Up Close and Personal

by Maureen Child

  Frowning, Ronan sat down at his desk, then reached for the phone and stabbed in a number. In a moment or two, the connection was made and on the second ring a familiar voice spoke up, the music of Ireland coloring his words.

  “Ronan. That you?”

  “Who else would it be calling from my phone?” he countered.

  “Thought it would be one of your minions as I knew you were out protecting that awful child singer.”

  “I’m back,” he said, though he had to admit the child in question really was terrible. How she became a sensation was beyond Ronan. “And I’ve been to Laura’s to collect my dog.”

  “Ah, Beast,” Sean said. “And how is he then?”

  “I wouldn’t know. Barely caught a glimpse of him.” And that fact was still irritating. No one got the best of Ronan Connolly. Yet, for the moment, Laura seemed to have managed the impossible.

  “Well why the hell didn’t you?”

  “She wouldn’t let me in her bloody house,” Ronan ground out.

  “Ah. Still angry then, is she?”

  “Angry she is, about what I’ve no idea.”

  Sean actually chuckled. “She seemed no fan of you when I spoke with her last.”

  “It makes no sense,” he muttered, more to himself than his cousin. The woman had been cool as cream when he’d ended their relationship two months ago. She’d not argued with him over it. Though he thought back now and remembered the flash in her eyes as she stood in her doorway blocking his entrance like a virgin guarding her virtue.

  “Women are confusing creatures at the best of times,” Sean said. “Maybe she’s simply wanting you back again, though why she would is beyond my imaginings.”

  Ronan scraped one hand across his face. Was that what this was all about? Did she want him back in her bed and thought holding his dog a prisoner a way to accomplish it? “If that’s all it is, why doesn’t she just bloody say so?”

  “If I understood women,” Sean told him, “I’d write a book and make a fortune selling it to the rest of the men in the world.”

  Good point, Ronan thought.

  “So, how will you get Beast back if she won’t let you in the house?”

  “I’m working on that. But why the devil you took my dog to my ex is still beyond me. What were you thinking, Sean?”

  “I had to move fast. The Knock airport was meeting on whether or not to allow my jets a slot in their schedule. Had to be here to win the battle.”

  That he could understand, Ronan thought grimly. Business came first in the Connolly family. And his cousin was no different than he. Sean had been working for months, trying to wedge his airline, Irish Air, into the flight schedule at Knock, an international airport in the west of Ireland. “And did you win?”

  “Of course,” Sean said. “Irish Air will now be flying to the Continent three flights a day. To start,” he added. “We’ll build from there.”

  “Congratulations then. I might not push my fist into your face after all.”

  “It’s appreciated,” Sean said with a laugh. “Though I remember the last time we brawled, it was your nose that was broken, not mine.”

  “True.” Ronan lifted one hand and rubbed a fingertip over the bump in his nose. “I still owe you for that.”

  “No hurry to pay me back on that one.” The roar of a jet taking off sounded in the background and Sean waited until it died away before continuing. “How much longer will you be in California then?”

  “Not sure,” Ronan admitted, swinging his desk chair around to stare out at the sweep of sea and sky. Dark gray clouds roiled overhead while the ocean, the color of pewter, frothed with whitecaps. The view reminded him of home—dark skies, wind howling, the churning ocean—and he suddenly missed Ireland with a sharp pang. “I’ve yet to find a place suitable for the permanent offices. Until I do that, I’ll be staying.”

  “So there’s time then to win your dog back from Laura.”

  Scowling at the phone, Ronan snapped, “There’s no reason to ‘win’ him back. He’s mine, isn’t he?”

  “Well then, go claim your mutt and let me get back to the meeting you’ve pulled me out of.”

  Ronan hung up soon after and was still frowning when there was a sharp knock on his door. Pushing thoughts of Laura, Sean and anything else that wasn’t centered on business from his mind, Ronan stood and called, “Come in.”

  Brian opened the door, then stepped back to allow a couple to enter the room. “Mr. and Mrs. Benson, Ronan Connolly.”

  “Thank you, Brian,” Ronan said, and waved a hand at the chairs in front of his desk. Speaking to the husband and wife, he said, “Please, sit down.”

  “Thank you for seeing us,” Maria said, folding her hands over the top of the designer bag she held in her lap.

  Ronan nodded and shifted his gaze to her husband. “Happy to. What can Cosain do to help?”

  As Jeremy Benson started talking, Ronan lasered his focus on the task at hand. Just as later he would use that same focus on the problem of Laura.

  * * *

  Beast was snoring.

  It was a comforting sound, since Laura was pleased at least one of them was getting some sleep.

  Outside, the storm was still raging, sending fits of wind-driven rain pelting at her windows. It was a cozy sound, one she normally would have enjoyed. Tonight, it was simply background noise to the thoughts churning in her brain.

  She kept hearing Ronan’s voice in her mind, the music of his accent and the way it deepened and thickened when he was angry. She saw his mouth, tight and grim, his eyes flashing and couldn’t help remembering the sizzle in the air between them.

  Trying to sleep was pointless, since she couldn’t seem to settle, so instead, she sat propped up in bed, a romance novel open in her hands, lamplight spilling across a page she had already read ten times. It was infuriating to admit that Ronan could so shatter her thoughts she couldn’t even concentrate on reading.

  When she heard the front door open and softly close, she assumed it was Georgia coming back early from her date. Not a good sign, Laura thought and wished her sister could find happiness again. She thought about getting up and checking on her sister, but then they would be drawn into conversation about Georgia’s failed date and Laura’s failed romance. No, thank you.

  Turning slightly, she reached out one hand to the pillow beside her and remembered Ronan lying there, giving her that slow, sly smile that never failed to turn her insides into swirls of lava. She stroked her fingertips over the cold sheets and pretended that she felt instead a warm, muscled Irishman.

  “It was good,” she whispered to the empty room. “For a while anyway, it was very good.”

  Her bedroom door opened, and she turned to face her sister.

  Ronan’s gaze locked with hers. Then he saw her hand, stretched out across the mattress. “Miss me?”

  She jolted up in bed, her book sailing to the floor to land with a thump.

  His hair was damp. Raindrops on his black knit sweater glittered like diamonds in the lamplight and his eyes were fixed on her. Her heart rate jumped into high gear even as a burn of something familiar began inside her.

  “What the— How did you— Why are you—”

  “I’ve still got the key you gave me,” Ronan said, holding it up for her to see before tucking it into the pocket of his faded jeans.

  “Well, give it back.”

  “I’ll not be doing that,” he said, moving into the room and closing the door behind him.

  Laura hitched backward on the bed, plastering herself against the headboard and drawing her pale lemon duvet practically up to her chin. A little late to be protecting herself around Ronan. But knowing her own body’s reactions to him, better safe than sorry.

  That deep burning sensation spread like a wildfire, lighting up her bloodstream and sending her hormones into overdrive. What kind of penance was she paying that even furious with him, even knowing she had to let him go from her life, she still wanted him so badly
her whole body ached with it?

  “What’re you doing here, Ronan?” she demanded, curling her fingers into the silky duvet material as if she were holding on to a lifeline.

  “Came to talk, Laura,” he said, strolling closer to the bed. Closer to her.

  “There’s nothing to talk about, and by the way, why do you still have my key?” And how had she forgotten to get it back? Well, to be fair, when he gave her the speech on how it wasn’t working out and that they wouldn’t be seeing each other again, she’d felt too bruised to remember to ask for it back.

  Which she was kicking herself for now.

  He patted the pocket where he’d deposited the key. “You gave it to me.”

  “We were together at the time,” she pointed out and winced as her own voice went a little high. Beneath their conversation, Beast’s snoring continued on.

  “Could be again,” he said, then glanced down at Beast so he didn’t see Laura’s eyes go wide.

  “Easy to see why you want to keep the Beast,” he noted wryly. “A vicious guard dog such as this one would make you feel safe.”

  Beast snored even louder.

  “He’s company.”

  “Aye,” Ronan mused, “quite the conversationalist.” He bent down, rubbed one hand across Beast’s exposed stomach and said, “Wake up, you lazy hound.”

  The dog’s eyes reluctantly opened. He saw Ronan and rolled over, pushing himself up high enough to welcome his former owner with a kiss.

  Ronan laughed and the sound seemed to rumble through the room before settling in the pit of Laura’s stomach and jittering there. She tried to remind herself that they were exes. Tried to remember how she’d felt the night he left her. Tried to remember the pain she’d suffered later when she lost—

  Steeling herself, she said, “Ronan, you don’t belong here. You should leave.”

  “But I am here, and I’m not ready to go just yet.”

  In the lamplight, his blue eyes shone and she read amusement in their depths, which only served to make her angrier. A good thing.

  “Yes, you’re here. Without invitation.”

  “And would you have invited me in?”

  “No.”

  “There you are then.” He shrugged and took a seat at the end of the bed. Beast moved to lay his big head on Ronan’s thigh and both man and dog watched her.

  He was far too close.

  “So, your guard dog doesn’t seem to mind me being here.”

  Feeling oddly compelled to defend the dog, she said, “He knows I’m not in danger from you.”

  Ronan tilted his head to one side as his gaze speared into hers. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that, were I you.”

  Her stomach did a slow swirl and spin. She shoved one hand through her hair, then grabbed up the duvet again and held it even closer. “Ronan, you should go.”

  “No. Not until you tell me what it is that’s really at the heart of all of this.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She scooted even farther from him, smacking her back against the headboard.

  “Aye, you do, but for some reason, you’re not telling me.” Nodding, he glanced down at the dog, then back to her. “It’s not about Beast at all, is it? There’s something that’s driving you.”

  “If there is, it’s none of your business,” she countered.

  Outside, the wind moaned under the eaves and the rain hammered at the window glass. He was watching her as if waiting for her to speak up and give him exactly what he wanted. Which was just so like him. Well, Laura wasn’t going to satisfy his curiosity.

  “You broke up with me, remember? How did you put it? Oh, yes.” As if she could forget. “I believe your exact words were, It’s been a grand time for the both of us and now it’s done.”

  He frowned thoughtfully. “And you weren’t ready for it, were you, Laura love?”

  She gritted her teeth at the easy endearment, knowing it meant nothing.

  Smiling now, he gave Beast one last pat on the head, then stood up and paced off a few steps before turning and walking back to her. He stopped in the circle of the lamplight and looked down at her thoughtfully. “You see, I’ve done some thinking, and I’ve figured out what the problem is.”

  “Congratulations,” she snapped, scooting to the other side of the mattress. She couldn’t stay in her bed and talk to him. It was disconcerting. Tempting. And oh, how she hated to admit that, even to herself. Once her feet were firmly on the floor she added, “Now, go away.”

  Still smiling, he walked around the bed and came close to her. Here, there were more shadows. The golden glow of the lamp didn’t reach this far. She refused to back up and let him corner her against the wall. So she stood her ground.

  “Don’t you want to know what it is I’ve discovered?”

  “Will it make you leave if I say yes?”

  He grinned. “It might.”

  “Fine.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “What is it then?”

  “This isn’t about keeping my dog from me,” he said, reaching out to lay both hands on her bare shoulders.

  God, why had she worn a tank top to sleep in? She should have worn flannel. Head to toe.

  Heat from his palms slid into her system and washed through her like a fever. She had to fight her own reaction to him. Her own instinct to lean into that broad chest. To go up and kiss that mouth that had done so many amazing things to her such a short while ago.

  “I know what you really want, Laura,” he said and bent down until they were eye to eye. “And I came here tonight to tell you, you don’t have to try this hard to get back into my bed. You’ve only to ask.”

  Time stopped.

  Later, Laura would think she must have been struck dumb to be able to remain speechless for so much as a second after that incredible statement. But she wasn’t quiet for long.

  “You dolt.”

  “What?”

  She brushed his hands off her arms, and then planted both palms on his chest and shoved hard enough to rock him back a couple of steps.

  “Neanderthal.”

  “There’s no reason for all of this, Laura,” he said, that accent of his dancing along her nerve endings, promising romance.

  She fought past it.

  “Are you crazy? You really think I took Beast to get you back?”

  “What other reason would there be?” he asked, irritation now sparking in eyes that were still glinting with desire.

  “Oh, I don’t know. Because I felt sorry for the dog? Because I didn’t want to see him abandoned? Because I think you’re a big jerk who doesn’t deserve Beast?”

  “Now just hang on—”

  “No.”

  “So you’re saying you feel nothing for me,” he said, taking a stand, unmovable no matter how hard she pushed.

  “I am,” she said, glaring at him since that was all that was left to do.

  “You’re a liar.”

  “You—”

  He swooped in then. Simply grabbed her up, yanked her in close and claimed her mouth in a kiss that stole what breath she had and fogged her mind. Sensations coursed through her in a wild stream. The feel of his mouth on hers. The taste of him. His strong arms holding her pinned to his chest. All of these things and more tied her up into so many knots, Laura was helpless to unravel any of them.

  And she didn’t care to.

  Instead, she surrendered to the lush moment. Gave herself up to the rush of being in Ronan’s arms again. Even though she knew it was a mistake she would regret deeply in the morning, for this one instant, she simply let herself feel.

  And just as she was really beginning to enjoy herself, it was over.

  He let her go and took a step back. Even with her mind reeling, she saw amusement in his eyes again and wanted to kick herself.

  “I think we’ve both got our answers now,” he said.

  “Get out,” she whispered.

  Behind them, Beast whimpered.

  “All right.”
/>   Surprised, she watched him warily. “Just like that?”

  He shrugged. “I’ll not stay when you tell me to go. But I won’t stay away, Laura. What’s between you and me isn’t done, is it?”

  “Yes,” she said, realizing how stupid that sounded coming from a woman who had just willingly given herself up to a kiss hot enough to burn down the house. “It is.”

  He reached out, cupped her cheek in one palm and stroked her skin with his thumb. “We’ll see about that, won’t we?”

  “Why, Ronan? You left two months ago without looking back. Why do you care now?”

  He let his hand drop. “There’s something you’re not telling me, Laura. You want me, that’s easy enough to see…”

  She grimaced and huffed out a breath.

  “But it’s more than that, and I think you know it. There’s something…else. And I’ll know what it is before we’re done.”

  She was in trouble, and she knew it. Her own body betrayed her when she was around Ronan. And she knew, if he put his mind to it, he would discover the truth about the surprise pregnancy that had ended in a miscarriage. Maybe Georgia was right. Maybe she should just tell him.

  But the baby was her secret. Her loss.

  She’d known from the first that there was no future in a relationship with Ronan. The day he’d walked into their real estate office and told her in brief, concise terms exactly what he wanted. What he needed from her. And maybe it had been the Irish accent that had done most of the seducing. But it hadn’t mattered in the end. She’d allowed herself to be swept up into an affair that had burned so brightly, it had gone to ash before its time.

  “Now, see there,” he whispered. “It’s that flash of something…off…in your eyes that intrigues me. You’ve a secret, Laura.”

  “No, I don’t,” she lied.

  He laughed and shook his head. “All women have their secrets, darlin’,” he said, “and all men find a way to reveal them.”