Page 27 of SCRUMptious

“And thirds and fourths, from the looks of it,” Bess chimedin.

I shrugged. “We get along all right.”

“I’d say you do,” Kathleen tittered and then went back to cutting vegetables, while I tried to put the conversation behindme.

I’d been sufficiently warned about Donal, so their commentary shouldn’t have fazed me, but somehow it did. Not that I didn’t trust him. Since our first kiss, he hadn’t been with anyone else. He wasn’t the manwhore he’d been before we met. He’d changed—forme.

But what about when I’mgone?

For the second time this morning, I found myself wondering what would happen when I boarded the plane back to Los Angeles. I’d tried not to get too attached to Donal, but like I’d said from the beginning, I didn’t do casual sex. During our time together I’d grown to care about him—more than I’d ever wanted to. And now, the idea of leaving him had me tied up in knots.

He’d asked me to stay in Ireland a few extra weeks after my contract with Dublin Rugby was up, but maybe there was a different solution. Maybe, now that he was officially retired, I could convince him to come back to L.A with me. He had family there, too. Surely he’d want to spend time with his half brothers and sisters?

Hmm, this idea doesn’t sound half bad,I thought, shoving the lamb in the oven to braise for the next couple of hours.

Maybe we could explore Ireland together when my contract was up, and then I’d show him California. It didn’t have to be a big deal. It didn’t have to mean anything.

Shit, who was I kidding? I really wanted itto.

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