He mistook my response. As I threw the car into park and unbuckled my seatbelt, he started to apologize. “Ach, I’ve behaved as a fool, Grace. Forgive me. I dinna mean any disrespect to ye. I meant it as a compliment. I dinna wish for ye to think that I was bored with ye. I know the conversation may have seemed that way. I’m sorry. Truly. I doona know…I am no verra good at speaking with women.”
“Hush.” I was certain my eyes were hazy with lust. I scarcely knew how to handle the emotion, it had been so very long since I’d felt it. My entire body trembling with my desire for him, I placed one finger on his lips, just long enough to silence him and then I pressed my lips against his.
It surprised him, I could tell by his short intake of breath, but he responded immediately. Groaning into my mouth, a deep, guttural noise that made my stomach muscles clench as his left hand moved to the back of my head, pulling me closer.
It was perfect, yet restrictive. I couldn’t stand to continue kissing him with the barrier of the console between us. I wanted him closer, wanted to deepen our kiss. “Wait. I…” my words were shaky. I breathed deeply trying to catch my breath. “I did that too soon. I’m sorry.”
He laughed a bit, but allowed me to pull away. “It was no too soon for me, lass.”
“That’s not what I meant.” I started the car, throwing it into drive so that we could get back to the inn and resume our kissing outside the vehicle. “I want to be closer to you than I can be in the car. Let me get us to the inn.”
I saw his grin from the corner of my eye as he moved to brush a strand of hair behind my ear. “Do ye? Well, I willna deny ye that.”
I couldn’t finish the remaining mile fast enough, but after seeing lights still on inside the inn, I parked the car quietly, hoping Cooper wouldn’t see us pull up. He’d rush outside to greet us if he did.
We exited the car in sync and, after a brief moment, I crushed myself against him once again, not hearing the front door of the inn open or the footsteps that approached us as I lost myself in Eoghanan’s kiss.
“Mom, look who’s here.”
I stilled instantly, mortified that my young son had caught me making out like some hormone-crazed teenager. I didn’t even care who was there, nothing or no one could embarrass me more than I already was…or so I thought.
“Tough day of work, huh Grace?” Jeffrey stood next to Cooper, smiling with shocked eyes.
Then Cooper’s voice, all high and pitchy with excitement, “it’s Dad!”
Chapter 13
“Jeffrey!” My voice was perilously close to matching Cooper’s pitch and, although there was no reason for me to feel this way, guilt swarmed over me. I’d been doing nothing wrong, but seeing Eoghanan’s horrified expression made me feel like I had.
“Da?” Eoghanan took a huge step away from me, putting a wide gap between us. He glanced back and forth between me and Cooper and Jeffrey, his brows turning in deeper with each flick of his eyes. “I think I’ll retire, Grace.”
His voice was hard as he walked away. While I wished to go after him, there were other people I had to deal with first. I waited until the inn door closed behind Eoghanan then I stepped forward to hug Cooper and then Jeffrey.
“What are you doing here?”
“I decided it wasn’t worth it to stay and listen to your father. I turned over my clients to other lawyers and decided to join the two of you.” Jeffrey winked down at Cooper who was ecstatic at how Mom’s business trip had turned into a family vacation for him.
“Oh.” I knew Jeffrey could see the disappointment on my face, and I rushed to clarify. “It’s not that I’m displeased to see you. You’ll be a big help if you’ll keep Cooper occupied while I work. It’s just…” I jerked my head back to the car to indicate what they’d walked up on. “I just wish you’d waited a minute to make your appearance.”
Jeffrey pulled the corner of his lip down in apology. “Yeah, sorry about that. The way Cooper talked about it, I just didn’t put it together that it was that sort of dinner. Guess you better go after him to do some explaining, huh?”
Before I could answer, he bent to pick up Cooper, “You ready to go to bed?” Cooper yawned and lay his head on his dad’s shoulder. His excitement had worn him flat out. Jeffrey turned his attention back to me. “Go, Grace. We can talk more in the morning. The old lady, Morna, right? Anyhow, she put me in my own room. I’ll take Cooper with me.”
“Ok, thank you.” I kissed Jeffrey on the cheek and Cooper on the top of his head, holding open the door for Jeffrey so he could carry Cooper through it.
“Hey, Grace.” He paused at the base of the stairs, looking at me over his shoulder. “Good on you. It’s good to see you smile—get out a bit. It’s time.”
*
He didn’t answer on my first knock so I hollered at him as I rapped my knuckles against the door a second time.
“Eoghanan. Look, I know all that didn’t make me look so good. Will you open the door so I can explain?”
The handle turned slowly to reveal a stone-faced Eoghanan. He stood blocking the doorway. Clearly, I wouldn’t be permitted inside.