all so as I can get back to you. Let me tell you, those girls before were nothing but light relief after a busy day. I know you don’t want me to say that and I’m not proud of it, but that’s who I was.”
He stopped us walking and stared intently into my eyes. My heart stalled for another beat because his stare alone stole my breath.
“I won’t tolerate your sassy confidence getting shot to shit because there’s a bonus pay out waiting for someone to write an exclusive on my love life. Let them say what they like, Daisy. Who cares? You’re what I want … what I need.”
“Until you don’t,” I mumbled in a rare moment of candour.
“What? Listen, I know how long I was gone, and that has likely dented your confidence. But I love you more for that time away and not being able to see you. Don’t tell me how I’m going to feel in the future. You wouldn’t be standing here with me now if I didn’t think we had something special.”
“It is special, I just think—”
“Stop it. Stop thinking … or overthinking. Look, I’d be a liar if I said I’ve never been in love before, because we all have histories, right? But I’ve never been consumed by the thought of any woman the way I am with you. That makes you different … it makes me different … and it makes this the most real relationship I have had with a woman—ever.”
“So, you’ve flown me across the Atlantic for your sister to give me the once over?” It had been my turn to change topic, the subject felt too heavy for our first few hours together again.
“Damn straight, you two have got to hit it off,” he muttered, chuckled, and began walking with me. I stole a glance toward the balcony. They were all leaning on the railings, watching us walking toward them.
“Or?” I asked, suddenly nervous because she was obviously very important to him.
“Or, I’ll have to get her adopted to another family. You come first,” he told me and winked wickedly when I looked up at him.
“Oh, go on,” I replied and chuckled, meaning liar.
Chapter 9
Jamie’s sister was as attractive as he was. In fact, I feared if I’d stared at her too long, I’d have crushed on her due to the fact she was a female version of my hot-as-hell boyfriend. Not to mention, her twin boys, who were strapping eighteen-year-old would-be college boys with more than a passing resemblance to their Uncle Jamie, as well. It was a wee bit weird to see how strongly their gene pool streaked through all of them.
The welcome they gave me was warm, not polite, as I thought it would be. They were friendly— familiar, like they’d all met me before. Paddy thanked me for looking after his bandmate and Bernie told me she thought Jamie should have taken me to their wedding.
Jamie told them he’d thought about it, but it was St. Patrick’s Day, and if he’d learned anything about Ireland when he was stranded, it was that the world and its dog celebrated it.
Bernie was a stunning-looking woman a few years older than me, with typically pale Celtic skin, huge expressive brown eyes framed in dark lashes, and treacle-colored hair. Like me, she was a curvy girl and not like the types I’d mentioned to Jamie before.
She was a pleasant, ordinary Northern Irish girl and I related to her. Her da was a painter and decorator and she, herself, told me she was a supervisor in a store- chain before marrying Paddy.
I don’t know why, but I was astounded by that information, until I remembered Bernie and Paddy had been boyfriend and girlfriend since they’d been at school.
Jamie’s cell rang and he’d had to take the call, so Ryan, one of his nephews, volunteered to show me to my room on the same floor, while Nick, the other, had gone to pick up my bags. The only upstairs bedroom had been claimed by their mom on arrival, Ryan informed me as we made our way down the hall.
“This one is yours,” Ryan said, opening the first door. It was a beautiful bright airy bedroom, decorated with sky blue and cream soft furnishings. The bed looked much bigger than anything I’d slept on before.
“Uncle Jamie is in the room over there,” he said, pointing toward the door directly opposite. “That said, I don’t know why he’s pretending he’s not sleeping with