I swallowed the lump that rose in my throat.
“Anyway, Jeffrey and I leaned on each other a lot during that time. He became my brother, my best friend, and we’ve just always stayed like that. In college, I started dating this guy, an exchange student from Australia. He was a real loser, and deep down I knew that. But after years of trying to be perfect, I wanted something wild, fun. The Aussie definitely was that. Jeffrey couldn’t stand him, but he did end up giving me the one thing I care most about in the entire world—Cooper.”
I sighed, the memory never a pleasant one.
“When I told him I was pregnant, he bounced, as in, he actually left and flew back home to Australia. I never heard from him after that. Jeffrey stepped in even before I told my family. And now…” I was ready to finish my explanation. Talking about myself wasn’t my favorite thing to do by any stretch of the imagination. “Jeffrey is Cooper’s dad in every way that matters. But, Jeffrey and I, he’s my best friend, not my lover. Never has been.”
I breathed deeply. It was a relief to tell him. As much as I tried to busy myself with work, I’d remained anxious all day wanting to talk to him and explain.
“Thank ye for telling me, lass. May I ask ye one more question?”
I nodded, feeling sleepy now that my previous anxiety melted away.
“Then why did ye and Jeffrey almost marry?”
“Oh. Gosh.” I rubbed my eyelids with my thumb and middle finger. My almost-marriage to Jeffrey seemed so much like a bad dream that it still didn’t seem real to me. “My father had taken a liking to Jeffrey once he saw what a great father he was to Cooper and talked him into going to law school. He even paid for it. Once Jeffrey graduated, he made him a partner at his law firm. And then he decided that just wasn’t good enough, so he blackmailed us. He said it wasn’t right for a partner at his firm to have a child and not be married. We went along with it, right up until the wedding day. But we couldn’t do it. The real kicker is that Jeffrey doesn’t even want to be a lawyer. He did that for me, too, because my father expected it of him.”
“I doona think I am fond of yer father, lass.”
I snorted. “Join the club.”
Eoghanan stood, moving toward the door. It wasn’t what I expected, for him to hear my explanation and leave so soon, but I was quickly learning that he was anything but predictable. “Can ye stand up for me, lass?”
I did, stepping toward him. “Why?”
“We were interrupted last evening, aye?”
Hesitantly, I moved closer. My chest all fluttery once again. “Yes.”
“Do ye think we should be interrupted again?”
I closed my eyes for a long second, allowing the trickle of anticipation to travel along my spine. “No. Cooper’s with his dad.”
He reached me in one long step and yanked me toward him with his left hand, pressing the front of my body flush against his chest. I moaned as he kissed me, a slow, sensual kiss that washed away every other thought outside of his touch. My body followed him easily, my mouth opening when his tongue sought entry, my back arching as his hand moved to my breast.
We kissed until both of us were weak limbed and needy. Just when we were on the brink of taking it further, he pulled away, moving quickly to open the door.
“I’ll leave ye, lass. ’Tis no the time for more.”
I nodded, agreeing on an intellectual basis, but my body screaming with unspoken disappointment. “Right. You’re right, though I wish that you weren’t.”
“Ach, I wish the same.” He turned away from me and began his trek down the hall. “Sleep well, lass, for I know that I willna do so.”
Chapter 16
I don’t know if it was relief at having things sorted out with Eoghanan or my subconscious taking advantage of the fact that having Jeffrey here relieved me from having to be on constant Cooper watch, but I slept later than usual and woke feeling utterly relaxed.
After a quick shower and a messy hair job, I walked downstairs to find everyone visiting happily in the living room. This time Cooper had roped Jerry into getting down onto the floor with him. I silently worried about the old man’s knees, though he didn’t seem the least bit bothered by them as he dramatically role-played with Coop’s dinosaurs.
“Mom! I thought you were gonna sleep all day, lazy head.” Pausing their game, he ran to greet me. I scooped him up in my arms, kissing him firmly on the top of his head.
“All day? I might have slept a little later. It’s only eight in the morning. What time did you get up?”
“Oh, I don’t know, the usual time.”