Read Online A Mighty Quinn Seduction (The Mighty Quinns) by Kate Hoffmann - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kate Hoffmann
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everything I’ve seen, Aileen is a very strong woman. If she doesn’t want to talk about the orphanage, she’ll come right out and say it.”
“She mentioned something about it today. I get the feeling that she realizes we know.” He held out a photo. “This is a good one.”
“It is.”
He tossed the photo back on the floor and leaned back into the sofa, covering his face with his hands. Claire twisted around to face him. Something was wrong. He usually came in so happy to see her, so anxious to have the rest of the day to spent together.
She crawled up on the sofa and tucked her feet beneath her. “Hard day?”
He turned to look at her. “No. I actually got a lot done. How was school?”
Claire shrugged. “The usual. We’ve got exams this week so the students are tired and cranky, but other than that we’re all looking forward to the holidays next month. Can I get you a drink?”
“I could use a whiskey,” he said.
Claire walked to the kitchen and grabbed a pair of glasses and the bottle, then carried them back to the sofa. After she poured him two fingers, she held it out. “Sláinte,” she murmured, clinking her glass against his.
He downed the whiskey in one gulp and she poured him another. “Are you going to tell me what’s bothering you?” she asked.
“No,” he muttered.
“Why not?”
“Because I just want to have a lovely dinner and a quiet evening here with you.”
“And what you’re keeping from me would upset those plans?”
“Most definitely,” Ian said. He pulled her into a long, whiskey-laced kiss and though the intensity of it took her breath away, it didn’t answer her questions. Had he heard from his parents? Was he having doubts about their relationship?
He tossed back the second drink as Claire cursed silently. What relationship? An uneasy feeling twisted at her stomach. Had he already tired of her? The look on his face was a familiar mix of dread and regret, the same look she’d seen on Simon’s face when he’d found her standing at his front door.
“Tell me,” she demanded. “Before you get so drunk you can’t talk.”
“I’ve had an offer,” Ian began. “A teaching position at the university in York. The head of the history department recommended me and they called and are very interested in speaking with me.”
Claire gasped. “But that’s wonderful.”
He turned to meet her gaze. “Is it?”
“Isn’t it?”
“They want me to start in January.”
As she stared at his expression, she realized why he was upset. He was thinking about their future together. The notion hit her like a brick to the head. Their future. “You don’t want to teach?”
Ian shrugged. “I don’t know what I want,” he said. But then he shook his head. “That’s not entirely true. I know exactly what I want. You. That’s it, nothing more. And I know I don’t want anything that’s going to interfere with me having you.”
“Don’t you need a job?” she asked.
“Yes. But I need one here, not in York or London or anywhere that isn’t within twenty kilometers of you.”
“If this is some kind of marriage proposal, then you’re making a bloody hames of it.” The words popped out of her mouth before she could stop them and Claire forced a smile. Oh, God, what if that’s what he really had in mind? What if he wanted to talk about their future? What if he wanted answers she couldn’t give him?
“Sorry, I sometimes say things that are completely inappropriate.” Claire scrambled off the sofa. “Can we talk about this later? I just remembered I’ve got something I need to pick up.”
“I can drive you.”
Ian started to stand, but she pushed him back down. “No, you stay here and enjoy your drink and I’ll just run out. I’ll be back soon.”
Claire grabbed her jacket and her keys and hurried to the door. She glanced over her shoulder to see him watching her, a concerned expression on his handsome face. He must think she’d gone mad. But
“She mentioned something about it today. I get the feeling that she realizes we know.” He held out a photo. “This is a good one.”
“It is.”
He tossed the photo back on the floor and leaned back into the sofa, covering his face with his hands. Claire twisted around to face him. Something was wrong. He usually came in so happy to see her, so anxious to have the rest of the day to spent together.
She crawled up on the sofa and tucked her feet beneath her. “Hard day?”
He turned to look at her. “No. I actually got a lot done. How was school?”
Claire shrugged. “The usual. We’ve got exams this week so the students are tired and cranky, but other than that we’re all looking forward to the holidays next month. Can I get you a drink?”
“I could use a whiskey,” he said.
Claire walked to the kitchen and grabbed a pair of glasses and the bottle, then carried them back to the sofa. After she poured him two fingers, she held it out. “Sláinte,” she murmured, clinking her glass against his.
He downed the whiskey in one gulp and she poured him another. “Are you going to tell me what’s bothering you?” she asked.
“No,” he muttered.
“Why not?”
“Because I just want to have a lovely dinner and a quiet evening here with you.”
“And what you’re keeping from me would upset those plans?”
“Most definitely,” Ian said. He pulled her into a long, whiskey-laced kiss and though the intensity of it took her breath away, it didn’t answer her questions. Had he heard from his parents? Was he having doubts about their relationship?
He tossed back the second drink as Claire cursed silently. What relationship? An uneasy feeling twisted at her stomach. Had he already tired of her? The look on his face was a familiar mix of dread and regret, the same look she’d seen on Simon’s face when he’d found her standing at his front door.
“Tell me,” she demanded. “Before you get so drunk you can’t talk.”
“I’ve had an offer,” Ian began. “A teaching position at the university in York. The head of the history department recommended me and they called and are very interested in speaking with me.”
Claire gasped. “But that’s wonderful.”
He turned to meet her gaze. “Is it?”
“Isn’t it?”
“They want me to start in January.”
As she stared at his expression, she realized why he was upset. He was thinking about their future together. The notion hit her like a brick to the head. Their future. “You don’t want to teach?”
Ian shrugged. “I don’t know what I want,” he said. But then he shook his head. “That’s not entirely true. I know exactly what I want. You. That’s it, nothing more. And I know I don’t want anything that’s going to interfere with me having you.”
“Don’t you need a job?” she asked.
“Yes. But I need one here, not in York or London or anywhere that isn’t within twenty kilometers of you.”
“If this is some kind of marriage proposal, then you’re making a bloody hames of it.” The words popped out of her mouth before she could stop them and Claire forced a smile. Oh, God, what if that’s what he really had in mind? What if he wanted to talk about their future? What if he wanted answers she couldn’t give him?
“Sorry, I sometimes say things that are completely inappropriate.” Claire scrambled off the sofa. “Can we talk about this later? I just remembered I’ve got something I need to pick up.”
“I can drive you.”
Ian started to stand, but she pushed him back down. “No, you stay here and enjoy your drink and I’ll just run out. I’ll be back soon.”
Claire grabbed her jacket and her keys and hurried to the door. She glanced over her shoulder to see him watching her, a concerned expression on his handsome face. He must think she’d gone mad. But
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