She watched Silas lay a hand on the boy’s shoulder. It didn’t look overtly threatening. Still, she was surprised when Cody cracked an actual smile.

It was a short conversation with none of the yelling she’d expected. And when it was over, they shook hands before parting. Cody jogged toward the front of the house, but Silas stayed where he was…staring right through the window at her. They studied each other through the glass, and Maggie was the first to break. She limped out of the room, down the hall, and into her office.

She pretended she was deeply intrigued by a spreadsheet when Silas appeared in the doorway a minute later.

“Now it’s your turn,” he said.

She kicked back in her chair and crossed her arms. “On top of all of the things that aren’t your business, let’s add disciplining my employees without my express permission.”

He strolled into the room and studied the whiteboard in the corner and the boxes of half-packed treasures. He looked much too casual for her liking. The man should be adrenalized and pissed off and feeling ready to boil. Like she felt.

“I didn’t discipline the kid,” he told her. “I had a conversation with him about expectations and how you just handed him one hell of an opportunity and he’d better not blow it by doing something stupid like last night.”

“That’s a conversation that didn’t need to come from you,” she pointed out.

“Tough shit. It did. I also reminded him that it would be in his best interests to make sure his friends never show up here again without an engraved invitation and that if he even hears a whisper of them thinking about it, to call me.”

“Don’t you think this protector routine is over-the-top? We kissed. I’m not something you ordered online and now own.”

“I’m looking out for you, for him, and for the work all your crews have done and will do. It’s not a win for any of us if a couple of bored kids show up and cause trouble. And it’s certainly not in Cody’s best interest to get caught doing petty shit at eighteen, when the consequences are a hell of a lot more serious.”

He prowled toward her, and Maggie felt her pulse rate jump. She wasn’t sure if it was nerves or lust. Because while easygoing, good-guy Silas was sexy, pissed-off Silas was dangerously attractive.

He placed his hands on the worktable behind her, caging her in between his arms. “Now, let’s get back to the ‘you not being my business’ thing. I don’t know how many guys you’ve kissed like you kissed me, but to me, it means something.”

She opened her mouth to argue but then thought better of it.