Read Online Bailey's Irish Dream by DEBBY CONRAD - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: DEBBY CONRAD
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Just keep your money.”
So that was it. “But we had a deal.”
He spun around to face her. “Our deal was for one night.” Running his hands through his hair, he sighed loudly. “One night. Tonight. And now it’s over.”
The moonlight played on his face, showing off the muscle quivering at his jaw and the age lines along his brows and around his eyes. He didn’t look happy.
“I’ve lied to them,” he went on, “insulted them, and practically admitted I was a pedophile. Plus your mother seems to think I’ve gotten you . . .” he paused, glancing at her abdomen, “knocked up, and still they haven’t said a word about calling off the wedding. By the way, you did tell your mother that you’re not pregnant, didn’t you?”
“Of course,” she lied. Or at least she planned to tell her, as soon as got the chance.
“They must be desperate to see you married,” he said, shaking his head. “I don’t know how you ever talked me into this in the first place.”
“Oh, go ahead and blame me,” she sputtered, slapping her hands to her sides. He stared back at her like she was some kind of crazy woman. “Why don’t you just admit you did it for the money?”
“Well, of course I did it for the money!” he yelled, his eyes blazing with sudden anger. “Did you actually think I’d go around playing a jerk for the fun of it? This was one of the worst nights of my life. And I have you to thank.”
Bailey took a step back and spoke quietly. “I think the kids adore you.”
“What did you expect? They’re kids,” he said as if that explained everything.
After a moment’s silence she tried to reach him again. “My mother’s been seeing a doctor, although, I don’t know what’s wrong with her. I do know that I don’t want her upset.”
“That doesn’t concern me.”
Swallowing hard, she stared up at him. Why didn’t she just tell him to go ahead and leave? Then she’d have no choice but to tell her parents the truth.
“And stop looking at me like that,” he said, pointing a finger her way. “I’m not going to change my mind. This is your problem. Deal with it.”
He turned and started to leave, then stopped suddenly. Before she knew what had happened he’d pivoted around, grabbed her by the shoulders, and pulled her to him. His kiss was rough, almost punishing, causing the hairs on the back of her neck to curl. Quinn’s kisses were unlike any other man’s. Thorough, demanding, seductive. She was shocked at her eager response and sense of powerlessness in his arms. Her emotions had whirled and nearly skidded out of control by the time Quinn released her.
“Have a nice life,” he said, then headed down the driveway where his motorcycle was parked.
Bailey stood, watching him go, her mouth burning with fire. Quinn settled a helmet on his head, kick-started the bike, and roared through the gates and off into the distance without a single look back.
The lake waves lapped noisily at the shore line behind her, bringing with them a mist of damp air. Wrapping her arms around herself to ward off the chill, she took a long deep breath and let it out slowly.
It was over. Quinn was gone, and she should feel relieved. But she didn’t. Instead, she found herself thinking about those kisses again, and wondered what it would be like to make love to him. She couldn’t deny the spark of excitement at the prospect. None of the men she’d been engaged to had ever made her feel like that. When she’d thought of them it was always with a fondness for companionship, someone to spend the rest of her life with. But with Quinn, it was different. He made her feel wanton and shameless. Okay, so maybe he’d light her fire, but what would he be like as a companion, husband, and father ? she wondered, disappointed that she’d never know.
Enough about Quinn, she decided, feeling empty inside. She’d
So that was it. “But we had a deal.”
He spun around to face her. “Our deal was for one night.” Running his hands through his hair, he sighed loudly. “One night. Tonight. And now it’s over.”
The moonlight played on his face, showing off the muscle quivering at his jaw and the age lines along his brows and around his eyes. He didn’t look happy.
“I’ve lied to them,” he went on, “insulted them, and practically admitted I was a pedophile. Plus your mother seems to think I’ve gotten you . . .” he paused, glancing at her abdomen, “knocked up, and still they haven’t said a word about calling off the wedding. By the way, you did tell your mother that you’re not pregnant, didn’t you?”
“Of course,” she lied. Or at least she planned to tell her, as soon as got the chance.
“They must be desperate to see you married,” he said, shaking his head. “I don’t know how you ever talked me into this in the first place.”
“Oh, go ahead and blame me,” she sputtered, slapping her hands to her sides. He stared back at her like she was some kind of crazy woman. “Why don’t you just admit you did it for the money?”
“Well, of course I did it for the money!” he yelled, his eyes blazing with sudden anger. “Did you actually think I’d go around playing a jerk for the fun of it? This was one of the worst nights of my life. And I have you to thank.”
Bailey took a step back and spoke quietly. “I think the kids adore you.”
“What did you expect? They’re kids,” he said as if that explained everything.
After a moment’s silence she tried to reach him again. “My mother’s been seeing a doctor, although, I don’t know what’s wrong with her. I do know that I don’t want her upset.”
“That doesn’t concern me.”
Swallowing hard, she stared up at him. Why didn’t she just tell him to go ahead and leave? Then she’d have no choice but to tell her parents the truth.
“And stop looking at me like that,” he said, pointing a finger her way. “I’m not going to change my mind. This is your problem. Deal with it.”
He turned and started to leave, then stopped suddenly. Before she knew what had happened he’d pivoted around, grabbed her by the shoulders, and pulled her to him. His kiss was rough, almost punishing, causing the hairs on the back of her neck to curl. Quinn’s kisses were unlike any other man’s. Thorough, demanding, seductive. She was shocked at her eager response and sense of powerlessness in his arms. Her emotions had whirled and nearly skidded out of control by the time Quinn released her.
“Have a nice life,” he said, then headed down the driveway where his motorcycle was parked.
Bailey stood, watching him go, her mouth burning with fire. Quinn settled a helmet on his head, kick-started the bike, and roared through the gates and off into the distance without a single look back.
The lake waves lapped noisily at the shore line behind her, bringing with them a mist of damp air. Wrapping her arms around herself to ward off the chill, she took a long deep breath and let it out slowly.
It was over. Quinn was gone, and she should feel relieved. But she didn’t. Instead, she found herself thinking about those kisses again, and wondered what it would be like to make love to him. She couldn’t deny the spark of excitement at the prospect. None of the men she’d been engaged to had ever made her feel like that. When she’d thought of them it was always with a fondness for companionship, someone to spend the rest of her life with. But with Quinn, it was different. He made her feel wanton and shameless. Okay, so maybe he’d light her fire, but what would he be like as a companion, husband, and father ? she wondered, disappointed that she’d never know.
Enough about Quinn, she decided, feeling empty inside. She’d
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