had time to settle in.’
Kieran was vaguely aware of Max hugging his granddaughter before leaving. Then of Olivia turning on the TV, and Abby quietly telling her to turn the volume down. Kieran tugged out a chair from the kitchen table and dropped onto it, still holding his son, now very tenderly.
Almost as though afraid he’ll break.
As Seamus forced a thumb into his mouth Abby sauntered in and leaned against the bench, relief lightening her face. ‘He’s taken to you, no problems.’
‘How can you be so sure this soon?’ Kieran heard the edge in his voice, and cursed silently. Abby had been as nervous about this meeting as he had, and now she seemed to be handling it all right. Why couldn’t he?
‘You’d know if Seamus didn’t want to go near you. He has a set of lungs on him you wouldn’t believe. Must have got them from your side.’
‘I can see he’s a right little charmer, just like me.’
‘Yep. You win that one, hands down.’ Her smile sagged a little, and Kieran was reminded that it was his charm that had ultimately led to one night of passion and this little boy.
Seamus yawned, and Kieran felt his heart swell. Gently he cuddled his warm bundle against his chest. Shock banged through him. Whatever his feelings about love and fatherhood, he wouldn’t be able to walk away from this family and never look back. It was way too late for that. He was going to be looking over his shoulder for the rest of his life.
CHAPTER FOUR
A BBY dropped onto the lumpy couch in the lounge, holding Seamus tight, as though for protection, though what from she had no idea. Earlier in the day, at the airport, she’d felt like she could trust him to do the right thing, that he wouldn’t turn their world upside down. That had been in direct contrast to the way she’d reacted to him. The deep pull in her stomach toward him had stunned her. She’d always known she still cared about this man but never had she considered how explosive those feelings might be. No wonder she felt in need of protection. From Kieran? Or from herself?
She glanced across at him wiping down the kitchen benches. Hard to believe he’d cooked dinner. No one did that for her. Not even her father. But Kieran had taken charge, preparing their meal while she’d dealt with the kids’ food. She knew he’d needed something to keep himself occupied and avoid getting too involved in the children’s night-time rituals. He’d watched her feeding Seamus from a safe distance, grimacing when mushy food had ended up on her T-shirt. He had a lot to learn. She called softly, ‘Thanks for dinner, and especially thanks for cleaning up.’
He turned and gazed at her, that bewildered look that had appeared when he had first held Seamus still there. ‘I don’t know how you do this all the time.’
‘Goes with the territory of being a mum. Don’t feel sorry for me. I love it.’
‘I can see that.’ His gaze dropped to Seamus, and his expression became guarded. What was he thinking? Did he accept Seamus as a son? Or as another problem to be dealt with? When she’d placed the baby in his arms Kieran hadn’t known what to do. Even the simple act of holding a child seemed to unsettle him, and when she’d refused to take Seamus back, stepping away from them, he had looked completely lost. Maybe she shouldn’t have done that, but she’d sensed he would need some gentle pushing when it came to coping with the children.
She also sensed his vulnerability, and didn’t know what to do about it, didn’t understand why he felt that way. There was a real possibility of making things worse, not better, unless he opened up and talked about what bothered him. Her stomach clenched. Was this really what she wanted? Kieran becoming involved in the family? Maybe she was setting something in motion that she’d later come to regret, something like having to move to Ireland so they could be closer to each other. A chill slipped over her skin. Leave home and cross to
Kieran was vaguely aware of Max hugging his granddaughter before leaving. Then of Olivia turning on the TV, and Abby quietly telling her to turn the volume down. Kieran tugged out a chair from the kitchen table and dropped onto it, still holding his son, now very tenderly.
Almost as though afraid he’ll break.
As Seamus forced a thumb into his mouth Abby sauntered in and leaned against the bench, relief lightening her face. ‘He’s taken to you, no problems.’
‘How can you be so sure this soon?’ Kieran heard the edge in his voice, and cursed silently. Abby had been as nervous about this meeting as he had, and now she seemed to be handling it all right. Why couldn’t he?
‘You’d know if Seamus didn’t want to go near you. He has a set of lungs on him you wouldn’t believe. Must have got them from your side.’
‘I can see he’s a right little charmer, just like me.’
‘Yep. You win that one, hands down.’ Her smile sagged a little, and Kieran was reminded that it was his charm that had ultimately led to one night of passion and this little boy.
Seamus yawned, and Kieran felt his heart swell. Gently he cuddled his warm bundle against his chest. Shock banged through him. Whatever his feelings about love and fatherhood, he wouldn’t be able to walk away from this family and never look back. It was way too late for that. He was going to be looking over his shoulder for the rest of his life.
CHAPTER FOUR
A BBY dropped onto the lumpy couch in the lounge, holding Seamus tight, as though for protection, though what from she had no idea. Earlier in the day, at the airport, she’d felt like she could trust him to do the right thing, that he wouldn’t turn their world upside down. That had been in direct contrast to the way she’d reacted to him. The deep pull in her stomach toward him had stunned her. She’d always known she still cared about this man but never had she considered how explosive those feelings might be. No wonder she felt in need of protection. From Kieran? Or from herself?
She glanced across at him wiping down the kitchen benches. Hard to believe he’d cooked dinner. No one did that for her. Not even her father. But Kieran had taken charge, preparing their meal while she’d dealt with the kids’ food. She knew he’d needed something to keep himself occupied and avoid getting too involved in the children’s night-time rituals. He’d watched her feeding Seamus from a safe distance, grimacing when mushy food had ended up on her T-shirt. He had a lot to learn. She called softly, ‘Thanks for dinner, and especially thanks for cleaning up.’
He turned and gazed at her, that bewildered look that had appeared when he had first held Seamus still there. ‘I don’t know how you do this all the time.’
‘Goes with the territory of being a mum. Don’t feel sorry for me. I love it.’
‘I can see that.’ His gaze dropped to Seamus, and his expression became guarded. What was he thinking? Did he accept Seamus as a son? Or as another problem to be dealt with? When she’d placed the baby in his arms Kieran hadn’t known what to do. Even the simple act of holding a child seemed to unsettle him, and when she’d refused to take Seamus back, stepping away from them, he had looked completely lost. Maybe she shouldn’t have done that, but she’d sensed he would need some gentle pushing when it came to coping with the children.
She also sensed his vulnerability, and didn’t know what to do about it, didn’t understand why he felt that way. There was a real possibility of making things worse, not better, unless he opened up and talked about what bothered him. Her stomach clenched. Was this really what she wanted? Kieran becoming involved in the family? Maybe she was setting something in motion that she’d later come to regret, something like having to move to Ireland so they could be closer to each other. A chill slipped over her skin. Leave home and cross to
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