when his thoughts turned to that period, he felt a darkness entomb his soul and the need to move on. Thanking Neville, he grabbed the forged paperwork and made a hasty retreat.
It was so hasty that he almost knocked Sierra down on the sidewalk outside the bar.
Putting his hands out, he steadied her. “Sorry,” he said.
“No, it was as much my fault as yours,” she said. “I was thinking about a scene in my book instead of paying attention to where I was going.”
“Does that happen often?”
“Sometimes.”
“Are you heading back to the house?” he asked.
She nodded.
“Me too. We might as well walk together.”
“Okay.” Sierra was acutely aware of the man at her side. He had a naturally fluid swagger that was very sexy. He was wearing a black leather jacket and black T-shirt and jeans. He looked as good in clothes as he did out of them. Chiseled cheekbones. Chiseled body.
All of those things increased her attraction to him. Then there was the rumbly sound of his voice that got to her as well. And there was something else, something she couldn’t identify yet. She’d never had a man get under her skin so quickly.
She could count on one hand the number of men she’d been intimate with, including Steve. One had told her she was woefully inexperienced because she hadn’t been open to a threesome. She’d dumped him immediately.
Okay, so maybe she lacked the slutty gene. That didn’t mean there was anything wrong with her. Being this close to Ronan proved that. Every feminine cell in her body was humming and celebrating.
Her brain reminded her that hooking up with him would not be a good move. Her body indicated that any move with Ronan would be good, good, good!
She couldn’t remember what she said during the short trip back to their house. No, not their house. Her house.
Sierra unlocked the front door but Ronan opened it for her and ushered her inside. The courtly gesture took her by surprise. But even more surprising was finding Ruby in the foyer, clearly frightened and shaking in her corset and silk underwear. “I didn’t do it!” Ruby said.
Chapter Six
Sierra couldn’t reply to Ruby because Ronan was at her side. Instead she mouthed “What?”
Ruby pointed toward Sierra’s bedroom.
Sierra rushed forward. The place was up for grabs. Books, papers, and clothes were all tossed around.
“Not a neatnick, huh?” Ronan said by her side. “You must have been in a hurry to get up and out this morning. Because the room didn’t look like this in the middle of the night.”
“What was he doing here in the middle of the night?” Ruby said.
Sierra ignored her. “I had to return the rental van this morning,” she told Ronan.
“So you threw your books all over the place?” He bent over to pick a few up.
“Nice butt,” Ruby noted.
Sierra had to agree although she didn’t say so.
“That’s okay. I’ll tidy up,” she told Ronan, hurrying him out of the room so she could speak to Ruby in private.
Pressing her back against the closed door, she asked Ruby, “What happened? Who did this?”
“It was Hal. He doesn’t want you here.”
Sierra frowned. “I thought he stayed upstairs.”
“I thought so too. This is the first time he’s come down.”
“Did he hurt you?” Sierra asked.
“I’m a ghost,” Ruby said. “I’m already dead. Besides, I can do a disappearing act. Now I’m here. Now I’m not.” Sure enough, there was no sign of her. Then she suddenly reappeared. “And now I’m back.”
“Where is Hal now?” Sierra demanded.
“He’s not down here.”
Sierra reached for the doorknob.
“Where are you going?” Ruby said.
“To talk to Hal upstairs.”
“He won’t like that,” Ruby said.
“Well, I don’t like him messing with my things,” Sierra said. “I don’t have that many things.”
“You can’t go upstairs.”
“Why not?”
“Because Ronan lives upstairs. That’s his territory. His and Hal’s.”
Sierra paused. “You’re
It was so hasty that he almost knocked Sierra down on the sidewalk outside the bar.
Putting his hands out, he steadied her. “Sorry,” he said.
“No, it was as much my fault as yours,” she said. “I was thinking about a scene in my book instead of paying attention to where I was going.”
“Does that happen often?”
“Sometimes.”
“Are you heading back to the house?” he asked.
She nodded.
“Me too. We might as well walk together.”
“Okay.” Sierra was acutely aware of the man at her side. He had a naturally fluid swagger that was very sexy. He was wearing a black leather jacket and black T-shirt and jeans. He looked as good in clothes as he did out of them. Chiseled cheekbones. Chiseled body.
All of those things increased her attraction to him. Then there was the rumbly sound of his voice that got to her as well. And there was something else, something she couldn’t identify yet. She’d never had a man get under her skin so quickly.
She could count on one hand the number of men she’d been intimate with, including Steve. One had told her she was woefully inexperienced because she hadn’t been open to a threesome. She’d dumped him immediately.
Okay, so maybe she lacked the slutty gene. That didn’t mean there was anything wrong with her. Being this close to Ronan proved that. Every feminine cell in her body was humming and celebrating.
Her brain reminded her that hooking up with him would not be a good move. Her body indicated that any move with Ronan would be good, good, good!
She couldn’t remember what she said during the short trip back to their house. No, not their house. Her house.
Sierra unlocked the front door but Ronan opened it for her and ushered her inside. The courtly gesture took her by surprise. But even more surprising was finding Ruby in the foyer, clearly frightened and shaking in her corset and silk underwear. “I didn’t do it!” Ruby said.
Chapter Six
Sierra couldn’t reply to Ruby because Ronan was at her side. Instead she mouthed “What?”
Ruby pointed toward Sierra’s bedroom.
Sierra rushed forward. The place was up for grabs. Books, papers, and clothes were all tossed around.
“Not a neatnick, huh?” Ronan said by her side. “You must have been in a hurry to get up and out this morning. Because the room didn’t look like this in the middle of the night.”
“What was he doing here in the middle of the night?” Ruby said.
Sierra ignored her. “I had to return the rental van this morning,” she told Ronan.
“So you threw your books all over the place?” He bent over to pick a few up.
“Nice butt,” Ruby noted.
Sierra had to agree although she didn’t say so.
“That’s okay. I’ll tidy up,” she told Ronan, hurrying him out of the room so she could speak to Ruby in private.
Pressing her back against the closed door, she asked Ruby, “What happened? Who did this?”
“It was Hal. He doesn’t want you here.”
Sierra frowned. “I thought he stayed upstairs.”
“I thought so too. This is the first time he’s come down.”
“Did he hurt you?” Sierra asked.
“I’m a ghost,” Ruby said. “I’m already dead. Besides, I can do a disappearing act. Now I’m here. Now I’m not.” Sure enough, there was no sign of her. Then she suddenly reappeared. “And now I’m back.”
“Where is Hal now?” Sierra demanded.
“He’s not down here.”
Sierra reached for the doorknob.
“Where are you going?” Ruby said.
“To talk to Hal upstairs.”
“He won’t like that,” Ruby said.
“Well, I don’t like him messing with my things,” Sierra said. “I don’t have that many things.”
“You can’t go upstairs.”
“Why not?”
“Because Ronan lives upstairs. That’s his territory. His and Hal’s.”
Sierra paused. “You’re
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