how pleased they would be to work with her, or how successful
the campaign was going to be. Finally, the two of them were alone.
“You did great,”
Dermot said softly. “You’ll knock ‘ em dead on the
talk show circuit.”
She blinked, then smiled. God,
he loved that smile. A barrel of honey would not be as sweet as the curve of
her lips.
“Thank you, Dermot.”
“You know why I’m so certain you’ll be a knockout talk
show guest?”
“Why?”
“Because listening to you speak made me have a
revelation. I have been a complete fool. Eileen, what do you want? For us, I
mean.”
Her eyes widened. “That was a revelation.”
“Don’t dodge the question.”
“I’m not dodging. I’m stalling.” She traced scrolling
patterns on the gleaming surface of the conference table. “What I feel for you
is different from anything I’ve ever felt before. Maybe it’s love. Maybe it’s
something else entirely. I want the opportunity to find out.”
“So, you want to date? I can do that. When you return to
Ireland, I’ll fly over every weekend I can get away, so we can keep seeing each
other.” He hesitated, his new resolve to focus on her wants warring with his
need to know. “Royce said you were readjusting your travel arrangements. Are
you still going back on Tuesday?”
“Yes. But I won’t be staying long. I called my friend Soibhan . She’s watching my woods while I’m gone. She’ll
move into my cottage and take over the position so I can stay in America a
while longer.”
“You can live with me. There’s no better way to find out
how we really feel about each other.”
“I’d like that.” She favored him with another glowing
smile.
“But I’ve got to
know. Why? You were furious with me this morning when you left the limo. Why
did you go out of your way to make sure you could spend more time with me?”
“An áit a bhfuil do chroí is ann a thabharfas do chosa thú .”
“Sounds lovely. What does it mean?”
“It’s an old saying. ‘Your feet will bring you to where
your heart is.’ I knew this morning, when your refusal to acknowledge our
relationship hurt so badly, that my heart was here.” She shrugged. “So here was
where I needed to be as well.”
He couldn’t believe it. Everything was falling together
perfectly. Everything except the tabloid threat, that is. But after watching
how she handled herself today and listening to her responses to Sara’s
questions, he knew he had nothing to fear from her religion. The only possible
scandal was a much more prosaic one, and he had a simple solution for that.
“If you’re going to be living with me,” he warned her,
“people will talk. The easiest way to cut short the gossip is if we’re
engaged.”
She blinked. “Engaged? But the whole purpose for my
staying is to find out if it’s love.”
“So we’ll make it a long engagement. Years,
if you like.”
“Somehow, I don’t think it will take that long.”
“However long it is, I’ll be here when you make your
decision.” He walked around the table and stopped in front of her, taking her
hands in his. “My feet have brought me to where my heart is, too. And I don’t
ever plan to leave.”
Looking deep into her eyes, Dermot knew he’d made the
right decision. The worst media frenzy would be inconsequential with her by his
side, and soon over, compared to the hell he would endure for the rest of his
life if he let her get away.
Slowly, reveling in the feel of her trembling body
beneath the soft velvet of her shawl, he glided his hands up her arms, to her
shoulders, then down her back. He moved forward, at the same time pulling her
to him, so that their bodies were pressed together from leg to chest.
Eileen’s hands slid under his suit coat, caressing his
chest, then slid down his ribs and around his waist to
cup and cradle his ass. His cock sprang to full and instant arousal, pressed
into the folds of her skirt, and he considered locking the door and
the campaign was going to be. Finally, the two of them were alone.
“You did great,”
Dermot said softly. “You’ll knock ‘ em dead on the
talk show circuit.”
She blinked, then smiled. God,
he loved that smile. A barrel of honey would not be as sweet as the curve of
her lips.
“Thank you, Dermot.”
“You know why I’m so certain you’ll be a knockout talk
show guest?”
“Why?”
“Because listening to you speak made me have a
revelation. I have been a complete fool. Eileen, what do you want? For us, I
mean.”
Her eyes widened. “That was a revelation.”
“Don’t dodge the question.”
“I’m not dodging. I’m stalling.” She traced scrolling
patterns on the gleaming surface of the conference table. “What I feel for you
is different from anything I’ve ever felt before. Maybe it’s love. Maybe it’s
something else entirely. I want the opportunity to find out.”
“So, you want to date? I can do that. When you return to
Ireland, I’ll fly over every weekend I can get away, so we can keep seeing each
other.” He hesitated, his new resolve to focus on her wants warring with his
need to know. “Royce said you were readjusting your travel arrangements. Are
you still going back on Tuesday?”
“Yes. But I won’t be staying long. I called my friend Soibhan . She’s watching my woods while I’m gone. She’ll
move into my cottage and take over the position so I can stay in America a
while longer.”
“You can live with me. There’s no better way to find out
how we really feel about each other.”
“I’d like that.” She favored him with another glowing
smile.
“But I’ve got to
know. Why? You were furious with me this morning when you left the limo. Why
did you go out of your way to make sure you could spend more time with me?”
“An áit a bhfuil do chroí is ann a thabharfas do chosa thú .”
“Sounds lovely. What does it mean?”
“It’s an old saying. ‘Your feet will bring you to where
your heart is.’ I knew this morning, when your refusal to acknowledge our
relationship hurt so badly, that my heart was here.” She shrugged. “So here was
where I needed to be as well.”
He couldn’t believe it. Everything was falling together
perfectly. Everything except the tabloid threat, that is. But after watching
how she handled herself today and listening to her responses to Sara’s
questions, he knew he had nothing to fear from her religion. The only possible
scandal was a much more prosaic one, and he had a simple solution for that.
“If you’re going to be living with me,” he warned her,
“people will talk. The easiest way to cut short the gossip is if we’re
engaged.”
She blinked. “Engaged? But the whole purpose for my
staying is to find out if it’s love.”
“So we’ll make it a long engagement. Years,
if you like.”
“Somehow, I don’t think it will take that long.”
“However long it is, I’ll be here when you make your
decision.” He walked around the table and stopped in front of her, taking her
hands in his. “My feet have brought me to where my heart is, too. And I don’t
ever plan to leave.”
Looking deep into her eyes, Dermot knew he’d made the
right decision. The worst media frenzy would be inconsequential with her by his
side, and soon over, compared to the hell he would endure for the rest of his
life if he let her get away.
Slowly, reveling in the feel of her trembling body
beneath the soft velvet of her shawl, he glided his hands up her arms, to her
shoulders, then down her back. He moved forward, at the same time pulling her
to him, so that their bodies were pressed together from leg to chest.
Eileen’s hands slid under his suit coat, caressing his
chest, then slid down his ribs and around his waist to
cup and cradle his ass. His cock sprang to full and instant arousal, pressed
into the folds of her skirt, and he considered locking the door and
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