After enduring another hour of mingling and skillfully evading personal questions, Faith sought a few moments of solitude in the shadows of the tall arborvitae that bordered Elsa’s massive patio. Matt was now flanked by another brunette and a pixie-ish looking blonde, though he didn’t seem to mind so much. She saw a couple of the men looking around for her and sighed, wishing she could just close her eyes and become invisible.
“Didn’t go with the ipecac, huh?” Kieran’s deep, velvety voice teased her ear. Forgetting where she was, she spun around and nearly launched herself into his arms, the sound of his voice was so welcome.
“Kieran!” she exclaimed in hushed tones. “Am I happy to see you! What are you doing here?”
He chuckled, the low tones warming her from the inside out. “Why, rescuing you, of course.”
She blinked, then a low grin spread across her features. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. But I have to warn you – it may ruin your chances with a few of those fine eligible bachelors out there.”
Faith glanced toward the patio and suppressed a shudder. “Hmm. Sounds serious.”
His eyes darkened. It was incredibly sexy, and something deep inside her clenched.
“Oh, it is,” he answered, his voice dropping an octave, and Faith wasn’t sure he was kidding anymore. “But it will get those guys to stop sniffing around you. Are you game?”
She inhaled, taking in the deliciously masculine scent of Kieran. She hadn’t realized she’d become so fond of it. Or of him. But after spending a very long afternoon playing Elsa’s version of “The Dating Game”, she realized that no one came remotely close to Kieran on the desirability scale, even if they were only friends.
“Absolutely,” she nodded.
“Good girl,” he said, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead that nearly had her swooning. “Stay out here for another five minutes, then make your way back to the patio.”
“But where are you - ” She turned, but Kieran was already gone. She shook her head. How did a man that large move so quickly and quietly? Must be something they taught to SEALs, she realized. After all, they couldn’t exactly send in soldiers like bulls in a china shop now, could they?
She remained hidden in the shadows, wondering what he was up to. Within a few minutes, she heard Elsa’s twittering but very pleased voice.
“What a lovely surprise!” Elsa was saying. Kieran murmured something; from this distance Faith could only identify the deep, resonating timbre of his voice but not what he said. Whatever it was, it made Elsa laugh in delight.
A peek between the bushes revealed Kieran emerging from Elsa’s house onto the patio, with the older woman holding on to his arm and beaming up at him. He, in turn, looked at her as if he was the luckiest man in the world to have her on his arm. Female heads turned en masse, all drawn to the finely sculpted figure that was her knight. The thought made her tingle in some very private places.
Kieran said hello to a few people. It appeared that he knew everyone there, but that made sense. He’d lived here his entire life, and Kieran Callaghan was not a man easily overlooked in any event.
He looked especially good today, Faith thought. When he’d surprised her earlier she’d been so happy to see him that she hadn’t noticed what he was wearing, but from her hiding place amongst the arborvitae she was able to gawk her fill. Faded, well-fitting Levi’s clung to his muscular legs. A navy blue button-down with the sleeves rolled up enough to glimpse his muscular forearms. And boots – black Harley Davidsons that had a very distinctive sound with each step, one that caught your attention and made you look.
There was no doubt about it. Her knight was one damn fine looking man.
Faith caught Kieran’s discreet glances toward her location and realized that she must have been ogling him for some time. A soft blush colored her cheeks when she caught the amused, knowing look in his eye.
Kieran leaned down and said something to Elsa, making the older woman’s eyes widen. Elsa followed his gaze to Faith and she beamed. Literally.
Feeling more than a few curious eyes on her, Faith made her way over to them, silently praying she didn’t trip and do a header into the pool in the process. Kieran’s intense gaze remained glued to her. Heads turned and conversations stopped as others looked back and forth between them.
Kieran grinned devilishly. What was he up to?
“You look stunning, Faith, as always,” he said, capturing her hand and bringing it to his lips. “Are you ready?”
It was hard to form a cohesive thought with Kieran’s lips on her skin like that. “Ready?” she murmured.
Kieran grinned wider. Oh, the devil knew exactly what he was doing. “Yes.” He paused as an amused expression crept across his perfectly sculpted features. “Don’t tell me you forgot?”
Elsa tut-tutted and clucked her tongue in mild admonishment.
“No, of course not,” Faith improvised. “I’m afraid I just lost track of time.”