“I’m
sorry. I really should have told you before I moved in. I won’t have to stay
much longer, and I promise I’ll be out before the baby comes.”
Lacey shot Maeve a look of panic, and
received an almost imperceptible shake of the head in return.
Maeve tried to sound annoyed. “Out? Out
where? Unless you have someplace better to go, you’re sure as hell are not
sticking me with an empty room. It’s hard finding renters.”
Lacey smiled. “Maeve’s right. We’re not
letting you go anywhere.”
Tears came pouring down Bess’s face.
“And when the baby comes,” Maeve dared
herself to continue, “we’ll figure something out. Hell, I was thinking about
getting a dog anyway. It can’t be too much more trouble than a dog, right?”
***
A brisk breeze hinted of autumn as Mick
and Lacey walked along Ego Alley to the water taxi port with bags in hand. Lacey
glanced down at the shopping list that Jack had written for them. “The only
thing they didn’t have was graham crackers,” Lacey noted, wondering if they
should have gone straight to a grocery store, rather than dropping into the
small apothecary just off Main Street.
“It’s not that late. We’ll drop these off
first and if he really thinks she needs graham crackers, we’ll go out again,”
he offered easily, his head tilting as he looked at Lacey. “Are you okay?”
Lacey smiled self-consciously. “I’m fine. It’s
just a lot to take in, I guess.” Downtown Annapolis was alive this cool
Saturday night, crowded with an eclectic mix of overdressed tourists,
midshipmen, and locals hopping in and out of shops and restaurants. Noticing
couples walking hand in hand, she felt a tug of longing. She fidgeted with the
list in her hands. “You know, I have to hand it to Jack. I somehow admire any
man who can suggest stool softeners for a woman without even blinking.”
Mick laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“How do you think he knows so much about
pregnancies?”
“Well, four sisters. I guess he’d hear
plenty.”
Lacey picked up her pace to keep up with
Mick’s long, causal strides. “He seemed to really want to go back to Maeve’s
and to make sure Bess was all right.”
“Uh, I think that had more to do with
Maeve than Bess. Unmistakable chemistry there.”
“You noticed, too?”
“Hell. Everyone in the bar noticed. He just
didn’t want to leave her company.”
“Well, thanks for offering to pick this
stuff up with me and take me home.”
“Maybe I just didn’t want to leave your company.” His eyes sparked with mischief.
Lacey grinned, helpless against his charm.
As they squeezed onto a park bench at the water taxi port, she savored the feel
of his body where it pressed against hers. She desperately wanted to lean
closer, to be closer, to feel the warmth of his lips and his chest pressed
against her.
A furnace igniting inside of her, she
remembered the feel his solid arms around her, lifting her, that first day they
met. The sensation of his fingers in her hair. His light touch on her cheek. She
ached for that moment again, only this time, she wanted it naked, skin-to-skin,
his mouth on hers.
Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to calm
her senses, but to no avail. Every part of her seemed somehow more alive just
being close to him.
A small, brightly lit boat docked in front
of them.
Mick extended his hand to help Lacey down
the narrow stairs that led onto the boat. Her heel caught, and she stumbled
into Mick. His grip was firm on her arms, and they froze, their mouths only
inches apart. The feel of his warm breath caressing her lips sent shivers down
her spine. Paralyzed in his gentle hold, she couldn’t tear her eyes from his.
“ Excuse me!” An impatient tourist
anxious to board the water taxi behind them broke the spell that seemed to have
been cast on Lacey.
Mick shot Lacey an amused look and
whispered in her ear, “Damn tourists.”
They eased into their seats, side by side,
and watched the image of
sorry. I really should have told you before I moved in. I won’t have to stay
much longer, and I promise I’ll be out before the baby comes.”
Lacey shot Maeve a look of panic, and
received an almost imperceptible shake of the head in return.
Maeve tried to sound annoyed. “Out? Out
where? Unless you have someplace better to go, you’re sure as hell are not
sticking me with an empty room. It’s hard finding renters.”
Lacey smiled. “Maeve’s right. We’re not
letting you go anywhere.”
Tears came pouring down Bess’s face.
“And when the baby comes,” Maeve dared
herself to continue, “we’ll figure something out. Hell, I was thinking about
getting a dog anyway. It can’t be too much more trouble than a dog, right?”
***
A brisk breeze hinted of autumn as Mick
and Lacey walked along Ego Alley to the water taxi port with bags in hand. Lacey
glanced down at the shopping list that Jack had written for them. “The only
thing they didn’t have was graham crackers,” Lacey noted, wondering if they
should have gone straight to a grocery store, rather than dropping into the
small apothecary just off Main Street.
“It’s not that late. We’ll drop these off
first and if he really thinks she needs graham crackers, we’ll go out again,”
he offered easily, his head tilting as he looked at Lacey. “Are you okay?”
Lacey smiled self-consciously. “I’m fine. It’s
just a lot to take in, I guess.” Downtown Annapolis was alive this cool
Saturday night, crowded with an eclectic mix of overdressed tourists,
midshipmen, and locals hopping in and out of shops and restaurants. Noticing
couples walking hand in hand, she felt a tug of longing. She fidgeted with the
list in her hands. “You know, I have to hand it to Jack. I somehow admire any
man who can suggest stool softeners for a woman without even blinking.”
Mick laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“How do you think he knows so much about
pregnancies?”
“Well, four sisters. I guess he’d hear
plenty.”
Lacey picked up her pace to keep up with
Mick’s long, causal strides. “He seemed to really want to go back to Maeve’s
and to make sure Bess was all right.”
“Uh, I think that had more to do with
Maeve than Bess. Unmistakable chemistry there.”
“You noticed, too?”
“Hell. Everyone in the bar noticed. He just
didn’t want to leave her company.”
“Well, thanks for offering to pick this
stuff up with me and take me home.”
“Maybe I just didn’t want to leave your company.” His eyes sparked with mischief.
Lacey grinned, helpless against his charm.
As they squeezed onto a park bench at the water taxi port, she savored the feel
of his body where it pressed against hers. She desperately wanted to lean
closer, to be closer, to feel the warmth of his lips and his chest pressed
against her.
A furnace igniting inside of her, she
remembered the feel his solid arms around her, lifting her, that first day they
met. The sensation of his fingers in her hair. His light touch on her cheek. She
ached for that moment again, only this time, she wanted it naked, skin-to-skin,
his mouth on hers.
Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to calm
her senses, but to no avail. Every part of her seemed somehow more alive just
being close to him.
A small, brightly lit boat docked in front
of them.
Mick extended his hand to help Lacey down
the narrow stairs that led onto the boat. Her heel caught, and she stumbled
into Mick. His grip was firm on her arms, and they froze, their mouths only
inches apart. The feel of his warm breath caressing her lips sent shivers down
her spine. Paralyzed in his gentle hold, she couldn’t tear her eyes from his.
“ Excuse me!” An impatient tourist
anxious to board the water taxi behind them broke the spell that seemed to have
been cast on Lacey.
Mick shot Lacey an amused look and
whispered in her ear, “Damn tourists.”
They eased into their seats, side by side,
and watched the image of
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