sometimes difficult childhood. And yes, maybe she should be angry he hadn’t been around when she’d needed someone to talk to. But he’d done his best from afar, and that counted.
“Thomas sent me to protect you as soon as your mother began tweeting about the rings.” Ryan handed her a glass of wine. “And there’s more. My father was Thomas’s CIA partner, also in Belfast. He died in the bomb blast and was labelled a traitor by our government when the money disappeared. They believed he’d stolen it. I need the rings to clear his name, Fin.”
“I understand.” And she did, but it was too much to wrap her mind around. First things first, the rest could come later. She levelled a gaze at Ryan. “But if you really love me, you’ll put this on hold until after our wedding.”
“Consider it done.”
She nodded. “And Thomas, I expect you to be there.”
The older man smiled, clearly relieved she had chosen to include him. “Actually, Ryan’s asked me to be his best man.”
****
Ryan danced with his new bride under the mistletoe hanging from the ballroom ceiling. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Ivory satin clung to her curves as her spike heels tapped out the merengue rhythm. Her mane of sable hair swung to the beat, blue eyes laughing as he claimed her delicious mouth. They circled the dance floor, her scent swirling, a flash of leg blasting his desire into the red zone. He yanked it back, holding onto his sanity by a tenuous thread. Another few hours and he would sate his passion. And hers. Especially hers. Teach her other ways a man could love a woman besides the traditional.
She belonged to him now. She was his to honor with his body and soul. He saw the trust in her eyes when she looked at him. A trust so new and fragile it scared him to death. And yet he cherished it, would build on it, would die before he’d let her down. Emotion rose, tightening its hold. He’d be lost without her.
The band changed up the tempo. Thomas tapped his shoulder when a waltz began to play. “You wouldn’t refuse an old man a dance with his daughter, would you?”
Ryan hesitated. Fin pushed against his chest, moving into her father’s arms as if it was the most natural thing in the world. He relaxed, noticed his friend’s cane hooked behind his chair at the table. Could only imagine how important this dance must be for Thomas to attempt a step without it. His leg had been badly damaged in the bomb blast. The simple act of walking was painful.
“Do you think you could partner with your mother-in-law now that Fiona’s found herself a distinguished older gentleman?” Poppy stood at his elbow, looking radiant in shimmering yellow silk. “It’s strange, but Thomas looks so familiar. It’s as if I’ve met him before.”
Ryan didn’t want to go down that road and neither did Thomas. Not until the rings were in their possession. Only God knew what would happen if Poppy recognized the father of her child. Although chances were slim, considering they’d only spent one night together. Still, he danced her to the other side of the room and changed the topic. “Thanks for giving us the wedding. You’ve made Fin and I very happy.”
She tipped her chin, the ghost of a smile touching her lips. “I’m the dreamer in our family, Ryan, the one who believed in love at first sight. And yet, I think Fiona is the one who found it.”
“I love her and she loves me.” He dipped Poppy slightly and swung her upright again. “It doesn’t matter how long we’ve known each other.”
The song ended. She stepped away from him, hands dropping at her sides. “Stay true to her, Ryan. Or I’ll be forced to kill you.”
He laughed as she walked away, although he hadn’t missed the steel edge in her voice. Admiration spiked for some crazy reason. Poppy might play at being an empty-headed movie star, but he suspected she was calculated and brilliant beneath the facade. And he wouldn’t bet on Ramsey’s
“Thomas sent me to protect you as soon as your mother began tweeting about the rings.” Ryan handed her a glass of wine. “And there’s more. My father was Thomas’s CIA partner, also in Belfast. He died in the bomb blast and was labelled a traitor by our government when the money disappeared. They believed he’d stolen it. I need the rings to clear his name, Fin.”
“I understand.” And she did, but it was too much to wrap her mind around. First things first, the rest could come later. She levelled a gaze at Ryan. “But if you really love me, you’ll put this on hold until after our wedding.”
“Consider it done.”
She nodded. “And Thomas, I expect you to be there.”
The older man smiled, clearly relieved she had chosen to include him. “Actually, Ryan’s asked me to be his best man.”
****
Ryan danced with his new bride under the mistletoe hanging from the ballroom ceiling. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Ivory satin clung to her curves as her spike heels tapped out the merengue rhythm. Her mane of sable hair swung to the beat, blue eyes laughing as he claimed her delicious mouth. They circled the dance floor, her scent swirling, a flash of leg blasting his desire into the red zone. He yanked it back, holding onto his sanity by a tenuous thread. Another few hours and he would sate his passion. And hers. Especially hers. Teach her other ways a man could love a woman besides the traditional.
She belonged to him now. She was his to honor with his body and soul. He saw the trust in her eyes when she looked at him. A trust so new and fragile it scared him to death. And yet he cherished it, would build on it, would die before he’d let her down. Emotion rose, tightening its hold. He’d be lost without her.
The band changed up the tempo. Thomas tapped his shoulder when a waltz began to play. “You wouldn’t refuse an old man a dance with his daughter, would you?”
Ryan hesitated. Fin pushed against his chest, moving into her father’s arms as if it was the most natural thing in the world. He relaxed, noticed his friend’s cane hooked behind his chair at the table. Could only imagine how important this dance must be for Thomas to attempt a step without it. His leg had been badly damaged in the bomb blast. The simple act of walking was painful.
“Do you think you could partner with your mother-in-law now that Fiona’s found herself a distinguished older gentleman?” Poppy stood at his elbow, looking radiant in shimmering yellow silk. “It’s strange, but Thomas looks so familiar. It’s as if I’ve met him before.”
Ryan didn’t want to go down that road and neither did Thomas. Not until the rings were in their possession. Only God knew what would happen if Poppy recognized the father of her child. Although chances were slim, considering they’d only spent one night together. Still, he danced her to the other side of the room and changed the topic. “Thanks for giving us the wedding. You’ve made Fin and I very happy.”
She tipped her chin, the ghost of a smile touching her lips. “I’m the dreamer in our family, Ryan, the one who believed in love at first sight. And yet, I think Fiona is the one who found it.”
“I love her and she loves me.” He dipped Poppy slightly and swung her upright again. “It doesn’t matter how long we’ve known each other.”
The song ended. She stepped away from him, hands dropping at her sides. “Stay true to her, Ryan. Or I’ll be forced to kill you.”
He laughed as she walked away, although he hadn’t missed the steel edge in her voice. Admiration spiked for some crazy reason. Poppy might play at being an empty-headed movie star, but he suspected she was calculated and brilliant beneath the facade. And he wouldn’t bet on Ramsey’s
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