don’t even know me. You didn’t really, either. And yet, you’ve all welcomed me in so easily. It’s…”
Kira heard a catch in his voice, and found her tears hovering at her eyes again. He didn’t need to say what she already knew he felt deep inside. For the first time, Brogan felt like he had a family. Wanting him more than she could control, Kira turned and laid a hand against his cheek, nudging his face until he looked at her. She’d been right about the catch in his voice – a faint sheen highlighted his eyes.
Leaning forward, she did the only thing she could do in this moment: She kissed him.
At first, the moment held suspended, their lips pressed softly together, that lovely hum of energy flowing between them. But when Brogan went to pull back, Kira pushed forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning in to deepen the kiss. Brogan paused for a moment, and she coaxed him with her lips, inviting him to lose a tiny fraction of his control, to reveal himself to her.
She knew the instant Brogan relented. His hands came up and threaded through her hair. Tilting her head, he pulled her closer, opening her lips with his tongue to explore gently. Heat flashed between them, and a knowing.
This one, Kira thought. This was the man she’d spent her whole life searching for. He swept her under with his kisses, his gentle exploration only feeding the fire that burned deep inside her, making her desperate. When he pulled away, Kira whimpered against him, her heart racing, her body demanding more. Leaning into him, Kira buried her face into the crook of his neck for a moment, enjoying the feel of his arms cradling her close. She wanted all of him, Kira realized. Not just stolen kisses that left her aching instead of satiating her hunger.
“Brogan… I…”
The dark clouds she’d warned away before broke open above them, and once more, Kira found herself and Brogan running from the deluge of rain that all but blinded them. Annoyed, Kira shook her fist at the sky as she sprinted for her car.
It was Mother Nature’s version of taking a cold shower.
Chapter 18
“Aren’t you in a fine huff today?”
Brogan dropped the mug he was holding and it shattered at his feet. Wincing, Brogan stepped back and looked down at his bare feet and the shards of porcelain on the floor in front of him.
“Sure and it’s a fine time to surprise a body, isn’t it then?” Brogan glared at Fiona, who had materialized in the kitchen of his gran’s cottage. He wore nothing but a towel wrapped loosely around his waist, and he’d just poured himself a second cup of coffee to take the edges off the mood left by a fitful night of sleep.
“Did you cut yourself?” Fiona ignored the question of her inopportune timing.
“I don’t think so. And luckily, I’d left the pot of coffee off, or I’d be scalded.” Annoyed, Brogan shot Fiona a glare and stepped carefully backward until he could reach the broom and dustpan hanging by the counter. Fiona said nothing as he tidied the floor. Standing, he dumped the contents in the bin and then shot Fiona another mutinous look. “You stay right there. I’m putting clothes on and then I’ll have a word with you.”
“Yes, sir.” Fiona’s eyes lit with laughter but she knew better than to poke the bear.
Of all the things, Brogan groused to himself as he stuck his legs back in the shower and rinsed the coffee from them. He’d tortured himself all night with wicked thoughts of Kira in his arms, and how he wanted to discover her body inch by inch. Their kiss yesterday had blown his mind, leaving him reeling and more than a little worked up. If the skies hadn’t opened up on them again, he might have ignored Fiona’s warning about taking it slow and tried to have his way with Kira right then and there.
Though, he supposed the rain had been a saving grace, Brogan thought as he dug into his wardrobe and pulled out pants, a sweatshirt in soft grey, and thick wool cottage socks. He couldn’t imagine what Fergal would have thought if he’d pushed the limits with Kira in front of him.
And here he was considering the feelings of an otter. Brogan squeezed the bridge of his nose and took a few deep, calming breaths. Ever since the day he’d stepped into the gallery and been