Beers, Hens, and Irishmen (Warbler's Point Series) (35 page)

             
“I love you too, Baby. Thank you.”

             
“For what?”

             
“For trusting me, caring about me, loving me for who I am. I can’t even imagine explaining to you how much I love you and how much you have made my life happy and complete.”

             
“Ditto.”

             
He chuckled. “Gee, thanks for the touching words.”

             
She giggled, lifted her head and propped her chin on his chest. “How about, Booker you have truly changed my life. I didn’t think I would ever be happy living in Warblers Point but as long as I have you, I will always be happy.”

             
“So you wouldn’t mind if I bought a house here? And maybe you can help me live in it?”

             
That made her sit up exposing her beautiful breasts. “Are you serious?”

             
“Baby, I’m always serious when it comes to you.”

             
She reached down, grabbed his head with her hands and planted a giant kiss on her lips. “Oh my God. I can’t believe this. You’re actually moving here? What about your job?”

             
He placed one hand behind his head to slightly prop himself up and linked his other hand with hers. “I will still have to do my job but I can pretty much live anywhere. I will keep my house in California but also have a place out here where I will stay most of the time. How does that sound?”

             
“Sounds perfect to me. Are you sure you want to move here? It might be nice here but you get sick of it pretty quickly.”

             
“I could never get sick of it here. Most of my best memories took place in this town. If I have a place here you can still be near your family and help out at the pub and when I have to go places, I will just take you with me.”

             
Fiona studied him. “You’re really serious aren’t you?”

             
He chuckled. “I really am. If I had my way I would be courting you off to the justice of the peace right now.” He watched her eyes get wide as fear passed over them. He rubbed his thumb pad on the back of her hand and said, “Don’t worry, I know we are still moving slow but I want to let you know, I’m in this for the long run.”

             
She straddled him and lowered her body so her chest pressed up against him as she kissed him senseless. “I love you so much Booker.”

             
“I love you too, baby. So damn much.”

                                                                                    ***

              Finn pulled up to Blaire’s cabin and threw the car in park while she bolted for the cabin. She was just about to slam the door when he wiggled his way through.

             
“Finn, get out.” She pointed to the door.

             
“Not until you listen to me.”

             
She slammed the door shut and went over to her bed to bury her head in the pillows. He just stared at her briefly. Her golden blonde locks were fanned out on the pillow and her little body looked so small on the queen sized bed. His first instinct was to go over there and wrap himself around her but he knew better. She was a pistol when she wanted to be and he didn’t want to get in the way of her fire.

             
Instead he walked over and sat gently on the side of her bed. He desperately wanted to rub her back but he refrained from touching her.

             
“Blaire…”

             
She looked up at him, tears filling her eyes and makeup already starting to streak her face. He did that to her, he caused her pain. His gut churned and he felt like he was going to lose his turkey dinner.

             
She placed her head in her hands and said, “I can’t do this, Finn. I don’t even know why I started something with you in the first place. I have to go back to California, my life is there. This is better off.”

             
Every word she said stabbed him in the chest, when did he grow such strong feelings for her? Probably the moment he introduced himself. He never met anyone like Blaire before, she was gorgeous but that was just the outer layer, when you started peeling away her exterior you found a beautiful, caring woman who was sassy and sweet at the same time. She was the perfect match for him. He couldn’t just let her go.

             
“We can work something out. You can always get a job out here…”

             
She scoffed. “And live in Warblers Point? In this arctic tundra?”

             
“It’s hardly a tundra, you are just used to eighty degrees and sunny.”

             
“That’s beside the point Finn. You don’t trust me and what we have…” she said while gesturing between the two of them, “this is just a fling.”

             
She could have punched him in the face and her words would have hurt more.

             
“A fling? Is that how you see it?”

             
She took on a bitter tone, he could tell she was trying to get rid of him by hurting him. “Did you really think this was going to last? You own a pub and live in an apartment above it.”

             
“Wow, I guess I was wrong about you. I didn’t know I was dating a blonde bitch.”

             
“Yea you were wrong, we were only fooling around, never dating.”

             
Finn stood up and ran his hand through his hair. There was no way this was happening right now. She really didn’t mean the things she was saying. What they had was real, he felt it in his core. He never would have given himself to her if he knew it was just going to be some meaningless fling or if she was going to treat him like every other tourist that came through this town looking for a good time.

             
He sat next to the bed and pulled her toward him. She resisted but quickly gave up the fight.

             
“I don’t believe you.” He said while stroking her back. “I don’t believe you mean those things. I’m sorry about tonight. I lost my mind temporarily. I have been on edge lately with everything that has been going on with my family and I feel insecure because I never thought I would be so lucky to find someone like you and actually make it work.” He kissed the top of her head as he felt her cry into his chest. “You can’t deny there is something great between us, we just need to figure out the logistics.”

             
She mumbled something into his chest that he couldn’t quite hear. “What, honey?”

             
She spoke up. “It won’t work, Finn. We come from two different worlds. It just won’t work.”

             
“It will work if we make it.”

             
She got up and he followed her. She opened the door again and cold air smacked him in the face. “Please leave.” She said while crying.

             
“Blaire, don’t do this.”

             
“Go.” She sobbed. “It’s over.”

             
“Please…” He felt his voice catch. She just pointed and he finally succumbed. He didn’t want to start a scene and have his parents come out and attack him for disturbing the other travelers, so he left.

             
Just before she shut the door on him he turned around to look at her and saw regret in her bright blue eyes. Just as quickly as he saw it, it was gone because she slammed the door in his face and followed it by locking up.

             
While driving back to his apartment he thought about the night and how it transpired. How could things take such a turn for the worst so fast? A couple of hours ago he couldn’t be happier and now he was going back to his place, alone to a cold bed. He remembered the look on her face when he insulted her and then her tear soaked eyes in her cabin. For someone who thought their relationship was some kind of measly fling seemed awfully upset from ending whatever they had. Someone who didn’t care much would never act that way.

             
The thought brought back some confidence in his thinking. He would give her tonight and then bright and early in the morning he would make sure she understood he would do anything to make things work between them. He was not letting her go, especially after he knew he found the girl he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

Chapter 16

             
Fiona was enjoying the view on her ride up the mountain on the ski lift. Not just the view of her gorgeous boyfriend but of the beautiful Vermont mountains.  On a clear day it was possible to see mountains from three different states and Canada. Even though she complained about living in such a small town all the time, she never would forget moments like these.

             
Finn and Blaire didn’t join them. Finn sent Fiona a text in the morning that said they were going to stay in. Fiona just rolled her eyes, they were more intimate in public than her and Booker. The day was going great so far. They spent the morning riding the bunny slopes while Booker was trying to get the hang of the mechanics of skiing. After a couple of runs he was able to graduate to some of the bigger slopes. He still had his spills but he was one of the fastest learners she ever met. Of course he would be good at skiing after getting a sub-par lesson from her, he was good at everything. If she wasn’t so much in love with him she would find it quite irritating.

             
The end of the ski lift was approaching and she turned to Booker. “Are you ready for this?” They decided after riding a couple of the beginner slopes that they were going to try for an intermediate run.

             
“Completely.” He flashed her that breath-taking grin and lifted the bar that sat across their laps as they slid off the seat.

             
She led the way down the hill, carving back and forth to avoid a straight downhill plunge, something she didn’t enjoy even though she had been skiing as long as she could remember. She liked to take the hills slow most of the time, taking in the scenes, wishing she could carry a camera with her and not worry about smashing it into the ground.

             
She saw a little cove on the edge and decided to turn into it to catch a breath and make sure Booker was alright. He followed her right into it and grabbed her waist as he stopped.

             
She pulled her goggles up. “You’re good, it’s annoying.”

             
His laugh vibrated through her body. “Sorry. Do you want me to fall a couple more times to make you feel better? Then when we get back to your place, you can nurse me back to health.”

             
Her hands rested on his chest while he circled her with his arms. “You better not.” She playfully swatted his chest. “I have other plans for you tonight and I need you in tip top form.”

             
He raised an eyebrow. “Is that right?”

             
She was just about to agree with him when a bright flash startled her. “What the hell was that?” She heard clicking from what seemed like was coming from the bushes, then another flash. What was going on? She instantly felt Booker tense up and swear under his breath. She looked up at him as anger radiated through his eyes. Another flash. “Booker, what’s happening?” He put her goggles back down on her eyes and dragged her to the main slope.

             
There was no more carving as he led his way down the hill in record speed. She felt herself tear up from the speed they were going and the look in Booker’s eyes. She didn’t know what was going on but whatever was happening was scaring her. When they got to the bottom, Booker took off toward  his Jeep. She quickly stripped off her skis and followed him, crying from being startled so much.

             
He yanked her skis out of her hands and quickly strapped them to the top of his jeep as well as his skis and shoved her in the car. His roughness caused her to stiffen, she had never seen Booker like this before and she didn’t like it at all.