Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 109783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
I tried not to ogle Eilidh’s arse as I followed her up but she wore a pair of cut-off denim shorts and a loose, slightly cropped tank top. As she chatted animatedly to Millie, taking the stairs quickly, I could see straight up Eilidh’s top. Her back was tan and smooth, her hips sloping gently toward her arse.
Groaning inwardly, I looked at my feet as Eilidh turned toward the bathroom and I walked in the opposite direction toward the primary suite.
I’d just shrugged out of my shirt when Eilidh burst into my room with Millie. “Do you have baby shampoo? It somehow got in—oh!” She stumbled to a halt. Her eyes drifted over my naked torso. “Oh. Sorry.” Something like pain tightened her features before she whirled herself and Millie around, giving me their backs. Her words were strained. “I need Millie’s shampoo.”
Ignoring whatever it was I heard in her voice (or I might just do something we’d both regret), I reached for a clean shirt in my built-in closet. “In the third cupboard above the sink.”
“Thanks.” She practically ran from the room.
With a sigh, I buttoned up the shirt and pulled on a new tie. Doing the tie up, I strolled into the bathroom to find Millie naked in a shallow bath. She was slapping her arms in the water, her wee girl giggles filling the air like popping bubbles filled with joy.
Please let her be mine.
I looked at Eilidh to distract myself from the thought. She was bent over the tub, washing Millie gently. The tank top now rode up her slim back. Swallowing hard, I returned my attention to Millie.
“I decided to give her a bath. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all. I need to go. Are you good?” We already had a bit of a routine down. I still didn’t understand why Eilidh was helping us, but if it somehow brought us back together as friends, I wouldn’t question it.
“Aye.” Eilidh shot me a quick smile. “We’ll call if we need you.”
Nodding, I stepped into the room to bend down to kiss Millie’s head and Eilidh leaned away so I didn’t touch her. Frowning, I kissed Millie. “Bye, wee yin. See you soon.”
“Bah ga bye!” Millie slapped the water, giggling up at me.
I’d just straightened, but I froze. “Did she … did she say bye?”
Eilidh’s laughter warmed me right through. “I think it only sounded like that.”
I cupped the back of Millie’s damp head. “Did you just say bye? Bye, Millie.”
“Goh ka!” She giggled, splashing water at me.
“Bye-bye, Millie.”
She made a little hiccupping sound and reached for one of her bath toys.
Eilidh chuckled. “A fluke. But she’s around the age babies start saying one or two words.”
“Aye? How do you know that?”
“I’ve been reading that stack of baby books you ordered.”
I frowned. “You’ve been reading the baby books?”
She nodded, kneeling to wash Millie.
Something like pining wrapped itself around me, holding me frozen.
“Aren’t you going to be late?” Eilidh asked, tickling Millie with a bath toy.
“Right. Right.” I kissed Millie again. “See you both later.”
A director at Ardnoch Estate also happened to be on the board of an extremely popular British online retailer. They were the target of weekly hacks and the last one managed to get hundreds of thousands of customer details. Thankfully no bank details, but the company was on edge because of the incident. I’d agreed to analyze their current cybersecurity and see how we could tighten it.
It would be a headache on top of looking after Millie right now, but well worth the paycheck.
Walker, Callie’s stepfather, accompanied me to the staff car park after the meeting. “Thanks for setting this up.”
“No problem. You all right?”
Walker Ironside was a man of few words, but he didn’t need them. I could tell by the speculative expression Callie had told him about Millie. Thankfully, I knew Walker kept shit to himself. I didn’t want anyone knowing about Millie until I knew for certain if she was mine. If she was, I’d have to set her up with a doctor and a nanny or daycare. As soon as that happened, the cat would be out of the bag. Ardnoch was too small for people not to find out as soon as I stepped into the village with a baby in tow.
“I will be once I know she’s mine.”
“Aye, I get that.” He nodded. “And I know you’ve got your hands full, so don’t worry about this business with Eilidh. I’ve got someone trying to track who purchased the cameras through the serial numbers.”
Confused, I shook my head. “What are you talking about?”
Walker’s brows drew together. “Eilidh didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
“Maybe you should ask her.”
Walker was trying to trace someone through camera serial numbers. Realization scored through me and with it, a flash of fury. “Did someone plant a camera on Eilidh?”