"But you love solving puzzles. Don't you pride yourself on being able to figure out any mystery?"
Oh, the lass is too clever by far. That makes me want to shag her even more, but I'm not daft enough to fall for her tricks. "The puzzles I solve have clues attached to them."
"So does this one. I gave you a copy of the newspaper story that discussed the treasure."
"An article from nineteen hundred and nine is not what I call a clue. It's a rumor."
"I read every article I could find about you, Errol. And I understand you better than you think." She pushes her plate away and leans toward me to speak in a sultry tone. "You haven't gone on a treasure hunt in months, have you? I bet you're hungry for a new adventure. Your mouth must salivate every time you glance at the Grand Canyon article—and the cash I laid down on your living room table the first time we met. Why fight what we both know you want? Give in to temptation."
"Are ye trying to seduce me again? Won't work this time."
"Won't it?" She pushes her chair back and rises, only so she can rest her bonnie erse on the table inches from my plate. "We kissed yesterday. I know we would've had sex if your cousin hadn't interrupted us. Why shouldn't I leverage your attraction to me? I'll do anything to convince you to sign on to my expedition."
"Aye, I believe that." I skim my gaze over her body while a memory of kissing her yesterday unreels in my mind. "But you don't seem like the sort who uses sex to get her way. That means you'll regret it if I give in and fuck you."
"Willyouregret it?"
I shake my head. "Not your concern, lass."
"Let me tell you about the equipment I've bought to make our expedition top-notch." She bends over even more to lay a hand on my thigh, and her shirts falls open just enough that I can glimpse her breasts. "I have ground-penetrating radar."
Never have I thought of radar as erotic. But the way Ashley spoke the words ground penetrating radar makes me picture my "radar" penetrating her "ground."
She glances at my lap and smirks. "I can tell my equipment arouses your interest."
The lass can't honestly want to have a poke just to talk me into her barmy quest. I do not sleep with women for a reason like that. But when she gives my thigh a gentle squeeze, myslatjumps, and I'm ready to fuck her right here on the table.
"You're breathing harder," she says. "Let's go into your bedroom."
"I don't like being manipulated, Ashley."
"But I'm genuinely attracted to you, Errol."
"Aye, but that's not the reason you've got your fingers inches away from my cock." I grasp her hand, peeling it away from my thigh, and set it on her own leg. "Hands to yourself, Ashley. Unless you can swear to me you're not doing this for any other reason than that you want myslatinside you."
"Your what?"
"Slat. It's Gaelic for 'cock.' But ye willnae be seeing that anytime soon." I give her my best hard stare, but honestly, I'm not as good at that as Magnus is. Anger isn't my strong suit. "So tell me, Ashley, is lust the only reason you want to shag me?"
The lass compresses her lips, then puckers them. All the while, her fingers tap on her thigh. "No, I can't swear that's the only reason. But it's about ninety-five percent of the reason."
"When it's one hundred percent, let me know." I rise and slide my chair under the table. "I think you should go now. We have nothing else to talk about."
"But the expedition—"
"Is not my problem." I wave my hand toward the kitchen doorway. "Let's go."
Ashley frowns briefly, then follows me out into the living room and to the front door. When I swing the door open, she compresses her lips again. But the lass walks out anyway. I admire her erse as she hurries down the walkway to the curb. She does have a bonnie bum, and aye, I'd love to shag her—but I donnae like being used.
She hops off the curb and continues across the street.
I rush outside, halting halfway to the curb. "Where are ye going, ye daft woman?"
"Home." Ashley turns around, now briskly walking backward across the roadway. She grins. "I rented the house across the street."
She spins around and sprints up to the porch of the home across the street. As she unlocks the front door, she waves at me and grins again. Then she disappears inside the house.
What the bloody hell? She rented a house just to harass me? I was starting to think she might be a semi-normal person, and that maybe I had misjudged her. But no, she is completely insane.