by Tena Stetler
“I heard that,” Da called from the kitchen.
Ma wiped her cheeks. “I’ll take that wager.” She bustled into the kitchen and squealed. “Tim what have you done?”
Gavin beat feet out the back door. Not winding up in the middle of that. He found Synn sitting on the porch swing with Storm in her lap, conversing in low tones with the pup. “Mind if I join you?”
“It’s your house.”
“Brandy will come around. I’m so sure of it, that I bet Ma fixing Sunday dinner the rest of the month and cleaning up too. Since you shoved the phone in my hand and stormed out, it’s your fault I wound up in that situation. Sooooo, you have to help in the off chance I’m wrong. Never happen—but giving you fair warning.” He grinned broadly.
Her eyes rounded. “Me. I didn’t do anything.” Storm leaned across Synn, gave Gavin’s face a wet sloppy lick, and jumped off her lap to pounce on a squeaky toy and drag it across the yard.
“Maybe you and me isn’t such a good idea. What if I bring harm to you or your family. That’s what Brandy thinks.”
“Life doesn’t hold guarantees. You grab hold, hang on for dear life, and hope all goes well. That’s all any of us can do.” He leaned over and kissed her lips. “You don’t get rid of me that easy.”
His ma pushed though the screen door of the house. “Gavin talk some sense into your da.” She wiped her hands on the towel at her waist and threw it down on the bench next to Synn staring expectantly at Gavin.
“What’s wrong now?” Gavin paused. “Or do I want to know?”
Chapter Ten
A Secret Unravels, but the Story is True—Dinner is Served
“What’s wrong?” Synn asked watching Storm shake and toss her new toy then race the perimeter of the yard.
“Oh, nothing dear. I just wanted a few minutes alone with you.” Mary’s blue eyes twinkled with mischief. “Don’t let Brandy upset you. She’s always been high strung. A lass that speaks her mind without considering the consequences or other’s feelings. I’m sure Gavin is right. She’ll cool off and call back. I need your help with pulling all the wedding plans together since Brandy will be across the pond for most of the time. The video talk is great. We can get a decision on the spot.”
“I’ll do whatever I can to help, but I don’t want to cause a problem.”
“Oh, hon, the way my son looks at you—” Mary sighed. “I remember when Tim looked at me like that.” Her eyes went dreamy for a beat, then cleared. She sat up straighter. “Brandy is going to have to get used to you being around. Once she knows you like we do, she’ll be fine.”
Synn shrugged. “I don’t know about that. I did try to—well you know. She’ll never trust me, and I can’t blame her.”
“That’s all in the past. Things are different now. You’re not the same person.” Patting Synn’s thigh supportively, Mary grinned and turned her attention to Storm. “Come here, Storm, you li’l monster.” She called to the pup, who rolled on her back, chewing on the bottom picket of the fence. “She’s going to be a handful.”
“Oh, there’s no going to be about it.” She laughed. “But Storm is a lot of company.” The mild breeze ruffled the pup’s fur in the sunlight as the women watched in companionable silence for a few moments.
“Aye, I can see that.” Mary started to push up from the bench. Synn put her hand on her arm.
“Can we…I mean I saw—”
“Spit it out. lass.” Mary eased back onto the bench her forehead creased in concern. “What did you see?”
“Erin and Tiarnan early this morning walking the rocky ledge.”
Mary gasped, her hand flew to her mouth then she blew out a breath. After a beat she asked, “Are you sure it was them? A lot of people walk that path in the early morn hours. The view is spectacular as it was today.”
“Yes, I’m positive. They stood behind me when I stopped to sit on a rock to let Storm play and sniff around. Erin and Tiarnan talked to me. Well, Tiarnan only for a minute before he disappeared in thick mist. Erin—she told me what happened the night the curse was broken.” The rest I’m going to keep to myself—for now.
Mary jumped up and paced in front of the bench. “Me own Brandy relayed the tale to us after it was over, but no one has seen them since. I mean until now—at least no one wagged their tongues about it if they did. Believe me if they had, it would have been all over town. Did you tell Gavin?”
“Tell Gavin what?” Gavin and Tim sauntered across the lawn. Tim wrapped his arm around Mary’s shoulder and kissed her on the cheek. “Everything ’tis handled. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes.” He smiled knowingly. “Everything good here?”
She stared at Mary and gave a little shake of her head.
“Well it seems like I let the cat out of the bag.” Mary laughed, red blotches bloomed on her cheeks. Her gaze touched on each person before she said proudly, “Our own Synn talked with Erin and Tiarnan this morn.”
“What? Why didn’t you tell me?” Gavin moved to face Synn, kneeling in front of her placing his hands over hers.
“I was thinking about it but wasn’t sure if you’d think I was daft. Or having a breakdown. Which I’m not,” she said firmly.
“What did they say?” Tim asked with interest.
Synn relayed most of the conversation she had with Erin, adding in the moments of conversation with Tiarnan. She left out the warnings of possible trouble as well as about Gavin and her. She wasn’t ready to air her feelings in front of the whole world, or at least what constituted her world. When she glanced at Gavin, she saw doubt in his eyes.
“What—you don’t believe me?”
“I didn’t say that—’tis more to the story, I can feel it.” He lifted Synn’s chin and she looked away from him.
“Ahh…leave the—” Mary’s comment was interrupted by Synn’s cell phone ringing.
Gavin puffed out his chest. “Told you so.”
Checking the caller ID, Synn handed the phone to Gavin. “I’m not answering it.”
He glanced at the screen and touched speaker. “Hi, sis.”
“It’s Stefan. Brandy wanted to make sure you answered rather than Synn.”
“That’s tough, since it’s Synn’s phone.” His face lit up in a devilish grin. “You know, Stefan, my sis is going to have to come to grips with the situation.”
“I’m well aware. That conversation is slated for later tonight. Right now, Brandy wants to talk wedding.”
“Okay, let me give the phone back to Synn so we can arrange—” Gavin said.
“I’ve a better idea. Let’s all go in the house, I’ll fire up my laptop so we have a big screen and we can all—I mean—Mary and Brandy can set around the table and discuss the wedding.” She backed away from her phone as he was trying to hand to her. “I’ll need Brandy’s video chat ID to get her connected.”
“No, you had it right the first time, Synn,” Mary said in a determined voice.
“Gavin, what’s going on? Where’s Ma?” Brandy’s voice came over the phone.
“Sis, I need your video chat ID so she can connect the call to the computer screen rather than the phone.” He paused for a moment glancing from his ma to Synn. “And if you continue to act like an arse, I’ll kick yours the next time I see you. She’s just trying to help Ma give you the dream wedding you discussed before leaving here.” His words were met with silence on the other end. “Until life intervened.”
“I’ll text my ID to this phone so you won’t get the numbers wrong, little brother.” She emphasized each of the last two words.
Storm came bounding up to the group, barking and growling, alternately squeaking her toy, pushing it at her.
“When did you get a dog?” Brandy asked.
“It’s Synn’s puppy. Poor thing looked like a drowned rat when she found it outside the pub but she took it in. The pup has Ma wrapped around its paw as well as Synn.” Gavin grinned.
“Right. I’ll hang up and text you my number.”
�
��Okay, but don’t mess around. Dinner will be ready soon,” Gavin said. His ma shoved an elbow in his side. He frowned at her. “Well, we are almost ready to eat.”
She picked up Storm and carried her into the house. After making sure there was food and water in her crate, she coaxed the pup inside and closed the door. Storm objected for a minute, then crunching came from the crate, laps of water, and the pup curled up head on her paws.
Gavin brought her laptop in from the pickup and set it up on the dining room table. She entered the chat ID from her phone and connected to Brandy. When Brandy came into view, she backed away stepping behind the computer. Mary tugged on her sleeve forcing her to sit in the chair at the table. Within a few minutes, Mary and Brandy hashed out the ideas and set a time to reconnect and look at the wedding dress in Dublin. All the while she sat quietly next to Mary. Brandy only glowered at her twice.
It was nearing midnight in Montana, and Brandy was scheduled for an early morning hike, so everyone gathered around the laptop to say their goodbyes. Relieved, she disconnected the call.
“See that wasn’t so bad.” Mary snickered. “Told you’d she’d come around. Da, need some help in the kitchen?”
“Aye.” Tim brought out a plate piled high with buttermilk fried chicken. “Thought you’d like a little taste of home for Sunday dinner.” Tim narrowed his eyes at Mary. “Since the earlier entrée got burnt to a crisp.”
Synn’s forehead creased, and she tilted her head. “What do you mean?”
He waved his hand in dismissal. “Yanks have fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and gravy with rolls for Sunday dinner. Right?” Tim asked, placing the platter in the middle of the huge scarred wooden table that had seen many meals over the years.
“I guess so. We didn’t have any family traditions. Or at least I don’t remember any. I was young when—my parents died.”
Mary came out of the kitchen with a large bowl of mashed potatoes and a round of soda bread wrapped in a towel. “Son, the gravy is simmering. Please pour it in the bowl sitting next to the stove and bring it out.”
“Aye.” Gavin sent her a sideways glance. “I’ll be right back.” He strode into the kitchen, returning a few seconds later with the gravy boat and ladle.
Once they were all seated around the table, Gavin reached for the plate of chicken. “What’s the schedule look like for tomorrow? Can you spare us? I’d like to show Synn some of the sights, visit a few castles beginning with Blarney Castle.” He picked up a breast and thigh, set them on his plate, then offered the plate to her.
She stuck her fork in a breast, pushed it onto her plate with a knife. “Pass the potatoes, please.”
Tim handed the potatoes to her and reached for the gravy boat. “I guess we could work that out. Since tomorrow is the only dry day this week. Might make for a slow day what with people staying outside enjoying the nice weather.”
“Aye. We’ll be slammed the rest of the week. It’ll work well for everyone.” Gavin agreed scooping potatoes onto his plate from the bowl she held before she passed it on to Mary.
She dug into her chicken and popped a piece in her mouth, chewed, scooped up a fork of potatoes and gravy, and pointed it at Tim. “This is fantastic. Thank you.” She slid the fork in her mouth. After she swallowed, she turned to Gavin. “Will we be gone all day?”
“Aye. If the weather holds.”
“What about Storm?”
“We’ll take her with us. Give her a good walk before we leave to tire her out. She’ll sleep in the crate. We’ll take breaks, grab a bite, and let her out during the day. The weather is cool enough. She’ll be fine.”
“He loves the old castles. When he was a kid, he was always poking around those ruins. It’s a wonder he didn’t fall and get hurt the way he climbed around,” Mary said on a laugh taking the last bite of her roll. “I’ll wrap up the leftovers, and you two can have a picnic tomorrow.” Her gaze shifted to Tim. “Remember our picnics years ago?”
“Aye. Every blasted time we took off, the rain came out of nowhere, or one of your sisters followed and spied on us.”
“Da put them up to it.” Mary giggled. “He said you were only after one thing. Quite a skirt chaser—that one.”
“Aye, ’tis true. But I fell under your spell.” He patted her arse as she leaned over gathering the dishes. Mary swatted his hand away, her cheeks blushing.
After helping Mary clear away the dinner dishes, she let Storm out of her crate and escorted her to the back yard. Gavin excused himself and followed her.
As soon as they were out in the yard alone, Gavin slipped an arm around her waist and asked, “Now tell me what else Erin said to you.” Letting his hand slide to her hip, he pulled her to his side steering her farther from the house and behind the grove of trees as the pup bounced and ran over the entire yard.
She glanced at his arm. “So are we doing this already? What happened to our agreement?” Stopping, she leaned back against a tree peering up at him.
“I’m done with it, and by the way you’ve been acting, I’d say you are too. A nice ride in the country side and exploring a few castles will be a fresh start.”
She nodded and caressed the back of his neck. Standing on tiptoe, she brushed her lips over his.
“Not going to work. I want to know what else Erin told you.” Gavin eased her hand from the back of his neck, entwining his fingers with hers, and pressing her against the tree trunk.
Shoulders slumped, she leaned into him and sighed. “Erin says dark times may be coming, and that I shouldn’t push you away.”
He paused for a beat as if digesting that information. “She did, did she? And Tiarnan?”
“He was only there for a few seconds. Erin shooed him away. Girl talk. You know.”
Gavin raised a brow. “That’s all?” Their joined hands slipped down her side, he caressed the side of her breast with the back of his hand. He nuzzled against her neck, teasing the tip of his tongue along the juncture of her shoulder, then lower inside the V of her sweater. His breathing increased.
He was too close his excitement pushed against her belly. She was tempted to tell all yet held back. “Yep, that’s all.” Leaning her head back, she allowed him access. It had been so long. She breathed in his outdoorsy scent. A soft moan escaped her lips, moisture gathered between her legs as his tongue licked the swells of her breasts. His hand moved from her hip to under her sweater, pushing her bra aside, his mouth closed over her breast. Her pulse raced.
“We better move this elsewhere, or I’m going to take you right here.” Gavin growled. Her fingers let go of his, moved to stroke the baby fine hair at the nape of his neck. His thumb flipped open the button of her jeans, his fingers slipped inside as his knee pushed between her denim clad legs spreading her.
The pressure of his thigh against her tender parts and his fingers teasing around her center ignited a firestorm. She writhed against him and shuddered as the peak of ecstasy flowed through her. She buried her face in his chest to muffle her screams. When the pulsing subsided, she looked up. A smug smile curved his lips.
“Ready for more?” He thrust one finger inside, then another.
“Oh, Gavin.” She breathed then the real world spun and careened on its axis, she gasped in sweet agony against him. Still his fingers gently tapped a tattoo on her sensitive bundle of nerves.
The outside light flicked on. Barking happily, Storm bolted for Synn, ramming into her leg, biting, and tugging at the bottom edge of her pant leg.
She tried to pull Gavin’s hand from inside her jeans, he refused. One final thrust of his fingers had her sucking in a breath as desire bloomed again. “Stop it. What if…” At last he allowed her to remove his hand. He kissed her lips, his tongue teasing inside before he slipped his hand from under her sweater, pulled it into place and whispered seductively, “Your place or mine?”
Her body and mind still in a sexual haze, she managed a horse whisper, “What?”
“I’m far from finished with you.” He
grinned.
“You revved me up, so I would let you in my bed tonight?” The haze began clearing and twisting into a gut-wrenching anger. He’d taken advantage of her; worse, she’d let him.
“Oh, I did a lot more than that, lass.”
Sparks sizzled at the end of her fingers. He covered them with his hands. “Temper… temper.”
“Temper this.” She raised her hand to slap him.
He caught her hand in his and waggled a finger in front of her face with his other. “No violence. Remember.” He paused as if cooling his own temper. “I wanted to remind you what we had—have.” Bending over, he picked up a toy, threw it toward the house. Storm let go of the bottom of Synn’s jeans and bounded after the toy.
“Do I want to bed you? Hell yes, you’re driving me crazy. I’ve taken more cold showers in the past months than in my entire life.” He grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the house.
She jerked free. “There’s plenty of women that would crawl into your bed at the snap of your fingers.”
“Aye you’re bang on. I just—” He paused, pinched the bridge of his nose with thumb and forefinger. “I don’t want to fight. It’s been a brutal day. Let’s start over tomorrow when I pick you up to tour the countryside. We can go inside thank Ma and Da, and I’ll take you home. Sound all right?”
“I guess, but I don’t know about tomorrow.”
“That’s your choice. I’ll stop by in the morning, if you don’t want to go— I’ll be on my way.”
“Okay.” She followed him into the house.
****
He stopped the truck in front of her cottage. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to walk you to the door and check the inside before leaving you and Storm alone.”
Her first thought was to decline politely, but it was out of spite. With Erin’s warning, safety had to be first, though the whole discussion had been derailed by their lust. A wave of regret washed over her. He could have left her as she left him. But he hadn’t. He’d sated her well.
What did it matter if his ulterior motive is to get laid? He’s male after all. What is a matter with me? I could have driven him into the arms of another woman. Is that what I want? She bit her lip. It wasn’t. For once she’d thought before opening her mouth.