from sleep, her voice smooth like cream. "I don't own a robe. I... I didn't know anyone would be up and about this early." She gathered the ruffled collar of her nightdress closer.
She's bogus. Don't be forgetting that, Mulligan. However, no amount of reasoning or self-admonition could prevent his immediate physical response to the woman. His body sprang into an expectant state that rivaled even those infernal dreams.
Jaysus, you'd think I was still a lad just discovering I can get hard.
Heat flooded him and he cleared his throat. "Tea," he said, as if that explained why he was up even earlier than usual. "There's more in the pot, if you've a mind. Give a care. It's hot as..."
Mind your tongue, Riley. If he wasn't at least civil to the woman, Mum would likely take a switch to him, grown or not. And he'd let her, too, being the respectful son he was. A smile threatened to curve the corners of his mouth, but he caught himself.
"You don't drink much coffee in Ireland," she stated, rather than asked. "I read about some of y'all's customs before our trip."
Y'all again . "Some drink coffee, but we don't."
"I don't drink it myself, though I do like iced tea."
"Iced tea is for Yanks." Maybe bickering with her would distract him from the way her glossy brown hair swung about her shoulders when she shook her head.
"I've developed an unsociable habit—so Granny said—of drinking soda pop in the morning."
She laughed and the sound skittered through his bones and settled right between his legs. One thing was for damned sure. He wasn't about to let her see how she affected him. Wincing, Riley sat at the table, wrapping both hands around his cup and concentrating on his breathing.
"Maggie has some cola in the ice box," he said, and she immediately crossed the room and opened the humming appliance in the corner.
Jaysus help him, but he shouldn't have chosen that moment to look at her. The shape of her bum was clearly outlined through the thin fabric. And a fine bum it was, too. More's the pity.
"Ah, this is perfect. Thank you." She opened the cupboard and stretched to reach the top shelf, her breasts straining against the threadbare nightdress.
Was she so ignorant not to realize she was flaunting herself? Well, bloody hell, wasn't he sitting here without a shirt? Mum certainly wouldn't approve of her son's appearance, especially at her table.
He narrowed his eyes as Bridget joined him there, pouring the foaming brown liquid into her glass. She lifted it to her full pink lips, then hesitated and held it out toward him instead. "Cheers."
The last thing in the world Riley wanted was to toast this woman. She was an intruder. The enemy. Even if she did light a fire in a man's blood.
Finally, he lifted his cup and said, " Fírinne ." He smiled to himself at her look of confusion.
"What does that mean?" She sipped her cola, peering at him with large green eyes.
"Truth." He drained his cup and refilled it, carefully avoiding her gaze. She cleared her throat, obviously wanting him to look at her. He took his sweet time about it, draining his second cup before facing her again. "And speaking of the truth," she said, her voice trailing away.
Her luscious lips were pressed into a thin line now, her delicate nostrils flaring slightly, and her arms folded beneath her breasts, raising them to greater prominence.
Why'd she have to do that ?
Maintaining a good hot head of anger with a woman he wanted to strip naked and take right here on his mum's kitchen table was wearing on a man. Disgraceful, Riley. Aye, but want her he did. Her nightdress was so thin he could actually see the shape of her dark nipples peering back at him.
Jaysus. He reached for the pot again, hoping his hands didn't tremble. If she had something to say, she'd best be doing it, or she'd be talking to his empty chair. He had a full day's work ahead.
And more than one kind of steam to burn off.
"Mr. Mulligan," she began.
"Riley," he corrected. "Mum won't be having
She's bogus. Don't be forgetting that, Mulligan. However, no amount of reasoning or self-admonition could prevent his immediate physical response to the woman. His body sprang into an expectant state that rivaled even those infernal dreams.
Jaysus, you'd think I was still a lad just discovering I can get hard.
Heat flooded him and he cleared his throat. "Tea," he said, as if that explained why he was up even earlier than usual. "There's more in the pot, if you've a mind. Give a care. It's hot as..."
Mind your tongue, Riley. If he wasn't at least civil to the woman, Mum would likely take a switch to him, grown or not. And he'd let her, too, being the respectful son he was. A smile threatened to curve the corners of his mouth, but he caught himself.
"You don't drink much coffee in Ireland," she stated, rather than asked. "I read about some of y'all's customs before our trip."
Y'all again . "Some drink coffee, but we don't."
"I don't drink it myself, though I do like iced tea."
"Iced tea is for Yanks." Maybe bickering with her would distract him from the way her glossy brown hair swung about her shoulders when she shook her head.
"I've developed an unsociable habit—so Granny said—of drinking soda pop in the morning."
She laughed and the sound skittered through his bones and settled right between his legs. One thing was for damned sure. He wasn't about to let her see how she affected him. Wincing, Riley sat at the table, wrapping both hands around his cup and concentrating on his breathing.
"Maggie has some cola in the ice box," he said, and she immediately crossed the room and opened the humming appliance in the corner.
Jaysus help him, but he shouldn't have chosen that moment to look at her. The shape of her bum was clearly outlined through the thin fabric. And a fine bum it was, too. More's the pity.
"Ah, this is perfect. Thank you." She opened the cupboard and stretched to reach the top shelf, her breasts straining against the threadbare nightdress.
Was she so ignorant not to realize she was flaunting herself? Well, bloody hell, wasn't he sitting here without a shirt? Mum certainly wouldn't approve of her son's appearance, especially at her table.
He narrowed his eyes as Bridget joined him there, pouring the foaming brown liquid into her glass. She lifted it to her full pink lips, then hesitated and held it out toward him instead. "Cheers."
The last thing in the world Riley wanted was to toast this woman. She was an intruder. The enemy. Even if she did light a fire in a man's blood.
Finally, he lifted his cup and said, " Fírinne ." He smiled to himself at her look of confusion.
"What does that mean?" She sipped her cola, peering at him with large green eyes.
"Truth." He drained his cup and refilled it, carefully avoiding her gaze. She cleared her throat, obviously wanting him to look at her. He took his sweet time about it, draining his second cup before facing her again. "And speaking of the truth," she said, her voice trailing away.
Her luscious lips were pressed into a thin line now, her delicate nostrils flaring slightly, and her arms folded beneath her breasts, raising them to greater prominence.
Why'd she have to do that ?
Maintaining a good hot head of anger with a woman he wanted to strip naked and take right here on his mum's kitchen table was wearing on a man. Disgraceful, Riley. Aye, but want her he did. Her nightdress was so thin he could actually see the shape of her dark nipples peering back at him.
Jaysus. He reached for the pot again, hoping his hands didn't tremble. If she had something to say, she'd best be doing it, or she'd be talking to his empty chair. He had a full day's work ahead.
And more than one kind of steam to burn off.
"Mr. Mulligan," she began.
"Riley," he corrected. "Mum won't be having
Similar Books
