Chapter 14
Carolina knew it was wrong to be so fascinated by a much younger man. But listening to Seamus tell her about his childhood in Ireland, his parents, the brothers he’d caused such mischief with and the grandmother who’d done her best to set him straight, she was utterly captivated.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m going on and on, and you’re probably bored stiff.”
“To the contrary. I love to listen to your stories. And that brogue . . .” She fanned herself. “Lovely.”
His entire face flushed with heat, and he became very interested in watching the flames dance in the fireplace.
“What’re you thinking about?”
He shook his head, letting her know he didn’t want to say.
“Now, you’re going to hold out on me? After I heard about the frog you put in the nun’s habit? What could be worse than that?”
He let out an inarticulate grunt, got up, gathered their dishes and headed for the kitchen.
Perplexed, Carolina went to help with the dishes.
“That’s okay,” he said when she headed for the sink. “I’ve got it.”
“Let me help.”
“I said I’ve got it.”
Surprised by his sharp tone, she took a step back and put up her hands to surrender. “Sorry.”
“No, Jesus, I’m sorry. I, uh . . .” He looked positively dumbfounded.
Confused, Carolina moved toward him, drawn by an attraction stronger than she’d experienced in a very long time.
“Please, don’t,” he said, stopping her progression with a pleading look.
“Did I do something wrong?”
“God, no,” he said with an ironic laugh. “It’s not you. It’s me.”
Her brows knitted with consternation. She’d never seen him so undone. He was usually all cool confidence and cocky charm. “What is?”
“You . . .” He swallowed hard. “You’re beautiful.”
Of all the things she’d expected him to say, that hadn’t been one of them. Her entire body heated as the realization registered. He was interested in her. As a woman. Oh my . . . “Thank you,” she was finally able to say. “That’s very sweet of you to say.”
“’Tis the truth,” he said, pulling up the sleeves of his shirt to do the dishes. He seemed almost angry as he washed and rinsed the bowls and silverware, banging around the kitchen with barely contained energy vibrating off his muscular frame.
“Seamus.”
He spun around, seeming almost surprised to see her still standing there. “Yes?”
“Come here.”
“No, thank you. I don’t think that would be a good idea.”
She held out a hand to him. “Please?”
He eyed her hand as if it were a stick of dynamite before he reluctantly reached out to fold his hand around hers.
Carolina had no idea what she was doing when she led him into the living room and urged him to join her on the love seat in front of the fire. Without releasing his hand, she compelled him to meet her gaze. “Talk to me. What’s going on?”
He released a sound that fell somewhere between a groan and a laugh.
“You’re the last person I can talk to about this.
No, wait, that’s not true. Joe would be the last person I could talk to about this.
In fact, if he knew the thoughts I’d been having about his dear, sweet mama, he’d cut me up and feed me to the sharks. ”
Carolina’s mouth fell open. She quickly closed it and tried to process what he’d said. “You’ve been having . . . thoughts . . . About me?”
Looking sheepish and maybe ashamed, he gave a brief nod.
“For how long?”
“How long ago did we first meet?”
“You’re kidding.”
“I’d never joke about something like this,” he said, clearly offended by the insinuation.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply that you were joking. I’m just surprised. That’s all.”
He tried to tug his hand free, but she wouldn’t let go. “Let’s forget about it,” he said. “I never planned to say anything about it.”
“Why not?”
Staring at her as if she were crazy, he said, “Because! For one thing, your son would kill me. I like my life—and my job. He trusted me to run his company, and I take that very seriously. He shouldn’t have to be worried about his employee having impure thoughts about his mother.”
The more agitated he got, the thicker his brogue became.
He was sexy as hell, and she wanted him more than she’d wanted any man since she lost her husband.
Right in that moment, it didn’t matter that he was eighteen years younger than her or that he worked for her son.
For once, she wasn’t thinking of Joe or anyone other than the sweet, sexy man sitting beside her.
“Well, say something already,” he said with a huff that nearly made her laugh.
Rather than speak, she caressed his face.
He sucked in a sharp deep breath and tried to turn his face away. “Miz Cantrell . . .”
“I think,” she said as she dragged her fingers lightly along his whisker-roughened jaw, “that you should probably call me Carolina, or I’ll feel like a dirty old woman.”
“No. I couldn’t.” He took hold of her wandering hand. “This can’t happen.”
“Why?”
“Joe would—”
“Joe is my son, and I love him dearly, but I don’t need his approval.”
“I do. He’s given me a wonderful opportunity, and I wouldn’t do anything to disappoint him.”
It was a matter of honor to him, she realized, and how could she not respect that? “Of course,” she said, withdrawing her hand. “I apologize.”
“That’s it?” he asked with a glint of devil in his eye and a healthy dose of disappointment. “You’re giving up, just like that?”
Carolina stared at him, uncertain of what he meant. “But you said—”
“Don’t listen to me. I’m full of blarney. Everyone knows it.”
“You’re confusing me.”
“Am I? Let me be clear then: You’re the sexiest woman I’ve ever met, and I’ve wanted you fiercely since the first time I laid eyes on you.” He framed her face with his hands and brushed a light kiss over her suddenly sensitive lips. “You’ll tell him I tried to be upstanding, won’t you?”
Astounded and aroused and amused and filled with anticipation, Carolina managed a nod. “I’ll tell him you didn’t stand a chance against his cougar mother.”
That made Seamus laugh—hard. His green eyes were still dancing with amusement when he kissed her again, with much more intent this time. “I can’t believe this is happening,” he whispered against her lips. “I’ve imagined it so many times.”
“I didn’t know. You never said . . .”
He focused his attention on her neck, sending a torrent of sensation zipping through her. “I tried to resist. I swear I did.”
Before she knew what was happening he had them off the small sofa and was stretched out over her on the floor. The firelight cast a warm, cozy glow over them as they devoured each other with hungry eyes.
“Has there been anyone else?” he asked.
Carolina knew he meant since her husband. She shook her head. “Occasional dates, but no one I cared enough about to sleep with.”
“Ah, my poor lass,” he whispered as he kissed her again. “It’s been such a long, lonely time for you. I have no right to want you the way I do.”
“Why do you say that?”
“My thoughts about you are downright indecent.”
Ridiculously flattered, Carolina linked her hands around his neck. “Is that so?”
Nodding, he lowered his head for another soft, seductive kiss.
“Seamus?”
“Hmmm?” He was sprinkling kisses on her face with immaculate attention to detail.
“If we do . . . this . . .”
That drew a chuckle from him.
“I want you to know . . .”
“What, love?”
“It can’t be anything more.”
He stopped short and stared down at her, his eyes heated and intense. “Why do you say that?”
“You’re so young,” she said, sliding her hands over his shoulders. “Your whole life is in front of you. You’ll want a family and children—”
He stopped her with another kiss, this one deep and hot. “Don’t tell me what I want,” he said softly but firmly. “I’m a grown man who knows himself as well as it’s possible to know oneself.”
Surprised by the kiss as much as what he’d said, she fumbled to find the words.
Before she could say anything, though, he was placing open-mouthed kisses on her neck and she was squirming beneath him, needing more. Much, much more.
“And what I want,” he said, the sweep of his breath on her sensitive skin causing goose bumps to erupt on her arms and legs, “what I’ve wanted since the first time I saw you, is this.” He settled between her legs, pushing the hard column of his substantial erection into her heated core.
Carolina gasped and arched into him.
Suddenly, he stopped, pulled away from her and stood. He extended his hand to help her up. “There’s a nice, soft bed in the other room. Will you come with me, lovely Carolina?”
She stared at that outstretched hand as all the many reasons this might be a very bad idea fled from her mind.
Linking her fingers with his, she let him lead her from the room.
When he took her past her son’s bedroom and into the guest room, the gesture had Carolina realizing with crystal clarity that she could very easily fall in love with this kind, thoughtful, charming, sexy Irishman—and that would probably be a disaster for both of them.
Evan woke to relentless banging on the door. Grace was long gone to work, and he was in no rush to get up, so he snuggled in deeper to the pillow, hoping whoever it was would take the hint and go away.
More pounding. “I know you’re in there, boy. Open up!”
Ned? What the hell?
Evan dragged himself out of bed, pulled on a pair of boxers and ran his fingers through his unruly hair as he made his way to the door and tugged it open to face his father’s best friend.
Ned scowled at him. “Wadda ya doin still in bed at ten o’clock?
” He wore a ratty old sweater over faded jeans and boat shoes held together with duct tape.
To look at him, you’d never know he was one of the wealthiest men on the island.
His mane of white hair had been somewhat tamed and his blue eyes were sharp as he took in Evan’s disheveled appearance.
“I was up late last night.” Evan decided it was better not to think about what he’d been doing with Grace until the wee hours or he might embarrass himself. “What’re you doing here?”