WhenAddyopenedthedoor, Snoot’s enthusiastic greeting nearly knocked Kieran on his ass.
“Snoot, leave it,” she commanded, and the Lab subsided, still quivering with excitement.
Addy sucked in a deep breath to keep from wiggling just as hard as her canine buddy, because damn! Kieran lookedgoodin an old-fashioned oilskin jacket, dark jeans, and damp boots.
From his backpack, he handed her a plastic cake container and a slightly squashed bouquet of mini sunflowers, orange roses, rust-red mums, and silver-green eucalyptus.
“Sorry. Rain’s picked up. Thought I’d enjoy a walk in the mist, but…” Grinning, he removed his jacket and shook it hard, sprinkling the porch with raindrops. He draped it over the bench, then took off his boots before stepping inside.
“Pear and ginger pie this time. Hope that goes well with the delicious dish I’m smelling.” He pecked her cheek, treating her to a waft of cologne that smelled like a forest—a secluded grove where she and Kieran could indulge in some naughty, naked fun on a soft bed of pine needles and…
He cleared his throat. “You okay, Addy?” His auburn brows contracted. “You look a little wobbly.”
Get your shit together, Connor!
She forced a laugh. “I’m grand. Just forgot to eat lunch. Come in, let’s get started.”
“Let’s start with this.” With a hand on the small of her back, he pulled her in for a soft, gentle kiss that quickly deepened to hot, wet bliss.
Addy’s knees turned to water.
“Whoa.” Kieran chuckled through a wicked grin. “Let’s get some food in you before you pass out.”
She fetched the platter of apéritif snacks she’d prepared earlier: marinated olives and mushrooms, salted almonds, and fancy crackers.
“I made us a mocktail to start.” In truth, she spent far too long this morning diving down an internet rabbit hole before selecting this concoction of ginger beer, honey, lemon, and mint.
When she returned with his glass, she found Kieran setting the table with the dishes and flatware she’d left on the counter, as easy and natural as if they dined together all the time. And he’d rolled up the sleeves on his soft chambray shirt, too. She nearly swooned.
He clinked his glass to hers and sipped. “Wow. Spicy and delicious.” The merry twinkle in his eye suggested a deeper meaning. “But really, if you’d prefer something stronger, I don’t mind. I just—” He scrubbed his hand through his hair, rumpling it adorably. “When the memories get bad, it’s too tempting to drown them, you know? After watching my dad drink away all the best parts of himself, I prefer to avoid alcohol.”
“Right.” She gently gripped his muscular, ginger-furred forearm. “Thanks for being so open with me, Kieran.”
He lifted a shoulder. “Why not? You and I have a lot in common. Might as well enjoy this connection while it lasts.”
A flicker of sadness passed over his gaze, almost too quick to notice, then disappeared. “So.” He stabbed a mushroom with a souvenir cocktail fork. “Are you any closer to choosing your path?”
“Perhaps a little. Like you said last night—gotta list the pros and cons, then give it all time to marinate.” Chasing a slippery olive with her fork, she confessed, “I’m not the best at making quick decisions. Not big ones that matter, anyway.”
“I’m the other way ‘round.” He speared an olive with impressive dexterity. “I listen to my gut.” He nudged her knee with his. “Probably should use my head more often, eh?”
That twinkle in his eye made her feel like the two of them were conspiring to do something delightfully naughty instead of just sharing salty snacks. She nudged him back. “Seems to me you’re doing well. You’ve found a job that fits your storyteller's soul and a home with a view to die for.”
“That I have.” He gave a lopsided grin. “And until recently, I was content living there alone.”
Sparks danced along her nerves like Morse code. “How recently?”
His fingertips brushed the back of her hand. “Quite recently.”
Holy smoke, this flirtation was heating up fast. Belly quivering with excitement, Addy scurried to the kitchen to fetch their dinner. She set the Dutch oven on a trivet—shaped like a pair of orcas, of course.
Kieran took a big sniff of the fragrant steam and moaned.
A zing of awareness sizzled over Addy’s skin, settling at the apex of her thighs. Kieran Gallagher was going to be the death of her. Or maybe her rebirth?
Slamming a lid onto that dangerous thought, she served him a big scoop of rice pilaf and topped it with golden chicken, meltingly soft red and green peppers, and crimson sauce. “Basque-style chicken. I hope you like it.”
He took a bite, chewed for a moment, then clapped a hand to his heart and slumped back in his seat as if he’d been shot. “Incredible.”
