A Wedding in Apple Grove (24 page)

As if she sensed he was done talking about it, she slid onto his lap and wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder. “Mean people suck.”

He laughed so hard he had to grab Meg to keep her from falling off his lap. “Hey, are you OK?”

“You've got a great laugh,” she said. She was staring at him and he had no idea what she expected to see. “There are so many great things about you aside from your laugh.”

“Really? My ex only thought about spending my money, until she realized my ex-friend had more. So she drained me dry and made sure it would take me a year or so to recover.”

“The bitch.”

“Pretty much covers it.”

“So you came to Apple Grove to forget her?”

Dan shrugged. “And to start over. I couldn't see myself living in the same town, running into her at the grocery store or the bank—it would be a constant reminder of the way she and my buddy raked me over the coals.”

Meg kissed the end of his nose and pressed her cheek against his and sighed. “I'm sorry for the reasons that brought you out here but am so glad you're here.”

He eased back and put his hands on her face. “Meg, I want so much from you, but I can't be wrong again—it would destroy me.”

She lifted her lips and he took what she offered.

When he came up for air, he had to pull back or else he'd toss her over his shoulder and kidnap her. “You taste amazing.”

She hugged him tight. “You're addictive.” She drew in a breath and said, “There's something else you need to know about Jimmy.”

He rested his chin on top of her head and waited.

She sighed. “I thought I was going to marry him.”

“Weren't you in high school at the time?”

“Yes, but I had lots of friends who got married right out of high school.”

“Still… did you really know your heart at sixteen?”

She stiffened in his arms and he thought she wouldn't answer him, but gradually, she relaxed again. “I'd been so in love with him for so long. It took years to get over the fact that he wasn't coming back or going to ask me to marry him.”

“It must have been hard.”

“No one in town was surprised when the Bengals made him an offer, but they were when he decided he preferred city living. Everybody thought he'd be back during the off-season.” She buried her face in his neck and confessed, “So many people were trying to console me that it had the reverse effect—I retreated from the dating scene for a long time.”

“I know I don't have the right to ask, but before the other day… how long had it been since you've been involved with anyone?”

She pushed against his chest and glared at him. “How long has it been for you?”

His lips twitched. “Fair enough, Mulcahy.”

She stood up and straightened her skirt. “I've got an early morning, Dan, so either come to bed or leave.”

Every ounce of spit in his mouth dried up, making it hard to speak. “I… uh… maybe we could—”

“I promise not to jump your bones, unless you beg me to. Come on.” She tugged on his arm and he followed her to her room.

Meg undressed quickly. Standing before him in an itty-bitty scrap of black lace, he wondered if he'd spontaneously combust. But she slipped an ancient T-shirt over her head and put her hands on her hips. “You're overdressed and I'm going to bed.”

She slid under the covers and watched him. He wasn't hung up on his body or anything, but having her watch while he undressed felt weird. “Maybe you could close your eyes.”

“And miss out on the striptease? Not on your life.”

He tried not to be charmed by her open appreciation and failed. “Brace yourself, Megan,” he warned right before he toed off his shoes and drew his shirt over his head. He let his fingers linger on the button to his jeans before he worked it through the buttonhole. Her eyes told him how much she enjoyed the show he was putting on, so he amped it up, by slowly sliding the zipper down one half inch at a time.

Meg's eyes widened as he tucked his thumbs in the waistband and shoved his jeans to the floor.

“Those boxers are seriously sexy the way the hug your… um… thighs.”

He was grinning as he pulled off his socks.

She flipped back the covers. “About that promise…”

He pulled her into his arms and tucked her against his heart. “I'm holding you to it for the next few hours. I'm exhausted.”

She wrapped her arms around him and sighed.

He pressed his lips beneath her ear and whispered, “But I might let you change my mind come morning.”

“If I have to keep my hands to myself, you have to keep your lips to yourself.” She turned around and scooted her backside until it was cuddled in his lap.

“Megan Mulcahy, you are a dangerous woman.”

The last sound he heard before sleep claimed him was Meg's lilting laughter.

Meg opened her eyes and reached out to trace the tip of her finger along Dan's jawline. Whiskers darkened his face and were surprisingly rough to the touch.

“Not a dream.”

He didn't move, so she gave in to temptation and touched his bottom lip, outlining the shape with her fingertip. She didn't want to wake him just yet… she wanted to revel in the fact that a gorgeous hunk of man had spent the night in her bed and held her—all night.

Easing back just enough to free her other arm, she let her fingers do the walking and lightly followed the broad span of his shoulders.

Unable to resist, she brushed her hands over his pecs, marveling at the strength that she knew he possessed but wasn't obvious while he lay sleeping. She placed her hand over his heart; the strong, steady beat reassured her that he was here… for now.

“Are you going to break my heart?” Meg hoped he wouldn't but knew that one didn't always have a say in matters of the heart. “You'll still be worth it.” With a sigh, she leaned forward to kiss him and her world turned upside down as Dan wrapped his arms around her and flipped her onto her back.

She narrowed her gaze at him. “You're not asleep.”

“It was torture lying there while you touched me.”

“Why did you?”

He leaned down and brushed his lips across her cheek. “It felt amazing to have your hands on me.”

She reached up to run her hands over his shoulders and down his back, grabbing a hold of his excellent backside with both hands. “You're so hard—everywhere—I can't keep my hands to myself.”

“You go to my head like a double shot of whiskey, Meg.” He captured her mouth, teasing and tempting her with his wicked lips, teeth, and tongue. “I'm not sure what to do about you.”

She smiled and slid her hands to his hips and kneaded them before slipping one hand between them. He was hot, hard, and more than a handful. “I've got a couple of ideas if you're interested.”

He strangled on a breath. “Kiss me back, Meg.”

How could she refuse? Their mouths fused and their tongues danced to the rhythm in her head. If she could spend the rest of her life kissing Dan Eagan, she'd be happy—or so she thought until he started to build a fire inside of her with those clever lips. There were a few other things she could do with him too.

She hadn't realized how sensitive her neck or the hollow of her throat was until Dan fanned the flames with the flick of his tongue and press of his lips. She tilted her head back and surrendered to the magic he wove around her.

***

Meg's beauty hit him in the gut. The soft smile on her face as she silently offered herself to him nicked his heart. He thought he was immune to love, having been vaccinated by his bitch of an ex, but the fiery-haired woman in his arms offered her love, her body, and her trust—all he had to do was to give her his in return. A relationship with Meg would be full of fire—he'd be a fool to back away from her.

He'd been protecting his heart, but with Meg he wanted to open that battered organ to the possibility of love. He leaned on his elbows and asked, “Will you trust me with your heart, Meg?” She slowly smiled. “I might bruise it a little before I figure it all out, but I promise to be careful with it.”

“You're worth the risk, Dan.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him back down. “Now shut up and kiss me.”

He was laughing as he kissed her. Easing out of her arms, he leaned over the side of the bed but couldn't reach his jeans. “Hold that thought.” He got out of bed, grabbed his jeans, and reached into the back pocket.

She giggled as he opened the foil packet with his teeth and covered himself. “Where's the fire?”

He climbed back into bed and nudged her legs apart. “Right here, baby.” He suckled her breasts, moving from left to right and back again until she was writhing beneath him, begging him to take her.

“There's no one else, Meg.” He waited a heartbeat before he slid home. Bathed in her heat, he withdrew slowly, encouraged by her breathy moans and the strength in the hands that tried to keep him from leaving her tight sheath.

He picked up the pace, slid his hands beneath her curvy backside, and lifted her up as he plunged deep.

“Oh my God—”

He dipped his head and nipped the side of her neck as he thrust deep into the very heart of her. She moaned and rocked against him. She tightened her inner muscles around him, and he felt the heady rush of heat right before she ground out his name. He thrust into her again and again until the tight knot inside of him burst and he followed her over the edge into madness.

***

She came back to reality as he pulsed inside of her. “Seriously?” she asked, brushing a lock of hair out of his eyes.

He pinned her to the mattress with one thrust. “I wish we had more time this morning because I'm ready, willing, and able to please you again.”

Her heart jolted at his words. “If we take a shower together, we could save time.”

The bed shifted as he got up. He held out his hand to her. “Then let's not waste any more time talking.”

She grabbed his hand and shrieked in surprise when he tossed her over his shoulder. Laughing, she told him, “It takes a couple of minutes for the water to get hot.”

He set her on her feet inside the tub and turned on the taps. “Don't worry, I'll keep you warm.”

Meg locked her knees to keep them from buckling as he caressed her body with his soapy hands.

“You're so beautiful.”

His words were a balm to her healing heart. No matter what else happened between them, she would always have these stolen moments where they shared their hearts and their bodies.

Taking the soap from him, she worked up a lather and filled her hands with his backside first before working her way up to his shoulders and soaped her way back down to his erection. “No, you are,” she teased, letting her hands glide the soap along the length of him.

“You're killing me,” he gasped, moving them beneath the hot spray so they could rinse off.

She flicked her tongue across his left nipple and then the right. “But what a way to go.”

He groaned and banded his arms around her. “Later. I need to eat or I'll never make it today. My aunt has a lot of work lined up for me.”

She sighed, got out, and grabbed a fluffy orange towel. He took the towel from her and dried her off. “I like waking up with you, Meg.”

Grabbing another towel, she grinned up at him. “I slept like a baby last night.”

Capturing the droplets of water from his face first, she worked her way down his body, but when she reached his hips, he stopped her. “A man can only take so much provocation.”

“Really?” She wondered about that but let it go. “How about if I start the coffee while you get dressed?”'

“Deal. I'll scrambled up a mess of eggs if you have them.”

“That sounds wonderful. Thanks.”

Fifteen minutes later they were sipping coffee and devouring the breakfast he'd made. “I didn't realize I was so hungry.”

His smile was just this side of wicked. “We worked up an appetite this morning.”

“I could get used to this,” she confessed without thinking. “I'm not trying to force you into making a commitment, Dan, just because we've shared my bed.”

“No,” he said, reaching for her hand. “It's a relief to hear you say that because I feel the same way.”

Hope blossomed in her heart, giving her the courage to ask him flat out, “What about taking your time?”

He shook his head. “I really messed up big time.” He brought her hand to his lips and brushed a kiss on the back of it. “When I was telling you about everything that happened last night, it was as if a heavy burden was being lifted. It was a relief and everything just felt… right.”

“This might be a small town, but not everyone knows that Jimmy and I had an understanding—sort of—and I kept waiting for him to ask that all important question. Until I met you, I hadn't realized how much of my life I was wasting, waiting for him.”

“He's a major asshole and a fool.” He stood and tugged on the hand he still held, urging Meg to her feet and into his arms. “There is one good thing about him leaving.”

He slid his hand down to her backside and pressed her against the heat of his erection. His eyes darkened to charcoal, a sure sign that he was locked and loaded. But a tiny kernel of doubt had her lifting her gaze to his and asking, “Is this all there is between us?”

A bleak and desperate look flashed across his handsome face. “It's hard for me to share what I'm thinking and feeling, Meg,” he confessed. “But I'm working on it. Will you give me a chance? I want to spend time with you and learn the things that make you laugh—I already know some of the things that make you cry, and I don't intend to let that happen again.”

Tears filled her eyes, but Dan wasn't finished speaking. “You fill my thoughts from the time I open my eyes until the time I go to bed.”

This time, the ache in her heart was from opening it up to the promise of love again. “I wasn't looking for a relationship, but then you showed up and I couldn't seem to keep from falling for you. I'm not used to having a man in my life on a regular basis. How do I fit you in? I'm usually at the shop by now and gone most of the day, exhausted by the time I get home. I don't know that I'll be very good company.”

“I'm a man on a mission until soccer season is finished. We have a couple of tough weeks ahead working toward the States. Our guys are solid and want to win the championship as badly as I do—for Coach Creed.”

“He'll be proud of the team's accomplishments either way.”

“I'm not sure what I'll do with my afternoons once the season is over, but I'm open to suggestions.”

Meg thought about it and offered one. “The whole town really gets into the holiday spirit once Halloween is over, starting with our church's annual turkey supper. I'm sure they would welcome your help—that you're a good cook is a huge bonus.”

He looked surprised by her suggestion. Did he think it was woman's work?

“When Mr. Winter was alive, he helped his wife in the planning stages and in the kitchen. He used to chop a pile of celery and onions and peel a small mountain of potatoes every year.”

He smiled. “I'd love to get involved. Do you think they'd mind my input? I'm the newcomer.”

“They're a good group, and I know they'd love to have you.”

He cradled her against him, holding her against the steady beat of his heart.

“Promise me one thing,” she said. “If you are going to leave, tell me before you go.”

He crushed her to him and buried his face in her hair. “I'm not going anywhere.”

He hadn't promised, and she needed to hear him say the words. She wiggled around to get him to loosen his hold. “That's good to know, but not what I'm asking.”

Their eyes met and she knew he was struggling to get the words out. He'd told her it wasn't easy for him, but this was too important to her. “Dan?”

He knew what she was asking and gave it to her. “I promise.”

She wrapped her arms around him. “Thank you. Hey, I've got to go or I'll be late for my first job.”

“Do you want to have dinner with me?”

She unplugged the coffeemaker and looked over her shoulder. “Are you cooking?”

He smiled. “I could, but I was thinking about taking you out.”

She nodded. “I'm tired from trying to keep Honey B. out of trouble. Could I have a rain check on the date but not the meal?”

Dan's smile seemed to come from the inside. His eyes were twinkling when he agreed. “Come on over after work.”

She looked down at her carpenter jeans and laughed. “I'm usually way too grubby for that. I'll stop here and get cleaned up, then come over. Is six OK?”

“Six is great. That'll give me time to work for my aunt, work on the Model A with your dad, and plan something simple but elegant for dinner.”

He swept her back into his arms and kissed her until her head spun. “How do you do that?”

He grinned down at her. “Want me to show you again?”

She put a hand to the middle of his chest to stop him. “Save it for later. My sisters get cranky if I don't show up on time—especially Grace.”

“But you have a good reason this morning.” He pressed his lips to her forehead.

“I know, but—”

“Just one last kiss.”

She gave in and was rewarded with a mind-blowing kiss that had her juices flowing and her heart pumping. “You do that really, really well, Eagan.”

When he dipped his head again, she pushed out of his arms and laughed. “Later.”

He checked the stove and followed her out the door.

***

“Megan, we need to talk.”

Her heart missed a beat. “Is everything all right, Pop?”

The look on his face told her it wasn't. The unwanted memory of the night they'd lost her mom filled her. She had to dig deep to shake free of it.

“I need to ask you a serious question.”

Relief speared through her. “I thought you were going to tell me you were sick or something.”

He shook his head. “Right as rain.”

She double-checked what was in her toolbox against her list of jobs for the day and went back to the shelves looking for the pry bar, just in case. “Ask away.” He didn't say anything until she'd grabbed the bar and stowed her toolbox in the truck.

“I think it's time I move on with my life.”

Her hand froze on the tailgate. She noticed the way her father was shifting from foot to foot, like he was standing on hot coals—he was nervous and that made her suspicious. “Move on how?”

He tucked his hands in his front pockets and sighed. “You know I loved your mother with my whole heart.”