Page 56 of Nothing to No One

He kissed her mouth, her chin, and bent his knees to—ah, no, she wouldn’t let him sneak down on her again.

“I need you here, beau.”

Clasping his jaw, she joined their mouths, once again basking in the divine and devouring.

“What the hell!” Magnus came stomping in. “Are you two insane? What if I was someone else?”

“Someone else who?” Struan asked without releasing her or changing their position. Wow, he really was happy to own her. “Mieux’s the only other person who might stumble in and it won’t be a shock to her.”

Magnus blustered. “You told her?”

“No. But Mieux is Mieux, she divines things. And don’t kid yourself she’s not walked in on clients doing worse than this.”

“You are not her client and shouldn’t be doing anything with anyone. Aren’t you due on set?”

“Not for a while.”

Finger-combing her hair, Struan matched their gazes again. She could sit there all day and be satisfied. And damn, she wanted to kiss him. Why did Magnus have to interrupt?

“No more private dates,” Struan said, proving what concern was on his mind: her. “Roman got too handsy last night.”

“Too handsy?” Magnus squawked. “They’re engaged! There’s no such thing as too handsy.”

She laid a hand on Struan’s arm for support as she leaned back to take in the man at the perpendicular side of the counter.

“Whoa, okay,” she said. “Let’s unpack everything that’s wrong with that statement.”

“I just meant—”

“I know what you just meant, Magnus. You’re lucky you’re responsible for raising this guy too.” Her eyes smiled on his. “Because you got him just perfect.”

“Whatever this is, you two have to cool it. If the media—”

“The media are not what you’re worried about,” Struan said. “And what did you think would happen locking the two of us up under one roof?”

They weren’t prisoners, but the man had a point. This started because they couldn’t resist each other, now they lived together.

“I thought you would respect your brother’s—”

“Let’s talk about my brother and respect.” That was the catalyst for separating them; Struan went around to confront his uncle. “He put his hands on B without consent last night. He’s lucky he’s not in the ground.”

“He’s your brother—”

“Doesn’t give him the right. He’s got to know where the lines are. If he can’t respect those lines—”

“You think you can spout this shit? How is it any of your business?”

She sensed Struan biting his tongue. He did have a right. She’d said he was the man when he held her last night and meant it. Except they’d never talked about them, maybe he didn’t want the role long-term. That wasn’t the moment to define their future. Everyone was due elsewhere.

“It’s my place,” she said. “This isn’t exactly the most hospitable environment, and there’s a lot of politicking I don’t understand. Yeah, I’m a small-town girl, and everyone smiles and pats me on the head, but I’m not actually disposable. I am a human being. And if Roman chooses to forget that, or thinks about violating any boundaries—”

“I get it,” Magnus said, proving he didn’t just by interrupting.

The flat hand he held up screamed of dismissal.

“She won’t be paid off or hushed up, if I have to stand with her—”

“Okay,” Magnus said. “Geez, what wound the pair of you up this morning? Roman’s Roman, he’s just the way he is, and—”

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