Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
“You said you wanted to kill him.”
I rolled her onto her back and hovered over her. “He touched you, and I was angry. I wouldn’t kill someone for lack of manners, but I hated that he was even near you. You’re mine, Autumn, and I protect what is mine. I will never allow someone to frighten, intimidate, or hurt you. Not if I can help it. I would do the same for anyone I loved, but especially you. You’ve already been through enough.”
Her eyes searched my face. “You punched him.”
“He was being an arse and mouthing off because he thought I couldn’t hear him. I taught him a lesson when he swung at me.”
“Protecting me.”
“Yes.”
“No one has ever protected me before.”
“You have me now.” I paused. “I think?”
“You scared me,” she confessed. “You looked so icy and furious.”
“I told you once, when I get angry, I’m an ogre. It’s rare, but he deserved it. I needed him away from you, Roisin, and the pub. He was a problem, and I took care of it.”
She nodded, absently cupping my face as she lost herself to thought. I bent and brushed my mouth across hers.
“I would never hurt you, love. Ever. Don’t be frightened of me.”
“I’m not. It was just such a shock to see you that way. Cold. Angry. Dangerous.”
“I’m sorry. It’s infrequent. I promise.”
She bit her lip. “You were very sexy, though, defending us.”
I felt relief flood through me. “Oh yeah?”
“I’m not condoning it. Scaring people. Punching someone.”
“Of course not.”
I lowered myself to her, feeling her curves melt into my hardness. “Sully,” she warned.
“I’m just showing you how sorry I am,” I murmured, dropping my head to her neck and kissing the soft skin, smiling as she shivered.
“Your aunt is down the hall.”
“And snoring. She’s out for the night after all that Guinness. And we can be quiet.” I bit down gently, sliding my hand along her leg and bunching up the nightshirt she wore. “Let me love you, Autumn. I need you.”
She whimpered and pulled me to her mouth.
I should feel guilty. I hadn’t told her everything. In fact, I’d told her very little. I should have shared more information, but the coward I was, I hadn’t. I let her change the subject, focusing on my protectiveness. She’d accepted my explanations and moved on. And I needed to be close to her, be deep inside her, and feel her wrapped around me.
And hope when I told her the rest, her understanding was as freely given.
The next day, Autumn was more herself, her smile easy and her disposition sweet. Roisin insisted on a proper Sunday lunch before we left that afternoon. Autumn spent some time in the kitchen with her while I read a book, simply enjoying the sounds coming from down the hall and savoring the aromas of roasting meat and savory vegetables wafting in the air.
We enjoyed the meal, Autumn exclaiming over the abundance of it. “Sunday lunch for me is usually a sandwich. Maybe some soup,” she confessed.
“Och, no,” Roisin protested. “Sunday lunch is sacred. I make one or Connie does. Maggie hates cooking—always has. We do the pub lunch her week.”
“You make this much every Sunday?” Autumn asked, her eyes wide.
“Maybe a bit smaller. But the basics are the same. Leftovers for a few days. Unless we invite some of the local lads around. We have a group of them down the lane, and they are good to us. Cutting grass, carrying our bins to the road, helping if they see us with bags. So we feed them and send the leftovers with them.”
“That’s so kind.”
“Ryan is a lovely lad. His grandfather, Seamus, is an old friend of Sully’s. Seamus bought the house for Ryan, and a few lads share it, which helps. They work locally, so it’s nice. And Ryan is good to Seamus.” She looked over at me. “You should go see him. He’d enjoy a visit.”
I nodded. “Maybe next trip.”
“Go this afternoon. Autumn and I can spend some time together.”
I glanced at Autumn, who nodded, so I shrugged. “Sure.” Then I grinned. “So Seamus is a grandfather now, is he? To a grown man?”
She laughed. “His daughter had a baby young. A good mum, but she relied on Seamus for a lot. He was a single da, so he knew how hard it was. He is more a da to Ryan than grandpa, but that is what he is.” She shook her finger. “Don’t be teasing him too hard. You’re the same age.”
She was right, and had my life been different, it could have been me. But it wasn’t, for which I was grateful. I liked my life. Especially now that I’d found Autumn.
“I’ll be easy.”
She snorted. “We’ll see.”
AUTUMN
“What did you and Roisin do all afternoon?” Sully asked as we sat waiting for the plane to taxi down the runway.