Page 70 of Arse Over Irish Teacup
Aidan slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine. “All set?”
She nodded.
“Now, would you like to know where we’re going first or do you want to be surprised?”
“Surprised.”
* * *
Beth stood beside Aidan, shoulder to shoulder, on the side of Geokaun Mountain overlooking the jagged coastline below. She could see across Dingle Bay, where she had an unparalleled view of the majestic Kerry Mountains and the wild blue ocean that stretched to the horizon.
This was magnificent.
Beth spoke in a reverent tone. “Aidan, I would say there are no words but you found the words.” She recited the words from his book. “Untamed, treacherous, unforgiving, achingly beautiful.”
“Well remembered. I bet you know my book better than I do.”
“This place, it’s old. It feels like it knows.”
“Knows what?”
“Everything. Everyone. Can we stay here awhile?”
“We can stay here for as long as you like.” He wanted to tuck her curls behind her ear so he could see her eyes more clearly. Then she turned her head toward him, smiled and blinked back tears of pure joy.
Aidan had forgotten what it was to appreciate beauty until now.
They had been to a beach where she found sea glass among the boulder-sized rocks on the shore, and seen dinosaur footprints forever preserved in stone. And stretched before her was a shade of blue only seen in dreams. She took picture after picture, knowing that none would compare with the real thing, decided this was the view one had to feel deep down in their soul to remember.
* * *
Just as Aidan had feared, the rain came and he was forced to cut their day together short and take Beth home. He would have offered to make her dinner or take her out but during the ride, she had mentioned wanting to paint. She said their trip had inspired her. Although part of him wanted to spend more time together, and he thought he deserved a pat on the back for admitting it, he too had been inspired and was eager to drop her off.
But not so eager that he wouldn’t at the very least walk her to her door. What sort of gentleman would he be if he didn’t?
Aidan pulled his umbrella from the backseat and met Beth at her car door, then walked her to the bright yellow door. Once they were under the cover of the overhanging roof he lowered his umbrella and waited for her to unlock the door.
Once it was unlocked, she clumsily turned into him. Being much too childish to simply come out and admit his feelings, Aidan possibly—maybe, perhaps, there’s no proof of it, but—he might have deliberately stepped into her way.
He didn’t care how juvenile that was. It got him a few moments of holding her in his arms.
“Sorry about that.”
“This is what we do, isn’t it? Fall into each other’s way?”
He’d said it with gentle amusement, not irritation. “Yes, I guess we do. Want to come inside?” she asked.
“Sure.” Aidan passed through the door, into the familiar living room. “It’s exactly how I remember it.” He spotted the white cat curled up in the middle of the sofa. “Here’s the orphan Prince.” He stroked Mr. Jameson on the head. The cat opened one eye as a warning: Aidan had precisely two seconds to get his filthy hands off of him. How dare he wake him up? You don’t just go around waking up sleeping cats! Eejit.
Aidan took the hint and kept moving and followed Beth into the kitchen where she poured them each a glass of iced tea.
“You know, you could be hanged for this here,” Aidan said as he sipped the forbidden cold tea.
Beth giggled. “Why don’t they ice their drinks here?”
“It doesn’t really get hot enough to need a cold drink here. At least, not like back home.”
Beth cocked her head. Made sense.
