He paused, then stuttered out a laugh. “I’m thinkin’ the new Marvel one. A wild ride with superheroes and explosions and sharp one-liners. We need to have some fun.”
“Sounds perfect to me.”
Chapter Eleven
‡
As the lights dimmed in the cinema, Maura and Aidan put their 3D glasses on and sat back to enjoy the film. The sound seemed louder than usual, but Maura chalked that up to her nerves. Because although she’d gone to the pictures with Aidan a hundred times before, this time was different. They were on a date.
She’d left work an hour early to pick up Chloe early so she could get home and do all the feminine prep she could. Long shower, deep conditioning her hair, even shaving her legs. She’d actually fretted over what to wear, which she’d never done before when it came to going anywhere with Aidan. A dress? Jeans and a T-shirt? Casual, dressy, sexy… what to do? After a good bout of self-recrimination for being foolish, she decided on jeans and a royal purple silk top that made her feel pretty.
She didn’t usually wear makeup, but tonight she put on some mascara and a bit of lip color. The first shade of lipstick was too dark, and she wiped it off impatiently. She felt like a little girl playing with her mum’s cosmetics, and looking just as silly. She didn’t have to play the part of someone else, what was she doing? Tinted lip balm was fine. If Aidan had truly loved her all this time, that was what he usually saw, so it must be fine.
He’d shown up at her house with a bouquet of pale pink roses for her; he knew it was her favorite color. Wearing jeans and a pale blue button-down shirt with the top two buttons open, his thick hair somewhat tamed and his angular face shaved clean… he smiled and her heart fluttered. It actually fluttered. Good lord, since when did she find him so damn sexy?
“It’s good to see you,” he said earnestly, leaning against the doorframe as his eyes travelled over her. “Damn. You look really pretty.”
“Thank you,” she murmured, feeling a hint of a blush creep into her cheeks.
“I, ehm… I missed ya, believe it or not.”
She blinked, then tried to joke, “Since when can’t ya live without seeing me for four days?”
His smile turned crooked, almost wistful, as his eyes flickered away for a moment before returning to her face. The emotions, so clear in his marine blue gaze, startled her. Oh God. He really is in love with me. How didn’t I see this before? It made her stomach do a little flip.
“C’mon,” he said, straightening. “Let’s go have a good time.”
They drove the twenty-five minutes into Dublin, making small talk about various neighborhoods in the city that might be a good place for them to live. He told her how he’d asked some coworkers with kids about schools for Chloe and such; she told him how she’d started to research schools online. They talked about where to go for dinner after the movie. They talked about his friend Baz and her friend Kathleen and their reactions to the big news and about everything accept what they were both truly thinking about. What hung in the air around them like a heavy cloak, threaded with hidden sparks of electricity. He kept his eyes on the road and she kept hers on the scenery, because every time their gazes met, it was like an electric charge.
Now, as the previews ended and the film began, Maura snuck a glance at Aidan’s profile. Her best friend… her fiancé. Behind his 3D glasses, his stare was focused on the screen. His high cheekbones and strong jaw looked smooth and sure, begging for her fingertips to stroke them. He looked relaxed, confident, and deliciously masculine. This beautiful man was her fiancé now. He’d be her husband. The man at her back. Not that he hadn’t been already, really. But now she’d spend the rest of her life with him, if things worked out. And why wouldn’t they work out? If she could just wrap her head around the intimate parts that went along with marriage…
With a mental swat at herself, she took a deep, cleansing breath, ready to sit back and let her mind be totally commandeered for two plus hours. It was a relief, actually, to not have to think about the week she’d had and all the worries that constantly swirled as a result.
A few minutes in, Aidan reached for her hand and held it gently. His skin was warm and firm and a little flush of something went through her. Delight. Pleasure. He’d held her hand a million times… but it hadn’t resonated like this. There was something beyond the usual affection in the way he held her hand now, something… more. His intimate touch sent little tingles up her arm.
It was an interesting development, these new feelings that kept taking her by surprise. Ever since he’d kissed her that first time, whenever he touched her it elicited new reactions that were thrilling. And, like now, leaving her a little flustered, making her heart rate pick up a bit. She liked it. Not taking her eyes from the screen, she tenderly squeezed his hand. He threaded his fingers through hers, caressed the top of her hand with his thumb, and held on for the rest of the film.
*
When Aidan and Maura walked out of the cinema, they were pumped with adrenaline, talking excitedly about the film. It had been a great choice—a rollicking ride, nothing overly emotional or cerebral, just loud, wild fun that had them both wired and ready to go.
The late May night was cool but comfortable. While they’d been inside, twilight had settled over the city. The vibrant sights and sounds around them seemed to only lift their spirits higher. He reached for her hand again as they walked along the streets of City Centre until they reached their next destination, an upscale Italian restaurant he’d heard about from his boss.
As he held open the glass door for her, she thanked him and said, “I’ve never been here before.”
“Neither have I.” He followed her inside. “But I hear the food is excellent.”
“Looks a bit fancy for the likes of us,” she joked in a whisper.
“Maybe for the likes of me,” he whispered back, “but not you, beautiful girl.”
She blinked and smiled, obviously taken aback, but pleased, too.
“I wanted us to go somewhere we’d never been before,” he said. “It’s our first real date… new chapter of our relationship… new places. Everything’s new tonight.”
“I like that,” she said quietly.
With a grin, he slipped an arm around her waist as he told the maître d’ they had a reservation, then moved his hand to the small of her back as they were taken to the table. He couldn’t keep his hands off her tonight. She looked gorgeous in that top, a regal purple that flattered her, and the V-neck gave just a hint of her cleavage. She’d even worn makeup, and he appreciated that she’d wanted to do that for him. But on top of all that, did she have to smell so damn good it made his mouth water? All through the film, he’d breathed in her light, floral scent, intoxicated by her.
But best of all, she’d seemed to finally start to relax. The movie was fun, her eyes were bright and her smile easy… and she let him keep touching her. Sometimes, she shyly but definitely initiated it. It was amazing.
Now, here they were, being seated in this elegant, attractive restaurant like any other couple out on a Saturday night, and it was both exciting and like the most natural thing in the world. If he’d been nervous about her holding on to anger about how he’d botched everything in the past few days—blurting how he was in love with her in a flash meltdown, then not calling her for two days—he knew now they were fine. Maura had always been quick to forgive and forget with him, something he was grateful for.
Sitting across the table from him, framed by crystal, silver, fine china, and candlelight, she was striking. Her long hair tumbled over her shoulders, and she swept it back haphazardly as she pored over the menu. He saw her eyes widen a drop before snapping up to his face.
“Aidan,” she whispered. “These prices… who in bloody hell told you to bring me here, Bill Gates?”
He chuckled low and said, “Not quite. It was Douglas.”
Her brows shot up. “You asked your boss where to go for a fancy dinner?”
“Aye.”
“That’s the one.”
“And you listened to him? Aidan—”
“Stop.” His gaze pinned her. “I wanted to take you somewhere special. Somewhere decadent and lovely and memorable. It’s our first real date. I’ve… been waiting years for this. Let me enjoy spoiling you a wee bit.” His voice softened. “And let yourself enjoy it, too. Can ya do that for me, Em?”
Her mouth twisted, something between a grin and a grimace. “Oh, sweetheart, of course I can. I already have been.” She reached for his hand across the table, and he slipped his into hers. She squeezed and said, “In case you didn’t know, I appreciate everything you’re doing tonight. The lengths you’re going to. Flowers at my door, a fun movie, dinner at this extravagant place… whatever comes next. But Aidan, you don’t have to try to… impress me, ya know?”
“I know that,” he said. “I’m trying to romance you. That’s different.”
She bit down on her lip, trying to repress a smile. It didn’t work. He watched it bloom across her beautiful face and something in him flamed.
“Is it working?” he stage whispered, only half joking.
She nodded and admitted, “You bet it is.” She squeezed his hand again and rubbed the top with her thumb, the way he had to hers in the cinema. “If you want to impress me, it’ll be hard, because I already think you’re wonderful. You’re already my knight in shining armor, Aidan McKinnon.”
“Aw, c’mon now,” he said dismissively, but couldn’t wipe the besotted grin from his face for anything.
“There’s only one thing I can think of tonight that would impress me, absolutely knock me off my feet.”
His brows lifted as curiosity gripped him. “What’s that?”
“Tell me the truth about your feelings for me,” she said quietly, her eyes holding his. “What you’ve been holding out on me for years. All of it.”
A chill skittered over him and his mouth went dry. Damn him for a coward. “I… I’m not quite ready to go into that just now.” He tried to pull his hand from hers, but she held tight. Desperation coursed through him as he met her demanding gaze. “Later, okay? After we’ve both got a few drinks in us. Please.”
She held his eyes and his hand a moment longer, then released both. “Okay.” She picked up the menu again and looked it over.
His head inclined as he slanted her a sharp look. “That was too easy.”
She shrugged, the picture of nonchalance, as she studied her menu. “Dates usually end in a kiss, right?”
His libido flared at the thought. “Ehm… hopefully.”
“Well, you won’t be getting any kisses until you tell me some truths. So…” Her eyes didn’t lift from the menu, but the corners of her sweet mouth turned up in a grin, almost a smirk.
The little minx had him, and he knew it. Bloody hell.
“You drive a hard bargain.” He growled. “But I bet, as the night goes on, I can get you to want me to kiss you so bad that you’ll ask me to.”
At that, her eyes snapped up to meet his. “You’re bettin’ me, now?”
“Aye.” He nodded firmly, unable to hold back his own teasing grin. “I am.”
She laughed, but only said, “Game on, darling.”
His heart expanded in his chest. “I adore you.”
“Sweet talk won’t break me,” she said.
“Mmmm, but it’s fun to try. Besides… I have secret weapons.”
Her pale blue eyes brightened. “Oh, really.”
He waggled his brows as the waiter approached their table. “You’ll see.”
*
Dinner was grand, a decadently delicious feast, followed by tiramisu for two that was possibly the best Maura had ever tasted. Her blood hummed with anticipation, wondering what Aidan would do next. He’d wined and dined her for sure; they’d split a bottle of shiraz between them, leaving her buzzed but not drunk… and ready for whatever these secret weapons were he’d alluded to. The game between them now, seeing who could get whom to cave and ask for a kiss first, was a perfect, fun distraction.
But as they walked along the busy streets, she warned him, “I haven’t forgotten the initial request. You have to talk to me, you know this.”
“I do.” He conceded, wrapping an arm around her waist. “But I’ve managed to not talk about it for ten years. You’ll understand my wanting to put it off just a wee bit longer.”
“No, actually, I don’t. And I won’t let you.” She turned to him and stopped short, making him all but slam into her. “I want to know.” Her face was inches from his, and her heart started beating in thicker, heavier beats. She lifted her hand to hold his face, and his eyes widened a drop. “You can tell me anything. Since when do you not know that?”
He stared at her, the conflict there obvious. “All right. Fine. I’m in love with you. There, I told you the most important part.”
She shook her head and lifted her other hand, cupping his face and holding. “All these years? Seriously?”
He nodded, his eyes intense as they locked on hers. He sighed softly before he said, “Since day one.”
A group of young men parted around them, laughing and talking loudly. Aidan and Maura didn’t move, focused on each other as if in a trance.
“Why didn’t you ever tell me?” she whispered desperately.
She watched his eyes darken, saw the hesitance there before he finally said, “At first, you were with Jimmy. When I met ya, you two were already a couple.”
“I can’t believe I never suspected.”
“I’m a McKinnon, I’m good at swallowing my feelings when I have to. ’Tis a family trait, ya know.” His eyes searched hers. “Then after that, the timing never seemed right, and… I just… aye, fine, I was afraid. Because if I told you how I felt, and you didn’t want that, and it made you uncomfortable, maybe even enough to want to distance yourself from me…” A muscle twitched by his eye. “I couldn’t bear that. The most important thing was that I wanted you in my life. I wasn’t willing to risk losing you, so being best friends was enough. Because you’re… everything to me, really.”
A breeze blew, flinging her hair into her eyes, which were wide with astonishment.
His hand lifted to sweep it back and tuck it behind her ears as he murmured, “That’s why I dated like I have, never settling with any one woman for long. Not because I like playing the field, or I’m commitment phobic, or whatever the hell you said.” He trailed the backs of his fingers along her cheek, and his voice was rough as he admitted, “I tried to find someone else, I did, but no one else came close. It’s always been you, Em.”
Her eyes stung as the enormity of his confession seeped into her brain. Her hands fell from his face to drop onto his shoulders as she gaped at him. The thought of him holding all that inside, all this time, was… God, it was heartbreaking. She ached for him.
“Would you ever have told me?” she finally managed.
A hint of a grin lightened his features. “You know how I wanted to take you to New York with me?”
She nodded.
“I couldn’t take it anymore. I was finally going to tell you on that trip. Try and sweep ya off your feet. But, ehm…” He shrugged and blushed adorably. “Cat’s out of the bag now, eh? I still want to take you to New York, though. We’ve always wanted to go, so I hope—”
The swell of emotions inside her rose and crested like a tidal wave. She grabbed his face and crushed her mouth to his, kissing him with abandon.
Chapter Twelve
‡
Aidan’s mind reeled. Maura was kissing him, passionately, in the middle of a crowded Dublin street. How many times had he dreamed of this? His arms banded around her, holding her to him as his mouth took hungrily from hers. Their bodies melted together as their lips and tongues tangled, the sudden passionate fervor between them firing his entire body to life.
And she was right there with him. He could feel it in the way she arched to be closer t
o him, the searing heat and recklessness of their embrace, how she whimpered into his mouth as he held her head and kissed her back with everything he had. It didn’t matter that they were on one of the busiest streets in Dublin; it felt like the whole world had fallen away, and there was only the two of them. He kissed her with all the love he’d held back for so, so long.
Her breasts pressed against his chest and he couldn’t help himself, his hands went down to her shapely arse to squeeze it and nudge her hips against his. Dammit, he had a raging hard-on. How was he supposed to walk along with her? Tearing himself away, he leaned his forehead against hers. He had to calm down. They stared into each other’s eyes, both panting, the current of pure electricity still sparking between them.
“You kissed me,” he murmured. “You lose.”
“The hell I do.” She stared at him in wonder. “I’m marrying a man who can kiss like that? If I knew you could kiss like that, I’d have jumped you years ago. How dare you hold that out on me, ya selfish fool.”
His eyes slipped closed as he breathed out a laugh. “My God, I love you so.”
She brushed her lips against his. His fingers sifted through her hair, holding her to him for a few more sips from her lips. But this time, it was she who pulled back and asked, “Where are we going next?”
His eyes sparkled. “Wherever you want.”
She shifted and looked around, as if suddenly realizing they weren’t alone, but in the middle of City Centre. He watched her blink away the haze of lust that had clouded her eyes as she took a step back. “Why don’t we go to a pub? I need a drink.”
“That makes two of us.” He quirked a grin, slid his arm around her waist, and guided her up the street without letting go, holding her close to his side, savoring every second. This was quickly becoming the best night of his life.
*
They found a lively pub on the next corner, McCrite’s Ale House. Aidan had been there before, but Maura hadn’t, so it went along enough with his rule of only new places for their first date. They sat in a corner, close to each other, and had a pint as she coaxed him to tell her more of the things he’d been holding back from her.
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