“Get it,” Sean crowed, laughing as Baron scrambled across the yard to chase the little ball.
“That will be nice. To have family working for you,” Margaret said lightly. She’d always hoped that Keelin would be interested in real estate but it had been the furthest thing from her marine biology-loving daughter’s mind. Cooped up in an office all day? Definitely not Keelin’s style.
“It will. And if Colin is closer then I can spend more time with Finn,” Sean said, Margaret arched an eyebrow at him.
“I keep forgetting that you’re a grandfather. God, we sound so old,” Margaret said on a sigh, drinking more wine down.
“Age is in the heart, my love,” Sean said as he stood, whisking inside to answer the beep of the oven timer.
And left Margaret stumbling over the word "love." Would it really be so easy to fall back into love with him? Margaret wondered how he could so casually throw that word out to a woman he barely knew. He must use it often, as a casual term of endearment, she decided as she bent over to pick up the soggy ball Baron had deposited at her feet. Gingerly holding it between her fingers, she tossed it lightly away from her and was rewarded when Baron barked joyously and sprung after it.
“Can you grab the door?”
“Oh, of course,” Margaret said, jumping up and pulling the door open so that Sean could step outside, two steaming dishes of shepherd’s pie in his hands. Margaret’s eyes widened at the sheer mass of mashed potatoes on top of each dish.
“There’s no way I can finish all that,” Margaret said in alarm.
“That’s okay. It heats up well as leftovers,” Sean said easily and then stilled.
“You can take it to work with you then. I’ll just eat out of one half of the dish,” Margaret said quickly, guessing he had remembered she wouldn’t be around to eat the second half of her dish in the morning.
“Sure, I’ll do that,” Sean said softly as he eased the dish in front of her, then took his seat. Leaning over the table, he raised his glass and held it in the air until Margaret picked her glass up and touched it to his.
“To new beginnings.”
Margaret could only nod and sip, the wine burning a trail down her throat, as she wondered what she was walking away from.
Chapter 36
An hour later and almost a bottle and a half of wine gone, Margaret found herself snuggled up on the couch, laughing hysterically at Sean as he ridiculed her.
“And there you are in this prim blouse – all but threatening the world with the expression on your face,” Sean said, talking about when she had walked into the rehearsal dinner the other night.
“I was not!” Margaret said, leaning over and smacking his arm as she laughed at him.
“Oh, you were. I think the entire room gave a collective gasp, wondering who the wicked witch was,” Sean said, smiling as he tugged her arm down until she leaned against him.
“I can’t help that my style is polished,” Margaret sniffed.
“You can help that bitchy look on your face,” Sean said and Margaret’s mouth dropped open as she looked up at Sean, ready to argue.
And was silenced with a kiss.
Oh, but she’d been craving his hands on her ever since he’d thrown her over his shoulder the night of Keelin's wedding. That longing was all Margaret could think of as his lips slid over hers, kicking up lust low in her belly. Margaret found herself leaning into the kiss, all but crawling up his chest as they settled deeper into the couch. She’d be lying to herself if she said she didn’t want this.
She’d changed her underwear, hadn’t she?
Margaret moaned as Sean slid his tongue past her lips to dance against hers, dragging her further down into his heat, the press of his body heavy on hers. A feeling of rightness settled inside of her, shaking her more than the kisses he rained upon her face.
Maybe Fiona was right after all.
Sean could possibly be the one for her. Margaret’s body certainly thought so, as she arched against his hard length, pressed to her very core, the beginnings of pleasure simmering below the surface. Margaret moaned as Sean tore his lips away from hers to pop the buttons on her blouse, exposing her nude lace bra. She shivered as his breath ran hot over her skin, trailing down her neck until he nudged the lace away to capture one very sensitive nipple in his mouth. Sensations pounded Margaret, threatening to overwhelm her as he brought her close to the edge with only his mouth, beginning to move gently between her legs in an even rhythm.
Margaret couldn’t even think of the last time she’d tasseled with a partner on a couch. So much of her love life had been dignified dating; now the wantonness of Sean’s need tore at her, threatening to overwhelm her as her shields went down and his emotions poured over her.
Oh, she’d craved this. For so long. That true, honest connection of loving someone heart to heart. Margaret could feel it pulse from Sean, in a manner that almost scared her, only to be matched by her own desperate emotions. They touched each other like lovers lost, never knowing if they would have another minute together.
She supposed it was the only type of love they’d ever known.
A shrill ring from the coffee table distracted her and Margaret broke away to try and peek over Sean’s shoulder.
“Ignore it,” Sean ordered, continuing to unbutton her shirt.
“I can’t ignore it. What if it’s important?” Margaret asked. As a business owner, she knew that phone calls late at night were rarely good news.
“It’s not. This is important,” Sean said, looking down at her body like he wanted to worship every inch of it. Margaret shivered at his gaze. Pointing to the table, she nodded at him.
“Just answer it.”
“Fine. Don’t move,” Sean cursed and pulled himself from her, leaning forward to answer his phone without looking at the caller. Margaret felt a strange sort of emptiness when he pulled away from her, but she took a deep breath, pulling her blouse closed a bit. It would be good not to get too carried away, she reminded herself.
She didn’t even have any birth control, for god’s sake, Margaret thought, almost slapping her head. Sure it hadn’t really been an issue for the past few years, but she’d yet to hit menopause, and knowing her and Sean’s history – well, it was best that she make sure they were covered, Margaret thought.
“Sean here,” Sean barked out, his chest rising with his heavy breath. “Adeline, what’s wrong?”
Margaret’s hands stilled at the button of her blouse, her heart jumping into her throat.
“Is that really a discussion we need to have right now?” Sean said, lowering his voice, though it was useless to try to hide what he was saying when Margaret was a foot away from him. Margaret felt her newly vulnerable heart begin to shatter; she quickly finished buttoning her shirt as she cursed long and steady in her mind.
And began to build her wall back up.
“This isn’t appropriate,” Sean said, risking a glance at Margaret, his brows furrowing as he saw her sitting up, her arms crossed across her chest.
“Adeline, I can’t answer that for you right now. I have to go,” Sean said, not waiting to hear what she had to say before clicking the phone off. Turning to face Margaret, he raised an eyebrow at her buttoned-up appearance.
“It’s not what you think,” he began.
“Oh, it’s exactly what I think,” Margaret hissed, her blood beginning a slow boil as she worked herself towards mad.
“It’s not. I swear. She can get a little…exuberant sometimes.”
Margaret could feel the lie coming from him, her gift giving her the ability to read him like a book. It hurt – knowing what she had just been about to do with him –it hurt more than she had words for. She stood from the couch, needing to put distance between herself and him.
“You’re lying,” Margaret said from the other side of the coffee table, her arms crossed against her chest as she paced.
“I’m not,” Sean said, lying again.
Margaret whipped her hea
d around to glare at him, biting down on her lips as she forced herself to filter the words she wanted to say.
“Sean, do you remember when we first made love?” Margaret asked, turning to pin him with her gaze.
“I could never forget. One of the best moments of my life,” Sean said, and Margaret knew it was the truth.
“What about after?” Margaret prompted him.
“Well, that was a little intense. But I’m okay with it now,” Sean said, watching her carefully.
“Did you ever think about why the cove glowed with that light? About the touch of magic that runs in my family? In Aislinn’s family as well?”
Sean looked uncomfortable as he shrugged a shoulder and nodded, “Well, sure. I’ve kind of had to come to terms with it, seeing as both of my daughters have...extra abilities.”
“And did it ever occur to you that my daughter only has abilities because I do as well?” Margaret asked softly.
The silence stretched between them as Sean worked that out in his head, realization dawning across his face.
“I suppose I hadn’t. I never thought too deeply into how it all worked, to be honest,” Sean said.
“Well, let me clue you in on my lovely little gift. I’m an empath. Which means I can feel other’s people’s feelings and I can sure as hell tell when I am being lied to. And that load of crap you just served me was an out-and-out lie,” Margaret seethed, reaching down for her glass, wanting to throw something.
And saw Baron under the table, cowering from her shouts.
Easing the glass back down on the table, Margaret stood silently across from Sean, her body trembling with anger.
“Listen, it’s not what you think,” Sean began and Margaret held a finger up to stop him.
“Did you sleep with her?”
“No, gosh, never, she’s an employee,” Sean said, stuttering through his words.
“Are you dating her?” Margaret asked, her eyes trained on his.
“I…I, well, yes, we’ve gone out to dinner a few times. Nothing major,” Sean shrugged again.
“Did you kiss?” Margaret asked and wanted to scream as Sean blushed, nodding, this time his eyes on the floor in front of him.
“Just once. She threw herself at me after a couple glasses of wine. That’s all it was, I swear.”
“Well, she certainly seems to think differently,” Margaret said.
“Maggie, I swear to you I don’t have feelings for her. I only want to be with you,” Sean pleaded.
“Do you? You say that, but you don’t even know me! You didn’t even think about the fact that I have an extra ability! Do you still ‘love’ me now?” Margaret shouted, her chest heaving. “Do you? Can you live with me knowing that I’ll know every time you’ll tell me a lie? Knowing that our daughter can heal people with her hands? That the cove will glow when we are near it? Are you telling me you’re okay with that?”
Sean’s face looked battered as he nodded at her.
“I think I’ll be able to work through that. If I have you to work through it with me,” he said quietly.
“I don’t buy it. You left me before. Now you aren’t really mine. This is just like last time,” Margaret fumed and Sean threw his hands up in the air.
“Just like last time how?”
“You can’t be alone. I’m surprised you aren’t married again! It didn’t take you long to stumble into a marriage the last time. And here I finally am and you’re involved with another woman!”
“Well excuse me, princess!” Sean stood as he shouted, causing Margaret to draw back from where she leaned over the table. “I’m sorry that I can’t just turn my life on and off whenever you decide to waltz into it. Maybe it’s not all about you all the time.”
“Excuse me? Nobody asked you to stop living.”
“And yet I’m in trouble because I got married or I went on dates. Please. I’ve never once asked you about your sexual history. Have I?! I understand that you’re an adult and need companionship. Hell, I’ve even wanted you to be happy. But you’ve no right to come back and yell at me because I’ve gone on some dates. Who do you think you are?”
Margaret’s mouth moved, but nothing would come out. Anger pulsed at her from Sean, from herself, from everywhere.
She’d been stupid to come here. There was just too much history. Taking a deep breath, Margaret lifted her chin.
“Thank you for the hospitality. I’ll just see myself out,” she said stiffly.
“Oh sure, here we go,” Sean shouted after her as Margaret hurried down the hall, desperately surprised to find tears blinding her vision. Shoving her travel outfit into her bag, she scooped up her toiletries from the bathroom, refusing to look at herself in the mirror. With one last glance around, Margaret grabbed her bag and her purse and left the guest room, heading straight for the hallway.
She stood for a moment, looking at Sean, shaking her head at him.
“This could have been great.”
Turning, she opened the door and stalked outside, refusing to say goodbye to Baron because she knew that the tears would flow furiously if she did.
“There you go. Running away again. Just like you do every time,” Sean’s words carried to her just as the door slammed shut and it was all Margaret could do not to turn around to argue with him.
She wasn’t running. He’d misled her. He should have been honest about his relationship with Adeline all along. Margaret comforted herself with those thoughts as she drove her car to a hotel near the airport, knowing she wouldn’t get a wink of sleep anyway.
And wondered if she was running from herself or Sean.
Chapter 37
Sean threw a pillow from the couch at the door, furious with himself, furious with Margaret for running out on him again. He went to stand at the front window, hoping that she wouldn’t get in the rental car.
Pressing his forehead to the glass, his heart clenched as he watched the taillights of her car wink over the horizon, disappearing from his life.
Sean wondered if it would be forever.
Baron whined nervously at his feet and Sean bent to pick him up, pressing his face into the dog’s soft fur for a second.
“Sorry, buddy,” Sean said, as he carried Baron back to the couch. Baron turned in his arms and looked toward the front door.
“I know. I didn’t want her to go either.”
Sean leaned back against the cushions and ran through everything that had just happened – from when he’d been about to lose his mind with lust, right up to when Margaret had slammed the door on his shout.
At least this time he’d gotten the last word, Sean thought, then sat up straight as an idea came to him.
Just because Margaret was repeating her old patterns didn’t mean that he had to, Sean thought as he moved to the kitchen to find a notepad.
It appeared as though he had a woman to romance.
Chapter 38
Six Months Later
Margaret studied the large package that leaned against the wall across from her desk at her real estate office in downtown Boston. The worn brown paper was at odds with the sleek lines of her office, and she suspected she knew just who this package was from.
Margaret sighed and turned her chair to stare out of her window overlooking the Charles River. Though the rent was steep in this building, the views alone were worth it. Plus, Margaret knew keeping up appearances meant everything in this business – when new clients walked into the waiting room and were greeted with floor-to-ceiling views of the Charles, they were sold on using her real estate agency.
Margaret’s hands clenched in her lap as she forced herself not to run across her office and tear the paper off of the package.
It had been months since she’d left Ireland. Months since she’d brushed against the potential for full-blown love with Sean. Every morning she told herself that she was lucky for having escaped what was destined for certain catastrophe. And every night she lay awake wondering what she’d missed out on.
&nb
sp; It certainly didn’t help that Sean had unleashed a campaign to woo her, Margaret sniffed. She’d come home from Boston determined to leave the past in Ireland, and had been surprised when a pot of daisies had shown up on her desk with a note the next week. Margaret hadn’t missed the symbolism of the daisies, which were also known by the name marguerite in Europe.
I miss you.
That’s all the card had said. It hadn’t been an apology, but Margaret wondered if they were past apologies. At the time, Margaret had rolled her eyes at the card and shoved the note far into the depths of her desk, but the daisies had commanded a spot on her desk for the following week, where their cheerfulness seemed to poke at the sullenness that cloaked her.
The next week it had been roses and some expensive bath soaps. Margaret had stared in confusion at the gifts on her desk, wondering if Sean had gone off the deep end.
This time the note read:
I almost wish that you hadn’t stepped back into my life, for I wouldn’t feel your absence so strongly then.
“It’s not my fault you don’t have me,” Margaret had said angrily, surprising her assistant and causing Margaret to blush. It wasn’t typical for her to display emotion at work, which made her even more infuriated with Sean.
And the gifts hadn’t stopped. Every couple of weeks a new gift showed up on her desk, a new card entreating Margaret to reconsider.
To give him a chance.
As the time grew longer since she’d last seen Sean, his gifts became more serious. Just a few weeks ago he’d sent her a stunning necklace of intricate crystals, twisted around golden wires. It was an elegant statement piece and the card held an even more stunning proclamation.
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