Wild Irish Rose

by Ava Miles

  She grabbed her favorite knitting needles for such a stitch and settled down on the sofa in the sitting room, too eager to make a pot of tea.

  As the rows took shape, her mind cleared. She fell into the peaceful rhythm, knitting easily while Hatshep purred next to her on the couch. Halfway through, something made her look at the time. It was growing late, on toward midnight. Where was Trevor?

  Her needles fell to her lap, and she wondered if he wasn’t coming. Last night had been strained for both of them. Revealing their love for each other hadn’t erased the tension between them, and that had broken her heart. Then she’d ignored him at breakfast and forced herself not to give him extra attention tonight. Had he felt slighted?

  Was he staying away because of her?

  She stood. No, that wouldn’t do.

  Perhaps he was waiting for an invitation? She hadn’t given him one tonight, and perhaps she’d been in too grand a mood to realize he needed a push. Well, she would put that to rights immediately. She walked over to the house phone and dialed his room.

  “Hello,” he said, answering after only one ring.

  “I want you to come to my rooms tonight,” she said, her voice soft and a little unsure.

  “Okay.” He hung up, and she looked down at the phone before placing it in the receiver. Okay? That was all he had to say?

  Her belly seemed to flop about like a restless sea, and Boru gave a high-pitched whine. “Oh, stop that. Everything is all right.” She knew she was saying it to herself.

  Crossing to the bar caddy, she poured them whiskies. Then she stared down at the amber liquid. She didn’t want to have a drink with him. She wanted to make love with him. Immediately. Perhaps it was time she was bold enough to show him how much she wanted him.

  When she heard the door click downstairs, she came around the sofa and leaned back against it. He paused at the top of the stairs, his eyes searching hers.

  “I’m sorry you didn’t know I wanted you here tonight,” she said softly.

  His chest lifted with a deep sigh. “I didn’t see a sign from you at dinner, although you seemed happy. It didn’t feel like it was because of me.”

  He paused as if waiting for her to fill in the answer, but she wasn’t ready to tell him the cause.

  “You’ve ignored me all day,” he continued when she remained quiet. “I…didn’t like it.”

  She looked down at her feet, Hatshep rubbing her head against her calf. “I’m sorry I hurt you. Last night was…” She trailed off, not knowing what to say.

  He stayed where he was. “What?”

  “I know we have a lot of outside things pulling at us, but I… I love you. I don’t want it to be like this.”

  His mouth turned up. “Neither do I.”

  “I’d very much like to start over,” she said, pushing off the sofa and standing tall under his searching gaze. “Forget about last night and all the misunderstandings and harsh words.”

  Boru walked over to him then and nudged his thigh as if trying to move him toward Becca. “Your animals have strong opinions. Seems I’m back in their good graces.”

  “They’re loyal to me,” she said. “Trevor, when I say I love you, I mean it.”

  His eyes were still an inscrutable green. “So do I. But I don’t like you ignoring me. You had a smile for everyone but me tonight. I thought you were acting happy to piss me off.”

  “It’s not so. But I’m sorry I made you feel that way. I don’t want the guests to know about our connection. Not yet.”

  He nodded. “I normally wouldn’t get so bent out of shape, but there was a moment tonight when you looked right past me, and I felt sure I’d lost you.”

  Lost her? Today she’d been given the possible keys to her future, one she hoped to share with him. “You haven’t lost me. We’re only just finding our way with each other, under less-than-ideal circumstances.”

  “But that’s all done now,” he said. “You believe me when I say that, right?”

  Mostly, but she only nodded.

  “Then come here,” he said, holding out his arms to her.

  She strode forward and wrapped her arms around him. He tunneled one of his hands in her long hair, the other spanning around her ribcage, as if seeking anchor.

  “I love you,” he whispered. “I know it hasn’t been easy, but it’s going to get better. Just hang in there with me, Becca. Let me show you how much I love you.”

  Hadn’t she been thinking the very same thing? Maybe they both needed some reassurance tonight. “Come with me.”

  She took his hand and led him into her bedroom, closing the door on her beloved animals. Pausing only to shut the light off, she pulled him gently past the bed to the window seat overlooking her land. The stars were twinkling overhead, and she cracked open the window to let in the distant roar of the sea. For years, this was the closest she could handle to the outdoors, and it was both her greatest doorway and her saddest portal.

  She undressed him slowly, brushing aside his hands when he went to help her remove the St. Christopher medal. Needing to give to him, she traced his skin and pushed him back onto the seat. Kneeling between his open legs, she took him in her mouth, stroking him until his hand cupped her neck, his body arching in response to her ministrations. When he finally came, she stroked his hip, trying to tell him how precious he was to her, how indispensable he’d become in such a short time.

  When he reached for her, she stepped back and undressed in front of him. The act made her feel both vulnerable and powerful, all at the same time. This was how she imagined it would feel to stand on the cliffs outside, above the wild frenzy of the sea. When she finished, she moved into the open V of his legs and cupped his face in her hands. Their eyes met, and she held his gaze, letting him see into her heart, into her soul, and into places she had, until now, only traveled alone. She watched him swallow thickly. Noted there was no smile upon his face. She smoothed his hair off his forehead and leaned forward to kiss his lips, first lightly, and then with more pressure.

  His hands came to rest on her waist, but he let her set the pace, sensing she needed to. Her tongue traced the seam of his lips while her hand trailed across the hard planes of his chest. She celebrated the beauty of his body in gentle touches and the delicate scrape of her fingernails along his thigh and back. With desire thrumming in every cell, she guided him back further on the window seat and climbed onto his lap. After grabbing a condom, she sheathed his arousal before setting herself onto him. She took every inch of him slowly inside her until she heard a part of her whisper, Yes.

  As she began to rise and fall upon him, she heard the call of the sea outside. Her eyes closed, and she was swept away on wave after wave of sensation, aware of his breath, aware of his hands gripping her as power rose between them. She arched back, crying out, and felt molten fire explode in her belly. Everything pulsed and pulsed afterward, and she luxuriated in his hard body locking with the force of its desire for her.

  She rested her face in the crook of his neck and whispered, “I love you.”

  He nuzzled her, the stubble of his jaw rubbing her skin ever so delightfully. “I love you too.” Then an explosive breath gusted from his chest, and he seemed to relax, as if her assurances had finally done their job. He was content in her love, and she in his.

  He lay back on the window seat after disposing of the condom, and she climbed back on top of him, not yet ready to be a separate being. Her eyes soaked in the view spread out before her. Everything felt possible, and she was lit with the moon and the stars in that moment. Nothing could have told her she wasn’t part of the magic now.

  She was the magic, and every wish would be granted on a night like this.

  She compelled her mind to envision what she wanted most of all: her and Trevor holding hands, walking toward the cliffs. She imagined the feel of the sea’s cool mist on her skin, the smell of the salt and moss filling her senses. But what was most vivid was the warmth of his hand and the love shining in his eyes wh
en he gazed at her.

  A star fell in that wide, dark expanse above the sea, and she made her wish. And in her still-fragile heart, she sent up prayers to all the stars still shining in the midnight blue sky, willing the vision to come true.

  Chapter 23

  Trevor awoke to a cool breeze wafting over his skin. Becca’s warm body lay on top of him. Rolling to the side with her, he gathered her to him and looked out the window. The sunrise was glorious with ribbons of pinks and blue, the kind that made him think of her dye. God, what a night. He looked down at Becca, her hair covering half her face. Love filled his heart as he eased those tangled locks behind her ear. She was so beautiful, and last night, he’d discovered new reservoirs of love and desire with her. Caressing her face, he let a new, unexpected truth settle more deeply inside him.

  This was where he belonged.

  Propping himself up on an elbow, he let his eyes wander over the land. The sea was brilliant shades of gray and blue, and the stone and grass a feast of earthy roughness. He loved this woman, and he loved this land too.

  His life would need to change to reflect that, and he let his mind spin with plans for the future. He could work from here and take the company plane from Cork City when he had to travel. But only when the need arose. He was sick of spending his life on the go, in hotel rooms and boardrooms, and he didn’t like the idea of spending half his time away from Becca. If he needed to delegate some of his responsibilities, he would. Delegation had never been one of his strengths, but other people did it successfully. He would too.

  He heard a loud humming and looked down to see Buttercup gazing up at him from below. He waved before he realized what he was doing. That silly animal. He’d even grown fond of it.

  Settling back down, he tucked Becca close and savored the peace inside him. Who would have guessed he’d come on this mission only to discover the woman and home he’d always hoped to find someday? Bards sang to violin and Uilleann pipes about love’s unexpected nature being part of its magic in pubs across Ireland, and he’d always enjoyed listening to their ballads, little expecting the magic of his adopted country would rub off on him.

  She stirred and rubbed her head against his chest, reawakening all sorts of desire in him. Last night, she’d bared herself down to the bones of her soul. He’d let her take control—which had required him to be vulnerable too. They’d fallen asleep soundly afterward. Perhaps the rawness of it all and the release had finally ushered in a powerful sleep. He didn’t know. It didn’t matter. All he knew was that they were closer than ever before.

  “What are you thinking about?”

  Her voice was rough with sleep, and she rolled onto her back, keeping her hand on his thigh.

  “You. Life. The big questions. You know. Nothing important.”

  She snorted out a laugh. “All that, and the sun’s barely up. Have you always been an overachiever?”

  “Yes,” he said, leaning in and kissing her on the mouth. “I love you. I didn’t say it enough last night.”

  Her blue eyes seemed as languid as the calm sea. “Last night wasn’t about talking. It was about showing.”

  His mouth twitched. “You showed me just fine. Is it strange to say thank you?”

  “I don’t rightly know,” she said, turning on her side and facing him. “It was a first for me.”

  He tucked her hair behind her ear again. “Me too.”

  “Trevor, I want this to work, what’s between us. I just ask you to be patient with me.”

  Patient? What a funny word. “I can be a total bear sometimes, so I’ll ask the same of you.”

  “That’s not exactly what I meant,” she said, her eyes falling away.

  She had to be referring to the company’s interest in her land. Until things were settled, the weight of it would be between them. How could it not be? “I know. Now, how about we stop talking and you let me do some showing?”

  Her eyes flashed to his, and a slow smile spread across her face. “I’d like that.”

  He tugged her onto her stomach. “Let’s make this memorable.” Then he set his mouth to her neck, loving the feel of her back arching in response.

  He loved her slowly, touching her skin as the cool breeze from the window feathered over them. Her breasts were sheer perfection, and her thighs a place of wonder. He lost himself in her sighs and moans and later, as the sun rose higher over the sea, her sharp cries of pleasure.

  When he sank onto her, she stroked his back.

  “I love you too.”

  He grunted and kissed her cheek, taking a moment longer to hold her, knowing she needed to rise and dress soon. They stayed that way for a moment, looking out the window, still joined together, until she turned in his arms.

  “I need to go,” she said.

  Funny how those same words used to spill from his lips so easily with other women, but he now dreaded hearing them from Becca. “I’d like to understand more of what you do here, the ins and outs of running the inn. How would I go about that?”

  She cocked an eyebrow. “I could give you a tour, I suppose.”

  “Great.” He kissed her swiftly. “I’ll get dressed and meet you later then. Just call my room when you have time.” He had some serious work to do.

  “You should bring over a change of clothes,” she said, disengaging from him. “Shower and shave here too, if you’d like.”

  “I’d like that.” He took her hand when she stood, not wanting her to leave. “If there’s anything I can help you with…”

  Her brow wrinkled. “Like what?”

  “This place.” He shook her hand playfully. “I want to be of help to you, Becca. When you love someone, you support them. We need to think of how I can do that.”

  “You want to help me run The Wild Irish Rose?” she asked. “Oh, don’t be silly. You have your own work.” Crossing the room, she grabbed a robe hanging from a nearby chair.

  He sat up on the window seat. “You run things just fine, but I’d like to help, if I can.” Did she not understand? In his family, love and business were one and the same.

  “Are you an award-winning chef in disguise? Oh, wait, I already have an award-winning chef. How about cleaning and polishing?”

  He stared her down, knowing she was having a little fun with him. “I’m trying to be…a good partner.”

  Her hand fell away from her robe. “Is that what this is about? Oh, I see. Well, then…”

  She spun around, hastily tying the robe now. He came up behind her and turned her to face him. There were tears in her eyes. “Why are you crying?”

  “Only something in my eye,” she said, trying to pull away from him.

  “Becca…”

  She stopped short. “I wasn’t expecting you’d want to help. I’d given up hope thinking I’d ever find someone who wanted that, like my grandfather did with my grandmother. I’ve always considered myself lucky to have Aileen and Cian, but I never imagined…”

  He tipped her chin up so he could look into her eyes. “Family and business are intertwined for me too.” Again, he wondered about her parents. Her words implied she was alone, but he’d wait for her to tell him the full story. “While I don’t intend to give up what I do, I want to help you here if I can. You know, I have some business acumen.”

  She worked her lips as if fighting a smile. “I’ll keep it in mind.”

  Kissing her softly, he waited until she slumped against him. “You’d better get going before I make you late.”

  She ran her fingers down his chest in the most arousing way. “I should be okay. It’s not like I have to commute.”

  He was chuckling as he tumbled her onto her bed.

  After breakfast, she found him for the grand tour, going over everything from the food ordering for the restaurant to her online presence and reservation system. It was impressive. When they entered the kitchen, a burly black-haired man stopped chopping onions and stared him down. Trevor was amused when Chef Padraig picked up the cleaver while still looking at
him.

  “He’s protective of you,” Trevor said when they left.

  “It’s sweet of him,” she said, glancing back the way they’d come. “We get along brilliantly. He’s a core element of our success.”

  Trevor tucked that away. He’d have to win the man over. “Do you have time to show me the animals? I haven’t checked out the rabbits or the sheep yet. I thought Buttercup might get jealous before, but now she’s sure of my affection.”

  Instead of laughing, she clenched her hands. The change in her was clear as day. Why was she nervous suddenly?

  “I’ve taken long enough for today,” she said, forcing a smile. “Another time.”

  “Okay.” He didn’t understand what was going on in her head. Was she afraid to show him that part of her enterprise? Why? She’d been so happy to explain the dyeing process to him.

  “You go on,” he said. “I’ll find a way to keep occupied.” He needed to call J.T. and talk about the Connor situation. Avoiding it was folly. They had to figure out another way.

  His entire future was riding on it.

  Chapter 24

  Becca heard the front doorbell ring. Aileen was overseeing the baking while she went over accounts. Pushing back from her chair, she strode out of her office. When she opened the door, a dark-haired woman stood beaming at her. She looked to be about Becca’s age, and there was something familiar about her.

  “Hello,” the woman said, thrusting out her hand in a very American fashion. “I’m Caitlyn Merriam. I believe my brother and my aunt and uncle are staying here.”

  Goodness! Trevor’s sister. “Ah, yes. Of course. Please come in.”