Page 25 of After Indigo Irish Nights
He laid a hand on her shoulder, unable to withstand the temptation to make a brief, if impersonal, connection with her. The moment he touched her, he couldn’t deny the truth. Nothing between them was impersonal. It couldn’t be. “You aren’t supposed to know I’m training too hard.”
“What am I, an idiot?” She laid her hand over his, her palm soft and warm yet rough with calluses from her work. “I could probably knock you out right now, you know.”
He chuckled. “Do you think so?”
“Absolutely.” She moved in, making a fist with her other hand and pressing it into his abdomen. “Nice abs, Ace.”
He met her fist more firmly by moving forward another half step. She was within the circle of his arms, smelling like hot steel and sunshine. He wanted to drown in her scent. “I’m glad you approve.”
Her tongue wet her lips. “But I don’t like the way your face looks, as if one of the local tractors ran over it.”
“Does it make me uglier?”
She lifted her hand and touched his jaw. “No, unfortunately.”
The feel of her fingers stroking his jaw was pure bliss. Part of him wanted to close his eyes and give in to her touch, but he couldn’t bear to lose sight of her beautiful face. “You don’t look unpleasing to me either. Work on that, will you?”
Her mouth tipped up to the right. “I’ll try. You should cut back your workouts. Or I’m going to have to come by your boxing club, grab the stones Eoghan uses, and throw them at you.”
Was there any woman more arousing, more perfect? “You could try, I suppose, but I’d have to use my superior strength to stop you. I’d pin you beneath me, and you’d never be able to rise again.” He imagined she wouldn’t want to leave, any more than he would want her to.
She laughed, the sound loud and rich, as she ruffled his hair. “If I weren’t so nice, I’d put you on your butt this minute and stomp that macho talk into the dust. You’re lucky though. Ilikethe macho stuff—to a point. I grew up with it. It comforts me and makes me feel warm and gushy inside.”
“It’s official,” he said, deciding to test the waters and trace the graceful arch of her cheekbone. “You’re sick in the head. I wish it made you more unattractive.”
They let their hands roam, their eyes holding contact. “What can I do that’s unappealing?”
“Screech,” he said after a moment. “It’s one of the few things I can’t abide. When kids do that in my shop, I want to pick them up by their scruffs and deposit them on the sidewalk outside.”
She smiled softly, and the impact of it made his heart swell. “I can’t screech. Ellie will get freaked out. Liam too maybe.”
“Where is Yoda?” Declan asked, wishing they could remain alone as they were.
“He’s meditating, I think.” She rubbed the back of his head, making him groan. “He got home early from a less than inspiring date, as he called it. Wanted to clear his head.”
“Liam’s dates usually go better than that,” Declan said, turning his head to prolong her touch.
“He says maybe the tide is turning here, whatever that means.” She turned her attention to his right shoulder, her ministrations making him groan. “You need an ice bath.”
“God, no. They’re brutal.”
She dug her finger in harder on the perfect spot. “But effective.”
“There’s not much ice left, Ellie said. God, you know what you’re about. Can I hire you as my masseuse?”
The words hung in the air. He almost whimpered as she rubbed the depression above his shoulder blade. “We both know that would be a bad idea.”
“Probably.” He caressed her jaw. “Right now, I’m too tired to care.”
“And I hear footsteps on the hardwood,” she said, stepping back from him quickly and returning to the armchair. “That’s probably best as nothing has changed since our last conversation on this point.”
“Only you haven’t grown any less beautiful,” he said, holding her gaze as Ellie walked into the parlor.
“I have the peas and the pasta,” Ellie said, extending them. “Is there anything more I can get you, Declan?”
“A masseuse?” he joked.
Katheen bit her lip, trying to muffle her laughter.
