“It’s a good design.”

“It looked good to me.”

“It would work and work well.” Worrying over it, she gnawed at her lip. “Any dunderhead would see that it blends with what’s here, adds to it rather than overpowering. He won’t get better from any of his fancy architects.”

“You have to work on your confidence, Brenna. So much modesty’s unseemly.”

She only snorted. “But how is Magee to know that if he can’t actually see ? The way the pub sits and how the land is and so on.”

“He has photographs,” Shawn reminded her. “Finkle took dozens while he was here.”

“It’s not the same. I should talk to Magee myself, is what I should do.”

“You may be right, but wouldn’t it be best to give it a bit of time, then see what he thinks before jumping in boots first and pushing at him?”

“Some take a good push.” Her lips slanted into a sneer. “As yourself is a perfect example. When is Aidan sending them? Maybe I should take another look at them first.”

“They’re already on the way. He shipped them off in yesterday’s post, by special courier as Magee requested.”

“Well, then. Well.” They would stand or fall on their own, she thought, as Shawn’s song would. She nearly blurted out that she’d already spoken to Magee herself, and that between them they were keeping the man busy looking over their efforts.

No, better to wait, then give Shawn the results instead of the worry of wondering.

“And what are you thinking of so hard and long?”

“The next steps, and what happens after they’re taken. It seems when one thing changes, everything changes with it.”

“I’ve thought the same myself.” Look at us, he thought, and brushed her hair back from her face.

Her pulse stumbled. Another change, she realized, that his just touching her could cause that sudden and vivid awareness. “Does it worry you?”

“No. But if it concerns you at the moment, I’d rather just take you dreaming again.” His lips cruised over hers as he laid her back. “If you hold on to me, we’ll go together.”

“I want to be with you. You’re the only one.” It was the closest she could come to lowering her shields.

He took her dreaming, gliding up, sinking down with the lights of the candles and turf fire shimmering everywhere. There was a tenderness in her she hadn’t explored before. A welling need to give whatever was asked, and give gently.

They undressed each other. No tugs, no pulls this time. Fingers slid over skin, and lips followed, lingered so that each caress, each taste was precious. Sigh answered murmur. A mingling of breath.

Desire, without the red flash of flames, was gilded at the edges. Even when he urged her up to that fine and trembling peak, the glow held steady.

They watched each other as he slipped inside her.

It was like coming home.

His lips curved as they lowered to hers, another link. Her hands lifted, framed his face, held him there, just there while the beauty of it had tears swimming to her eyes.