by Sue MacKay
Abby placed plates of food and cutlery in front of the children. ‘Don’t rush your dinner this time, young lady. Remember what happened last night.’
‘I got a sore tummy.’
As Kieran directed Seamus’s sticky hand holding a laden spoon he chuckled to himself. Who would’ve believed a few weeks ago that he’d be feeding a small boy, really more like supervising the feeding of said boy, and enjoying himself. Certainly his mates back in Dublin would be shocked. Face it, he was shocked. Who’d have thought staying in for the evening could be more fun than hitting the nightclubs? Certainly not him. Until now.
‘Going to share the joke?’ Abby queried, one fair eyebrow lifted in his direction.
‘I’m amazed at the amount of pleasure I’m getting out of this.’
Her lips curved upward, slightly apart so he saw her front top teeth. ‘Yep, it’s pretty wonderful all right.’ Her hand touched his shoulder, her fingers pressing gently through his shirt.
Don’t take your hand away, leave it there. He liked the warmth emanating from her. He liked the whole scenario. The kids playing. He and Abby looking after them. Then later, when the youngsters were tucked up in their respective beds, he and Abby would share a meal. If she invited him to stay on.
Suddenly that’s what he really, really wanted. To spend the rest of the evening here, with Abby and the children. But especially with Abby. Did that mean he should be running back to town as quickly as possible? Or should he relax and see how everything panned out?
‘Where’s the Christmas tree?’ Olivia asked, bathtime forgotten.
They’d shopped for a tree earlier in the afternoon. ‘Guess what we’re doing next?’ Abby grinned at Kieran. ‘Want to bring the tree in while I find a bucket to stand it in? I also need to get the decorations out of the cupboard, too.’
‘Olivia, come and help me.’
Abby watched Kieran take his niece’s hand as they headed out to the four-wheel-drive vehicle Kieran had rented the previous week. Far more practical than the sports car but not half as exciting. Never had she seen him so relaxed with the kids.
Kieran seemed to be enjoying himself. No trace of aloofness showed. He hadn’t minded sprawling across the not-so-clean floor to play mindless games with Seamus. Neither had he noticed the smear of mashed pumpkin and potato on his arm. Was he getting used to the children at last? Was he beginning to enjoy their company?
‘Hey, where’s the bucket, daydreamer?’ Kieran appeared in front of her.
‘Where’s the bucket, daydreamer?’ Olivia parroted.
‘Coming right up.’ Abby ducked into the laundry for the bucket then found some large stones to weigh it down and prevent the tree tipping over.
It took nearly an hour to place all the decorations to Olivia’s satisfaction. Seamus did his best to pull the crackers open and had to be regularly diverted.
‘Great job, team. That’s a fantastic-looking tree.’ Abby leaned back to survey their efforts. ‘You are joining us for Christmas Day, aren’t you?’ she asked Kieran.
‘If that’s an invitation, I accept.’
Abby turned to Olivia. ‘Bathtime.’
Kieran straightened from picking up pine needles. ‘How about I zip into town and pick up a bottle of wine and some food while you’re cleaning up these two? I’ll prepare dinner.’
‘Really?’ The question sounded too loud in the tiny lounge, but Kieran had surprised her.
‘Yeah, really.’ His smile was slow and deliberate, causing a catch in her breathing. She loved that smile. So warm and honest, and sexy. Sexy? Had she said that? Not out loud, thank goodness. But definitely sexy. Kieran Flynn had always been one well put-together package.
Kieran waved a hand in front of her face. ‘Hello? Are you going to take me up on my offer? It won’t take me long to drive to the nearest supermarket. There’s a mall at Richmond, right? I’m more than an able cook. Or would you like me to do something else first?’
So he intended staying here for the evening. Then she’d make the most of having him around. Maybe even get a bit further ahead with integrating him into the children’s lives. ‘How’re your bathing skills?’
‘I’m very capable of taking a bath, though I do prefer a shower.’ His smile widened into a grin.
Heat flushed her cheeks as an unbidden picture of a naked Kieran in the shower winged through her mind. Of course he’d be naked. How else did anyone have a shower? It had been hard enough, seeing him in his swimming shorts at the beach. That broad expanse of chest, those firm muscles that rippled every time he moved. She swallowed. A flutter of excitement tripped across her skin.
‘It sounds perfect.’ Then it dawned on her what she’d said. ‘I mean, the wine and dinner, not the.’ Shower. Getting in deeper here. She drew air into her lungs. Held it, counted to ten, twenty. Felt Kieran standing beside her. Breathed out, and turned to look at him. And immediately wished she hadn’t. Similar emotions reflected back at her from his eyes.
His finger lifted her chin up until their gazes caught, held. ‘It does, doesn’t it?’
His mouth came closer to hers, and closer, until slowly, tenderly his lips brushed over hers, came back and covered her mouth. The kiss was long and slow, and filled with promise, igniting the tiny flame of need that had mostly sat curled in the pit of her stomach since the day Kieran had arrived, so that now it flared through her body, making her tremble and reach her arms up and around him. To hold him, to feel his lean body against hers, to taste his mouth on hers. Bliss. She gave herself up to the moment, to Kieran, knowing full well this was as good as it was ever going to get.
‘Abby, are you kissing Uncle Kieran?’
Olivia’s high voice screeched across her senses, slamming her back into reality. Jerking away from Kieran, she stared down at her niece as though for the first time ever.
Kieran saved her from having to answer. ‘No, Olivia, Uncle Kieran was kissing Abby.’ Then he looked at her, his eyes the colour of the sky on a hot summer’s day. ‘Guess we’ll have to finish this later. Which am I doing first? Bathing?’ He grinned. ‘Or shopping?’
Shaken by her overwhelming feelings, she shook her head at him. ‘I put a bottle of Pinot Gris in the fridge this morning. I hoped you might stay for dinner.’
His eyebrows rose. ‘You didn’t say anything.’
‘Just thought I’d see how the afternoon went.’
‘So what am I cooking? I presume you’ve got that covered, too.’ He ran the back of his finger down her cheek. ‘You really are a very organised woman.’
Is that a bad thing? ‘I have to be, what with balancing my job and the kids, not to mention Dad and the sisters.’
‘Take it as a compliment, not a criticism.’ Kieran crossed the kitchen to open the fridge. Reaching for the wine, he asked, ‘Did you plan on having this chicken? Good. I’ll make a Thai dish if you’ve the ingredients. But first let’s have a drink and get these two rascals organised.’
Bathtime was always a hoot, with lots of water finding its way onto the floor as plastic ducks and boats made difficult manoeuvres around legs and bottoms. Getting clean was the least popular part of the whole operation for Seamus and Olivia, but Abby loved this time of the day.
‘Looks like you should be back in your bikini,’ Kieran quipped from where he leaned against the doorframe, his glass of wine in one hand.
She reached for the drink he’d placed on the window-sill for her, out of danger of being hit by a flying duck. ‘Or my raincoat.’
If only this could last for ever. But she had to remember that Kieran would soon leave them to go back to his safe and secure way of life. He hadn’t changed that much.
‘I’ll start cooking shortly. I thought you might like a few moments to sit quietly once these two are in bed.’
‘Sounds heavenly.’ And it did. She wasn’t used to anyone else taking over and giving her a break, but Kieran did it so easily, so naturally, that she found it easy to accept.
Scary stuff. Coul
d it be she was getting too comfortable with him? If so, she’d get a rude awakening when he left Nelson.
The scent of sweet chilli wafted through the cottage when she sat down at the table and Kieran placed the meal on the table. ‘A proper grown-up meal.’
‘You don’t eat the same as you give the children?’
He looked so horrified she laughed. ‘Not quite. I’m exaggerating about the adult food because there are the meals I have with Dad and the twins.’ She looked up from salivating over her plate. ‘But to have something spicy and different, here at home, this is what I miss. I love exotic foods and used to cook them all the time, hence the well-stocked pantry. I suspect some of those spices have lost their taste they’re so old.’
‘Most seemed fine to me.’
She relaxed, reached for her fork and took a mouthful of chicken. ‘Delicious. Thank you for doing this.’
‘If we’re thanking each other, then thank you for a wonderful weekend.’ He caught her gaze. ‘I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. But I’m happy to admit that sitting down to share a quiet meal together without little voices demanding attention all the time has its benefits.’
‘You don’t mind tempting the gods, then?’
He frowned. ‘The ones who keep little children sound asleep at night? Surely we won’t hear another peep out of either of them now? They’re exhausted.’
‘Let’s eat and enjoy while we can. Believe me, when it’s quiet around here you make the most of it.’
Kieran looked thoughtful throughout dinner and his conversation was desultory. Abby wondered what was going on in his mind. When she looked up from taking her last mouthful his gaze on her was so intent she squirmed.
‘What? Have I got sauce on my chin or grown a horn on my head?’
He shook his head, smiling. ‘Nothing like that.’
‘Then what?’ She hated being stared at. When Kieran did it she created all sorts of weird ideas of what he was thinking about her and most of them were bad. ‘Are you going to tell me I’m a rubbish mother? Or need a haircut? What?’
‘You’re beautiful.’ His finger and thumb twirled his glass back and forwards, but his eyes never left her face. ‘I still remember the time I saw you coming out from Immigration into the arrivals lounge in Dublin. You were so pale and distressed, tired from the travelling and your grief, but my mouth fell open at the sight of you.’
Abby gulped, took a mouthful of wine, the flavour of blackcurrant and something she couldn’t identify crossing her tongue. This she had not expected. Men didn’t usually tell her she was beautiful. ‘How much wine have you had?’
‘Less than you. I’m not making it up. Plus, why would I tell you to cut your hair? I miss it being as long as it was back then.’
Abby shook her head. Someone tell her she wasn’t dreaming, that Kieran really was saying these things to her. ‘Unfortunately, having hair down to my waist wasn’t very practical with kids.’
‘Do you ever think about that night we spent together?’
She blinked. Her stomach squeezed painfully tight. ‘Oh, yes,’ she whispered. Her fingers trembled. She desperately needed to take another mouthful of wine but doubted her ability to raise the glass to her mouth without spilling the golden liquid.
Kieran reached across the table, caught her free hand between both his. His thumbs rubbed light circles on her wrist. ‘So do I.’
‘I tried to put it down to the situation we found ourselves in. You know, our grief, the funeral with those two caskets lined up side by side.’ Her voice cracked. Were they really having this conversation?
‘Go on.’
She swallowed. ‘But I couldn’t. I don’t normally behave like that, jumping into bed with someone without getting to know them.’ She rubbed a hand over her forehead. ‘That sounds like I make a habit of sleeping with men once I do know them, and I don’t.’ Kieran had been the first man she’d even wanted to make love with since Phillip. Unfortunately, the night with Kieran had been far more memorable than any night she’d spent with her ex fiancé.
‘I never thought you did.’
Kieran’s steady gaze burned into her as though looking for something. What? Did he want something from her? Another night in bed? Her toes tingled, her heart tripped lightly. Yes, her body said. Yes, her brain screamed.
Reality said no.
She wanted him, badly, but what would happen afterwards? They’d still have the same issues between them. He’d still go back to Dublin. She knew she’d be foolish to expect anything more than hot, hungry sex. But, boy, oh, boy, what could be so bad about that?
Despite her gut instinct to believe in and trust Kieran, she knew how abysmal her instincts were. They’d failed her big time in the past with the two people she should’ve been able to trust most. Absolutely nothing could make her believe she’d got it right this time. She had to be the world’s lousiest judge of character.
Pushing away from the table, she broke contact, anything to avoid those eyes, and then she began clearing up the mess on the bench. ‘You’re not exactly a tidy cook, are you?’
Kieran’s hand touched her shoulder. She jumped. She hadn’t heard him move. His touch was soft, relaxed and sent her senses into orbit. She wanted him.
Don’t go there. You’d be playing with danger.
She spun away, turned and leaned back against the bench. ‘I think it’s time you went home, Kieran. I’m tired and need to clear up.’
‘Don’t shut down on me, Abby. We both remember that night for all the right reasons. Is that so bad?’
Absolutely. It undermined her determination to remain uninvolved with him. The memories teased her, tempted her to break her vow never to let anyone near her heart again.
Too late, yelled her heart.
Then she’d just have to undo the damage before it got any worse.
She licked her dry lips. ‘I’m being practical. I don’t see any point in going over the past. It happened and I’ve never regretted a moment of it. Not even when I learned I was pregnant.’ She faltered, caught a breath and continued. ‘But I’ve moved on. I don’t want to repeat that night.’
Liar, screamed her brain.
He took her face in his hands and looked into her eyes. He didn’t say a word. When she returned that look the world stopped. No outside sounds invaded their space; even the soft evening breeze paused as though holding its breath.
Slowly, determinedly Kieran leaned forward, brushed his lips against her mouth. Then he kissed her. Gently. Tenderly. And she responded. Her lips parted. Welcomed his tongue, let him explore her mouth. She danced her tongue across his. Slow burning heat unfurled throughout her. Then his arms came up and around her, pulling her in against his muscular body. And the kiss became demanding. She replied in kind. Meeting heat with heat, tongue with tongue. Desire wound through her, touching her here, there, everywhere.
Kieran tipped his head back and looked down at her. ‘Definitely better than the memories.’
‘True.’ Her heart thumped as though she’d run a marathon. Her lips hated the loss of contact. Memories were colourless, flavourless, in comparison.
All the more dangerous. Her head jerked back. This had to stop. Now. Before they did something she would regret.
How she could ever regret being with Kieran was another issue, not to be dealt with right this moment. Now she had to keep her feet firmly on the ground and act as though she was way more sensible than she really felt. Sliding away from Kieran, she crossed the small kitchen to put space between them.
Kieran’s thoughtful eyes watched her carefully. ‘So why stop?’
‘There are a lot of things we need to clear up between us. Following this through will only make those things even murkier.’ Why did she want to leap back into his arms and kiss him senseless? One thing was for sure, she most definitely did not want to be hauling on the brakes.
But someone had to. She had to. Her heart was in jeopardy. So were the futures of her children if she let that heart tak
e over the thinking around here.
‘I’d have thought “things”, as you put it, were getting hot, not murky.’
The intensity in those piercing eyes slashed through her arguments and floored her defences.
‘Kieran, you’re not taking me seriously.’
‘Oh, I’m very serious.’ He followed her across the kitchen, stopping directly behind her, turning her, taking her face between his hands. ‘Very.’
His lips brushed hers, a slow burn marking her soul. Her eyelids fell closed. Air snagged in her lungs. Her hands crept up and around Kieran’s neck.
Dimly aware of a cry, she tried to concentrate on its source. Had she made that noise when she’d responded to Kieran’s kiss? Must have. There it was again.
‘Hell.’ Kieran lifted his beautiful head. ‘Timing’s everything.’
Bewildered, Abby looked around, blinking. Then realisation slammed into her. Embarrassment followed. So much for passion. The cry came from down the hall. Olivia was calling out for her.
Again Olivia had provided a much-needed distraction.
CHAPTER NINE
THE emergency department had been frantic over the week leading up to Christmas Day. Abby stretched back in her chair and didn’t even try to stifle the yawn stretching her jaws.
‘I love Christmas, but why do people have to go overboard with everything they do?’ she grumbled to anyone who’d listen.
‘It’s the excitement.’ Pete elbowed her arm affectionately. They’d got on a lot better since the work barbeque.
‘Or the stress.’ Kieran glowered at Pete.
‘Plenty of that, I agree.’ Abby sighed. Sometimes it almost seemed too much hassle for one day. Nah, who was she kidding? ‘Christmas is fun. I love it.’
‘Have you done all your shopping?’ Pete asked.
‘Right down to the last stocking filler for Seamus. If I think of anything else, it’s too late. By the time we finish here tonight, I won’t be going near any shops. It’ll be bedlam downtown.’
‘And here I was hoping I’d get a dream run when I go to town at lunchtime.’ Kieran shrugged ruefully.
