I’ve only got a couple of hours. I head home and attempt to get through as much paperwork as I can. Twenty minutes before I should leave, I go into my bedroom, open the top drawer of my dresser, and pull out one of my sexier pairs of black panties and a matching bra. It’s automatic. My mind is telling me to wear my most comfortable undergarments, so I won’t be tempted to undress near him, but my heart and body are cheering me on as I slide the cool lace up my thighs.

I get in my car and drive the ten minutes to his house. Suddenly too warm, I roll the windows down. But then my hair blows all around my face, obstructing my view. I roll the passenger window up and mine halfway. I play the air drums on my steering wheel to dissipate some of my nervous energy.

When I get to his street, I’m surprised by the size of the houses and perfectly manicured lawns. I knew his address was in a nicer area of town. I didn’t know quite how well-off Braeden was. It stands to reason that he lives in a nice home since he owns one of the biggest construction firms in Charlottesville. I shouldn’t be surprised.

Pulling into his circular drive, my breath hitches in my chest. The exterior of his home is all gray cast stone and windows. It has to be at least ten thousand square feet. There are stone accents around the pillars on the porch with several sources of outdoor lighting.

I knock on his front door and swear I can hear my heart beating in my ears. I’m thankful he doesn’t leave me and my ball of nerves waiting long.

He opens the door and gives me the once over. His eyes are as hungry as ever. I don’t waste any time taking in his gorgeous muscular arms. The white t-shirt he has on is just tight enough to make out the lines of his chest and shoulder muscles.

Pulling me into him, he hugs me tight. “It’s so good to see you, Lettie.”

The smell of his spicy cologne takes me right back to Ireland, lying in bed next to him or riding on the back of his Harley. In a short amount of time, we made amazing memories. “Great to see you, too.”

He doesn’t say anything, and he looks down at the floor, made of beautiful dark hardwood. Then his eyes come back to mine and there’s something there, perhaps concern, curiosity, or irritation. Whatever it is, he’s serious. “If I ask you a question, will you be honest with me?”

“Of course.” Now I’m concerned.

“Did you get back together with Mark?” he says his name like it leaves a bad taste in his mouth, his face contorted and strained.

“No. Why?”

“You looked close at calling hours. He walked through the line right before I did. I wasn’t sure.”

“I thought I was clear with you. I have no intention of taking him back. He loved my grandmother and wanted to pay his respects. That’s all you saw.”

His shoulders relax, like I just pushed off the boulder he’s been holding there. “Okay. Good. Sorry, I had to know. Why don’t you come in?” He pulls the door open all the way, and I’m greeted by a perfect mix of rustic and modern. You enter and the first room is the living room. The surfaces are plaster, concrete, or shiplap. His furniture looks comfortable, but the décor seems as though he’s hired it out to an interior designer.

“Did you decorate this all yourself?” My jaw is slack as I take it all in.

He grabs me by the hand and walks me to the kitchen. “I had some help. Have you eaten?”

“No.” He’s got something simmering in a pot on his massive stainless steel stove. The hardwood floors are dark and his cabinets are gray. An island the size of my entire kitchen takes up the center of the space. He has a stone tile backsplash and light granite countertops.

“Good, I’ve whipped us up something. It’s not much; I had a busy day, but I knew you’d be exhausted after today.” On the counter, he has two glasses of deep red wine poured. He hands me a glass and says, “Cheers to your first day at Charlottesville High.”

“Thank you so much. I don’t know how you did it, but you did.” I sip on the wine. It’s bold, oaky, and tastes expensive. Mixed with the smell of thyme and onion, my appetite is sparked.

“It’s no big deal.”

“Um, yes, it is. Do you have any idea how hard I’ve tried to get a math position at C’ville High, much less any school?”

“You mentioned it when we were in Ireland.” He stirs whatever he has cooking on the stove and tastes the end of the spoon. “Perfect.”

He gets two bowls out of the cupboard and fills them with what looks like a soup.

“What did you make?”

“I made it yesterday. I’m cheating tonight by reheating it. It’s Irish stew.” He smirks at me with the damn dimples. They should be classified as dangerous weapons.

“It smells amazing. I can’t wait to try it.”

He hands me a bowl and we take our meal to his farmhouse style kitchen table.

“How are Jackson and Patrick doing since you’ve been home?” I ask.

“Patrick is okay. He’s trying to figure out what to do with himself without his wife around. He loves his daughter to pieces, but he’s having trouble trying to balance his time with work and the baby. He’s a workaholic. He’s been looking for a full-time nanny. No luck yet.”

“What about his wife?”

“No word from her. From an outsider, I didn’t see this coming. They seemed solid and so happy to have Maeve. I told him he should hire a private investigator. He refuses.”

“It’s unconscionable. How could she up and leave her husband and baby?” I can’t even imagine what she must’ve been thinking when she left. Things must’ve been terrible for her.

“We’ve all been trying to figure it out.” He bites the inside of his cheek. “Maggie’s leaving has affected all of the McLoughlin family, not just Patrick.”

“What about Jackson? How are things with him?”

“Same old, same old. The face of McLoughlin Construction has been doing great.”

“Really?”

“As far as I know,” he says.

“I had lunch with Amelia yesterday.”

“Oh, yeah, what did she have to say?”

Shifting in my seat, I try to decide how much to disclose. I certainly don’t want to betray her trust in me. “I think they’ve got it bad for each other and neither of them wants to admit it.”

He laughs. “He’s got himself between a rock and a hard place with her. She’s his best friend’s sister. Did she tell you that?”

“Yes. She did. And I don’t know either of them well, but when they were together, the sparks flew. Amelia’s brother must be blind if he hasn’t noticed it.”

“I’ve got no idea. When it comes to my baby brother’s love life, I try to stay far away.” He laughs and takes a bite of his stew.

“It’s cooled off a little. Try it. I hope you like it.” He waits for me to take a bite.

Blowing on my spoonful of potato and carrot, I test the temperature. It’s still hot, but I can’t wait another second. It’s rich, thick, and tastes like it took him all day yesterday to prepare it. “This is delicious. You really made it?”

He grasps his chest as if I’ve injured him. “Yes, I did. Were you thinking I wouldn’t be able to cook?”

I was hoping he couldn’t. I’m tired of adding up all the things he’s good at. Not only is he caring and protective, he’s the best sex I’ve ever had. And he can cook. He’s near perfect. I’m going to have to call Fiona and ask her again what Janessa told her about him. “No. I didn’t mean that. You’re a busy guy. When do you have the time?”

“I’ve got to eat. I don’t cook every night, but I try to do some prep on the weekends.”

“I’m impressed. I’ll add a thank you for feeding me to my list of gratitude today.”

“What will you ever do to repay me?” he asks.

I set my wine glass down and play with the stem, running it back and forth between my finger and thumb. “What did you have in mind?”

He takes my free hand in his and rubs his thumb along the back of it. “I’ve missed you.”

I cast my eyes down and contemplate what he’s insinuating. I don’t want to be the kind of woman that sleeps around and has meaningless sex. It isn’t my style. Ireland was an exception. And if I’m honest with myself, the sex with Braeden is never meaningless. It’s passionate, emotional, and raw. And I realize the more I do it, the more attached I’ll be to him and that’s not what he’s about. “I’ve missed you, too. How many women have you brought to your magnificent home?” I’m certain the number is in the hundreds.

“None,” he says, his tone flat.

His eyes are clear, steady. He’s telling the truth. I wouldn’t be more surprised if he slapped me across the face. “Then what am I doing here?”

“I want you here.”

“I’m flattered.”

“Scarlette, I know I’ve got a reputation. I’ve wined and dined women. I’ve dated some. Had flings with others.” His brows come up and he gives me a playful smirk. “But I’ve never had anyone I’ve felt serious about.”

What is he trying to tell me? I fumble with my napkin, fold it, and unfold it on my lap. “Okay.”

“You’re different. I like you. And it isn’t just physical. Although that’s fucking amazing. But it’s more than that. When you’re around, I want to take care of you, protect you. And when you left Ireland, I missed having you around almost immediately.”

My face warms and my body tingles. I didn’t see this coming. Yes, he was good to me while we were in Ireland, helping me find my purse and luggage and taking me to all the spots my grandmother and I were supposed to go. Inviting me along on the ride he was taking with his brothers. He didn’t have to do any of that. He’s a good man. One that I’m incredibly attracted to. “What are you saying?”

“I asked you to come over here because, number one, I had to know if you and that asshole, Mark, were dating again. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you told me you were.” He winks and licks his lips. “And number two, I’d like to know if you’d like to have something with me. More than just a vacation fling. I want to be exclusive with you. I want you to come to parties with me. I’ve got so many coming up for the holidays. I want to take you out to dinner and a movie, or cook for you at home. I want to hear how your day went. Is this too much?” He picks up my hand to hold it. We link our fingers together, his hand warm and strong, mine, small and cool.

This is more than I could hope for. This is what I want. As much as Mark hardened me, Braeden swept in and chipped away at the armor I put up. He’s telling me all the things I want to hear from him but never thought I would. “It sounds too good to be true.”

“It isn’t. I want you. Your body, your mind, your heart. All of you.” He moves his chair closer to mine and kisses me. It’s soft and sweet. Gentle pressure, all lips, and no tongue. “What do you say?”

“Yes.” I don’t hesitate. Maybe it’s stupid of me, after everything Mark put me through, but I’m doing what my grandmother told me to do. ‘Follow your heart.’ “When I left Ireland, it was chaos. I had to go. In a way, I was happy because then I didn’t really have to think about saying goodbye to you and to what we had. It made it easy. But when I was alone with my thoughts, they kept going back to you.”

“I felt the same,” he says.

“I want this, but I can’t go through the same shit I went through with Mark. If we have issues, can we agree to talk about it, and not pretend everything’s okay? Oh, and if you want someone else, break up with me.”

He shakes his head. “You don’t get it, do you?” He doesn’t wait for an answer. “I’m almost thirty years old. I’ve been single for long enough. It’s lonely. I don’t take this lightly. I’m asking you for a commitment. A promise from you that you’ll put in the effort to make this work, because that’s what I am giving you.”

How did I get so lucky? I push away from the table, stand up, and straddle Braeden’s lap.

“One last thing. Janessa is my friend. How are we going to deal with her?”

“Like adults. You can call her and take her for coffee. Have a conversation with her. She might not like it, but you can’t control that. Be honest, and yourself, and it’ll work out fine. She and I weren’t meant to be. Period. Everything about you and me feels different. It feels right.”

“It does.” I lean into him and join my mouth to his. He tastes like red wine and perfection.

“Do you want to see my bedroom? It’s pretty nice,” he asks as he lifts me out of the chair and takes me to the stairs.

“Is your bed more comfortable than the beds in Ireland?”

“So much more comfortable. And it doesn’t squeak.”

He carries me all the way up the stairs and I don’t pay much attention to anything but Braeden.

* * *

An intrusive noise wakes me from a deep sleep. I roll over and am greeted by my boyfriend’s gorgeous strong naked body. His alarm is going off and he’s reaching over to his nightstand to turn it off.

“I’m sorry it woke you.” His lips graze mine.

“It’s fine. I’ve got to get home and get ready for work.” I rub my eyes with the backs of my hands.

“You should bring some of your things over. I know you’re going to be sleeping over quite a bit.” He reaches around my waist and pulls me on top of him.

I know he’s not asking me to move in, but I like the idea of waking up next to him on a regular basis. “You don’t think it’s too fast?”

“Nope.” There’s not even a moment of hesitation. “I like you in my bed with me in the morning. And I know you’ve got to go to your new job. You’re going to want some of your things here to make that easier.”

“Okay. Makes sense.”

“It does.” He kisses the end of my nose and shifts my body so that I’m lying next to him. “I had to move you. If I didn’t, I would have to take you now and I’m barely going to make it to the meeting I have this morning in Richmond.”

“By all means. Get ready. I’m going to head out now, too.”

He’s getting up and out of bed. “You’re not even going to have coffee with me?”

I check the time and estimate how long it’ll take me to get home and ready and finish my paperwork. “How about a rain check?”

“Okay. Can I see you tonight?” he asks from his bathroom. He’s turned on the shower and is looking at me with his head tilted to the side as he leans on the doorway.

“Sure. What time?”

“Same time as last night,” he says.

Getting out of bed, I pull my underwear on and turn to face him. “Yeah. And I’ll cook tonight.”

“That sounds like a deal. Now get over here and kiss me before you leave.”

I walk across the room and press my half naked body against his. We kiss; it’s deep, with tongue, but I cut it short. I won’t be responsible for making him late and if we make out for a second longer, I know it won’t end there.

Braeden gets in the shower and I get dressed. As I leave his home, I get a new perspective in the light of day. It’s gorgeous. I wouldn’t change a thing, about the house or the man who lives in it.

Before I pull away, I text Janessa to see if she’ll meet me for coffee.