Page 73 of Bargain with the Irish Devil
Losing his smile, Declan is serious. “There is a need. Your safety is not up for negotiation. I spoke with your husband in London, and he would rip out my throat the moment he’s back in the States, as he should, if he was aware I allowed you to see your own way home. You didn’t tell him you’d be working late tonight with us. I do believe he’s unhappy with you in that regard.”
She blushes. “If he’s going to be out of town then I’m not sitting at home missing him. Besides, I’m going to hail a cab home. I’ll be outside for all of three minutes tops.”
“Then, for those three minutes, Colm will be by your side.” He’s firm.
“Fine. I give up.”
I laugh at how clearly she wants to argue. I’m also proud of Declan for being so thoughtful and caring about her safety. I have no doubt it’s not about her husband worrying about her.
“Oh, I almost forgot.” She takes a card out of her pocket and hands it to me. “This is for all the fun stuff. Panties, bras, all the good stuff. Gertrude will get you everything you need, including things you didn’t know you need.”
Declan takes the card from me. “Thank you. We’ll be seeing her soon.”
Blushing, I allow Declan to pull me away from Lydia and out of the store.
Back in the car, we don’t go far before turning into a parking lot. “Oh, wow, I’ve heard of this place. But I’ve never been.”
“They have the best queso. I keep asking Aoife to replicate it, and when she can’t, we both get annoyed.”
“Oh, my god. I love queso. Sometimes, it’s all I would have for dinner.”
During dinner we talk about his cousin, Aisling. And I’m surprised that while Colm is his cousin and they are good friends, he considers Ryan his best friend. I feel like I don’t know nearly enough about him, especially his family.
Once we’re home, I go straight upstairs to hang up the clothes we brought home. I sigh with happiness to see them in the closet.
Declan wraps his arms around me. “I spent almost two hours hard for you. Seeing you in clothes you were happy and sexy in.”
I turn and go up on tiptoe. “Ah, poor Declan. Let me make it up to you.”
CHAPTER 22
Miranda
By Friday, everything I’m needed for at work is complete. I’m surprised and a little embarrassed Jonah organized a small party in the large conference room for me. All I want to do is sneak out. But it feels rude. It is only noon. I figure a half hour or so is the least I can do. With that thought in mind, I text Declan I’ll be ready to leave by the time he gets here.
The questions are numerous: Was I going to another firm? Am I leaving to get married and have a baby? The questions made me ache a little. Declan hadn’t said anything about marriage—hell, he hasn’t even said he loved me back. He said everything but those three words.
I finally understood the night he punished me. He didn’t like not being in control. It made a little more sense that he might see love as something he couldn’t control… I thought it didn’t bother me only to now realize it did.
Pain I haven’t felt in years comes back at the baby question. On one hand, I would love a baby with Declan. To have a miniature of Declan with his dimples and blue eyes…but would it be safe for our children?
“Miranda, I was surprised to find you were leaving.” Oliver Darcy is a boss to Jonah’s boss. He was a friend of Michael’s, and after the divorce, he gave me a wide berth, barely acknowledging me.
I shrug. “It’s time.”
“It doesn’t have anything to do with Michael and his divorce, does it?” His eyes narrow on me.
“Michael is divorcing? I had no idea. It’s been since the divorce I’ve seen or talked to him.” I’m not completely surprised. But I try not to show it. The newer, younger model probably just grew up and realized he was an asshole.
“Oh,” I don’t miss the disappointment in his eyes. “Yeah, the divorce has been in the works for a little while. He caught her cheating. Since she was pregnant, he wanted a paternity test done on the pregnancy because she wanted more money for the baby. When it came back, it wasn’t his, he had a paternity test done on Mason, too. Mason wasn’t his either. He’s pretty broken up about it.”
I go cold. Michael wasn’t the father? Maybe the problem wasn’t with me. What if it was Michael?
I’m not sure what I say. I don’t remember how I made it downstairs to wait on the sidewalk for Declan. What if…
Declan is in front of me. “Miranda, love, are you all right?”
In a daze, I nod. “Sorry, I guess I just… It’s all hitting me, you know.”
