Seacliff

Chapter twenty: It's raining, man

2019

"Greetings, traveller!"

Aidan's heart fluttered in his chest and reddened his cheeks.

"Good morrow, bar wench," he replied in an exaggerated voice and slammed his fist on the countertop. "I'll have your finest ale, thank you very much!"

Fiona snickered. "The usual?"

Sheepish, Aidan adjusted his spectacles and hopped on a stool. "Yes, please."

Fiona already had a pint glass in her hand and slid over to the tap to fill it. "Good day today?" she asked casually.

He cleared his throat. "Yeah, as good as can be expected this time of year."

"Yeah, I'll bet November isn't the most tourist-friendly weather."

"Precisely – Thank you."

He arranged his pint in the centre of the coaster as a pretext not to look up at her eyes. Those pools of greenish-golden hazel, changing colour depending on how they caught the light. He'd fantasised about what the sunrise would do to them, he'd just been too chicken to stay and watch.

"Slainté!" He raised his glass to take a sip. A squinty-eyed grunt of satisfaction followed. "Nothing like the first taste of a good, cold beer at the end of a day's work."

"Ain't that the truth."

Fiona began to organise glasses behind the counter, then filled up a couple pints for one of the servers. Aidan scrutinised her in her natural habitat – her chestnut plait, her slender arms, the fox tattooed on the back of her hand... the slim figure she cut in her all-black outfit. The butterfly ink he knew she had underneath, below her shoulder blades. The –

"Aidan!"

"Hm?" Aidan blinked, licking foam off his top lip. Fiona had raised a questioning eyebrow at him. "Sorry, I was spacing out," he mumbled as a blush crept up his stubble. "You were saying?"

Fiona rolled her eyes, despite the sexy smile curving her lips. She had the most glorious smile. Whenever it graced her features, she instantly looked sexy, cute, charming and cunning, all at once.

"I was wondering if I could take you up on that private tour offer, since you're already done for the day."

Aidan gulped. He recalled drunkenly making that offer, hoping it would lead to another night in her bed. Only, at the time of making it, he'd also had every intention to stay for breakfast at hers.

"Uh... Sure, yes, of course. Why not? I'd love to."

Fiona laughed. "Agreeing to it five times in the same breath makes me wonder whether you really mean that."

"I do! I definitely do, I just..." He stared at the wet ring of condense dripping on the coaster as he twirled the pint between his hands. "I'm very pleased you're being so nice to me, considering the circumstances of... uh... my departure from your flat. I thought... I might have upset you."

Fiona frowned. "So why did you come here, then?"

"I..." His gaze skittered back and forth. "I wanted to see you, I suppose."

Her signature smile erupted on her expression, with a sprinkle of something extra in there now. A spark in her eyes that he couldn't place.

"Well, then I guess we can go for a walk once you've finished your pint."

Aidan reciprocated with a smile of his own. "Yes, I... I'd like that very much."

Fiona discarded her rag and untied her apron. She filled up a pint, pushed it across the counter, then rounded the bar to sit next to him.