He laughed. “In other words, you’re matchmaking again.”

“Not again. Still.”

“He’s not going to be pleased about being left out.”

“I know, but he needs to hunt down an old church with possible connections to the sword, and he can’t do that if he’s constantly gallivanting around the countryside with me.”

“That won’t alter the fact he’ll be unhappy.”

I grinned. “Which is why Darby’s there.”

He rolled his eyes and squeezed my shoulder. “Be careful and keep me in the loop.”

I nodded and followed him across to my captive. Once I’d released her from my initial “stand-still, don’t speak” order, he motioned his people to take care of her, then walked over to the bins and talked briefly to Cynwrig. The latter’s gaze met mine, and I felt the impact of it deep in my stomach.

It was a shame, really, that I’d just committed us to a journey of more than six hours in a small van.

After speaking to Sgott for a few more minutes, he walked toward me in that confident and very sexy manner of his, instantly ratcheting up my desire level. I mean, seriously, the man needed to come with a heat warning.

“I’m told we’re off to Galway.”

“And may also need to check out Killiney.”

He twined his fingers through mine then tugged me toward the lane’s exit. “What’s there?”

“A holiday house. Vincentia showed me the details for it some ten years ago, during one of the few times we met for dinner. If she’s going into hiding for a few days, that might be where she goes.”

“You can remember the address of a place you were briefly shown ten years ago? I’m impressed. And scared.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Why scared?”

“Because it means you’ll be able to name the time and date of any transgression I might make, no matter how much time has passed since said transgression.”

“The obvious solution is not to do anything you don’t want flung back in an argument.”

He laughed, which to me suggested there would certainly be transgressions and he really didn’t care what I did with them. “What’s the connection between you and this Vincentia?”

I quickly explained. He released my fingers and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, his hug brief but caring. “The gods really aren’t being kind to you and Lugh at the moment, are they?”

“No, they’re fucking not.” I leaned into the warmth of his body. It was a comforting sensation more than sensual, which was a little surprising given the desire that still zinged between us.

“Neither of us are dressed appropriately for a long car journey,” he said, “so why don’t we head over to your place so you can grab a change of clothes, then go back to mine and grab some sleep?”

“Is sleep a new euphemism for hot monkey sex?”

His laugh was low and sexy, and my pulse skipped along quite happily. “Sadly, it is not. But the journey to Galway does include a three-and-a-half-hour ferry trip, and a private room would not only be possible but advisable. If your cousin is heading home, then she could be on the same ferry.”