33. Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Three
Maeve
“Idon’t know how you talked me into this.”
“You couldn’t resist my charm.”
“Hrm. I’m not sure I like you very much right now, Aidan.”
“Yeah, you do. You just don’t like to admit it when I’m right.”
“Right about what?”
“That you needed to get your mind off things. And that this is a tried-and-true activity that’ll let you test your own boundaries in a safe environment.”
Even though I don’t want to look down, I can’t avoid hearing his loud chuckling. I open my mouth to keep the argument up, but then decide against it, closing it again. I grind my teeth together and look down from my perch near the top of the fake rock I’ve just climbed.
Or more like crawled because it’s taken me ages to get here.
“Now what?” I call down.
Aidan moves his safety hat back a notch and grins. “Now, you climb down.”
I groan, my head swimming. “I was afraid you’d say that.”
“Just keep thinking happy thoughts and put one foot down at a time, and you’ll be fine. I’ll reward you with a kiss when you get down.”
I tighten my hands on the rope, and a trickle of sweat runs down my back.
“Happy thoughts, happy thoughts.”
I keep muttering as I start the climb down, wondering for the hundredth time why I said yes to doing this.
Ah, yes. Because he asked me to come with him to Cork right after he’d given me one of the hardest orgasms of my life, pounding into me from behind in his shed the other night.
My core clenches when images of his rough, callused hands on my hips flash before me.
I think I still have the bruises as testament, but I don’t mind.
I never do with Aidan.
I almost slip on the rock.
“Crap.” My heart gallops away in my chest. “Focus, Maeve.”
It’s been almost a month since we started dating, and we’ve already slipped into our relationship with ease.
Not a day goes by when I don’t see Aidan or Katie, and I was even invited over for their family dinner with Rosie and Seamus last week for the first time.
We still have our Tuesday fling dates, and we’re going to keep having them for the time being.
Since I didn’t want to start our relationship by withholding information, I’ve told him about the chicken and the fact that the Gardai believes that Joe is looking for me.
He didn’t take it well, but he’s dealing with it.
And not leaving me out of his sight much, even insisting on driving me to and from work every day, no matter how hard I insist that I can take care of myself.
I can’t say I mind the last part. The longer it takes for the Gadai to catch Joe, the antsier I get.
And if it gives Aidan the same peace of mind as it gives me, then I’m more than happy to help him find it.
We haven’t talked about me staying over for the night, and I’m not going to push for that, either.
While what we have isn’t new, we need to give Katie as much time as she needs to get used to seeing her dad with me.
So far, she’s taken it much better than I could have hoped for, being her usual optimistic, easy-going self.
I tighten my grip on the rope and take a peek down to find Aidan grinning cheekily up at me. I’m relieved he’s no longer so far away from me, and as he reaches up and settles his hands on my hips as I climb the last couple of metres down, a trickle of utter delight settles in my belly.
“Thank you.”
I slide down his body and tilt my head to avoid hitting him with my safety helmet.
He squeezes my hips. “You’re welcome. How do you feel?”
I take a moment to think about it. “A little unsteady, but since I’m still in one piece, I’m okay.” I fumble with the clasp under my chin until Aidan dashes my hands away and takes care of it for me. “And, strangely enough, I also feel a little…high. An adrenaline rush kind of high, I mean.”
His grin widens as he lifts off the helmet. “That’s what climbing does to me, too. I come here a lot during the colder months when the land needs to settle down for the winter.”
I run a hand through my sticky hair while I let him unbuckle the harness covering my body.
“Have you always been a climber?”
“Most of my adult life, but I fenced in college to keep fit. When Tierney and I started out, we went climbing together or camping.”
“Camping? As in, camping outside in a tent? In nature?”
His eyes light up. “Yes. We’d make a fire, eat our food, and stay up way too late, watching the stars come out.” He pulls me in for a quick kiss.
“I’ve never been camping.” I shrug and push my hair up in a messy bun. “It wasn’t really possible for Nellie and Jack to take me many places while growing up.”
He picks up our water bottles and hands me mine before he leans up against the climbing wall. “That’s a shame. Would you like to go camping?”
I smile at him and take a sip of water. “Yes.”
He reaches out his hand towards me, tucks it down the waistband of my jeans, and yanks me closer to stand between his legs. Surprised, I let out a girlish giggle, and I reach up on my toes to wrap my arms around his neck.
“You’re different from the woman I met only a few months ago.”
My belly dips. “Is that bad?”
He shakes his head, tenderness settling in his gaze. “Far from it. You’re more confident now. More settled, I think.”
I curl my fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck. “I feel much better than when I first arrived. More…sure of what I want now, I suppose.”
“Did I have something to do with it?”
I chuckle and shake my head. “Not to break your heart, but no, you didn’t.”
He huffs out a laugh and moves his hand to clutch at his chest. “Fuck, that’s brutal.”
“Sorry, honey, but I finally feel that I’m putting down roots in Cloonmara.
That I’m embracing a quieter lifestyle and enjoying slowing down.
I love being with you and Katie, and meeting up with Roísin for a coffee and chat.
I even enjoy my job even though the days can be achingly slow.
I’ve been thinking about something, though…
maybe I can help out at the farm a couple of days in the week?
It’ll make my days go faster, but I also really want to learn all the things there is to your life, and that includes your legacy, so… ”
My voice trails off, lost in the way his eyes coast across mine.
There’s a brightness to them that I can’t remember seeing before.
He slides his thumb along my jaw down to the hollow of my throat in a caress so gentle and sweet that my knees buckle.
If it weren’t for his other arm around my back, holding me tight to his chest, I’d fall to a heap on the floor.
“Say that again,” he whispers.
“What? All of it?”
“Love what you said about my farm, sweetheart, and fucking thrilled you want to share your days with me, but no. You said a word that I desperately want you to say to me again.”
I run back what I’ve just said, stopping at the only word I can think of that would elicit such an intense reaction from him.
“Honey…,” I breathe.
He hums and lowers his head to take my lips, his mouth moving hungrily on mine while he holds me firmly in place.
My lips move with his, and I forget we’re in public.
I lean into his embrace, letting him take control, and as the tiny flutters in my belly grow to a swarm of butterflies, I become increasingly impatient.
His tongue sweeps inside, holding me captive, the warm tug below my belly growing hotter the longer he plunders my mouth. I hold on for my life.
“Hey, slow it down, lovebirds!”
Slowly, the laughter behind me pushes through the haze of lust, and my eyes flicker open again. Aidan kisses me one, two, three times more, and then reluctantly pulls away.
“Fuck it. I wish we were alone right now.”
“Me too.”
“I didn’t even know I needed to hear you say that.”
A thrill runs through me at the sound of that, delighted that he feels that way. “It’s not too much?”
“Nothing you give me will ever be too much, sweetheart.”
That earns another shiver, but I don’t get the chance to comment on it because my phone starts ringing. I sigh and smile in apology as I answer it.
“Maeve. It’s me, Nellie.”
“Nellie? Are you okay?”
“Yes, well, no. Not really.”
I stiffen my spine. “What’s going on?”
“Don’t be alarmed. Nothing’s wrong with me, but Dot told me that Joe phoned her again, asking to know where you live.”
I rub a hand over my head. “Did she tell him anything?”
“She told me she didn’t.”
“But?”
She sighs. “She’s never been good at telling that boy no. I can’t be sure.”
I look up when Aidan shifts his body to mine like a shield. He peers into my eyes.
“I’ll have to tell my boss that Joe’s been in touch with her again. You know that, right?”
“Okay, well, of course you must, pet. No one should get away with shooting someone, and that goes for Joe, too, even if he is family. Especially not when the woman he shot was our girl. I won’t ever forgive that, not even for Dot’s sake.”
My nose starts to sting. “Your girl?” I gulp.
“You were our girl from the first day we met, and you always will be. Now, Jack said that once you’re up for it, he and I will come visit you. I hope that’ll be okay.”
I sniffle through the film of tears over my eyes. “I’d love for you to visit us.”
“Us? Is there something you’re not telling me, Maeve?”
I chuckle and raise my eyes to meet Aidan’s. His eyes crinkle at the corners, but he’s stance remains alert and protective. I run my palm over his heart, taking strength from the steady beat.
“We have a lot of catching up to do.”
“It sounds like it. I’ll let you get on with your day. Let me know what happens.”
“I will.”
“Please be careful, Maeve. Promise me.”
“I promise I’ll take care of myself, Nellie. Bye.”
“Goodbye.”
I let out a long sigh and scroll my phone to find my boss’s number, only Aidan’s fingers on my chin gives me pause. I raise my head.
“What’s going on, Mae?”
I tap my phone on the palm of my hand. “Joe’s been calling Dot, trying to convince her to reveal where I am, and it sounds like he’s getting more persistent.
And I don’t trust Dot. I need to ring O’Neill, find out if he’s heard anything that he can share with me, and then we should probably head home. ”
He knits his brows, but nods once. “Right. Get him on the phone while I get our things.”
He moves to walk past me, and I put my hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry for ruining our date.”
He shakes his head. “It’s far from ruined. I got my first honey out of you, and I’m the man who gets to take you home. Not some stupid prick who never knew treasure when he held it in his arms.”
My heart swells in my chest, yet I daren’t hope that he actually feels that way about me. “What?” I whisper.
He leans closer, peering hard into my eyes. “Treasure, Mae. He had it, he lost it. And he’s never getting it back. Not while I’m here.”
I’m lost for words, and all I can do is stare at his back when he leaves me to get our bag with the extra clothes I packed from the locker room.
But then I shake my head at myself and finally come unstuck from the floor.
I find O’Neill’s number and put the phone to my ear while moving in a half-circle.
As the phone rings, I scan the facility, but nothing looks out of the ordinary.
On the fourth ring, he finally picks up. “Gallagher?”
“Sir. Any news about Joe that you can share with me? I just got a disturbing phone call from my foster mother, Nellie.”
He blows out a breath. “Unfortunately, not any good news. He’s still running.”
I walk back and forth, my eyes on the floor beneath me.
Life’s been simple and quiet lately. Maybe a little too quiet, and it irks me that Joe hasn’t been caught yet. How hard can it be for the Gardai to find one small drug dealer?
“He’s been phoning his mother, and I get the sense that he’s putting pressure on her to tell him where I am.”
“Why does she even know of your location?”
I raise my head and close my eyes. “Nellie accidentally let it slip when I first moved here. She didn’t mean to, but the words couldn’t be taken back. Dot promised she wouldn’t say anything to him, and we believed her.”
“And yet you chose to stay?” His raised voice makes me stop pacing. “Even when the chicken was left on your doorstep, you didn’t think it would be better if you left?”
“No. Nobody chases me away, Sir.”
He sputters but then sighs. “Fine. Text me her number, and I’ll phone her, see what I can get out of her.”
“Will do. And…thank you.”
“Sure.”
I end the call and walk with purpose, my head strictly on police business, to find Aidan.
I’ve got work to do, and it better not spoil the rest of my date with the man of my dreams.
All the way on the drive home, I try not to let Aidan see how rattled I still feel. I hold on tightly to the locket hanging around my neck, needing to find my strength.
“I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Aidan’s fierce promise sends my pulse racing.
“I won’t let anything happen to me, Aidan. I can take care of myself.”
He takes his eyes off the road to meet mine, and I gasp from the fierce protection that shines back at me. “I know, but…”
“But what?”
“When are you going to let me take care of you?”
I give him a small smile. “Maybe once all this is over, I’ll let you take the reins for a while.”
He chuckles and raises our linked hands, placing a kiss on my knuckles. “I’ll make sure you don’t forget.”
I watch his profile, needing to reassure myself that he’s here. And that right now, he’s safe.
He’s mine. And I’m his.
“Hey, Farmer?” I call out softly to him.
“Yeah?”
“Thank you for taking me on a date. I’ve had a wonderful day with you.”
He squeezes my hand still in his and turns on the indicator when we reach the town sign. “Anything for you.”