Page 99 of Mack's Horribly Hellacious Ghost Town
Mostly, though, I admired my man. I had a weakness for smart men, and smart men who could wield a sword with deadly intent? Oh, that was my love language, there. Then God decided to pour that lovely package into a man with good looks and a fine arse, and was it any wonder I was smitten with the man on first meeting? I knew he was mine, instinct was dead certain there. Would take a bit more convincing to get Seiji to see the same, but he was a more cautious sort, tended to take his time. It was fine. I’d enjoy romancing the socks off him.
Davina teased, as a cousin was wont to do, but she was pleased, too, that I’d found someone I wanted to date. Been a moon’s age since that had happened. I was already intent on sending her home alone. Like hell would I be separating from Seiji before I had to.
The sun rose sharply, becoming noon, and people returned in dribs and drabs. Gwyn paused her own work with Seiji to help me pull out the massive picnic basket we’d packed up the night before. We got it spread out in the back of the SUV so people could pick up sandwiches, chips, cookies, and sports drinks as they fancied.
Hannah and Beau came back first, parking next to the SUV before getting out. Hannah beelined for the food.
“I’m starved,” she muttered, picking things up and balancing them in one hand. “Good timing, whoever did this.”
I saluted her with my open sports drink. “Cheers.”
Beau paused near Seiji to ask, “How are things going?”
“I think we actually have the area mostly mapped out. There might be a few spots left to cover?” Seiji turned his head, lookingover the landscape, and somehow gave the impression it wasn’t the sand and rocks he was seeing. “Yes, there’s two spots that way. I trust Quinn and Eli to get them.”
That was their area.
Beau gave ahuhof surprise. “Already?”
“The area was fortunately smaller than I feared.”
“Oh, that does help.” Beau’s eyes darted between me and Seiji in question. “So do you want to go down into the mines today?”
“I do,” I admitted, looking hopefully at Seiji. Play with me? Please?
Seiji shot me a quick wink, but his tone remained calm and professional. “Have the daylight, might as well take another good look.”
“And Lachlan’s itching to go play,” Beau finished knowingly.
“And he’s dying to play,” Seiji agreed.
I hadn’t been able to stab anything inweeks. I itched for action, no harm in that.
Another thread appeared, distracting Seiji, and he focused once more. Hopefully he would be done soon.
I got my own lunch and ate it quickly, still keeping a weather eye on everything around us. I did not trust this place, not one bit. No one sane would. I saw several friends rejoin us, Brandon and Mack being two of them. Seemed people were wrapping up and coming back in for lunch and directions.
Seiji blew out a breath and his hands dropped to his sides. “Finally. Done. I’ve got a firm boundary in place now. Nothing will escape here until I let it. Has anyone texted Eli and Quinn to come back?”
“Not that I know of.”
He grunted, pulled out his phone, and presumably did it himself. He was texting, that much I could see.
I finished off my sandwich and pointed him to a spot on the porch near me. “Sit, leannan, I’ll fetch you lunch. You’ve been standing there a good three hours.”
“Thanks.” Seiji did sort of plop there, not even trying to sit gracefully, and blew out a tired breath. Then he paused. “Will I need to buy a Scots-Gaelic dictionary?”
I snorted and kissed his forehead before rising. “I’ll translate. That one means sweetheart.”
Was that a blush tinging his cheeks? Aww, he was cute. Why was he so cute? Seiji and I had talked very briefly about our dating histories; I knew he’d not dated in years, as I hadn’t. Seemed a rotten shame to me. He was well worth the effort.
I got up and fetched his lunch. Davina and Booker had rejoined us at some point, and she sidled in behind me and muttered near my ear, “Could you stop lookin’ at the man like you’re going to eat him? There’s children present.”
I pointed a finger at myself. Me? I wasn’t thinking naughty thoughts.
Well, just one or three.
Again, the man had a fine ass. I was only so strong.
