Chapter 10 #3
I glared at him. “I am five four,” I informed him haughtily. “And a quarter.”
“Oh, excuse me.” He held up his hands. “I’m six three. And a half. So almost a foot on you, little lady.”
“But not a whole foot,” I said smugly.
He lit a couple of candles, lowering the lights and sitting beside me. He pulled my feet to his lap, rubbing my toes. “Your feet are chilled.”
“I should put on my slippers.” I grinned. “And my granny jammies. The big plaid ones that cover me neck to feet, with the knit slippers that have the big pom-poms on them.” I grinned in delight. “That should get you in the mood, big man.”
He laughed loudly, his head thrown back in mirth. He was so sexy when he was relaxed, his smile wide and his entire demeanor softer somehow.
He turned my way, his grip on my feet comforting and warm.
“You could sashay out here in a potato sack with curlers in your hair and one of those night masks on, and I’d still be in the mood.
” He squeezed my arches, making me whimper.
It felt so good, and my feet were tired today after all my walking.
“I doubt there is anything you could wear that would make me not think how sexy you are.”
“I’ll remind you of that when I’m sick and snotty and coughing all over you someday, asking you to put Vicks VapoRub on my chest and take away the dirty tissues.”
“If I get to fondle your breasts, I’m good with it.”
It was my turn to laugh.
He handed me a cup of tea and a biscuit.
They were tasty—a sweet bite after the dinner we had eaten.
We were both quiet for a while. He told me about what the lawyer at his firm had told him, and I repeated the conversation with Elaine.
He looked pleased, although he frowned when I told him her parting line.
“That isn’t needed,” he growled, gripping my feet. “You’ve got me.”
I chuckled, not surprised at his reaction. He was a little possessive. Not that I minded—I felt the same way about him.
“I can’t get a British passport for a while.”
“No, you have to wait five years. My Irish passport allows me to live and work in the EU, Switzerland, and the UK. You can decide to have dual citizenship.”
“I like that idea.” I sighed. “And if things work out, I might have a job ready to come back to.”
“Would you like that? Working there?”
“I think so. It would have to be approved since, technically, my company owns both places now. But I like the people. I did some research. Once I apply to live here, I can’t leave until the paperwork is approved.
So I think I would have to go home, pack up, and have my plans set before I return.
It might mean not working for a while.” I rubbed the back of my neck.
“I mean, I’d be okay—I have savings—it would just be odd. ”
“I would take care of you, Autumn.”
I smiled. “I’m not worried about that. I’m set. I guess I could take some courses to fill the time.”
“I could take some time off, and we could travel a bit in Scotland. Spend some time at the cottage. Take you on a tour of the Highlands.”
“Would you wear a kilt?” I asked with a mischievous wink.
“I have one. I’ll wear it for you anytime.”
I fanned myself. “Good Lord. You in a kilt.”
“My sporran is impressive.”
“I already know that.”
He chuckled, then frowned. “I would hate to see you go.”
“I’d be back. And I have to return and close out my life there. The break might provide some clarity for both of us.”
“I’ll not be changing my mind on this. On us,” he stated with a low growl in his voice. “Do you think you will?”
“No,” I said honestly. “But the time apart would help us focus on the future.”
He only grunted.
“And we don’t know if it will come to anything. But your friend is right. I can come back on the work visa and stay for six months, and we can figure it out.”
“Or we can marry and you stay.”
“Sully,” I said, my voice gentle. “I still have to go and end that part of my life. I have accounts to close, possessions to sort through. I have to arrange movers for what I want shipped. Friends I have to say goodbye to. I can’t simply disappear.
” My voice caught. “I have no idea what to say to Auntie Lynn. How to leave her.”
“She would want you to be happy. And you’ll visit. I’ll make sure of it. And we can install a computer for her, and you can WhatsApp her daily if you want. I’ll hire a caregiver. Whatever you need.”
I didn’t respond, my throat feeling thick. He squeezed my leg. “She would want you to be happy, Autumn. From what you told me about her, she would insist on it.”
“I know. There is just a lot to think about.”
He huffed, his displeasure clear. But he didn’t argue. “You don’t have to work.”
“Of course I do. I’m too young to sit in your flat and do nothing the rest of my life.”
He set down his tea and turned fully so he faced me. “I hear you, but I need you to know something. You don’t have to work if you don’t want to. Or you could work part time.” He drew in a deep breath. “I’m wealthy, Autumn.”
“I assumed lawyers made a good wage.”
He shook his head slowly. “I have my own independent wealth. It’s substantial.”
“Oh.”
“So you would never have to worry.”
“I wasn’t. I’m quite independent. I’ve worked hard so I can be.” I frowned. “I don’t want your money, Sully.”
“I know. That was obvious from the start. The way you tried to fix my shoes, pay your half of the bill at the pub. Buy your own train ticket. I know you’re used to doing it on your own, but if you do this—if you give up the life you know and come here for me, for us—I will take care of you.
” He held up his hand before I could protest. “I will not take away your independence. I don’t expect you to rely on me.
I’m not going to lock you up here like a good little wife and expect the place cleaned and the shopping and meals done. ”
“That’s good. I hate cleaning the house. I’m a decent cook, though, when I have time.”
“I’ll keep the housekeeper on. We’ll share the chores. And everything else. But I will look after anything you need—always.”
I smiled. “I only need you.”
He leaned over and kissed me. “You have me.”
“And another cookie.”
“Biscuit,” he corrected, handing me one. “You need to start using the lingo, lass.”
I took the crispy puff from his hand and kissed the end of his fingers. “Right, mate.”
He shook his head as he snagged another sweet morsel from the plate. “This is going to be fun.”
I laughed. “This from the Irish bloke who half the time sounds Scottish and the other half Irish.”
“Oh, I’m Irish through and through,” he replied. “But the Scottish thing does rub off.”
“You can rub off against me anytime, Sully.”
He winked. “Brilliant.”
The evening passed in many ways. Quiet conversation.
Amusing incidents we shared. Low music playing in the background.
Moments of companionable silence, neither of us needing to speak.
Our fingers laced together several times.
He rubbed my feet as he talked about a merger he was handling.
I told him more stories about Auntie Lynn.
I made him laugh when I described Bonnie eating noodles at lunch and inhaling a chopstick bundle full of hot chilis.
“She looked like a cartoon character when their eyes pop out of their head,” I said with a giggle. “Then she drank her water, my water, and the nice lady’s sitting beside her at the counter. It was so funny.” I wiped my eyes. “I warned her they were hot.”
“She never listens.”
I yawned. “Nope. Once in Canada, I took her to a shawarma place. It was one of my favorite little spots, but I warned her not to eat the one type of hot sauce. I advised her to use the blue bottle, not the red one. She didn’t listen.
” I grinned. “And we had no water. I wasn’t sure I had ever seen a face that red before.
Luckily, the owner saw her and brought yogurt sauce. She literally drank it.”
He chuckled as I yawned again. “Tired, mo fhiadh beag?”
“Yes.”
He stood and scooped me up into his arms. “Then bed for us.”
I had planned on seducing him with the outfit I had bought. Luring him into bed with promises of many orgasms. But I was exhausted.
I leaned my head back, looking up at him, another plan forming. “I’ll make dinner tomorrow night.”
He looked pleased. “I’d love that. It’s not often I have a home-cooked meal. Bonnie is terrible, and my housekeeper cooked for me once. It was even worse.”
He set me on my feet. “I’ll go lock up. You get ready.”
I cupped his cheek. “I’ll be waiting.”
He covered my hand with his. “I couldn’t be happier to hear that.”
I watched him go, one thought in my head.
I was happy to be waiting for him too.