“Last I checked we didn’t have any place to be this morning,” he said smoothly. “No need to jump up. Why don’t we ignore the clock and take advantage of having time to ourselves.” He gently tugged on her arm until she was reclined beside him.
Her eyes scanned his face, as if she was still uncertain of his well-being. Hugh couldn’t believe she was being this cautious over one night. “Aubrey, sweetheart, I’m fine. You can stop looking at me like I’m not of sound mind.”
“What? Oh no…that’s not it. Sorry. It’s just… Do you remember what happened last night?”
“You mean when I got home?”
She nodded.
He thought for a minute. “I came in here and you were already in bed—and looking incredibly sexy,” he said with a wink. “Then I joined you and we talked about…me beating Owen at pool and the fact you had a good time with the girls.” He looked at her for approval.
She nodded again.
“And then I got undressed and fell asleep. Why? Did I do something embarrassing?”
She chuckled. “No.” Then she paused. “No.”
He groaned. Dammit. The last thing he wanted to do was look like an idiot in front of Aubrey. Or anyone. “What did I do?” She told him about his near phone call to Anna and he burst out laughing. “Is that it? Whew! I thought I maybe groped you inappropriately or drooled on you. Trust me, Anna is used to Shaughnessy men calling her at ridiculous times of the night in search of food.”
She arched a brow at him. “What exactly does that mean?”
“Quinn,” he said with a smile, stacking his hands behind his head. “Anna’s been spoiling him for years and he takes advantage of it. We all see it—hell, I think Anna even sees it—but she caves whenever he asks. She’s been known to bake cookies at all hours of the night and bring them to him. With milk!”
“No!”
Hugh nodded enthusiastically, still thrilled this was all over his wanting to call Anna while mildly inebriated. “I really wish she’d cut him off. I think it would be good for him.”
“Stop feeding him?”
“All of it. She’s too good for him. Like I said, she spoils him. He doesn’t appreciate her and he’s too self-absorbed to realize she’s in love with him.”
Aubrey looked at him with wide-eyed shock. “Are you sure? How do you know?”
“Like I said, we all see it. Except Quinn. He treats her like she’s his pal, his buddy. His best friend. I think she needs to play a little hard to get and wait for him to chase her.”
“What if he doesn’t?”
With a shake of his head, he replied, “Uh-uh. I know my brother. He’s just clueless. I think if nudged in the right direction, he’d see Anna is the best thing that’s ever happened to him, and he’ll kick himself for wasting so much time.”
“I don’t think it’s that simple,” Aubrey protested.
“What? What’s the matter?”
“I can’t believe I didn’t pick up on it. I’m normally really good with that sort of thing. I just thought they were good friends.”
“Well, you haven’t had a lot of time to observe them together.”
“Yeah, but…damn.”
“It’s not that big a deal,” he said lightly. “Come on. You’re taking this a lot more personally than I thought you would. Why?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s…last night when I got back here, I started thinking about how much fun I had with the girls and how much they were starting to mean to me. I feel closer to Anna and Zoe…and even Darcy…than I do to some of the women I’ve been friends with for years. And to realize I missed out on a pretty key element of Anna’s life? That just makes me feel like I’m not very good at this friend thing.”
Like lightning, Hugh rolled over, pinned Aubrey beneath him, and kissed her hard. They were both breathless when he raised his head. “You are amazing at everything you do. Don’t ever doubt that.”
Unfortunately, she didn’t seem convinced. “I pay attention to all kinds of details when I’m planning events and anything work related, but I’m so out of touch dealing with people I’m missing things,” she said with dismay. “That’s a huge character flaw, Hugh! What if I’m missing out on some key things with this campaign I’m doing for you?”
“Hey, hey, hey…come on now,” he soothed. “I don’t think the two are remotely related and you’re getting yourself upset over nothing. Seriously.” He pulled her into his arms and could feel the slight tremor in her body. Tucking a finger under her chin, he gently nudged Aubrey to look at him. “I’m sorry I upset you. I didn’t mean to.” He kissed her temple. “And I’m sorry I made a bit of a spectacle of myself last night. That’s why I try to be more in control. It won’t happen again.”
Aubrey groaned and pulled out of his embrace before rolling from the bed. “Oh my God, Hugh! Enough!” she cried and stormed around the room looking for her robe. Pulling it on, she faced him. “I think it’s great you went out last night and let your guard down! Hell, it’s hard to sit back and watch someone be so damn perfect all the time. It’s nice to see you can be human!”
His eyes went wide at her words. Seriously? She didn’t think he was human? Carefully sitting up, he held a hand out to stop her. “What’s going on here? I don’t understand what you’re upset about.”
Rolling her eyes, Aubrey paced the confined space a few times. “I’m not upset you went out. I’m not upset you had more than your standard one beer. Hell, I’m not even upset you were going to call Anna.”
Now he was really confused. And getting more than a little pissed. “Then what the hell is this all about?” he said, louder than he intended.
She huffed. “You don’t remember, do you?”
Shit. What could he have possibly said to upset her like this? Racking his brain, nothing immediately came to mind, and he could do nothing but look up at her helplessly. “Aubrey, I…I seriously don’t remember what I could have said.”
She made a small sound of frustration and stormed from the room, muttering about how alcohol clearly muddles the brain. Rising from the bed, Hugh quickly donned his pants from the night before and went after her. He found her in the kitchen angrily pulling a box of cereal down from the cabinet. Stepping up behind her, he grasped her shoulders and spun her around.
“What did I say?” he asked with a slight shake. “If I’m going to be condemned here, at least have the decency to tell me the crime!”
“You said you loved me,” she said quietly after a long moment.
“O-kay,” he said slowly, not sure what the correct response was to diffuse the situation. On one hand he was relieved he had obviously said those words to her, while on the other he was pissed he couldn’t remember saying it and it wasn’t with some grand romantic gesture.
Nope. His first “I love you” would forever be remembered as drunken, stupid, and sleepy.
Great.
Once again she pulled out of his grasp. “That’s it? That’s all you have to say?”
“Aubrey, I’m kind of afraid to say anything at the moment,” he said with a nervous chuckle.
For some reason, that had a calming effect on her. She waved her hand around as if to dismiss the whole thing. “Let’s just forget about it, okay?”
“No. No, it’s not okay,” he said firmly, walking over and pinning her against the counter. “I’m not going to lie to you, I don’t remember saying it.” She tried to move away, but Hugh held her securely in place. “But that doesn’t mean I didn’t mean it.”
Aubrey’s eyes went wide.
“It’s true, you know,” he said, his voice and his eyes softening as he looked at her. “I do love you. I didn’t think it was possible for it to happen so fast but…I love you, Aubrey Burke.”
The transformation of the woman standing before him nearly took his breath away. Everything about he
r seemed to relax and soften. Her eyes went from wary to dreamy. A slow smile spread across those lips he longed to kiss. Ever so slowly, her arms wound their way around his shoulders.
“Say it again,” she whispered.
“I love you, Aubrey Burke.”
“I really like the sound of that.”
So did Hugh.
Of course, he’d like it even more if she responded with her own declaration, but he could wait. Securing his arms around her, Hugh tugged her in close and lowered his head to kiss her. It was slow and sweet, better than anything he could remember. When they finally pulled apart, he felt Aubrey’s shaky breath leave her body.
Taking a small step back, Hugh smiled at her. Her hair was rumpled, her robe was gaping slightly in the front, and her lips were glossy from their kiss.
She was a living, breathing wet dream.
But rather than take the obvious route by scooping her up in his arms and taking her back to bed, he decided to take things slow. He didn’t want her to think his saying he loved her was a way of getting her back into bed.
“How about some coffee?” he asked instead.
She shook her head.
Looking over at the forgotten box of cereal, he moved toward it. “I could make us some eggs if you’d prefer?”
She shook her head again.
Placing the box back in the cabinet, he looked at her once more. “I need you to say something, sweetheart. You’re making me nervous.”
Now it was her turn to close the distance between them. Once again her arms went around him, and she got up on her tiptoes and kissed him. This time it was hot, wet, and it promised all kinds of things.
Hugh’s body immediately got on board.
And just as soon as it started, it stopped. He looked at her in confusion, but she took one of his hands in hers and led him back to the bedroom. When they were next to the bed, she slowly pulled the sash from her robe and then let the garment slip to the floor. It left her in nothing but a tiny slip of caramel-colored silk and his mouth went dry.
Keeping her eyes locked on his, she lowered the slim straps from her shoulders. Stepping in to him, Aubrey pressed her naked body up against his.
“Had I known you were naked under that nightie, I wouldn’t have let you out of bed earlier,” he said, his voice rough and gravelly.
She nibbled on her bottom lip and gave him a small, sexy smile. “I need to tell you something.”
“Anything.”
“I love you too.”
Hugh had never been happier or felt more complete. “I wanted us to say that for the first time in a much different way.” His hand came up and caressed her cheek. “I wanted to do something romantic. I had planned…”
She shook her head and placed a finger over his lips. “This was perfect. No planning. No schedule. This is how it’s supposed to be, Hugh.”
At the sincerity in her voice and her eyes, Hugh knew she was right.
* * *
The party was in full swing when they arrived. Music and laughter filled the room, and Hugh could only think this was the greatest day ever. He and Aubrey had spent the day wrapped up in each other. Surrounded by his family and so many friends, Hugh felt a sense of peace.
It had been a long time coming.
Not that he’d been at war with himself. Much. But for far too long he’d been cautious and careful, doing everything just so. He’d forgotten how to just live.
Aubrey had helped him to live again.
Pulling her close to his side, he placed a kiss on her temple. “Ready to mingle?”
“Absolutely,” she said with a big grin.
She was stunning. Her beautiful long hair was pulled up in a messy kind of twist that somehow managed to look both sexy and elegant. The dress was the same color as the silk nightie she’d worn this morning, and it brought out the golden tone of her skin and the shimmery makeup she wore.
His golden beauty.
And she loved him.
For the next thirty minutes, they made their way around the room together. The Shaughnessys had always enjoyed spending time together and celebrating life’s accomplishments, but this was the first time Hugh could remember there being so many friends. In Hugh’s mind, he always associated large groups like this with his mother’s funeral. He knew those friends and neighbors had been there that day to offer comfort and support, but he had seen them as intruders. But now? Now he saw smiling, laughing faces, saw how happy his father looked, and it managed to push the bad memory further away.
“You’re looking awfully cheery tonight,” Aubrey said from beside him.
“I’m feeling very cheery.” He grinned.
“Any particular reason?”
Adjusting her so they were face-to-face rather than side by side, he pulled her in and kissed her thoroughly. “I’ve got the woman I love with me and we’re here to celebrate my dad. Doesn’t get much better than this.”
She chuckled. “I think you need to have more than one beer a little more often.”
He looked at her quizzically. “What?”
“Ever since last night, you’ve just…I don’t know…mellowed. You look rested. Happy. At peace.” She combed a wayward strand of hair from his temple. “Even a little unkempt. And I like it.”
“Just like?”
She blushed. “Okay…love. I love it.” Then she sighed a little dreamily. “And I love you.”
“That’s good, sweetheart, because I love you too.”
“Are we ever going to get tired of saying it?”
He shook his head. “Never.” Then he rested his forehead against hers.
“Oh, for the love of it, get a room, you two.” They turned their heads to see Riley walking over. Once he reached them, he kissed Aubrey on the cheek and shook Hugh’s hand. “Glad you could finally put in an appearance.”
“We weren’t late,” Hugh grumbled.
“Thirty minutes. Dad was ready to send out a search party. You’re never late. You’re anal like that.” Then he chuckled. “So I reminded Dad that you happened to have a beautiful distraction and we should just let you be.”
“You’re a prince, Ry,” Hugh said, relaxing.
“Thank you, Riley,” Aubrey added. “Everything looks great.”
They all looked around the room. “This is Dad’s favorite restaurant and they know us here—the owners treat us like family. We knew they’d make everything just right for him.”
Aubrey scanned the room until she spotted Zoe and Aidan. She was about to excuse herself when she heard Riley curse under his breath. “What’s wrong?”
“Look at that,” he said in a low tone, pointing to a far corner. “I need to put a stop to it.”
Hugh put a hand on his brother’s arm. “Put a stop to what?”
“Quinn. He’s over there in Anna’s face, and she’s either ready to punch him or burst into tears. Either way, I’m not having it tonight. No way is he going to ruin Dad’s party.”
“What’s his problem?”
“Does there need to be one? Really? He’s just being himself.” Riley took off through the crowd, and Hugh grabbed Aubrey’s hand and followed.
Once they were within earshot, it wasn’t hard to figure out what was going on.
“Why are you being so difficult? Just put the damn sweater on!”
“I don’t want to put the sweater on! There’s nothing wrong with what I’m wearing!”
“Oh really? So you think going around practically topless is fine now. Is that it?”
Anna rolled her eyes. “It’s a strapless dress,” she said wearily.
Riley put his hand on Quinn’s shoulder. “Hey, bro, can you come and give me a hand by the bar?”
“What? Why?”
“Because I need your help, that’s why.” And before Quinn could argue furt
her, Riley was leading him away.
Hugh and Aubrey stepped in. “You okay?” Hugh asked.
Anna shook her head. “I swear he gets more and more ornery the older he gets.” She nervously fidgeted with her hair and smoothed a hand down the front of her dress. Looking at the two of them, she asked, “Seriously, is there something wrong with this dress? Should I run home and change?”
“You look beautiful,” Hugh said, and Aubrey nodded. “Don’t listen to him.”
“It’s hard not to when he keeps getting in my face. I had to send Mark on a fool’s errand just to keep things from getting out of hand.”
“Wait…who’s Mark?” Aubrey asked.
“My date,” Anna said distractedly, looking around the room.
“Your date? When did that happen? You didn’t mention a date when we were hanging out last night.”
Anna shrugged. “It was an impulsive decision. He’s a nice guy. I met him at work and he’s asked me out a couple of times. I thought this might be a good icebreaker. You know, no pressure. Just hanging out.”
Aubrey and Hugh exchanged looks. “Did Quinn know you were bringing a date?” Hugh asked.
“It didn’t come up,” she said, still looking around the room.
“Hey,” Hugh said, reaching out and gently cupping her chin, forcing her to look at him. “I’m proud of you.”
“You are? For what?”
He pulled her into a brotherly embrace. “Stick to your guns, kiddo. Don’t let my brother get to you.”
She sagged slightly against him. “I can’t keep waiting around,” she said quietly.
“I know.” He kissed the top of her head before releasing her. “I’m going to go snag us a couple of drinks,” he said to Aubrey, nodding his head in Anna’s direction.
Once he was gone, Aubrey squeezed Anna’s hand. “You okay?”
Anna nodded. “I didn’t think it would be a big deal. I really didn’t. I’ve brought dates to things before. But for some reason, Quinn just sort of…I don’t know… He was instantly hostile. I felt really bad for Mark. He had no idea what he was getting into. I wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t come back.”
Love Walks In Page 24
