12. Chapter Twelve #2
I turn to the kitchen, plate in hand, and wait patiently for Aidan. Katie starts chatting with her grandparents, and I relax a hip on the counter. He turns his head left first, then to the right, and my lips quirk in amusement.
“Still can’t find half your stuff?” I tease softly.
He catches my low chuckle and shakes his head. “I’m hopeless, I know.”
“Not hopeless, no, but perhaps a little lost.”
His lips turn down, and he lifts his shoulders in a shrug. “Right.”
I jerk my thumb behind me. “I’ll check this one, and you take the cupboard at the other end.”
He nods, and we turn our backs to each other and walk in opposite directions.
“Perhaps they’re in the same cupboard where you keep your thermos,” I offer before I reach up on my toes to open one.
“You could be right. The problem is that everything’s been moved around a lot since I started renovating the kitchen. That’s why I keep forgetting which goes where. Feck it.”
I toss a look over my shoulder and watch him turn back towards me again.
His annoyed scowl really shouldn’t be adorable at all, and yet it is.
He takes a stride towards me, and I stretch up into the cupboard, fingertips skimming blindly over the shelf for the container, all too aware of his warmth at my back.
Finally, my fingers close around the container, and I sink back onto my heels.
When I twist around, my hand holding it in triumph, Aidan’s gaze snaps up from my backside a second too late.
Wait. Did I just catch him staring at my arse?
I raise a brow at him. My pulse quickens from seeing the faint colouring high on his cheeks, but he doesn’t back down. The intensity that shines back at me almost takes my breath away. There’s wanting there, heat, and the way he clenches his fists at his side tells me all I need to know.
He’s attracted to me, and he doesn’t like it.
I don’t know what to make of this, but I’ll examine it later.
Right now, I need to focus on getting out of here and home without being rude. It’s a good thing I’m trained to handle myself in high-risk situations, because the only sign of Aidan affecting me in more ways than I care to admit is a light sheen of sweat on the nape of my neck.
I wet my lips and wrench my eyes away from him, concentrating on the task at hand, and go to the kitchen counter to move the leftovers from the plate into the container.
Fits of laughter erupt from behind me, and I can’t resist looking back at the family.
Katie is giggling, her grandparents at her side. It’s the picture of happiness.
“You have a fantastic family, Aidan.”
I chance another glance at him and breathe a tiny sigh of relief to find the intensity has disappeared from his eyes. Katie’s burst of giggles pulls my attention back to her, tugging at me like a tide. It’s impossible not to bask in whatever has her so blissfully happy.
Aidan follows my gaze, and his mouth lifts into a full, easy smile.
“I know. I’m very lucky.”
The urge to ask why he’s single barrels through me so hard it almost knocks me forward. I jerk back towards the kitchen counter instead, hoping the movement will keep the question from leaping off my tongue.
“You are,” I whisper, my voice so low that I wonder if he can even hear the words.
I feel the brush of his hand as he reaches for me, and my pulse spikes when his lips come dangerously close to a wayward curl of my hair.
“Where’s your family, Maeve?”
I close my eyes briefly. “I don’t have any. I grew up in foster care, and before you ask,” I raise my hand in the universal stop sign, “No, it wasn’t horrible, and no, I’m not damaged.”
“You get asked those two questions a lot?”
I peek up at him, my shoulders tensing, but when I only find genuine interest in his steady gaze, the nerves settle down.
“Yes.” I close the lid on the container. “It’s not that I mind people asking, but I wish that most weren’t prejudiced. The foster system isn’t great, but it’s better than homes or nothing at all.”
“Did you stay with the same family?”
I clasp my hands together, resisting the urge to fidget. “Yes. From when I was ten until I turned eighteen and became a legal adult. Then I moved out and was on my own.”
His gaze darkens. “At eighteen years old, you were told to leave?”
“Not told, no. But when you get old enough to vote, you’re an adult, legally speaking.” I shrug. “I left so Nellie and Jack could help more children. I still keep in touch with them.”
He clenches his jaw, and I reach out a hand to touch him, but then think better of it.
“I grew up quickly.” My mobile vibrates in my back pocket, and I reach for it. “I’m sorry, but technically, I’m on duty.”
“It’s fine.”
I swipe the screen and wince.
NEW BBF: Are you having dinner with Aidan?! Is there something you aren’t telling me? ??
Roísin’s text is like a bucket of ice-cold water straight at my face. It reminds me what my being here with Aidan must look like to the villagers, and the last thing I need is for the rumour mill to start.
“I have to go. Thank you for dinner.”
“Everything okay?”
“Yes, absolutely. I…I just need to get going.” I take a step closer and reach up to touch my cheek to his.
Even though it’s only for a short moment, it’s enough to send butterflies through my tummy.
His sharp intake of breath makes my toes curl, but before I get carried away by the moment, I step away from him.
“Goodnight.”
All I can think about is the realistic dream from last night, and that tells me I need to get home right away. The need to escape this tempting man consumes me, but since Nellie taught me good manners, I turn to Aidan’s family to say my goodbyes.
“Thank you for tonight. I’ll see you around.”
Rosie wipes her hands and rises from her chair.
“Are you okay, love?”
I nod and offer my hand for her to shake, but then tense when she pulls me in for a short hug.
“Get home safe.”
Her concern settles over me like a warm blanket. I nod and then smile down at Seamus. His eyes are soft, understanding even, and he pats my hand.
“We’ll see you again soon.”
I chew my bottom lip and nod.
When Katie gets up and wraps her arms tight around my middle, I rub her back in soft circles before leaning down to whisper in her ear.
“I’ll come by on Sunday to see your beautiful farm, okay?”
“Okay,” she whispers. She steps back and grins up at me. “I can’t wait.”’
I turn on my heel and smile up at Aidan.
“I’ll drive you home.”
“Please don’t.” I wince from the way that comes out. “I mean, I can take care of myself.”
Before I put my foot in, I whirl on my heels and walk out of the kitchen, trying to escape the prickle between my shoulder blades, no doubt from him staring at me. Aidan’s right on my heels. No sooner have I reached for my coat than my hands get pushed away by him, and I huff as I face him.
“You’re not walking home alone. It’s way too dark.”
I fist my hands on my hips.
“You know that I’m a trained detective, yes?”
He crosses his arms, trapping my coat under his armpit.
“Doesn’t mean I’m not going to make sure you get home safe.”
I tug on the coat and almost growl from frustration when he only tightens his hold, not budging.
“I can take care of myself.”
“Either you let me drive you home, or you’re staying the night here.”
I scoff and glare at him.
“Ex-cuse me?”
“You heard me.” His jaw sets in a stubborn line.
He takes a step closer and forces me to tilt my head back.
I will absolutely not be intimidated no matter how hard he tries.
I go toe-to-toe with him, not backing down.
His lips tip up in a devilish smile, making my fingers prickle from the almost irresistible urge to show him just how capable I am.
But I can’t throttle him no matter how much I want to. Not when his family is sitting in the next room.
Aidan widens his stance.
“What’s it going to be, Detective?”