Page 50 of Fourth Heartwarmers Trilogy
But the little minx didn’t understand mechanics, and he saw where Mia was heading. As much as he just wanted to reach forthe princess and cuddle away the tears drenching her eyes, he knew Mia was acting in the best way possible. Neither him nor Mark had any right to intervene, and so they didn’t.
After Maisie was taken to her room, Mark left to begin setting up the sewing machines and Jack headed for the kitchen to get a cold Guinness from the fridge that Angie always kept on hand for him.
He heard someone enter and turned to see that Mia had come in the room, maybe in search of Mark, or to let loose her emotions out of Maisie’s hearing, only he'd ruined her haven.
The shock when she saw him showed she hadn't expected to find him here. Seeking a hidey-hole, he'd foiled her plans.
The woman was a mess. Her bottom lip quivered noticeably. Her hands wrapped around her chest and gripped her elbows, holding on tight as if afraid her heart would flip out of her body. And the look of desperation on her face let him know the shock had dissipated, reality had sunk in, and all the “what if’s” had begun to take over.
She began to back away until he spoke.
“Don’t.” The yearning he couldn’t hide sounded in his plea.
“Oh, God! How can I ever thank you?” Tears filled her eyes and she blinked furiously so they wouldn't flood. She looked so forlorn and in need of a hug he couldn't stop himself.
Not wrapping her up in his gentle arms and hauling her close would have taken a stronger man than him. Besides, he needed a hug just as bad. At first, she stiffened – tried to pull away.
“Please,” he pleaded.
“Oh, God,” she whispered.
“Don't,” he said again.
A sob broke loose, and she gave in to her need of solace. Her arms went around his waist, and her head drilled into his chest as she tried to hide her emotional breakdown.
Low words he could barely hear broke the silence. “I saw you praying. I can't tell you how much that meant to me, knowing you were doing everything you could, and you still turned to a higher power.”
Jack had to stop himself from blurting out that he wasn't praying, he was talking to an angel called Lucas. The very angel who had saved Maisie's life.
A sudden truth broke through. He had been praying. What else do you call it when you have a conversation with a spiritual guardian? Although, he didn’t think of Lucas that way – more like a friend.
“I don't know how to thank you.” Her voice sounded distraught, worried… almost sad.
“Thank me? Are you serious? You should be kicking my ass for being late, forcing the princess to take matters into her own hands and disobey your rules.”
She pulled back so she could see his face.
Chapter Twenty-seven
Mia couldn’t believe his words. “Are you kidding me?” How could the man be so naively sensitive as to take the blame on his own shoulders? Most people would never see their own culpability, never mind voice it.
She stared into his face. His gentle expression revealed the sincere belief that wracked his frame. In Jack’s mind it was his fault.
Strength flooded. Her hands held his face so he couldn’t look away. “Stop that! Stop it at once. You are not the culprit here. You saved her. Maisie did wrong. She knew it. We spoke yesterday about her never going to the pool alone.”
“Aww, come on. She’s a baby.”
“That baby understands English very well and knew what the rules meant. She disobeyed. If anyone beside Maisie is at fault, it’s me. I should have known the little monster was so smart that she could figure out how to work the latch on the gate. Thenearby stool was on wheels, and she must have rolled it over and bingo… she’s in.”
They glared at each other until slowly the frowns disappeared, burned away by the sudden heat in their eyes. She saw his need, felt her own grow to meet his. Lordy, the man was hot. She adored everything about him.
Quickly, passion built. Their lips met, and sighs of wanting turned to moans of pleasure. Her arms clung around his neck as she stood on her tippy toes to reach his mouth. He smelled like chlorine and the dampness from his clothes soaked her own.
She didn’t care.
Having his lips on hers again soothed her pain and made the recent fear recede. He tasted so good… she could kiss him forever.
Until a voice rang out in the distance. “Can I come from my woom now, Mia?”
