Page 31 of Masquerade

“You’re in it for the money.” There was an undercurrent of bitterness and self-blame in Niall’s voice.

“I respect George. He’s honest, and he’s given me a chance to earn more money than I ever dreamed of. Without him, we’d have years of debt still ahead. He took me on knowing all about the fiasco with Selina.” He smiled wryly. “Now he’s giving me another chance to go back to environmental law.”

“Clelland’s doesn’t do environmental law.”

“He’s thinking of adding it the firm’s repertoire. Although that’s a secret at this stage.”

“It’s a good job you told me, or I’d blab it to the world.” Niall huffed.

“George wants to tackle something big enough to prove we’re serious, but fly under the radar while we do it.” Liam passed the bottle to his brother. “And you whisper more secrets to the wood you work than to any lover.”

“Does your face on a billboard stuff the job?” Niall took a swig.

“I would have preferred an ad focusing on another part of your body rather than your face.”

“I’ll bear that in mind for the future.”

“But George thinks that if Kate and I work together, it’s the perfect cover. If we’re seen somewhere Liam Quinn shouldn’t be, the expansion of the Genosearch campaign is the cover. They’re substituting me for you in the new Genosearch photo shoot.”

“Well, feck!” Niall laughed until tears ran down his face. “That must be why Anna’s leaving messages for me to call. My ‘stuff you’ strategy worked. You’re out of your ivory tower.”

“In a manner of speaking.” Liam stretched his legs out; his polished leather shoes were dusted with the faintest sawdust. Weak sun cast lengthening shadows on the dirt around them. He flexed his shoulders; he could stay here forever. “You’ll get paid to stay in hibernation here.”

“Give it to Mum.” Niall tipped the last nuts into the palm of his hand. “How does Kate feel about it?”

“Hard to say. Although she didn’t seem too keen on the campaign continuing in Anna’s office.” Liam tried to reconcile her anxiety with her reticence to explain exactly why she was on the billboard. “Did you know she did research for organisations? Commercial-in-confidence, need-to-know stuff?”

“She mentioned freelance research and the library.” Niall scrunched up the peanut packet and tried hooping it in the bin.

“Is she usually shy?”

“I’ve never seen her in a crowd, only at the photo shoots.” Niall rose to collect the peanut packet and drop it in the bin. “She was nervous to begin with, then so was I, but determined.”

“Doesn’t ring true that Anna needed her to take her place.” Liam mused. There were any number of solutions the sisters could have chosen.

“Maybe she is shy, and Anna was trying to coax her out of her shell.”

“Haven’t seen it in her work. She’s got a brain the size of a planet. And confident with it.” But she’d evaded Liam’s question about why she needed a disguise.

“Interested?” Niall glanced sideways at him and slid the bottle across the deck. “You’ve always liked smart women.”

“I made a vow after Selina. Never fraternise with a colleague.” He scrubbed his face with his hands. “For a long time, it was never fraternise.” He looked at his hands. They remembered the silkiness of Kate’s skin, the texture of tweed skirt and lambs’ wool sweater, the satin-smooth texture of the stockings encasing her upper thigh where his fingers had wandered in search of the lacy suspender and bare skin of their shared fantasy.

Holy hell. His cock stirred as fresh hunger surged. The mere thought of the woman and her whispered make-believe had his insides churning.

“She’s not technically a colleague, is she?” his brother asked.

“She’s going to be working with me day and night for the next few weeks.” He checked the level in the beer and passed it back.

“You’re both grown-ups.” Niall drained the second bottle and set it on the deck between them. “If you’re attracted, ask nicely. She can say no. She might say yes.”

“Now you’ve planted the idea in my head.” Liam rested a fist against his brother’s shoulder. And maybe if they acted on their attraction, they’d find it was all spark and no fire. He winced. Recalling Kate’s allure at the library, he thought he might need to walk through the fire to find peace.

“I’d say little green shoots were already sprouting. Where are you going?” Niall rested his hand on his brother’s.

“North. Greentree Passage.” Close to their old family farm.

Niall whistled. “Watch your back.”

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