"Christ, it's you," Liam muttered. "You have a helluva lot of nerve showing your face after what you've done to our family."
"I just wanted the truth," Rafe said. "How was I supposed to know Yaeger was lying?"
"Hey, Sean," Liam shouted. "Look who dropped by. It's our old friend, Rafe Kendrick. Come to pay his respects."
The chatter that had filled the bar slowly died down as each of the Quinn brothers made their way to the end of the bar. Rafe stood, prepared to fight them all if required. The hell if he'd back down. Six against one weren't the best odds, but he wasn't about to run away from a fight, or from Keely. They were all about equally matched in height and weight. His only problem would come if they all decided to rush him at once. Then the fight would be over before it began.
"I'm not here to cause trouble," Rafe explained. "I just want to talk to Keely."
"Keely? What do you want with our sister?" Conor asked.
"I came here to tell her something."
Dylan strode up to him and gave him a shove toward the door. Rafe fought the urge to swing around and plant his fist in Dylan's jaw. He wasn't going to be the one to throw the first punch.
"Get the hell out of here, Kendrick," Dylan ordered. "Nobody here wants to talk to you, especially not Keely."
"Don't you think you ought to let her decide?"
Dylan reached out and grabbed Rafe's jacket, but Rafe brushed his hand away. The move only served to increase the level of Quinn hostility. Sean jumped over the bar and grabbed Rafe's arms from behind. And Dylan drew his fist back and hit Rafe squarely in the stomach. Another punch caught Rafe in the jaw.
"Stop it! What are you doing?" Keely pushed Dylan aside and gave Sean a look that was strong enough to make him loosen his hold.
"Do you know this guy?" Conor asked.
"Yes, I do. And I'd appreciate it if you'd quit hitting him. What are you, a bunch of bullies?"
"Keely, this is Rafe Kendrick," Conor explained. "He's the one who caused all this trouble for Seamus. He's the one who sent Yaeger to the cops."
"He just wanted to know the truth," Keely said, pressing her palm against Conor's chest and pushing him away from Rafe.
"You don't have to defend me, Keely. I'm perfectly capable of defending myself."
Keely hitched her hands on her hips and turned to each one of her brothers, sending them a look that could peel paint. "You shouldn't have to defend yourself. It should be enough that I ask them to leave you alone. Isn't it enough?"
"You two know each other?" Conor asked.
"They do," Liam said, realization dawning on his face. "I remember now. You were here together at the bar one night. Keely, you threw a drink in his face."
"I do know him," Keely admitted.
Sean reluctantly released Rafe's arms and gave him a slight shove. "You said you came here to talk to Keely. Say what you came to say, then get out."
"I don't think you want to hear what I have to say," Rafe muttered, rubbing his jaw and testing the soundness of his teeth.
Keely screamed in frustration. "Just stop it. If the testosterone gets any thicker in here, we're going to have to open a bloody window. You're not going to fight each other and that's it. Conor, you're a cop. If you let them fight, then you're not doing your duty." She turned to Rafe. "Say what you came to say," she murmured.
"Keely, I really think it would be better if we talked in private."
"I've got nothing to hide from my brothers."
"All right. If that's the way you want it." Rafe cleared his throat. "Keely Quinn, I love you. I've known it for a while but I guess I couldn't admit it until that night at the cabin after you seduced me. After you left, I thought I could put it all aside. But I can't." He reached out and took her hand, then drew it to his lips. "Marry me."
Keely gasped, her eyes wide. "Marry you?"
"You spent the night with this bastard?" Brian asked.
"Yes," Keely admitted. "But I didn't-"
Sean jumped in next. "And you seduced him?"
Keely sighed impatiently. "Well, it wasn't the first time. He seduced me the night before. And then the night before that it was kind of a mutual thing." She glanced around at her brothers. "Don't look at me like that. I never said I was a virgin. And you six shouldn't talk. How many women have you seduced?"
Dylan's fiancee stepped into the fray, strolling over from her spot near the dartboard. "Yeah," she said, sending Keely an encouraging smile. "I'd like to hear the answer to that."
"So would I," Conor's wife added.
Another woman joined the group, slipping her arm around Brendan's. "Actually, I'd rather not hear anything about that," she said.
"How did this get turned around on us?" Dylan asked. "I still think we should beat the crap out of Kendrick."
"Enough!" Seamus stepped up, baseball bat clutched in his hand. He slapped it against his palm. "There'll be no fightin' in my pub." He nodded to Rafe. "Your father was a good man and he would have been welcome in my pub anytime. But I'd rather you don't show your face around here again." He turned to Keely. "And you're goin' to have to make a choice, lass. It's him or us. I won't be havin' a daughter of mine keepin' company with the likes of him."
"But I-"
"You listen to your da," Seamus warned.
Rafe gave her hand a squeeze. "I don't care how your family feels, Keely," he said. "I love you and if I have to fight each one of them, I will." He glanced around, from her glaring brothers back to Keely's stunned expression. Maybe Seamus was right. There was nothing more to be said. Keely knew how he felt and she knew how her family felt. The choice was up to her.
He slowly stepped away from her, then let go of her hand. Keely's gaze remained fixed on his as he moved to the door. It took every ounce of strength to walk away from her. But he had to believe that what he'd said made a difference. If she really loved him, then she'd make a choice and she'd choose him.
But when he reached the street, alone, Rafe drew a deep breath and raked his hands through his hair. "So much for love," he murmured. "I guess it doesn't conquer all." He started toward his car, but then the door of the pub flew open and Keely came running out.
With a soft cry, she threw herself into his arms. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I should have left with you, but I just didn't know what to do."
He furrowed his fingers through her silken hair, then brought his mouth down on hers. He'd forgotten how wonderful she tasted, how much he loved kissing her. "I missed you, Keely. I didn't realize how much until now."
His hands skimmed over her body, finding the curves beneath her clothes. She shivered and he realized that she'd come outside without a jacket. He grabbed the lapels of his coat and wrapped them around her, trapping her against his warm body. "I have something for you," he murmured, his lips against hers.
"What is it?"
He hugged her more tightly, then reached into his pocket and pulled out the small velvet box.
"What's this?" she asked as he held it in front of her.
"If you don't like it, we can pick out something else."
She slowly stepped out of his embrace and opened the box. Her eyes went wide and she gasped again. "Is this an engagement ring?"
"What else would it be?" He smiled warmly. "I asked you to marry me. A ring usually goes with the proposal."
"I-I just thought you were saying that to make my brothers angry."
Rafe laughed and shook his head. "Jeez, Keely. I'm not the kind of guy who tosses marriage proposals around lightly. I meant what I said. I love you and I want to marry you."
Keely stared down at the ring. "But we barely know each other. Even though we met in October, we've only really been together a month."
"Do you love me?"
"I do," Keely murmured.
"And do you want to marry me?"
"I do," she said. "But there are so many things-"
"Then you keep this," Rafe said. "You don't have to put it on now. When you're ready-when your family is ready-then I'l
l slip that on your finger and we'll make it official." Rafe leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. "I want you to go back inside now. They're going to wonder where you went."
"But I want to stay here with you."
"Sweetheart, we're going to spend the rest of our lives together. For now, I think it's best if you smooth things out with your family. You dropped a pretty big bombshell in there. Next time, I don't think you need to provide the details of our love life."
Keely stared up at him and smiled. "I don't know why I said that. Sometimes even I can't believe what comes out of my mouth. It probably wasn't the smartest thing to say with my brothers standing there ready to kill you."
"Can I believe that you're going to marry me?"
She pushed up on her toes and kissed him. "Yes, Rafe Kendrick. I will marry you."
Rafe captured her mouth once more and kissed her long and deep, a kiss that he knew would have to hold them until they saw each other again. But now that he had the answers he wanted, he didn't care if it took a day or a week or even a month. Keely Quinn was his and nothing could stand between them.
"Call me tonight," he murmured. "I want to hear your voice before I go to sleep. Better yet, come over and you can spend the night in my bed."
"I can't," Keely said. "I've been staying with Conor and Olivia when I'm in Boston. They'll know something is up if I don't come home."
"You already admitted to them that you weren't a virgin. Do you think they'll be surprised?"
"I just don't want to stir up trouble," Keely said. "Give them all a chance to cool down and then I'll tell them how I feel. Everything is still so new between me and my family."
"And between us, too."
"But I know you love me, Rafe. That's something I can count on. I can count on that, can't I?"
Rafe pulled her into his embrace and pressed his lips into her fragrant hair. "Forever," he murmured.
RAFE GLANCED DOWN at the address he'd scrawled on a scrap of paper. "This is it-210 East Beltran." Pulling the car to the curb, he parked a few doors down the street from McClain's Bakery in Brooklyn. After switching off the ignition, Rafe stepped out of the car and drew his overcoat more tightly around him against the January cold.
The old building was impeccably maintained on a quiet street that had a mix of old brick town houses with quaint storefronts at each corner. As he walked to the door, he stared through the wide plate-glass windows to a display filled with cakes of all shapes and sizes. Rafe paused. When Keely had told him she made cakes, he'd had something a little more ordinary in mind. But the samples in the windows were works of art, sculptures made of cake and frosting and a wild imagination. Keely's imagination.
He straightened his tie, then reached out to grab the front door. He hadn't bothered to call to let Keely know he was coming. Over the past week, they hadn't had a chance to see each other, though they had managed a nightly phone call and some pretty amazing phone sex. Rafe smiled to himself. Though having sex over the phone had been exciting at first, it really didn't compare to having Keely in his arms, to looking at her and kissing her and touching her at will. So he'd decided on a surprise.
He'd had Sylvie call for him under the guise of a bride wanting to discuss her wedding cake. Then he'd rented a suite at the Plaza as part of his plan to spirit Keely away from work for lunch, an afternoon of shopping and an evening of real passion, without a phone line between them.
A bell above the door rang as he stepped inside. The front part of the bakery served as a showroom, with narrow mouldings on each wall holding photo after photo of increasingly elaborate cakes. He studied a photo of a brightly colored cake that resembled a Hawaiian shirt. The next photo showed a cake decorated with tiny little fruits cascading over each tier.
"That's one of our marzipan designs."
Rafe turned to find an older woman standing a few feet away. "It's beautiful," he said. "But where do you find fruit that small?"
"It's not real fruit," she said. "It's marzipan, modeled and colored to look like real fruit."
"Marzipan?"
"Almond paste. Everything on that cake is edible and very delicious." She held out her hand. "I'm Fiona McClain. How can I help you?"
Keely's mother, Rafe mused as he shook her hand. He'd known that Keely resembled her brothers, but there was a fair amount of Fiona McClain in her as well, in the delicate nose and the warm smile. He hadn't thought he'd get a chance to meet Fiona on this trip, but now that he had, he was going to take advantage of it. "I want to order a cake."
"And what kind of cake would you like to order?"
"A wedding cake?"
Fiona laughed. "You speak as if you're not sure. Perhaps your bride should be here to help make choices?"
"I'm afraid that won't be possible. At least not on this trip. Maybe you can show me a few things?"
"Well, my daughter, Keely, designs all of our cakes and every cake is a one-of-a-kind creation. She likes to meet the customers and discuss their ideas."
"Is she around?"
Fiona shook her head. "She just stepped out for a few minutes, but she should be back soon. Maybe I could get some information from you first? It would help to know what you have in mind for the wedding."
"How much does a cake like this cost?" Rafe asked, pointing to a multitiered confection that seemed to be draped in layers of lace.
"We do cakes for all budgets." She pulled out a photo album and flipped through it. "That cake was ten thousand dollars. And this one was eight thousand."
Rafe gasped. "For a cake?"
"It all depends on the size and complexity. You must think of the wedding cake much like the wedding gown," she explained. "The gown is the focal point of the ceremony and the cake is the centerpiece of the reception. There will only be one gown and one cake for that one special day. So it must be the best. We often suggest to the bride that she spend as much on her cake as she spends on her gown. Now, when is the wedding?"
"Well, we don't exactly have a date yet," Rafe said.
Fiona frowned. "We can't put you on the schedule unless we have a date. And we do get booked very quickly. Right now we're booking clients for at least a year from now."
"Really?"
"Are you sure you're ready to choose a cake?"
"Actually, you're right. I didn't come here to pick out a cake. I just wanted to meet you."
Fiona blinked in surprise. "Me?"
"My name is Rafe Kendrick and I'm in love with your daughter and I plan to marry her. So I guess you'll have to ask her about the date."
Keely's mother frowned. "I-I don't understand. Do you even know my daughter?"
"Don't worry-I'm not a stalker," Rafe assured her. "We met in Boston. I'm Sam Kendrick's son. I think you may have known him, or perhaps my mother, Lila. Sam worked on Seamus Quinn's boat once."
Fiona frowned. "Seamus was just questioned by the authorities about your father's death and now you show up-"
"It's a very long and complicated story that Keely and I are just sorting out ourselves. We met before she knew who I was and I knew who she was. Needless to say, her father and brothers aren't too keen on me marrying her. I was hoping I might have your support. Keely and I haven't known each other for long, but I do love her. And I know she loves me."
"And you want my permission to marry my daughter?" She shook her head, stunned by his revelations. "I'm not sure I can give that to you, Mr. Kendrick. I don't know you. My daughter has never even mentioned you. And I don't think I can give you my blessing under those circumstances."
"I'm a good catch," Rafe said. "I own my own company. I don't mean to brag, but I'm wealthy. I can give Keely anything she wants, a nice house, a good life. I can make her happy."
"Mr. Kendrick-"
"Rafe," he insisted.
"Rafe," she repeated. "I understand you caused a lot of trouble for Seamus. I know him. He doesn't forgive easily. I think you'd be better off convincing him of your suitability as a husband than me. Besides, Keely wo
uld never listen to me once she has her heart set on something."
"Then maybe you should tell her you don't approve."
"I don't," Fiona said. "You two have only known each other for…what? A month?"
"Actually, more like four," Rafe admitted. "But sometimes four months is enough."
"And sometimes five years isn't. My daughter has a life here and a successful business. She can't go running off to Boston."
"I know there are a lot of things standing between us, but I'm determined to marry her."
The bell above the door rang again and they both turned to watch Keely walk in. When she saw Rafe, she smiled, then ran up to him and threw her arms around his neck. "What are you doing here? Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"
"I came to take you to lunch. I had my secretary call and make an appointment, so there's no turning me down. I've got reservations at five different restaurants, so you get to choose." He turned to Fiona. "Would you care to join us for lunch?"
Just then, Keely noticed her mother standing there. She slipped from Rafe's embrace with an embarrassed smile. "I-I suppose I should introduce you two."
"We've already met," Fiona said.
"Rafe and I have been seeing each other," Keely explained. "We met in Boston the first night I went there, last October."
"Is that so?"
"Ma, I know I should have told you, but there was so much going on. Rafe has asked me to marry him and I've said yes."
"You've only known each other a very short time, Keely."
"I know. But it's not like we're getting married tomorrow. You and I have a wedding to plan and so many decisions to make. And we can't set a date until we've designed a cake. A very special cake."
"Keely, I can't approve of this. And I don't think your father would either, even if he didn't happen to detest your fiance."
Keely shook her head. "I'm not going to listen to this. Rafe and I are going to be together and nothing you or Seamus says is going to keep us apart. Now, are you coming to lunch with us or not?"
"I'm not," Fiona said. "And you'd do best to stay here and help me finish this cake."
Keely slipped her arm through Rafe's. "I'll finish it later. Tomorrow. I'll have plenty of time tomorrow. Right now, I have to go to lunch with my fiance."
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