beer. Her brows nudged her forehead into tiny lines of a frown.
Ian couldn’t sit back and watch her suffer any longer. She’d avoided his touch, drifting away anytime he moved into her space. Tough, because
he
needed to touch
her
.
He slipped from his seat across the table and scooted in next to her. “You did everything you could, but honey, you’re not God. There are things that happen, and there’s not a damn thing we can do to change them.”
Inch by slow inch, Kelly relaxed, letting her body rest against his. He took that as a good sign and pressed for more, lifting his arm to encircle her shoulders. She immediately stiffened.
“Hey, I was there with you. Maybe I need this,” Ian said softly.
Startled, she looked at him, brown eyes widening. “I, I’m, sorry. God, I’m such a fool.”
She shivered and Ian pulled her closer. “No way. I’ve never seen anyone more determined to win.” Hell, if the doctor had let her stay, maybe she could have badgered that sailor into living.
Her frown returned. “Win?”
Ian swallowed his craving to kiss away her pained look. “Yeah, you waged a battle with death out there and damn near won. Were you a fool for trying? A fool for caring about a kid with his whole life in front of him? Hell, no.” He brushed her hair back from her face. How had she come to mean so much to him in only a few weeks?
“Ya know what?” he asked, threading his fingers through the short silk of her hair.
She shook her head, eyes still wide.
“I think there’s the heart of an Amazon warrior hidden in that compact little body of yours.”
The corner of her mouth tipped up and her gaze drifted to his mouth. Ian could almost taste her. Hell, this wasn’t the right time to take this further. Not drunk like before, but certainly not the lighthearted Kelly he wanted to make love to either. He didn’t want the specter of death overshadowing their first night together.
He turned away and reached for his beer. With a nod to her foam-topped stout, he asked in his very best brogue, “Been to Ireland, have ye lass?”
Her grin started slow, but grew steadily. “Aye, laddy, a time or two.”
Oh, God, if his mother ever met Kelly, there’d be talk of marriage and babies for sure.
* * *
Kelly didn’t know how, or precisely when, but she no longer feared flying apart. A rescue had never affected her so deeply. She didn’t like it and didn’t intend to make it a habit. Willpower allowed her to laugh at Brendan’s blonde jokes when he cruised by to pick up their empty mugs. Had they been not so subtle jibes against Heather?
She cupped her chin in her palm and watched Ian argue good-naturedly with his brother about covering the cost of their beers. And sighed. Why was someone that good looking interested in her? From the narrow-eyed looks aimed her way, more than a few women in the bar apparently wondered the same thing.
“Ready to go?” he asked and slipped his wallet back into his hip pocket, no lighter than when he’d pulled it out.
She nodded and slid out of the booth. But when his hand settled against the small of her back, a surge of heat flowed through her, igniting her nerves and sensitizing her skin. Shocked by the intensity of her reaction to a simple touch, she stumbled.
“Careful there, I don’t want Brendan claiming I got you falling-down drunk,” he warned, slipping his arm around her waist.
His scent encircled her. It almost made her whimper. She’d never felt anything so, so—oh, hell. A flush climbed her throat and scorched her face. Caitlyn would know the diagnosis even without medical training. Kelly Bishop was horny. For the first time since forever, she wanted a real man more than her fantasy one. No, not so simple. She really, really wanted Ian Razzamenti, Irish-Italian hunk extraordinaire.
They were both quiet on the drive to the marina. She could tell he was trying hard not to think about doing what they both wanted to do—well, at least what she
Ian couldn’t sit back and watch her suffer any longer. She’d avoided his touch, drifting away anytime he moved into her space. Tough, because
he
needed to touch
her
.
He slipped from his seat across the table and scooted in next to her. “You did everything you could, but honey, you’re not God. There are things that happen, and there’s not a damn thing we can do to change them.”
Inch by slow inch, Kelly relaxed, letting her body rest against his. He took that as a good sign and pressed for more, lifting his arm to encircle her shoulders. She immediately stiffened.
“Hey, I was there with you. Maybe I need this,” Ian said softly.
Startled, she looked at him, brown eyes widening. “I, I’m, sorry. God, I’m such a fool.”
She shivered and Ian pulled her closer. “No way. I’ve never seen anyone more determined to win.” Hell, if the doctor had let her stay, maybe she could have badgered that sailor into living.
Her frown returned. “Win?”
Ian swallowed his craving to kiss away her pained look. “Yeah, you waged a battle with death out there and damn near won. Were you a fool for trying? A fool for caring about a kid with his whole life in front of him? Hell, no.” He brushed her hair back from her face. How had she come to mean so much to him in only a few weeks?
“Ya know what?” he asked, threading his fingers through the short silk of her hair.
She shook her head, eyes still wide.
“I think there’s the heart of an Amazon warrior hidden in that compact little body of yours.”
The corner of her mouth tipped up and her gaze drifted to his mouth. Ian could almost taste her. Hell, this wasn’t the right time to take this further. Not drunk like before, but certainly not the lighthearted Kelly he wanted to make love to either. He didn’t want the specter of death overshadowing their first night together.
He turned away and reached for his beer. With a nod to her foam-topped stout, he asked in his very best brogue, “Been to Ireland, have ye lass?”
Her grin started slow, but grew steadily. “Aye, laddy, a time or two.”
Oh, God, if his mother ever met Kelly, there’d be talk of marriage and babies for sure.
* * *
Kelly didn’t know how, or precisely when, but she no longer feared flying apart. A rescue had never affected her so deeply. She didn’t like it and didn’t intend to make it a habit. Willpower allowed her to laugh at Brendan’s blonde jokes when he cruised by to pick up their empty mugs. Had they been not so subtle jibes against Heather?
She cupped her chin in her palm and watched Ian argue good-naturedly with his brother about covering the cost of their beers. And sighed. Why was someone that good looking interested in her? From the narrow-eyed looks aimed her way, more than a few women in the bar apparently wondered the same thing.
“Ready to go?” he asked and slipped his wallet back into his hip pocket, no lighter than when he’d pulled it out.
She nodded and slid out of the booth. But when his hand settled against the small of her back, a surge of heat flowed through her, igniting her nerves and sensitizing her skin. Shocked by the intensity of her reaction to a simple touch, she stumbled.
“Careful there, I don’t want Brendan claiming I got you falling-down drunk,” he warned, slipping his arm around her waist.
His scent encircled her. It almost made her whimper. She’d never felt anything so, so—oh, hell. A flush climbed her throat and scorched her face. Caitlyn would know the diagnosis even without medical training. Kelly Bishop was horny. For the first time since forever, she wanted a real man more than her fantasy one. No, not so simple. She really, really wanted Ian Razzamenti, Irish-Italian hunk extraordinaire.
They were both quiet on the drive to the marina. She could tell he was trying hard not to think about doing what they both wanted to do—well, at least what she
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