear. He straightened. Time to make a stand. "I’m not taking you unless you wear a jacket. You might ... ah ... catch cold or something."
Aislyn watched him surreptitiously from under her lashes as he paced the length of the room. In the mirror, she caught the naughty twinkle in her eyes and she bit the inside of her bottom lip, trying to compose herself. Purely for decorative purposes. Huh! She’d given him decorative and he was complaining. It wasn’t often that the great Seamus Gallagher became flustered. She savored the blaze of color on his face. The frank masculine interest didn’t hurt either.
"Seamus, there’s a lacy black shawl in the wardrobe. Would you mind getting it out for me?"
Seamus yanked open the wardrobe. He stared for a moment at the tidily hung clothing, before turning to glare at her. "Are all your clothes a size too small?"
"It’s called fashion, Seamus. My shawl, please."
"I suppose you paid a fortune for all of this."
"Better watch out, Seamus. You’re sounding suspiciously
like a husband." Aislyn grinned as he turned back to the wardrobe and grabbed the shawl she’d requested. Typical male. He hated being told he was wrong. Aislyn checked her wristwatch. "It’s almost six thirty now. If we don’t hurry, we’ll be late."
Aislyn arranged the shawl on her shoulders and started for the stairs leading down to the main living area. She heard the soft curse behind her and grinned again. Good thing, Seamus couldn’t use his magic, or she’d be dressed from head to toe in some encompassing sack-like affair by now. He’d probably add a hood to cover her red hair as well.
Downstairs, Seamus opened the door for her and followed her outside to the well-lit pathway. He took her arm and steered her in the direction of Watson’s cabin.
"You’ve remembered all our bios. How we met, where we were married, how long we’ve known each other?"
"Of course I have." Aislyn pulled a face. She’d bet he didn’t treat any of the other new recruits like this. Patience, that’s what she needed, and lots of deep breathing to foster calm. "Since we’ve kept pretty much to the truth, it’s not difficult. Stop worrying. I’ll be fine."
They took a left hand fork in the path. Gradually, the gradient of the path rose. Through the gaps in the canopy, Aislyn assumed she’d be able to see the sea during the day. A flash of light made her pause.
"Look," she murmured, careful to keep her voice low. "There’s a boat moored out there."
Seamus peered over her shoulder then grunted. "Could be perfectly innocent. Wait and see if we can sight the boat from Watson’s cabin. Ask him if he sees many boats down there. Can you do that?"
"Of course. I told you before I’m a great actress." I’ve had to learn, she added silently. "We’d better get going. If we’re late we might look suspicious."
"I don’t think so."
The strange note in his voice made Aislyn glance away from the sea and look at him. He stared at her intently.
"We’re newlyweds, remember?"
Cripes, did he have to remind her? She hadn’t thought of much else since they arrived. And they hadn’t even got to the discussion of who was sleeping where tonight yet.
The cabin, a misnomer really, Aislyn acknowledged, since they were so large and luxurious, was ablaze with lights. Soft music tumbled from the open doors on the deck along with the sound of voices.
Seamus knocked on the front door. "Sounds like there are other guests besides us."
The door flew open and the bodyguard smiled at them. "Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Gallagher. Mr. Watson will be pleased you’ve been able to make it tonight to our little gathering."
"Make it Seamus and Aislyn," Seamus said, extending his hand in greeting.
"My name is Morgan."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Morgan." Aislyn smiled at the gigantic man she’d met a few days ago at the hotel. Thankfully, not a shred of recognition showed on his face.
"Just Morgan," he said, standing aside to let them step inside.
A fluffy white cat, so fat that it waddled, ambled from inside the small kitchen area. When it saw Aislyn, it padded straight to her.
"A cat," she murmured. "How nice."
"Go in," Morgan said. "Mr. Watson is out on the terrace with some of the other guests. Can I get you something to drink?"
"A glass of white wine for my wife. I’ll have a beer please."
Morgan left them, and Seamus bent his head to whisper in Aislyn’s ear. "Did you bring your pills with you?"
"Yes." As if she could forget.
"Since there are cats here, would you like me to arrange for some of the anti-cat remedies to be forwarded so you can keep busy? Most of the week will be waiting around. If there’s one cat here, there will be more. They’ll turn up at our cabin."
Aislyn nodded. She was all for keeping busy. "Sounds like a good idea."
"I’ll arrange for the supplies to arrive tomorrow."
The cat rubbed against her legs, and purred insistently.
"Hello, we meet again."
Aislyn smiled at the older man who walked toward her and Seamus. Taller than her but not as tall as Seamus, he had a full head of gray hair and was dressed in what Jacob and Gary had described as smart casual clothes. "Hello, John." To Aislyn’s surprise, John Watson bent to kiss her on the cheek. It flustered her, because despite what she’d told Seamus and what she knew of his criminal dealings, she’d liked him. Despite the scar, he was attractive even though he was older. "Ah ... this is my husband, Seamus. Seamus, John Watson."
John Watson shook hands with Seamus. "Is Morgan getting you drinks?"
"We’ve placed our order."
"Good. Good." John Watson took Aislyn’s arm and drew her toward the deck. "Come outside and meet the others. It’s very mild out here and we have a wonderful view." He cut Seamus off neatly and led her outside.
Aislyn wanted to look back, to see the expression on Seamus’s face. No doubt, she’d hear about it later on. "You’re right. The view is wonderful." From where they stood, Aislyn could see lights further down the coast. The boat she and Seamus had seen on the way up to Watson’s cabin was clearly visible from up here on the deck.
"Oh," Aislyn said, turning to John Watson. "Is that a boat down there?"
"Yes."
"Do many boats moor down there? I thought the resort would frown on boats mooring in their bay. I mean, most of the guests come here for privacy."
"Actually." The man leaned close to her and Aislyn took a deep breath. The spicy aftershave he wore reminded her of spices and the Orient. The arm that crept up around her shoulders made her stiffen. "The boat is mine. Or at least I’ve acquired it for the duration of my visit. I’ve heard so much about Auckland’s lovely harbor and the excellent fishing. I felt it too good an opportunity to miss."
"Oh?" Aislyn said. "Are you intending to sail further a field? The Bay of Islands up north is considered very beautiful."
"My plans are fluid at the moment, my dear. Just the way to be while you’re on holiday, don’t you think?"
Aislyn smiled politely. The man was definitely flirting with her. "I think you’re very lucky," she murmured.
"Ah, let me introduce you. This is Margaret and Gerald Barker, my guests. They’re in the cabin on the other side of you. The two men and the young lady over in the corner are the competent crew who look after me while I’m on the boat and of course, you’ve met my assistant, Morgan."
Aislyn nodded, giving a quick smile as Morgan handed her a glass of white wine.
"And this is Seamus, Aislyn’s husband," John said, his gaze sliding to Aislyn’s face then lower. Aislyn suppressed the urgent need to fidget but suspected her red face might show her unease.
"I hear you’re newlyweds. How nice of you to socialize with us this evening," Margaret Barker gushed. She flicked her straight, dark hair over her right shoulder, her dark brown eyes gleaming as she observed Seamus. Her burgundy colored lips curved as if she liked what she saw. Aislyn glanced at Gerald Barker with a trace of discomfort, expecting him to show anger. Instead, the man was staring at her like a cat allegedly eyed a female fairy. Aislyn hurriedly looked away.
"I’m afraid we won’t be staying for very long," Seamus inserted.
Aislyn sensed rather than saw his glare at John Watson. Sipping her wine, she edged toward Seamus wanting to make a silent statement. How dare that woman gawk at Seamus like a piece of Death by Chocolate cake? Two rats and a mouse--what part of married didn’t they understand?
"Great view," Seamus said, slipping his arm around Aislyn’s waist. He pressed a kiss to her temple that she felt clear to her toes, before resuming conversation. Her irritation dissipated replaced by edginess that had more to do with Seamus’s proximity and his warm breath on her neck than the other couple’s rudeness.
"Are you here for the fishing? I don’t fish myself, but I’ve heard the fishing is good," Seamus said.
John Watson’s brows rose. "Oh, if you don’t fish, what do you do in the way of recreation?"
"I like to swim. I run when I can,
" Seamus said. "And I’ve just taken up rock climbing. I find it very challenging."
"And you’re from Auckland?" Gerald Barker asked.
"That’s right. Aislyn and I live in Newmarket."
Margaret Barker slid her hand along Seamus’s forearm. "We enjoyed Auckland. Such a pretty setting with the harbor and the island, Rangitoto."
Seamus smoothly slid away and tugged Aislyn closer in one move, making her think wryly of a dog marking his territory. "Yes, we think so."
"How nice. What do you do for a job?" Margaret closed the distance.
"I work in an office." Aislyn shrugged and her shawl slipped off one shoulder revealing the neckline of her dress. It seemed to her in that instant that every male in the room zeroed in on her breasts. Once again, she wished she had use of her magic. A quick magic spell would zap some manners into these people. Almost as the thought crystallized in her mind, John Watson jolted and dropped his glass of red wine. Wine splattered across the wooden decking, but the glass bounced and incredibly did not break.
Seamus picked up the shawl and smoothed it into place, leaving his hand on her shoulder, Aislyn was sure, in a statement of possession. Warmth emanated from his touch and her heart leapt when their gazes connected and she saw the emotion in his eyes. Damn, but he was a good actor. Aislyn was sure Margaret, Gerald and John Watson would think they were newly wed and eager to leave.
"Are you all right, John?" Margaret asked.
"Some sort of biting insect," he murmured, feeling the side of his neck cautiously.
"Will you have some canapés?" Morgan asked. He handed the tray around, picked up the empty glass, and returned seconds later with a fresh drink for his boss.
"There are mosquitoes around at this time of the night," Seamus commented.
"You don’t say." John Watson aimed a tight smile at Seamus and Aislyn before turning to speak to his crew.
Seamus drew Aislyn over to the balcony. "Auckland is in that direction," he said loudly enough for everyone to hear. "Hell," he murmured in an undertone meant for Aislyn only. "I feel like I’ve been given the bad eye. The man might have smiled with his mouth, but he didn’t mean it. Did you see his eyes? Cold. Stay away from him, Aislyn. He’s dangerous."
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