The Guarded Widow by K M Gaffney Page B

and the boys muddled through the last of the dinner preparations, they teased and taunted each other. A small food fight even broke out among the brothers until they remembered their mother was only right up the stairs. Reclining against the kitchen island stool, Gavin leisurely watched Olivia’s boys with a grin.
    He realized that he truly enjoyed spending time with them and also recognized that this wasn’t the first time this thought had crossed his mind. He’d really enjoyed their company the night he’d stopped by to talk with Jeff Masters, too.
    When Maddy and Olivia came back downstairs about an hour later, they both returned with swollen, bloodshot eyes. As they rounded the corner, both sisters were touched when they found Gavin wrestling the twins in the family room while Tommy and Michael cheered him on. Maddy stole a quick peek at the warm smile spreading over Olivia’s face.
    Right then and there, she decided that Gavin Rafferty would be a dead man if he dared to break any of their hearts. Then Maddy hugged her older sister and excused herself for the evening.
     
    Once the boys’ nighttime routine was completed, Olivia quietly made her way downstairs and wandered toward the front living room. She found Gavin, wearing a lazy half smile, as he casually perused the framed family photographs scattered about the room.
    I have some serious thinking I need to do, she thought as she stood in the doorway, watching him. Nerves began fluttering within her stomach while she tried to control the sudden intense need to occupy her hands.
    When he realized she was standing there, Gavin lifted his head from the picture he was studying, caught her gaze and flashed a disarming smile.
    Her heart, literally, skipped a beat.
    “I’m sorry it took me so long to put them to bed,” she murmured, crossing the room to join him.
    “Olivia, you are an astounding woman,” he told her and reached out to take her hand in his.
    He’d watched her tonight, with her sons, and was once again impressed by her devotion to her children, always putting her own needs or concerns last. He’d realized what he’d once considered coldness or indifference to the news of her husband’s death had actually been her instinctive need to nurture her children and an indomitable inner strength. The woman was far from cold. He’d discovered that first hand.
    Now, he needed to touch her. Lifting her hand to his lips, he lightly kissed the back of her fingers as he kept his gaze on hers.
    His eyes seemed to be searching hers, silently conveying the reflective nature of his thoughts.
    “I really enjoy spending time with you and your boys,” he told her as he gently tugged her toward him, closing the distance between them.
    All of the sudden, Olivia realized why she felt so nervous.
    “Gavin,” she whispered.
    Even as she spoke her next words there was a fierce internal battle waging inside her mind.
    “I need some time to think, to process all that you’ve told me. I feel as though my marriage, or most likely the last five years of my marriage, was nothing but lies. Now I can understand why it had been slowly deteriorating and this afternoon, some of the guilt I’d been carrying over the last two years was lifted from my shoulders. But I still need time to process, perhaps, even grieve again.”
    Gavin ran his hands down her arms to hold and stroke both of her hands. All she could think was how good it felt to be touched, held.
    “Olivia, take all the time you need.” He leaned down to gently kiss her. Murmuring softly against her lips, he promised, “I’ll be nearby keeping an eye on you and your sons.”
    He started to pull away so as to not overwhelm her, but she reached up and hungrily guided his mouth back down to hers. Gathering her up against him, h e greedily relished her fervor. Then with considerable regret, Gavin ended the kiss. He smiled into her eyes and murmured against her ear.
    “Good night, Olivia. I’ll see you soon.”