His Wicked Celtic Kiss (24 page)

“I'm almost finished. Go on. It's been a hell of a day.”

As Lorcan walked toward the door, he thought over his conversation with Nick and the earlier discussion with Sully. He had a couple of days to think and reflect before Julie returned. What amazed him was he spoke the words aloud. He
loved
Julie. And he did, very much. He loved her vulnerability, her humor, her passion and her strength. A beautiful woman inside and out. Choose wisely.

Aye, no worries. He would.

• • •

December the twenty-eighth and all was quiet in the bakery. Julie sat behind the counter watching light snowflakes fall from the sky. Not the best weather for a funeral. Nick and Ronnie were attending the services for Liam De Luca's girlfriend, killed in a car accident Christmas night. Since Julie didn't know Liam or his lady, she'd been asked to run things while they attended. Christmas night no less. Way to taint the season for years to come. She'd heard the gossip that Liam was a cold, dangerous gangster and a hard-ass to boot, but no one deserved such a tragedy.

Ronnie claimed there was more to the story and would tell her later. Ronnie had also thrust her hand under Julie's nose to show off the diamond ring Nick had given her on Christmas day. They would be getting married in the spring.

Julie was happy for them both, but also felt a little melancholy. What good were the holidays unless you didn't feel sorry for yourself at least once? She'd arrived home last night, no messages from Lorcan. He hadn't called her this morning either. He said to contact him when she returned, but had hoped he would make the first move.

Well, that as they say—was that. What did she expect? That he would travel to her parents' home, kick the door in and profess his deep and abiding love? A small part of her had hoped it would be the case. Then she hoped he would be waiting at her door with flowers in hand and claim her for his own. That didn't happen, either.

She really had to stop watching soppy romance movies, they had warped her mind. Those three-hankie sob fests like the classic
An Affair to Remember
or the scene in
Sleepless in Seattle
where the ladies watched
An Affair to Remember
, pretty much summed up her unreal expectations. The chicks in the Seattle movie cried while licking cheezie dust from their fingers; that pretty much mirrored her own experience, except she had sobbed while wolfing down half a can of Betty Crocker cream cheese frosting, as Deborah Kerr tried to be noble to Cary Grant while the violins swelled with weepy accompaniment. Right. So much for that.

Julie recalled her brief phone conversation to Ronnie the last night at her parents. She'd called to ask if Julie would cover her for the funeral, but the short conversation soon turned to Lorcan. Julie told Ronnie she'd declared her love for him. “I told him I loved him and he didn't know what to do. He believes he doesn't deserve or need love. For all his outward teasing and winking, inside is a man who has seen and done more than most do in two lifetimes. He's damaged and vulnerable and I love him all the more because of it.”

Ronnie had asked, “When did you know that you loved him for sure?”

“I think it's when he held back my hair while I puked.”

Ronnie had laughed, but then sobered. “I remember you said that. How alike he and Nick are. No wonder they became friends. Both want to be loved, but have no idea how to go about it. Give Lorcan time to process the information. I'll bet you he comes around. Nick did, and in a big way.”

Sure. They ended the conversation and though thankful for the words of support, Julie didn't believe for a minute Lorcan would “come around.”

Speaking of Ronnie, her Mustang pulled into the parking lot. She and Nick strode through the door, dressed in black. Nick looked smart with his long leather coat, white shirt and gray tie and black dress slacks. Ronnie wore a black dress and coat, her long hair swept up in a conservative style.

“How was it or should I ask?” Julie questioned.

Nick shook his head. “You don't want to know.”

“Where do we start, at the fistfight at the poor woman's graveside? Liam De Luca and Mike Leary, police captain and estranged husband of the deceased, started pummeling each other as the priest gave the final blessing,” Ronnie related breathlessly.

“Don't forget your brother,” Nick interjected.

“That's right. Can you believe Tyler showed up?”

Julie frowned. “Isn't he investigating the family's gangster doings?”

“I thought so, but Liam's sister, Regan, stormed over to him and slapped his face. The vibe between them could've melted the snow. She left right after the prayers, and Tyler looked wounded and miserable. There is more happening there than he's let on.”

Nick nodded. “Big time.”

“Talk about drama.” Julie couldn't believe it. The funeral had the makings of a nighttime soap. “Was Lorcan there?” It almost pained her to say his name.

“Yes, stood with his friend, Sully, and the family. Lorcan had to break the bad news to Liam apparently. There is a story behind that too,” Ronnie exhaled. “I'm exhausted and I never thought I would say this before noon, but I need a drink.”

“Why don't you and Nick go for an early lunch and have a drink or three? I can hold down the fort,” Julie suggested.

Nick stood next to Ronnie, slipping his arm around her waist. “Sounds like a plan. Let's go, baby.”

“Julie, you are a star. Thank you.”

They headed toward the door. “Just be sure and come back later to tell me the rest,” Julie called after them.

After the car drove out of the lot, she was alone once again. Lorcan didn't come with them, not a good sign. So Lorcan had to break the tragic news to De Luca? Wonder what happened there? Seems she had missed a lot the two days she'd been away.

Thirty minutes later after dealing with a few customers, the bell jingled overhead. A young guy walked in with a box tucked under his arm. “Are you Julie Denison?”

“Yes.”

He laid the long, rectangular box on the counter, passed her a clipboard to sign, and sauntered out. She untied the ribbon and lifted the lid. Roses. Yellow roses. She reached for the card and slid it out of the envelope.

“Yellow roses signify joy, delight … and the fact that I care. Welcome back, Julie. L.”

Oh. She lifted the bouquet to her nose and inhaled. Beautiful gesture. Twelve perfect roses. She ran in back to her apartment, filled a vase with water, and brought it into the store. She arranged the flowers as a hot flush of pleasure covered her. Lorcan cared. He sent flowers. It didn't take much to please her. She stood back and admired them when the bell over the door jingled once again.

Julie turned to see who it was.
Lorcan.
Still dressed in his funeral black, his hair tousled from the wind. How wickedly handsome.

“Ah, you got the flowers, I see.”

“Yes, thank you. I love them.”

“Vinnie De Luca plans to take Liam on a trip to the Cayman Islands for a few weeks to help him to recover from his grief. My services, it seems, are no longer required. To their credit, they paid out the terms of the contract and I'm free to go.”

Go?
Her stomach tumbled with dread. He came to say goodbye. The flowers were merely a thank you and a brush-off to boot. Her heart sank.
Oh, shit. Oh, damn.

“It'll take some doing to get the Mercedes S65 back to Dublin. There is always a container ship, I suppose,” His words sliced through her like a thousand cuts from a dull knife. He took two steps closer. “Then I realized—how can I leave without my best friend?”

“You mean, Sully?”

Lorcan moved closer, until they were only a few feet apart. He smiled and said quietly, “No, lass. Not Sully. You. How can I leave without my dearest friend in all the world? The woman I love? The woman I desire?” He pulled out his hand from behind his back and held out a rose. She took it. “The florist tells me a single red rose signifies ‘I love you.' And I do, Julie, with every part of my battered soul. My heart doesn't beat without you.”

Oh. My. God.
His words were so poignantly spoken, tears clustered on her lashes. She laid the rose on the nearby counter and threw herself in his arms.

“God, I love you. I've been such an arse. Forgive me,
a stóirín
. Do you still love me? Have I ruined it all?”

Julie cupped his face, looking up into his stunning Cortina eyes. They shone with such love and desire that she had to be dreaming all this. But she wasn't. Lorcan loved her. She caressed his cheeks with her thumbs.

“No, my beautiful Irishman. You haven't ruined a thing.”

He kissed her fiercely, tasting every inch of her mouth. Then he stepped back. “Nick and Veronica are getting married in the spring.” He reached in his pocket.

“I know, isn't it wonderful?”

“It's grand, just grand. I think we should join them.” He snapped open a small box: A ring with a large solitary diamond sat within the silk lining. “I need you in my life. I need you in my heart and my bed. Share it all with me. I can't go forward without you. Marry me. Heal me. Love me.”

He slipped the ring on her finger, not waiting for a response. The tears spilled down her cheeks, no holding back. The big romantic movie ending. Hell, better than the movies, because this was real. She glanced down at her hand. The ring was a perfect fit, just as Lorcan was perfect for her. Such a handsome man. Yes, he had demons, but they would face them together.

“Yes. To everything. Forever.”

He laughed, spinning her around until her laughter joined his. He kissed her, pulled back and gave her a serious look. “After all my adventures and travels, I've finally made it home. Julie, you're the home I've been looking for all this time. The door to my black soul? Open wide, to let in warmth, light, and love. You've done that.” He pulled her close and whispered in her ear. “I'll do whatever you wish. Stay here in Rockland? Aye, no worries. We can always go to Ireland for visits. I can set up the security firm anywhere, and Rockland is as good a place as any.” Julie squealed in delight and hugged him hard. “With you at my side, we can accomplish anything. I'll love you forever.”

“I love you, too. For always.” The ring, the declaration of love, and his offering to stay in Rockland? This just became the best Christmas ... ever. “Is all this my Christmas gift?” she teased, giving him a radiant smile.

“Aye,
a stóirín.
It is.”

“I have yours in the back ... ”

Lorcan kissed her. “Ah, love. You're all the gift I need.”

Karyn Gerrard lives in a small town in the western corner of Ontario, Canada. She whiles away her spare time writing and reading romance while drinking copious amounts of Earl Grey tea. Tortured heroes are a must. A multi-published author with a few bestsellers under her belt, Karyn loves to write in different genres and time periods, though historicals and contemporaries are her favorite.

As long as she can avoid being hit by a runaway moose in her wilderness paradise she assumes everything is golden.

Karyn's been happily married for a long time to her own hero. His encouragement keeps her moving forward.

Visit Karyn at
www.karyngerrard.com
.

Praise for
The Wicked Bad
:

“If you love a hot and sensual romance, … [this] is the book for you! The author's writing style is fresh and descriptive. This is an emotional, good girl/bad boy story that will definitely cause you to shiver and gasp as you are reading. If you enjoy erotica with a meaningful story, this book is for you! You will not go wrong reading this book.”—Harlequin Junkie

You can't go home again.
But what did Nick Crocetti know? He'd never had a home.

One thing he could not stand was any form of rank sentiment. Especially in himself. The emotion had been missing from his tumultuous life for years, so why in hell did it rear its ugly head now?

Nick glared at the name on the colorful flyer he had pulled from under the door of his bar. Veronica Barnes Titus.
Ronnie Barnes
. The annoyingly cheerful flyer announced the grand opening of Titus Bakery on Waterloo Street.

It couldn't be her; she had left town ages ago. Titus? Right, he'd heard talk she'd married, was she still? He hoped the rumors of her recent divorce were true. Any talk of Ronnie Barnes perked his interest through the years, though he would outwardly pretend he didn't give a damn what she'd been up to.

Nick crossed the threshold and closed the door behind him. He tossed his keys on the bar and hit the light switch by the door. Fluorescent lights flickered and buzzed washing the brick interior in a hazy illumination.

He spread the flyer out on the counter and read it again. When he saw her last at her father's funeral, he'd kept a respectable distance. She was still the luscious blonde he remembered and she still wore glasses that always seemed to slide down her nose. It's not as if they'd ever spoken to each other. Nick knew her brother Tyler slightly, they were the same age. He should've walked up to her and offered his condolences, but she no doubt would've seen the blatant lust in his eyes. A crass statement at a funeral, especially her father's.

The memories roared back whether he wanted them to or not. Nick arrived in Rockland, Maryland in the twelfth grade. At the time, he had nowhere else to go, so he lived with his uncle, a man he barely knew because his parents had washed their hands of him. Nick's home had never been a happy one, and with his parents obtaining a divorce and going their separate ways, neither wanted a hulking six-footer who hadn't finished growing and who had a penchant for getting into constant trouble.