His Wicked Celtic Kiss (18 page)

Julie was floored. Her mouth literally dropped open. “Partner? I don't have any money to put into the business.”

Ronnie took another sip. “You can acquire a small business loan, or maybe your parents will loan some to you. We won't be equal partners, at least not to start, but it's something I would like you to consider. There's no rush for us to move into a partnership as yet.” Ronnie paused, and then her voice grew softer. “But I admit I've selfish reasons. Nick and I are getting
very
serious. Believe it or not, we've talked about marriage and children.” She blushed.

Julie patted Ronnie's arm and squealed in delight. “That's fantastic! I'm so happy for you!” And she was, but a little pinprick of jealousy inserted itself in her heart. She wanted all that too. Someday.

Ronnie smiled happily. “I'm so pleased Nick and I both want the same things. Eventually, I want to cut back here at the bakery. What I hope is to take on a part-timer farther down the road, and train you to run this place, from the bookkeeping to the some of the actual baking. I'll admit I did have mercenary thoughts when I offered you the back apartment rent-free. But I want you to share in the profits and yes, the hard work. Is it something you'd be interested in?”

Julie lowered her cup. Her hand trembled. This would be a big step. Making a few cakes was one thing. She had doubts she could obtain a small business loan, but her parents would happily lend her the money. They had some set aside for her, if she wanted it, the tuition money she never used. This would be a good opportunity. Hell, a
great
opportunity. This was her future and livelihood. To be a part owner in a business was more than she'd ever hoped for. “It's something I'm very interested in, Ronnie, very, very much. Let me discuss it with my parents.”

Ronnie smiled. “Excellent. I'll draw up a business plan and you and your parents can look it over. I thought to start, twenty percent of the business, with more later?”

Julie laughed. “Sounds wonderful.”

“Speaking of wonderful,” Ronnie winked. “Now we move on to the more personal part of the conversation. Lorcan Byrne.” Julie's face immediately flushed hot at the words. “Oh, so it's like that, is it? Spill. You've been too close-mouthed about it. Obviously, you've had sex.” Julie nodded. “Well? You don't have to give me a blow-by-blow account …. ” Ronnie winced. “Sorry, bad choice of words. Just give me the Reader's Digest condensed version.”

Julie had never talked about sex like this with another woman. Even as close a friend as Ronnie was, she didn't feel comfortable. “Well … he's … he's … wild. And tender. Sometimes at the same time,” she offered tentatively.

Ronnie sipped her tea. “Really? Hmm. Anything else?”

Julie squirmed uncomfortably on her stool. “Look, Ronnie, it's not easy for me to talk about this. He's amazing in all manner of ways. It's hard to put into words.”

“Then tell me how you feel about him,” Ronnie whispered.

The tears built, threatening to overflow. She had to tell someone. “I'm falling for him, as in—love.”

Ronnie touched her arm in comfort. “Oh, Julie … no.”

A tear escaped and zigzagged down her still flushed cheeks. “I've tried so damned hard not to let myself feel, but I do. We'd decided this would be causal, temporary, a fling if you want to call it that. But it's moved beyond casual for me, and maybe even for him. I think it started when he held back my hair while I puked … ” Ronnie let a giggle slip by her lips. “Don't laugh!” Julie continued. “He's giving in so many ways, but keeps part of himself from everyone. We had dinner with his friend, Sully, the other night and when Lorcan went to the restroom, I asked Sully about him. He said Lorcan allows people so close and he's been this way since he left the army. He didn't know why, Lorcan won't talk about it.” Julie paused. “Lorcan did mention in passing a while back that he suffers from nightmares. I tried to mention this holding back thing that he does, but he got up and left. More than once.”

Julie blushed as she thought of the heated kiss and embrace last night at her back door. Lorcan must have held her for close to fifteen minutes, then he stepped back, caressed her cheek, turned on his heel, and left. She was tempted to tell Ronnie, to get her perspective on his erratic behavior, but decided to keep the intimate incident to herself.

“So something happened while he was in the army.”

Julie nodded. “That's what I'm thinking.”

Ronnie placed her mug on the counter and clasped Julie's hand. “It sounds like he has told you more than he's told anyone. That's good, Julie. It means you've already passed some of his barriers.”

“How do I get past the rest?”

Ronnie exhaled. “Nick had fences up. Just keep trying to break through, but Lorcan has got to want to lower those barriers a bit or it will be a pointless effort.”

Julie removed her hand and picked up her mug, taking a thoughtful sip. “He's leaving, Ronnie. He reminds me of it constantly like he's telling me not to care too much. It's too late. I already do.”

Ronnie shrugged. “You'll be keeping in contact, won't you? Surely he will come back for a visit, his friend Sully is here, we're here … ”

Julie raised an eyebrow skeptically. “Long distance romances only work in the movies or romance novels. In real life it hardly ever works. There will be a big honking ocean between us, and I can't afford to jump a plane and fly to Dublin once a month. And I can't sit around waiting for an infrequent visit from him, if he even comes back this way at all. Phone or webcam sex wouldn't cut it. When he leaves—it's over. I would never ask to go with him, and he has never even mentioned the possibility.”

“Would you go with him, if he asked?” Ronnie questioned. Julie set her mug on the counter and crossed her arms. Would she? Leave everything and everyone behind to follow a man to a strange country, an ocean away? Especially now when she loved her new responsibility at the bakery and was excited by Ronnie's proposal of partnership? Wow. She wasn't sure. It certainly would be the big romantic ending. “I don't know. Maybe. Anyway, he'll never ask. I know it. And I won't beg to go with him. He's leaving. I have to prepare myself for that reality.”

Ronnie hopped down off her stool and hugged Julie tight. “I'm so sorry.”

Julie rubbed Ronnie's back.

So was she.

• • •

Close to two weeks had passed since Julie's outburst. She didn't bring up the incident again and neither did he. Frankly, Lorcan had been relieved to put it in the past. Today was one of those infrequent times he drove Liam De Luca. Lorcan glanced in the rear view mirror. The guy sat in the backseat with a strange blonde, who had her hand buried in Liam's lap. Lorcan rolled his eyes. Jaysus, surely the woman would not give De Luca a hand-job here in the damned car. His lip curled in disgust at the thought of his beloved S65 being sullied with seminal fluids.

“Next stop, the Belvedere Hotel,” Liam called out, if only to remind them of his presence. The woman giggled.

At the next stop light, Lorcan spoke the location and the map came up immediately on the display in the dash. Damn, but he loved this car. Lorcan glanced in the rear view mirror.

Liam pulled the woman's hand away. “Patience … ” he whispered.

Lorcan put on his sunglasses so he could roll his eyes without being detected. The light turned green and he accelerated. He couldn't even begin to understand Liam's cheating behavior. Lorcan had not been with another woman since he started seeing Julie. This had been the longest he had stayed with one woman, and Julie deserved his respect and loyalty even though their relationship would be short-term. So why had he stayed faithful?

Could it be the sex? Granted, it had moved beyond anything he experienced in all his encounters around the world. He tried to limit their physical pleasures to every Sunday using the excuse that he was busy the rest of the time. He didn't think he could emotionally handle any more than once a week. Though, they usually did it two or three times during that one day. The sex was blistering, flaming hot.

Truth? This situation with Julie moved far beyond casual. It wasn't just sex. He cared for her. And that realization had his insides tumbling and his head spinning in confusion and trepidation. Look at the reaction he'd had when she'd demanded to know why he was seeing her if he wouldn't let her get close. First time he had ever seen her angry and he couldn't blame her. He deserved her wrath. All of it.

What an arse, he had stomped out again. But once outside, he couldn't bring himself to leave. He'd stood in the darkened parking lot while warring emotions rolled through him. He'd knocked on her door with every intention of telling her that he cared, more than he ever thought he would. But once he'd held her, the words choked off in his throat. Instead, his kiss and embrace said everything he'd felt in his heart. He only hoped she'd understood what he couldn't bring himself to say.

With a quick glance at the traffic, Lorcan turned toward Germain Street and the Belvedere. His emotions were a mess. Trying to keep Julie at arm's length became more difficult as each week passed. This past Sunday, she'd noticed the way he cringed during the battle scenes in
The Two Towers,
especially the scene where the raiders rode on the small village. The scene had mirrored things he'd seen in the army. Terrible things. Like Drima's village being destroyed and the utter hopelessness and guilt he felt over the incident. Julie didn't comment on his unease, but held his hand throughout.

Lorcan never should've mentioned the nightmares. He was still amazed he spoke of it to her. He had told no one, not Sully or his family. He hadn't stayed overnight at all, except those two nights Julie was sick with the sun poisoning and even then he'd slept most of the time on her couch.

The nightmares were not the only reason he didn't stay. Holding her in his arms all night would be too intimate; bad enough he'd done it for a few hours the second night he'd stayed with her, and a few Sundays after sex, they had cuddled for quite a while. Damn, how brilliant to hold a soft, lush female in his arms. Julie melded to his body as if made to fit. He reveled in her warmth, her supple curves, and those astounding breasts. She'd given him a feeling of peace he hadn't felt in a long time. Maybe that's why he didn't have any nightmares while with her. She kept such demons at bay. Since then, Julie had asked him to stay a few more times. He'd gently refused. Though it tore his guts to see the hurt look on her face, Lorcan had assured her it wasn't because of her, but offered no further explanation. Again, she didn't pry. He was grateful. Lorcan exhaled and pushed the confused thoughts to the back of his mind.

Lorcan pulled up in front of the Belvedere, He jumped out and opened the passenger door facing the hotel, and the blonde woman tumbled out, giggling. She grabbed Liam as soon as he stood, hanging off him like a silk scarf, her hand caressing his chest. She kissed his neck and chin, her tongue darting out around his lips
. Jaysus, what a feckin' display
.

“They have a decent bar here, why don't you get a drink? I'll call you on the cell when I'm ready to leave.” Liam glanced down at the woman who stared at him lasciviously. “Could be a couple of hours.” The woman giggled again and hugged him closer. Lorcan didn't answer right away. Liam's eyebrow shot up. “Something you want to say?”

Lorcan shook his head. “Not me, mate. I'll park the car and nip into the bar.”

Liam thrust a hundred-dollar bill in Lorcan's hand. “The drinks are on me.”

Lorcan tucked the bill in his front pocket. “Cheers.”

Liam and the woman ran up the stairs to the front entrance. Lorcan contemplated—should he use valet parking or park the vehicle himself? He leaned on the roof of the car and scanned the busy downtown street. A city bus drove by belching black diesel smoke.

He noticed a silver Toyota Camry parked across the street. The window was down and thanks to the streetlight overhead and the early evening twilight, he could make out a woman wearing a floppy hat and huge Jackie Onassis sunglasses. She appeared to be distressed judging by the trembling downturn of her mouth. Lorcan recognized her right off, or at least, thought he did. Jaysus, that wasn't Liam's lady, the one he lived with?

Lorcan stood up straight. She must've followed them here. Why didn't he detect it? Part of his job consisted of the ability to notice a tail, but his thoughts had been so wrapped up in Julie, he'd failed to observe it.
Shite.
Maggie must've seen the blonde woman hanging off Liam like a cheap fur coat and seen them go into the hotel. Lorcan stepped out in front of the car, waiting for a lull in the traffic so he could cross the street. But Maggie started her auto, and then peeled out into traffic with a screech of rubber, almost causing an accident. She turned the next corner and disappeared.

Now what the bleedin' hell?
He wasn't 100 percent sure it had been Maggie, but why else would she speed off? Should he tell Liam? His client's personal lives were none of his business. He didn't need the drama. He had enough on his own plate to sort through. Liam made it plain for him to stay out of his affairs.

Fair play. Stay out he would.

Sunday rolled around again, and it was time to watch the finale of their movie trilogy,
Return of the King.
They had ordered in pizza and Julie had prepared a Caesar salad. The empty pizza box sat on the floor, the odor of garlic, cheese, and Italian spices still hung in the air. Julie curled up next to Lorcan, a box of facial tissues in her lap.

“Jaysus, how long does it take to say goodbye at the end of a film?” Lorcan stated, his arm waving toward the television. “This has been going on for twenty minutes!”