Staring at the water, Shane imagined taking Cait out in the boat he planned to buy. He could all but see her at the helm, wind tousling her curls, urging him to go faster. He'd never met a woman like her before, all moods, laughter, and heart. Life before Cait seemed to dull in comparison. Shane sighed and shrugged his shoulders. This wouldn't be his first setback with Cait. Maybe he just needed to push harder.
Checking his watch, he realized that he was going to be late for the meeting with his manager to discuss the real-estate properties in Galway. Shane chuckled softly. If Cait had only given him the chance to explain about the blonde he could have told her that she was his employee, not his date. Though, Shane had kind of enjoyed her reaction.
The laugh died on Shane's lips. Though he enjoyed knowing that Cait was jealous, he also hated knowing that she was hurting. He'd tossed and turned almost the entire night after she had left. His body burned for her. His pride was another matter. Just how many times would he let Cait push him away before he gave up, Shane wondered.
Shoving the papers from his desk into a folder, Shane hit the lights and went to meet Ellen, his manager, for dinner.
Chapter 16
Cait checked her watch and got up for the second time to leave her apartment. Again, she hesitated. For years, she had stopped at Flynn's restaurant to pick up a Friday-night dinner for her mother. This week was different. Would Sarah expect her to bring dinner again? Or had she meant what she had said? Torn, Cait paced her living room.
Loyalty won out and with a sigh, Cait slipped a scarf over her shoulders. Friday night at the pub promised to be busy, and feeling a little down, Cait had decided to dress up a bit. In lieu of her typical jeans and tank top, she'd pulled on a fitted black skirt that ended far above her knees and a deep turquoise top. With a small smile, she'd pulled long, sparkly earrings from her jewelry box and put them on, admiring how they lined her face and swung below the line of her hair. With a last glance in the mirror to make sure that she'd applied her makeup the way that she'd been instructed, Cait left her apartment.
The sun hung low on the horizon, coating the village in a warm glow. Cait smiled at the various couples walking the street, looking for a pint and bite to eat. Trying not to think of the potential confrontation in front of her, Cait focused on the beauty of Grace's Cove on her walk.
Reaching Flynn's restaurant, Cait just shook her head. That man has a knack for business, was all she could think. A line twenty deep wound from the front door and several couples sat at outside picnic benches, enjoying a glass of wine in front of the harbor before dinner. She breezed past the front door and walked around the back to the kitchen door.
Sultry scents of garlic and butter reached her nose and Cait all but moaned. Flynn's restaurants were known across the country for the freshest seafood around. Cait knew that much of it came from the un-fished Grace's Cove. Most of Ireland was convinced that the cove was cursed and few dared to enter there, which made Flynn's daily catch even more precious.
"Aye, hullo there, Cait!" Terry, the chef, shouted to her from his stance at the grill.
"Hiya, Terry, how's Sharon?"
"Glowing, due any day! I'll be sure to bring the little one past the pub when he arrives," Terry said cheerfully. His first son was due to arrive any day.
"I look forward to that. I'll get him his first pint." Cait winked at him.
"To help him sleep, of course! I've got your order here." Terry nodded towards the bag of food on the counter.
"Thanks, Terry. Put it on my tab," Cait said and snagged the bag, easing carefully from the kitchen so as not to disturb the busy dance of the servers that rushed in and out.
Cait hefted the bag and walked past the window of the restaurant that was open to the sea breeze. She froze in her tracks. Shane sat at a cozy table for two, pouring a glass of wine for the blonde. He looked happy and relaxed, Cait thought. Envy filled her as the blonde laughed at something that he said and Shane gestured wildly with his hands to make a point.
Feeling sick to her stomach, Cait watched for a moment, frozen with anger and sadness. Just as she was about to turn away, Shane saw her.
"Cait!" Shane said from inside the restaurant.
Cait could only stare at him and shake her head. "No."
"Cait, wait!" Shane got up from the table.
Feeling foolish, Cait turned and ran around the back of the restaurant, berating herself for even bothering to stop for food for her mother. This whole week had just been stupid, she thought stubbornly. Picking up the pace, she made her way towards the street, hoping that Shane wouldn’t follow.
"Seriously, Cait? You're running from me?" Shane panted behind her and latched onto her arm.
Cait's heart pounded in her chest. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. No need to get angry, she had nothing permanent with Shane, Cait thought. Pasting a smile on her face, she turned to him.
"I'm sorry, I need to get into work, Shane. No time for chatting," Cait said brightly.
"You're picking up food for Sarah?" Shane said, his eyebrows raised in disbelief.
Cait stomped her foot and raised her chin a bit. "So? What's it to you?"
"Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact that she ripped out your heart earlier this week would make me wonder why you would bring her food."
"She's my mother," Cait said, shrugging her shoulders helplessly.
"She's not a mother," Shane said fiercely.
"It's really none of your business, Shane," Cait said furiously. She felt like a fool getting caught bringing food to Sarah after the way that Sarah had treated her.
"None of my business, is it? When you cry all over me about her?"
"Hey, I didn't come running to you! You came to me," Cait all but shouted at him. Craning her eyes around at the sidewalks, she lowered her voice.
"Perhaps that was my mistake," Shane said stiffly.
"Well, either way, she's all I've got. I can't leave her," Cait said.
"She's not all you’ve got, you've got me," Shane said softly, his heart in his eyes. Cait squeezed her eyes shut against the unexpected clench in her heart.
"I don't at that, do I?" Cait nodded her head towards the restaurant where the blonde waited for him.
"Cait, Ellen's my employee, not my date," Shane said tersely.
Cait gaped at the restaurant for a moment as the realization that Shane hadn't been two-timing her settled over her. Warmth flooded her cheeks, and though she felt embarrassed, she couldn't help but smile stupidly at Shane.
"Really?"
"Yes, really. I just took her to the wedding because I needed a date," Shane said.
Cait dug her toe into the ground and tried not to do a happy dance. She hadn’t realized just how much it had hurt her to see Shane with another woman. Feeling awkward, she looked down at her feet.
"So, now what?' Cait said.
"Now you apologize and tell me that you can't wait to go on a date with me."
"What! Apologize for what?" Cait demanded, meeting Shane's eyes.
"Um, how about apologizing for walking out on me at my stables…and in the condition that I was in?" Shane said, deliberately referencing their sexy moment.
Cait felt a warm hum start to throb through her as she thought about that day and his hands all over her body. Unconsciously, she licked her lips.
"Oh, I see that you're trying to tease me now," Shane said, his eyes fastened on her lips. Cait hiccupped out a giggle.
"I, no, I'm not. I swear. But, I certainly don't owe you an apology as I was operating under the assumption that you were with the blonde," Cait said, still refusing to say Ellen's name.
Shane stepped close, until their bodies almost touched. Forced to look up into his eyes, Cait gulped.
"You know what they say about assumptions," Shane said softly, his lips hovering dangerously close to hers.
"That they make an ass out of you?" Cait said deliberately, poking him.
"You and me, Cait, You and me," Shane said and ea
sed his lips over hers softly. Cait sighed into his mouth and swayed against him, allowing herself to feel the warmth of this moment. His lips teased hers softly and when Cait moaned into his mouth, Shane slipped his tongue between her lips to tease her. Heat shot through Cait.
A wolf whistle from across the street interrupted the moment and Cait jumped, realizing where she was. Stepping back from Shane she gathered herself, refusing to turn and see who had whistled.
Shane pinned Cait with his eyes.
"I'll stop by the pub later. We can pick this up after?" Shane asked.
"I'm not that kind of girl, Shane, you'll need to wine and dine me just like your fancy Galway ladies," Cait said cheekily and turned away, feeling a lightness enter her that hadn't been there all week.
"I'll be sure to do that, Cait Gallagher. Save a dance for me later," Shane said.
Grateful that she'd decided to dress up this evening, Cait put an extra bump into her hips as she walked away, knowing the view would be nice. Hearing his soft curse, she chuckled to herself. Oh, this was going to be fun.
Cait hummed to herself up the hill and towards her mother's apartment. The light feeling stayed with her all the way until she was about to buzz her mother's door. Nervous now, she fumbled a bit with her bags before finally buzzing the door.
"Who is it?"
"Ma, it's me, with your fish," Cait said nervously.
Silence answered her. Cait was about to turn away when the door buzzed. With her stomach in knots, Cait climbed the stairs.
Sarah stood at the door, looking disheveled. Cait wondered when the last time she had left her apartment had been. She held up the bag of food silently to her mother.
"Yes, bring it in, put it on the table." Sarah gestured to the table in the middle of the room. Cait walked in and put the bag down. She turned towards her mother and waited silently for the typical invitation for her to sit.
Sarah averted her gaze and stood by the open door.
"So, it's like that, then? You'll take my food but won't invite me to sit?" Cait said bitterly. Not caring anymore, she let her shields down and reached out to her mother's mind. Finding a mass of confusion and anger, Cait jumped. Her mother didn’t know what she felt and was certainly slipping towards crazy. When had Sarah's mind started to decline? Feeling a little less angry, Cait walked to her and patted her arm.
"Okay, Mom. I'll let you be. Enjoy your dinner," Cait said.
"Is this the devil's food?" Sarah said, gesturing towards the bag.
"No, Mom. You can feel that for yourself, can't you?" Cait asked.
Sarah reached out and clutched Cait's arm.
"I can feel that you've been with him. The rich one. You'll never make him happy. He'll plant his seed in you and leave you forever, especially when he finds out you're touched by the devil. You'll be stuck with a bastard child, just as I was," Sarah hissed, staring over Cait's shoulder.
Cait felt a shiver run through her. Her happiness dashed, she allowed the insecurity to creep back in. Maybe her mom was right, she thought. Shane might not want anything to do with her bloodline. He could easily leave her.
Feeling hopeless, Cait gently removed her mother's hand from her arm.
"Enjoy your dinner, I have to get to work," Cait said quietly and left without a backward glance.
She stepped into the crisp night air and drew a shaky breath. Nothing like being called the devil's spawn to get a Friday night started, Cait thought ruefully. She knew that she was good and not evil. Cait also knew that the time approached where she would have to figure out a place for her mother to stay. Sarah was moving towards needing some sort of daily assistance. Thinking of the cost of care for her mother, Cait shuddered and picked up her pace to the pub. It may be a few more years than Cait had thought before she could purchase the pub's building.
Chapter 17
Cait grabbed another pint glass from the shelf as she kept her eye on the Guinness that she was currently building. Pulling the full glass from under the tap, she put it aside to settle and replaced it with the empty. Hand on the glass, she lifted her eyes to scan the length of the bar.
Patrons clustered around the bar, waiting their turn. The smaller pub tables scattered around the bar were full. Across the room, the band set up and the dinner tables had been pushed against the walls to make room for dancing. They had a good band tonight and people were already pouring in the door to get a spot.
Cait smiled at Patrick as he breezed past her, hands full of Harp bottles. He'd really turned into a valuable employee. Cait was glad that they had moved past their little misunderstanding. Seeing Aislinn enter the pub, Cait motioned her towards the far end of the bar.
"That'll be eight euros," Cait said and slid the Guinness glasses across the bar. Making change, she sidled down the bar and moved her stuff away from the seat she had saved for Aislinn.
"Bulmers?" Cait asked as Aislinn settled on the chair.
"Yes, thank you." Aislinn smiled up at her. Cait noticed that Aislinn had taken time with her appearance tonight. Her curvy body was tucked into a pretty red dress and a deep purple necklace popped against her throat.
"You look nice," Cait called to Aislinn, her eyebrows raised.
"As do you," Aislinn said, gesturing to Cait's outfit. Cait just shrugged and both women laughed at each other. They both knew exactly what they were about, Cait thought.
Cait slid Aislinn's glass across the bar. "Catch up with you in a bit," Cait said as she nodded to the cluster of people around the bar.
Cait fell into the rhythm of her pub and the tension in her shoulders eased. She ran a good establishment and was proud of her work here. She tapped her foot as a tin whistle picked up a lively beat and the crowd began to clap. Cait kept her eye on the bar as she filled glasses, wiped down tables, and made conversation with the locals. When the door opened and Shane stepped in, Cait could have sworn that the temperature in the room went up a notch.
Shane had changed after dinner and now wore a fitted button-down plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up to reveal tanned arms. Dark jeans fit his legs nicely and Cait couldn't help but take a glance at his bum as he turned to hug an old woman by the front of the door. Behind him, Baird blinked into the melee, looking somewhat taken aback. Today he wore a fitted black t-shirt that revealed what Cait had suspected – an exceptionally muscular chest. Cait sliced a glance at Aislinn and grinned at her cousin's slightly dazed expression.
As if on cue, the two men turned and zeroed in on them. Cait's heart skipped a beat as Shane crossed the room to her. Without hesitation, he snagged her hand off of the bar and pressed a kiss to her palm. Cait felt heat creep up her cheeks and snatched her hand back. She propped her hands on her hips and tilted her head at Shane.
"You think that you can just walk in here and skip these fine gentleman?" Cait said and gestured to three old-timers that sat on the stools in front of her.
"Skip them? Why, of course not. I was coming to offer them a pint," Shane said and the men all cheered Shane affably. Cait couldn't conceal her grin as she stepped to build more pints of Guinness for the men.
Cait watched as Baird moved to Aislinn and smiled down at her. Aislinn's hands fluttered in front of her face and Cait finished building the pints, laughing softly to herself. She'd never seen Aislinn so distressed over a man before. This was going to be fun to watch.
Cait worked her way through the bar, filling pints, pouring shots, and mixing drinks. After an hour, she cut a glance to Patrick.
"I'm taking a break, you got this?"
"Yes, ma'am. Show them how it's done, Cait," Patrick said as he nodded towards the dance floor. Cait just rolled her eyes at him and poured herself a half-pint of Bulmers. Aislinn had snagged a table near the dance floor for her and the men. Cait moved through the crowd, smiling and cracking jokes with the regulars until she got to the table. With a sigh, she plopped down into the chair that Shane had pulled out for her.
"Slàinte," Cait said and raised her glass to the table. Ca
it noticed that Baird kept glancing in Aislinn's direction and that her cousin was uncharacteristically quiet.
"So, Baird, how have things been for you this week?" Cait shouted over the music.
"Oh, you've met Baird?" Shane said, eyebrow raised.
"I have at that," Cait said with a cocky tilt to her head.
"We met at Aislinn's shop," Baird offered quickly.
"He rented my second-favorite building from you," Cait said and saw Shane's shoulders ease.
Relaxing back into his chair, Shane eyed her. "I only rent to great tenants."
"Well, I don't plan to be a tenant forever," Cait mumbled. Shane sat up and leaned close to her.
"Is that so? What do you plan to do? Buy the building?" Shane scoffed at her.
Cait felt her temper whiplash through her and she raised her chin at him. Meeting his eyes, she took a slow sip of Bulmers before answering.
"Aye, I do."
"Ha, that will take you forever," Shane said dismissively.
A frisson of anger washed through Cait.
"Oh, I'm sorry, master. Us paupers can't have dreams?" Cait said angrily.
She shoved back from the table and ignoring Shane, stepped onto the dance floor where she was immediately swept into the rhythm of step dancing. The steps as natural as breathing, Cait flowed into the repetition of hops and kicks that categorized traditional Irish step dancing. She laughed as the line of dancers moved forward and back, meeting up with partners, and circling away. Cait raised her chin as her next turn brought her face to face with Shane.
As seasoned of a dancer as she, Shane kept pace with her as their feet pounded the floor in time to the pipes and banjo that played voraciously around them. Cait stared Shane down as they both moved hypnotically to the beat, heat rising between them as they danced in step. Not even realizing that the dance floor had formed a circle around them, Cait stayed with Shane and matched him turn for turn, bounce for bounce. Together, they bounded through the song until they were both panting, in lust, and very aware. On an oath, Shane grabbed Cait to him and captured his lips with her own.
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