Paint Me Curious Red [Curious 2] (Siren Publishing Allure)

by Silke Ming

  “Heavenly Father,” she said.

  Millie heard the running of the shower and knew she had enough time to compose herself.

  * * * *

  “Am I going to get lucky?” Seamus asked.

  “You are already lucky. You’ve got me.”

  “But I also want this,” he said, trying to get his hand between her thighs.

  “I miss you, too,” she said, kissing him between the shower jets which massaged their bodies.

  “Breakfast should be finished,” he said. “Let’s get out of here before Millie gets angry with us.”

  They entered the kitchen and Millie smiled when she saw them.

  “Had a good weekend with your friends?” she asked.

  “It was one hell of a weekend!” Seamus said, hugging her and rubbing his hands along her face. “So what’s for breakfast?”

  Millie stared at him before she answered.

  “Something wrong?” he asked.

  “Nothing. What would you like?”

  “Surprise me, Millie. By the way, what do you think of the new painting on the landing?”

  “It’s beautiful,” she said, looking at Summer. “Much better than what was hanging there.”

  “So you approve.”

  “Of course I approve. Summer’s a beautiful girl. Took you a while before you gave her that place of honor!” she said, a hard edge on her words.

  “Are you really happy that it’s there?” Summer asked, turning to Seamus. “I know you were feeling a little apprehensive about it.”

  “Of course he’s happy. Who wouldn’t be happy to have the face of such a beautiful woman hanging on the wall?” asked Millie.

  Seamus and Summer both found themselves staring at Millie. She seemed a little edgy this morning and was not her normal good-natured self. What was her problem?

  After breakfast, they both went to the third floor.

  “I was thinking,” he said.

  “You think too much,” Summer replied.

  “Would you prefer an airhead to a thinker?” he asked.

  “Naturally, I would prefer the airhead,” she said, turning her head to hide her laughter.

  “I’m going to tickle you to death,” he said, jumping up and cornering her next to the window.

  “Stay away from me, Seamus.”

  “You really want me to stay away?” he asked, his laughter abruptly ending.

  Their eyes locked and he moved closer to her. His lips covered hers and they explored each other’s mouths. Desire burned in them both. It had been four days since they were forced to stay away from each other.

  “Do you want me as much as I want you?” he whispered directly into her ear.

  “Yes, but tell me first what you were thinking.”

  “I was thinking that I wanted to give this to you today. I have been waiting for so long that it’s making me ill.”

  “Don’t exaggerate,” she replied. “This happens all the time.”

  “But never before have I felt so hungry for you. Maybe it’s because you will be spending time away from me. Perhaps it’s psychological.”

  “What do you think is the matter with Millie?” she asked.

  “I don’t care. My sole interest right now is you.”

  “Come on, Seamus. She isn’t usually like that. Go down and ask her what’s wrong. Perhaps she is short of money or not feeling well.”

  “She likes you much more than she likes me. Perhaps she will open up to you,” he said.

  “Come on, Seamus. Go and ask her.”

  “For you, I will do anything. Let’s go and see what is ailing her,” he said, throwing his arms in the air.

  “She’ll be happy that you are showing interest in her.”

  “It is impossible for us to spend any time together since she moved into the house.”

  “What did you want to tell me?” she asked, stopping on the landing.

  “I thought that since you are going to take the position at the university, I should start painting again and book another exhibition. Perhaps in Boston or somewhere nearby where we can drive.”

  “And miss out on the limousine ride?” The smile on her face was priceless.

  “Let’s see what’s wrong with our Mrs. O’Reilly.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Sit with me for a moment, Millie,” Seamus said.

  “Is something wrong?” the housekeeper asked.

  “You tell me,” he said. “You aren’t your usual cheerful self this morning. What’s wrong?”

  “There is nothing wrong. Just feel like if I’m coming down with something.”

  “Well then, you should’ve stayed at home. I would’ve understood.”

  “I didn’t want to disappoint you and Summer. I knew there would be a lot of tidying up to do this morning.”

  “It doesn’t matter, Millie. If you’re not feeling well, we would understand. Would you like me to take you home? We will manage without you, and it doesn’t make sense staying here and making us all ill.”

  “I’m sure I’m all right,” she replied. “If I feel the same way tomorrow morning, I won’t come in.”

  “Are you telling me the truth?” he asked. “You know you can come to me with anything.”

  “I know that, son. You and Summer are like my children, and I would do anything for you.”

  “Have you got any children?” he asked.

  The blood drained from her face, and she turned as white as a sheet.

  “Why do you ask?”

  “I’m just curious. You have been with us for some time, and still I wonder about you. Your personal life is a complete secret. We have no idea where you live or what you do when you leave here, I don’t want to interfere. I am just curious,” Seamus replied.

  She hesitated before she spoke.

  “I have one son,” she said as tears filled her eyes.

  “Where is he? Where does he live?”

  “I don’t know where he is. I left him when he was a very young boy and I haven’t seen him since.”

  “Have you ever searched for him?”

  “No.”

  “What about your husband? Is he still alive?”

  “He passed away a couple years ago, so I live alone with my memories.”

  “Would you like me to help you find your son?”

  “It wouldn’t do any good. He probably hates me.”

  “Why would you say a thing like that? I’m sure he wouldn’t hate you. Why did you leave him?” asked Seamus.

  “I can’t talk about it. There is just too much pain,” she said.

  “You know you can always come to me or to Summer. She cares about you and would do anything for you.”

  “I care about her, too. You are a very lucky man. You should take care of her.”

  “As if you haven’t told me that a hundred times,” he said, brushing his hand against hers.

  “She’s really a good girl. Have you thought about marrying her?”

  “I’m still a married man, Millie. Divorces don’t happen overnight.”

  “I hope it happens soon, because I want to see you both happy.”

  * * * *

  “What did she say?” asked Summer.

  “She says she’s not feeling very well.”

  “So why did she bother coming in?”

  “I guess because she knew we had friends visiting on the weekend, and the place would’ve been a mess.”

  “Do you think she’s telling the truth?”

  “I believe her. Why do you ask?”

  “Well she seemed fine until she saw my painting hanging above the landing.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Well not a hundred percent, but something about the painting seems to bother her.”

  “But I know she likes you. She told me that a few minutes ago.”

  “Just leave it,” she said. “Maybe she really doesn’t feel well.”

  “I tried to send her home. I even offered to drive her home, but she w
ouldn’t have any of it. Did she tell you that she had a son?” Seamus asked.

  “She has never mentioned anything about her family, and I didn’t want to pry. What else did she say about him?”

  “She said something that was very strange.”

  “What?”

  “She told me she hadn’t seen her son in many years, and when I offered to help her find him, she told me that he is probably very angry with her, because she left him when he was very young.”

  Didn’t Seamus realize what she was saying, Summer wondered. Didn’t he see the similarities between his life and Millie’s? Summer decided she wouldn’t say anything more about it, until she really knew exactly what was going on.

  “What are you thinking?” Seamus asked.

  “Nothing,” she replied. “Don’t you find it strange that Lana’s friend hasn’t called again?”

  “Not at all. She realised I wasn’t going to hand over any money to her.”

  “Well let’s just wait and see,” Summer replied.

  “Christmas is around the corner? What are we going to do?”

  “I haven’t given it a thought. Perhaps we can do the same thing we did last year.”

  “What did we do?” he asked, looking a little puzzled.

  “We spent the holidays in the mountain cabin. Just the two of us.”

  “I really don’t feel like being among the masses this year. Let’s invite the two young men to spend the holidays with us. Let’s invite Millie also. She doesn’t have any family, and I don’t want to think of her spending Christmas alone. She can spend the season with us. There’s enough room for everyone.”

  “You’d better tell her before she makes plans to do something else.”

  “If she does, it will be all right. I just don’t want to think of her spending the time alone.”

  “Don’t forget I’ve got to go to the university for three days.”

  “When?” he asked, a little distracted.

  “From November sixteenth to eighteenth,” she replied.

  “Does that mean you are spending your birthday over there?” he asked, getting a little flustered.

  “I’ll be back the following day.”

  “It’s not the same. Why did you do something that silly?”

  “Don’t make a big deal of it. It’s my birthday. We can celebrate the following day,” she said marching down the stairs.

  He had offended her and she was having none of it. Her ran his hands through his unruly hair and stared after her.

  I’ve done it again. Now she’ll be angry with me.

  “That didn’t come out right,” he said, following her into the kitchen.

  “Didn’t it? You tell me I’m silly and then you say it didn’t come out right?”

  “I’m sorry. I was talking about the situation, not you,” he pleaded.

  “Sometimes you should think before you speak,” she snapped. “How are you doing, Millie?”

  Seamus stood at the door and watched the two women.

  “Want something to drink?” Millie asked.

  “A cup of tea would be nice.”

  Outnumbered, Seamus shook his head and walked away, leaving the women together. Millie sat down at the table with her.

  “What did he do?” she asked Summer.

  “You know how he is! Lovely man but sometimes he just blurts things out. I’ll be at the university on my birthday and that does not make him very happy.”

  “Did you forget?”

  “No, I thought we could celebrate one day later.”

  “He’ll get over it,” said the older lady.

  “When is your birthday, Millie?”

  “Seventeenth of November.”

  “We share the same birthday, Millie? Why haven’t you ever said anything?”

  “I didn’t want to take the spotlight off your wonderful day.”

  “Oh, Millie, you should have said something.”

  “I’m an old woman, and when you reach my age, birthdays are no longer so important,” she replied.

  “Seamus told me about your son. It would be nice to see him, don’t you think?”

  “My son is not interested in me, Summer. It has been such a long time, that I wouldn’t know where to start looking for him.”

  “That’s what detectives are for.”

  “Now where would I get so much money to hire a detective?” the older woman asked.

  “I’ll talk to Seamus and see what we can do.”

  “Don’t do that, Summer. It would only bring lots of unhappiness.”

  “Unhappiness for whom?” Summer asked.

  “I would prefer to leave it alone,” Millie said.

  “I must ask you a question, Millie.”

  “What?” asked the woman, quickly turning around to face her.

  “Why did you take this job?”

  “I have to live. And to live, I need money, so I took the job.”

  “Why didn’t you apply for the first job he had posted?” Summer asked, not taking her eyes off the woman.

  “I know all about housekeeping, but what would I do as an assistant?”

  So she also knew about the other job. Summer knew she was right. She had watched Millie for close to two years, and also the fondness she had always shown to Seamus. She was also very kind to her, but what was it about the painting which now hung over the first floor landing, that had brought on such a change in the lady? Her thoughts were interrupted when Seamus called out.

  “Summer, I have an errand to run in town. I’ll be using the SUV, so I won’t be long.”

  “Why so suddenly?” she asked.

  “I urgently need some art supplies. See you tomorrow, Millie,” he said, heading for the door.

  “Bye, Seamus.”

  “Still mad at me?” he asked, planting a kiss on Summer’s cheek.

  “See you when you get back,” she said.

  * * * *

  Three hours later he returned, empty-handed.

  “Smells good. What did Millie make for dinner?”

  “Roasted lamb and oven-baked potatoes.”

  “Are we going to have wine with it? I want you drunk tonight. It has been such a long time that I have forgotten what it feels like.”

  “What happened to the art supplies you wanted to pick up?”

  “Couldn’t find the colors I wanted, so they ordered them and I will pick them up tomorrow.”

  “What are you planning to paint?”

  “Since Millie’s portrait sold so quickly, I thought I would paint a few more with an Irish ethnic flair.”

  “So that means you must go back into Whitney?”

  “I’m afraid so.”

  “I talked to Toby today while you were out, and they can’t make it for Christmas. They are going away with some friends.”

  “That’s a shame. So that means it will just be you, me, and Millie. Have you asked her?”

  “Not yet. I’ll do that tomorrow,” she said. “Seamus, do you remember anything at all about your mother?”

  “Where did that come from? And why would I want to remember anything about her?”

  “I know how you feel about her, but I want to know if there is anything about her that you remember.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like her birthday, the color of her eyes! What was her name?”

  “Mrs. Balsam,” he said, laughing.

  “Seamus, it is not funny. Don’t you remember her name?”

  “I think it was Claire. Why are you suddenly asking me all these questions?”

  “Just curious,” she replied. “I just want you to be happy, and I think that if you found your mother, it would bring a change into your life.”

  “I don’t need anyone else to make me happy. I’ve got you,” he said, putting his arms around her. You would make me even happier if you went upstairs with me right now.”

  “I’ve never met anyone with such an insatiable appetite for sex,” she said.

  “You’re not
much better. You like it as much as I do.”

  “Seamus,” she said as they lay together in the darkness, “do you know that Millie and I share the same birthday?”

  “I didn’t know. Did she tell you that?”

  “Yes. We were talking when you went into Whitney.”

  “I must remember to buy her something,” he said, pulling her to him and fondling her breasts.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “I’m going to miss you,” Seamus said, holding her tightly.

  “For heaven’s sake, Seamus, I’m only leaving for three days,” she said, laughing.

  “I hope you’re taking the SUV. The road conditions are not the best.”

  “What are you going to do if I take it? You’ll be housebound.”

  “Don’t worry about me. I know how to handle a car and myself.”

  She was on her way to the university in the town of Sloane, situated between Boston and Whitney. It was only for three days, but Seamus was already unhappy at the prospect of her absence. He waited impatiently for Millie to arrive, because she was going to take him into town to pick up Summer’s birthday gift. He then remembered that Millie and Summer shared the same birth date, and was at a loss as to what he should give her. He wanted to give her something he thought she would need. He must pull the information discreetly out of her. He was still thinking about it when he heard the engine of her pickup truck roar up the driveway.

  “Are you ready, Seamus?” she asked, standing at the entrance.

  “Be right there, Millie.”

  He dashed down the stairs, searching through his wallet.

  “The roads are slippery,” she said. “I hope Summer will be all right.”

  “She’s an excellent driver. She’ll be just fine. I’ll call her in a couple hours to see if she has made it.”

  “Okay, let’s go,” Millie said. “I haven’t got all day to mess around.”

  “You’re back to your old bossy self,” he told her.

  “Someone’s got to keep you in line. Where are you going?” she asked.

  “The car dealership on Queen and Abbey,” he said, settling down in the passenger seat.