Chibs had spent most of the day rebuilding a custom engine. He was sitting on one of the picnic benches, draining a water bottle to kill his dehydration headache, when he noticed that Aoife's station wagon hadn't moved. "Juicey-boy, you seen the tire truck?"

Juice shook his head. "Sorry, man. You'll have to check with Gemma. I'm on my way out with the flatbed."

Chibs walked into the office to find Tig ranting in front of Gemma. "You're fucking kidding me! The fucking tire truck got a flat tire and needs to be towed. This is some kind of sick fucking joke!" Chibs snorted loudly. Tig snarled, nostrils flaring. "It's not fucking funny. That British bitch has been riding my ass about her car being done all day today, and she needs four new tires that are on that fucking truck."

Chibs peeked out through the window. Mrs. Millington was sitting primly, her white hair perfectly coiffed. Chibs glanced at Tig, who was giving the elderly woman a look of pure menace, and then back at Mrs. Millington. He took pity on Tig (otherwise it would be nothing but bitching all evening) and walked out to her, a smile pasted on his face. He had overheard her ask for him to work on her car that morning, and the news that he was otherwise occupied had annoyed her. She had spent the entire day sitting outside the garage, harassing Tig, refusing all offers from Gemma of a ride home, and being a general nuisance. "Mrs. Millington, such a pleasure to see you again."

"Mr. Telford," she answered back in her posh British accent, barely dulled by decades of living in the states. "A pleasure to see you as well. Is that worthless young man done with my car yet? I think he's been slacking all day just to rack up the labor charges."

Chibs managed not to roll his eyes and continue smiling. "Mrs. Millington, we're waiting for the tires to come in for your car and we've just gotten word that they won't be in today. I'm sorry for the inconvenience. Why don't you let me drive you home, and I can bring the car over tomorrow morning as soon as it's ready?"

"Such a dear boy you are, Mr. Telford. I always did have a special place in my heart for Scotsmen." Mrs. Millington patted him on the cheek. "You will check my invoice and make sure the labor charges are correct."

"You have my word, ma'am." He offered his arm to the woman, who leaned heavily on him, close enough he could smell her nauseatingly floral perfume. When they passed the office, Tig tossed the keys to Chibs, who mouthed, "you owe me" to him in return. Chibs drove Mrs. Millington home while she insisted on telling him about her dear departed husband Angus, who hailed from Inverness and had an enormous sex drive, which she explained she had heard was common with Scotsmen while moving closer and closer to Chibs on the bench seat. Chibs was so far over in the seat that the manual crank for the door handle was pressing into his thigh. He had to park around the corner, and Mrs. Millington leaned on his arm even harder as he walked her to the apartment door. "There you are, ma'am. We'll bring your car over tomorrow."

Mrs. Millington opened the front door and hesitated. She put on what Chibs supposed was her version of a coy smile and fluttered her eyelashes. "You know, Mr. Telford, you fill out those jeans and shirt very well. My husband has been gone for seven years. I'm a woman with needs." Chibs eyes bulged and his cheeks went crimson. This woman, eighty if she was a day, was coming onto him. "It gets lonely in that big queen size bed by myself." He froze as she reached for the crotch of his jeans.

"Chibs, there you are!" Aoife slid her arm around Chibs' waist, her hip blocking the path of Mrs. Millington's hand. Pretending to plant a kiss next to his ear, Aoife whispered, "play along" before turning to Mrs. Millington and lying, "Pardon me, I didn't mean to interrupt." Mrs. Millington glared daggers and said nothing.

"Mrs. Millington, this is my girl, Aoife McIntyre. Aoife McIntyre, Mrs. Millington." Chibs introduced them. Aoife ignored the other woman's glare and cordially offered her hand. Mrs. Millington muttered something about needing to feed the cat and disappeared into the apartment building, letting the door slam close.

"Thanks for rescuing me, darlin', even if you did have to pretend to be my girlfriend to do it," Chibs sighed. Aoife slid her hand into his, and Chibs forgot anything else he might have said. He was hyperaware of the feeling of her small, soft hands interlaced with his.

She smiled up at him. "Not much of a hardship, really, but keep pretending. She's watching us out the window. And I'm trying desperately not to burst out laughing."

Chibs glanced up, and, sure enough, there was Mrs. Millington peeking through her first floor apartment curtains at the two of them. "Well, then, I guess you'd better walk me back to my truck, my girl." Continuing the façade, Aoife's hand remained in his. Chibs thought his heart would pound out of his chest. Once they rounded the corner, he asked, "How much of that did you hear?" Aoife gave him an impish grin and giggled. He groaned. "All of it?"

"Did it start with her telling you that you filled out your clothes pretty well?" She asked with another giggle.

"Aye, I think that's how it went, lass."

"Then I heard every embarrassing word."

"Don't suppose I'll live that down any time soon, then." They had reached the truck, and Chibs leaned back against the door and ran his free hand through his hair. "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, that was fucking awkward. I don't know how I would have gotten out of it if you hadn't come along."

"You would have thought of something." Aoife made a show of looking him up and down before commenting lightly. "She's right. You do fill out that shirt and jeans well. Can't blame a girl for trying."

"I most certainly can if she's old enough to be my damn mother!" Chibs protested, and then realized how ridiculous the whole thing was and that Aoife was flirting with him. He chuckled, and Aoife laughed, her hand squeezing his. His brain locked up – she was still holding his hand. She could have dropped it anywhere between the corner and here, but she hadn't. She seemed to realize at the same time, and Chibs pushed his sunglasses up onto his forehead as their eyes met. Chibs watched her tongue dart out and lick her lips. He wanted nothing more than to pull her close to him and taste those lips, but he forced himself to stay still. His blood was rushing in his ears so loudly that he was sure Aoife could hear every beat of his heart.

The trill of his cell phone broke the spell. With his free hand, Chibs answered. "Aye?"

It was Tig. "We have a situation. Get back here ASAP."

"Got it." He slid the cell phone back into his pocket. "I have to get back to work, lassie. I'm glad we ran into each other. And…thanks for rescuing me."

Aoife kissed his cheek, and her lips lingered longer than usual on the scar. When she was back on flat feet staring at him, Chibs thought she looked disappointed. She still hadn't let go of his hand. Before Chibs could think through his next move, he brought her hand to his lips and pressed his chapped lips to her knuckles. "Hope I'll see you again soon, lass."

"I'd like that." She stepped back so he could get into the truck. He started the truck before he realized he hadn't told her about her car…and she hadn't asked. Maybe she found him as intoxicating as he found her. No, he had to get that thought out of his head. Tig said ASAP. Take care of the business with her car, get to the clubhouse. He rolled down the window.

"Nearly forgot – tires didn't come in today. Your car won't be ready until tomorrow. Will ya be alright without it tonight?" Aoife smiled at him and nodded, and again, Chibs' mouth ran away on him. "I mean, if you need something tonight, I can come by after work. Could be late, though."

"You're so sweet. I'll be fine." She took advantage of the open window to give him another kiss on the cheek. "But you can always come by if you want." Damn. She gave that little flirtatious grin she had given him the first time she met him, and Chibs felt his heart race again. He pulled the truck into reverse and drove off, but not before he met her eyes one more time and she winked at him.