"Yes, my little warrior. Um, thank you for him." Keelin wanted to avoid what his note had said. She thought of Margaret and how she had always drilled proper manners into her. "Um, also, you're right. You didn't take advantage of me. I shouldn't have said that." Keelin blushed and looked at her feet.
"Thank you." Flynn bent over and scratched Ronan under his chin. The puppy dissolved in wriggles on the sand and Flynn laughed. Keelin knew how the puppy felt; she was a puddle in Flynn's hands as well.
Sensing her thoughts, Flynn looked up at her from under heavy-lidded eyes. Keelin took a deep breath. Whoa, boy. A shirtless man, cut like a god, playing with a puppy on an empty beach. She was toast.
"Um, have you ever seen gold in the water? Like do you swim here?" Keelin babbled out. So much for being a professional, she thought. She sounded like a middle-school girl.
"Gold? What do you mean? Are you talking about rumors of the chalice?" Flynn frowned at her.
"I don't know. It was just so confusing. I kept seeing like this flash of gold or something underwater, which is how I ended up way further out than I should have been. I just couldn't place it and it wasn't a fish or something. It was the strangest thing."
"Ahh, yes, I've heard of this before. Are you sure you haven't been listening to the local lore?" Flynn asked.
"No, what do you mean?"
"Well, supposedly, the cove will lead you out of it if it feels like you are trying to uncover something it doesn't want to share. Like the chalice. Most people won't come here, as everyone who has ulterior motives has been injured or killed."
"No! Do you really believe that?"
"Yes. What were your motives for coming here today?" Flynn stared at her. Through her.
Keelin dug her toe into the sand and didn't meet his eyes.
"Well, you know, I'm doing my thesis, was just wanting to study the ocean life and see the lay of the land so to speak. Nothing crazy."
"Hmm. Well it seems as though the cove disagrees." He just looked at her patiently.
Keelin felt like a child being chastised.
"Okay, maybe I thought I might be able to find the chalice. Or figure out what that blue light was." She stopped talking. She could have slapped herself for bringing up the blue light and last night. They both knew when the cove had lit up and what they had been doing at the time.
A slow smile spread across Flynn's face.
"Maybe we need to do some research. A reenactment, perhaps?"
"Ugh, shut up. Last night was a mistake. I had a bit too much to drink and haven't dated anyone in a while. That's all it was and nothing more. Can we just forget about it and be, like, friends or neighbors or whatever? Honestly, you aren't even my type."
Flynn's smile widened and Keelin huffed out a breath. Enough of this. She needed to get away from him. She reached over and began stuffing her snorkel stuff in her bag and moved to stand up. Flynn reacted quickly. He jerked her to her feet and pulled her to him, crushing her mouth under his. Keelin whimpered. His arms closed around her, rock hard, imprisoning her against his chest. Her hands fell to her sides and her bag dropped. Flynn caressed her with his mouth, whisper-soft in his kisses as he dipped and dived, gently sucking on her lower lip. Keelin moaned at the contrast of his strong arms forcing her to be still and the gentleness of his kiss. Helpless not to respond, she opened her mouth and kissed him back.
She stumbled back as his arms suddenly released her. Flynn steadied her with his hands on her shoulders. He touched his finger to her lips, caressing their shape, and tucked her hair behind her ear.
"Not your type, huh?" Flynn stared pointedly down at her breasts – her nipples puckered against her wetsuit – and ran a hand down her side.
"Get some rest, Keelin." Flynn reached down and patted Ronan on the head and strolled away whistling. Cursing him, Keelin grabbed her bag and Ronan and madea break for the path. She'd had enough of both Flynn and the cove today.
Keelin trudged across the fields with Ronan loping alongside her. She could see Fiona waving to her from the garden in front of the house. She cut a path straight for the old woman. She kept quiet as Fiona bent and petted Ronan, who dissolved in wriggles at her feet. Finally, Fiona straightened and met Keelin's eyes.
"Tell me about the gold," Keelin said.
CHAPTER 12
Fiona's shoulders tensed and she sighed as she reached out to touch Keelin's arm. Concern flitted through her eyes as she took in the stress on her granddaughter’s face. Without saying a word, she gestured for Keelin to come inside. Briskly, Fiona walked over to a small cupboard and pulled out a worn book, and a bottle of whiskey. She poured a healthy amount of whiskey in cairn glasses and gestured for Keelin to come sit with her in the alcove, where the window was thrown open to encourage the sea breezes.
Keelin sat down and Ronan hopped into her lap. She stroked his soft ears and felt comfort seep through her. There was something soothing about having an animal curled in her lap, and she hugged him closer.
"Slàinte." Fiona issued the standard Irish cheer and toasted Keelin. They both sipped their whiskey silently. Finally, Fiona spoke.
"What happened today? Actually, I should ask whathappened last night as well." Fiona met Keelin's eyes. There was steel in them.
