| |
Felicity tried to calm her breathing. She needed to cover the mortifying fact that she’d orgasmed as she rode Niall. She couldn’t help wondering if he knew. Don’t get your knickers in a twist. He probably doesn’t. Even though she tried to convince herself, she was pretty sure he’d be able to read her embarrassment through her rosy cheeks. She simply wouldn’t say anything to Niall and hope for the best.
He slowed to a walk then came to a halt behind a stone wall. It was down the road from the construction site. She climbed off his back and gave him some space to shift back to his human form.
His hooves receded, becoming hands and feet again—his legs shortened into human ones, and his front legs became arms. His stallion coat slid back into skin. She gaped in amazement as she watched him shift.
Damn.
She’d forgotten that he’d be naked once he shifted. Niall’s knob dangled between his legs. She took off the backpack containing his clothes and threw it at him. Hard. She turned her back and stared at one of the cracks in the stone wall like it was the most interesting thing going on.
It wasn’t working. Zzzip. The sound of him opening the backpack rang in her ears, followed by the ruffling of him dressing. Yes, he definitely needed to put some clothes on.
“Well that was... invigorating,” Niall said.
She couldn’t tell if he was teasing her, but it sure sounded like it. “Are your pants on?”
Zzzip. “Aye.”
Felicity turned around and swallowed. His pants were on, but his shirt wasn’t, and she got a fleeting glimpse of his chiselled abs before he pulled his t-shirt over his head. His muscles rippled as the cotton stretched across his chest. Why was he so bloody hot? He was a horse. A seriously hot horse. Ugh, she was a complete mess.
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Are you ready?”
“Aye. There’s a flashlight in the pack,” Niall said as he tossed the backpack to her.
She caught it. “There’s only one in here,” she said, rummaging through it.
“I don’t need one. I packed it for you.”
He was being sweet to her again. Damn. That made it pretty hard for her to stay mad at him for hiding the truth. Especially considering there were lots of things people didn’t tell one another on first dates, or even second ones for that matter. But turning into a horse was a pretty big deal—not something you’d hear from your average bloke.
“Thanks,” Felicity said.
She took the flashlight out of the backpack, zipped it up, and slid her arms into the straps. She flicked it on and directed the dim yellow light at her feet. The clouds kept moving over the moon—one moment you could see clear as day, and the next you were shrouded in darkness.
The air was chilly, and she regretted wearing the sundress. It’d been great for Niall spinning her around a dance floor, but she hadn’t anticipated her date ending with horseback riding and sneaking around a construction site. It’s a wonder her thighs weren’t chafed, but Niall’s coat was the softest thing she’d ever touched. Not like a horse at all. Then again, he was a púca.
Niall nodded. “Come on. Follow me.” He edged his way around an opening in the stone wall, and they made their way to the construction site, cloaked in semi-darkness.
“What do you think we’ll find?” Felicity asked.
“The rock that construction worker allegedly fell on would be a good place to start. I’ll scent for it.”
“Scent for it?”
“Aye, I’ve got an acute sense of smell.”
Butterflies fluttered in her belly. Hopefully his nose wasn’t too good, or he might know about her orgasm on the ride. “I suppose it’s pretty handy having you around after all.”
“I could give you a hand with a few other things.” His voice sounded like velvet, and his words still seemed to brush across her skin.
She wondered again if he had any idea what that ride had done to her. “Is there anything else you can...uhmm, smell?”
Niall laughed. “Aye. I know what happened during the ride, if that’s what ye mean. Admit it, love. You want me even after that orgasm. Why don’t we take care of that need right now?”
Felicity glared at him, but heat rushed to her cheeks. “Let’s just look for the rock.”
Niall shrugged. “If it’s not here, we’ll know he staged it.” He closed his eyes and sniffed the air. She rubbed her arms to block out the dampness seeping through her sweater. It hadn’t rained, but the air was humid as though it was going to. He opened his eyes and began walking.
Felicity followed him. “Did you get a whiff of anything?”
“No. We’ll split up. That way we can cover more ground. You head over there...” he said, gesturing accordingly, “...and I’ll circle around to meet you.”
“All right.”
Felicity slowly made her way around the edges of the site, keeping her flashlight pointed toward the ground, sweeping the light as she walked. This would have been much easier in daylight, but she wasn’t sure Mr. Archer would want her walking around a construction site chock full of tools. Too much liability. Her legs were sore from the ride, and there was no bloody rock in sight. All she wanted at this point was a long, hot bath. She’d walked maybe fifteen minutes or so when she smacked into Niall’s muscled mass, because she’d been focused on the ground, looking for evidence of a struggle or a rock covered with blood.
He caught her in his arms. “Steady, lass.”
“Let go of me,” she whispered.
“Do you really mean that?”
Felicity wasn’t sure she did, but she was afraid she might kiss him if she stayed in his arms. She needed time to process all of it, so she ignored his question and pulled away. His face fell when she stepped back, but he didn’t say anything.
“Did you find anything?” she asked.
“No. You?”
“No.”
“Then he lied to us,” Niall said.
“Can we start fresh and figure it out tomorrow? Please...it’s been a long night. Take me back to Pier House.”
“Aye, we’ll meet at the pub at noon tomorrow.”
She nodded. There was a hot bath with her name on it.
