Then he locked his green eyes on me – the same green as mine. “Speaking of Americans, look who decided to grace us with his saintly presence.”
“Glad to see you too, Da,” I said. The man was an old goat, but damned if I didn’t mean what I’d said.
“Maybe I’ll ask the nurses to make this place more suitable for you, get in some barbecue and country music or whatever it is you Yanks like.”
“Da, I’m still as Irish as the day I was born.”
He waved his hand through the air, dismissing my comment. “One of you boys hand me my pants, would you? Fetch me my wallet.”
Patrick and I shared another knowing look. I was closer, so I stepped over to beige trousers where they lay draped on a chair and fished his wallet out, handing it to Da.
“Now,” he said, flipping through his wallet. “I want one of you layabouts to take some money. Go to my flat, fetch me some proper clothes – and don’t forget the shoes! Then stop at the pub down the way, called the Templeton. Get me some black pudding and some coddle – good, Irish food and not this American trash!”
Patrick and I shared another look. “I’ll do it,” I said. “Need some fresh air.”
“I’ll keep the old man company,” Patrick offered. “And grab us both something to eat, if you don’t mind.”
“I don’t need your damn company,” Da grumbled. “Just turn on the game and leave me be.”
I glanced at Patrick questioningly, and he waved me out. The day was warm and sunny, perfect for a drive through town. But it was hardly a vacation for me. I was still stressed as all hell about Kenna – I hadn’t heard a single word from her.
No doubt she was pissed, entertaining fantasies about yanking my heart out of my chest and tossing it into the garbage disposal. Not that I could blame her one damn bit.
As I drove, the cluster of old buildings along the roads growing denser and denser, my phone shook hard in my pocket. I pulled over and took it out, reading the text and seeing that it was from my provider, letting me know my phone would be ready for international service in an hour.
I had to move fast – I wanted to be ready to call Kenna when I could. Da’s place, a three-story townhome that was a mess of books and papers, was only a few minutes away from the hospital. I headed up to his room and quickly put together a weekend bag of clothes.
As I did, I spotted something most curious. On Da’s nightstand was a photo him and a woman. I stepped closer, picking it up and looking at it. The woman was pretty and middle-aged, with kind eyes and a warm smile, a mop of curly red hair atop her head. The strangest part? Da was smiling in the photo. It was so damn uncanny that I couldn’t do anything but set the photo down and hurry out of there with the bag.
After stopping at the pub for some food, I returned to the hospital. As I approached the door with the bags, I spotted Patrick leaning against the wall next to it.
“Hey!” he whispered. “Come here and look at this.”
Curious, I approached and peeked into the room. Da was laying in the bed, and at his side was the woman in the photo. She was being all kinds of affectionate with him, smoothing his hair and planting kisses on his forehead. Da was eating it up, happy as I’d ever seen him.
“Holy shit!” I said, keeping my voice down. “That’s the woman I saw at this flat! In the photo! Who is she?”
“That’s Da’s girlfriend, believe it or not,” he informed me with awe in his voice. “Name’s Mabel – sweet as they come. She was in Scotland with her family when she got the news and showed up as soon as she could.”
I couldn’t get over what I was seeing. Da, as grumpy and grouchy a man as I’d ever known, looked to be in love.
“That’s almost too strange to see.”
“My thoughts exactly. But I’m happy for the old fart – don’t get me wrong.”
Something else occurred to me as I watched Mabel and Da with one another – if a man like him could show such a side because of a good woman in his life, maybe I could do the same? And that reminded me of my phone, how I needed to talk to Kenna.
Another text let me know that I fucking finally had international service, and I didn’t waste a second calling Kenna. It was early evening in Dublin, which meant late morning for her.
It rang and rang – no answer. I called once more and got the same result.
Anxiety spiked in me, and I ran my hand through my hair. I wanted to talk to her more than anything, to explain myself. But I knew it was good and likely I’d fucked up for good.
And this time, there might not be any more chances.
Chapter 30
KENNA
My lunch sat cold on my desk, my eyes on my phone. I hadn’t touched it since Finn had called.
Over the last day I’d gone over every possible reason why Finn wouldn’t have called me. My overly creative brain had conjured up images of him lounging on some Indonesian beach with a busload of huge-boobed bikini models. I’d created a storyline he’d been on a hiking trip in Ireland and taken a spill, smacked his head on a rock and scrambled his brains.
And, of course, I’d considered the possibility that he simply didn’t want to be a part of my life, of the twins’ lives. Maybe he’d gone back to Ireland and realized America wasn’t for him, that he simply wanted to forget about this strange adventure, to blot it out as if it’d never happened.
Maybe he’d called to tell me that, to give me the slightest bit of consideration by letting me know that he’d thought about being a dad and thanks, but no thanks – none of that for him.
I hated how nervous I felt, how I was acting like some silly teenage girl who’d gotten stood up. After letting out a sigh of frustration at my behavior, I grabbed the phone off my desk and pulled up his number. Before I could call, a Facetime request from Finn flashed on the screen.
I gulped hard. If I were waiting for a sign that it was time to talk to him, I likely wasn’t going to get a better one than this.
After taking a quick look in the mirror to make I was presentable, I answered. His face appeared, stupidly handsome as ever. He even managed to look good in the front-facing camera – a feat I’d always thought impossible.
“Hey, gorgeous,” he said.
“You’ve got a hell of a lot of nerve calling me that after what you pulled. I shouldn’t even be answering your call.”
“You’re right – you shouldn’t. What I did to you was awful. It was inconsiderate and disrespectful. You’ve got good mind to hang up the phone and never let me in your life ever again, let alone in the twins’ lives.”
The cocky, sometimes hot-headed Finn O’Conner was coming to me with respect and contrition. It made me want to hear what more he had to say.
“Before ya decide to tell me to fuck off forever,” he said. “Can I tell you what happened?”
“You’ve got an excuse?”
“I’ve got a reason,” he clarified. “As far as excuses, there’s no excuse for the way I treated you. All I can do is tell you where I am and why.”
I nodded without saying a word, and he explained.
Finn told me about his father, that the night of our dinner he’d found out that he’d suffered a stroke. He told me he and his brother, who happened to be visiting, grabbed the soonest flight they could, their minds on nothing but their dad. He told me he’d remembered to send an email to his work, but in his hurry neglected to mention why he would be gone. Lastly, Finn told me about the issues with his phone, and that as soon as he’d resolved them, he’d called me.
It sounded like too much to believe, but as he spoke, I hear a sincerity in his voice that I’d never known before.
“How is he?”
He nodded. “He’s good, thank you. It all ended up being less serious than we’d expected. And…ah, I found out that he’s been seeing someone.” A bashful smile formed on his lips, as if was sheepishly excited by this. I found his reaction adorable.
“What’s the story?” I asked, eager to hear.
“Da’s
in a bit of rough shape, but they’re thinking he’ll be right enough to leave in a few days. Then after that, he’s gonna need a little care at home for a week or two. His girlfriend’s happy to do it, but Patrick and I want to help out a bit before leaving the old man to her. So I’ll be back in about two weeks.”
A question hung in the air, and I was sure he was thinking the same time. What would happen when he came back?
“Kenna, I’m sure you’re angry with me, and I don’t blame you one bit. But since coming here I’ve had a chance to think about what I want, and it’s you, Kenna. It’s you and the twins and a life together as a family. A family that comes first, one that I’m there for, no matter what life throws at us.”
Tears formed in my eyes as he said the exact words I’d been waiting to hear, but I held back still, not letting all my walls down so easily.
“That’s…I’m glad to hear it, Finn. But you’ve got some work to do, some trust to rebuild.”
“And I’m ready to do it. Whatever it takes to prove to you that I’m ready to be the man I should’ve been, and the father Sam and Sophia deserve.”
More tears formed, and I held the phone away so he couldn’t see me wipe them. I faced the phone again, a little choked up, and said, “Okay, let’s try this. We can talk, alright? We can call each other and just talk. You can tell me how your dad is, I can tell you about the kids. Does…does that sound good?”
He smiled warmly. “That sounds perfect. I see you’re at work right now, so how about later tonight? I can check in and we can chat a bit.”
I nodded, unable to speak.
“Eight your time. And...and when you’re ready, maybe I can talk to the kids?”
“I’m sure we can work something out. Alright?”
“Alright.”
After our goodbyes I hung up and collapsed into my chair. And I cried. Relief and happiness and excitement rushed through me.
I was giving him one more chance, and despite how much I still kind of wanted to smack him, I had to admit it, I was rooting for the guy.
* * *
The next two weeks passed in a wild blur of work and phone calls and event planning and so much more. Gia and I worked together on the Valentine’s event; I did the heavy lifting so she could present it to Marla.
The plan was that once the ball had gone off without a hitch, we’d reveal to Marla that I was the one who’d been running point. We’d make sure to point out that everything had been approved by Gia, of course, but Marla didn’t need to know that this was nothing more than a formality.
And Finn. We’d talked that night, of course, and every night after. I developed a bit of a routine over the next two weeks, working and taking care of the kids and winding down to talk to Finn after they were tucked into bed.
We talked about everything. He told me about Dublin and his life there, about his brother and his photography adventures, and about his curmudgeonly father as he recovered. We talked like old friends, like two teenagers in love who couldn’t wait to see each other again. One night, I told him I needed a date for the Valentine’s Day event, and he didn’t hesitate before asking me if I’d let him take me. I said yes.
The evenings ticked by like this, and soon it was the day he was set to come back, the day of the gala.
The day was crazy. Gia and I and a hand-picked team of staff worked to make sure the event hall looked perfect, exactly how I’d designed and Marla had approved and Gia had signed off on. And it was damn beautiful. Shimmering silvers and deep reds and vibrant purples dominated the hall, the tables decorated lavishly. Marla was beside herself when she visited to give it the final seal of approval, not bothered in the slightest when Gia told her I was the one in charge of it all.
There was dancing and dinner and wine and all the rest, hundreds of the city’s wealthiest there to celebrate. And toward the end, as the party died down, a final limo showed up to drop off one last guest. I waited by the front doors of the event hall and watched as the door opened, the man I’d been waiting for stepping out to greet me.
“Hey there, gorgeous.”
He was like something out of a dream, tall and handsome and dressed like a damn GQ model in a sexy-as-fuck tux. I was wearing a dress, sure, but I was still working – that meant I had sneakers on beneath the gown. He didn’t care about my silly shoes.
As he walked toward me, all I could think was how fucking happy I was that he was back in my life.
Chapter 31
FINN
She was so damn beautiful that I almost couldn’t bear the sight of her. We strode toward one another like we were the only people in the world, and the moment I was near enough I wrapped my arm around her waist and put my lips on hers.
Something was different about this kiss, something that felt like a fire being lit in my soul. I kissed her deeply, passionately, the blood rushing to my cock. At that moment, she was all I wanted.
“Nice Reeboks,” I commented, glancing down at the sneakers hidden beneath the hem of her flowing gown.
She laughed. “Hard to run around barking orders when you’re wearing pumps, you know?”
I glanced back at the limo I’d rented for the evening. “How about we get them off? And maybe we take a few more bits of clothes off along with them?”
She laughed. “Smooth.”
My hand on the back of her head, I gazed into her gorgeous eyes, her beauty like a warm cinch around my heart.
“I love you, Kenna.”
I’d known I wanted to say the words, but I’d imagined them coming out differently. I imagined taking my time, waiting for just the right moment. But after so much damn time apart, holding her in my arms after being damn near certain I’d never see her again…that was the right moment.
“I love you, too,” she replied.
My heart felt so warm, so full of love, that it seemed on the verge of bursting. I wanted to freeze that moment, to live in it forever. But more than that, I wanted her alone.
I helped her back up to her feet and placed my hand on the small of her back. “Come on.”
We hurried to the limo, and I opened the door as we climbed in back. I told the driver to take us around, no destination in mind. Once we were on our way, I pressed the button for the partition to rise.
And then we were all over each other.
Kenna and I kissed like we’d never kissed before, our arms wrapped around one another, our bodies pressed hard together. My mouth opened and so did hers, our tongues intertwining and her heavenly taste filling my mouth.
The more we kissed, the more I wanted her. There was love and passion and romance in the air, as if all the feelings we’d been bottling up over the last few months were finally being released.
And speaking of release – the moment I was alone with her all I could think about was being inside her, feeling her warmth wrapped around me. During our kiss, I hiked the bottom of her dress up, exposing her bare thighs and the black thong she wore underneath. Without hesitation, I moved my hand along her inner thigh, squeezing the ripe flesh and reaching between her legs. Kenna’s eyes widened with pleasure and surprise as I slipped my fingers under her panties. Her pussy was warm and wet.
She moaned and squirmed as I fingered her, quickly bringing her to the first orgasm.
“Someone was waiting for that one,” I said with a smile, her chest rising and falling with relief and pleasure.
“Cocky as always,” she said, a blissed smile on her face.
I glanced down at her shoes. “You can leave those on if you want. They’re actually kinda sexy, in an awkward kind of way.”
She laughed, giving me a playful jab. “Then they’re staying on – whether you’re joking or not.”
I put my hands back on her hips, and Kenna lowered the top of her dress under her beautiful breasts were exposed. I learned forward and covered those perfect orbs in kisses, paying special attention to her nipples. She moaned as I kissed her, running her hands through my thick head of hair.
; I swept my arm under her and laid her onto the soft leather of the limo seat, her eyes wide as I positioned myself over her. We stripped as fast as we could, my cock practically leaping out into her hand as I pulled down my pants and boxer-briefs as I kicked off my shoes and socks.
She licked her lips and gazed into my eyes as she guided my cock closer and closer to her entrance. And when I was in position, she placed her hands on my ass and gently pushed me inside.
There was nothing, nothing like the sensation of being inside Kenna. And if there had been any doubt that I loved her, that she was the woman for me, it was totally obliterated by that moment of perfect union, our bodies illuminated by the lights of the city.
I moved in her as Kenna tilted her head back and opened her mouth, taking in one sharp breath after another. Our bodies fell into a perfect rhythm, our hips joined, her legs wrapped around me. I thrust into her again and again, bringing her to another orgasm.
When it faded, Kenna guided me up into a sitting position, her breasts in my face as she rode me, our eyes not leaving one another’s. She moved faster and faster until I was on the verge of losing control.
“Come with me,” I whispered, gazing into her eyes.
She nodded quickly before biting her lower lip, her walls tightening as she came once more. Kenna enveloped me in her sensual heat, her velvet tight around my cock and guiding me to an orgasm that was like nothing I’d ever known.
The orgasms hit their glorious crescendos and faded. Moments later, I held her in my arms, saying nothing as we watched the city pass us by.
“Your dad,” she murmured, breaking the silence. “Was he…I don’t know how to ask this, but…were you two…”
“Are things good between us?” I asked. “Yeah. Well, they’re better. Turns out having a stroke is a good way for a man to realize what’s important in life. And he told me.”
The Irish Doctor’s Secret Babies: A Secret Baby Romance Page 21