“I think he’ll be fine,” he replied, his eyes moved to a spot over my shoulder. “He has a lot to learn and Rhys has offered to help him.”
“That’s good,” I murmured, my face still buried in my coffee cup. I wasn’t sure if I was just desperate for caffeine or if Macgrath made a good pot, but this was the best fucking coffee I’d ever had.
“Let’s go inside,” Macgrath insisted.
Before I could reply or even stand, he reached into the chair and hauled me into his arms. I yelped, well, squealed really, and clutched my mug with both hands.
“I can walk,” I declared.
He ignored me and carried me inside, shutting the back door with his booted foot. I expected him to set me on the couch, but he walked through the living room, down the hall, and into the master bedroom.
Once he set me on the bed, he moved back to the door, shut it, and locked it. He almost walked away, but hesitated. He grabbed the chair from the corner and wedged it beneath the door handle.
I watched all this with raised brows as I drank more of my delicious coffee. “Planning something nefarious?” I asked.
He shook his head as he walked toward the bed, his expression earnest. “No, I just don’t want to be interrupted.”
I curled my legs beneath me and cradled the mug in my hands. “I’m listening.”
“I’m sorry,” he stated. “I’m sorry that I blew up at you and that I walked away. You didn’t deserve to be treated that way.”
He reached out and took the cup from my hands. I bit back a snarl because I really did want that coffee, but let him take it since it was clear he regretted his behavior. He took hold of both my hands in his and pressed them to his chest. Despite the coolness of the morning, his skin was slick and hot.
Now, I was resisting the urge to stroke his chest rather than reach for the coffee cup.
“Please forgive me.”
I smiled at him. In my memories of him when his name was Alaunus, he very rarely apologized. This was a refreshing change.
“Of course I forgive you,” I replied. Relief filled his expression. “I knew you would be angry when I did what I did. I expected it.” I patted his chest. “And I even expected you to need some time away from me. I won’t lie, it hurt when you said what you did, but Iknowyou, Ewan. I was almost certain you would return to me once you cooled down. Maybe not right away or even after a few days, but eventually.”
He gripped my hands tighter. “I would never be able to stay away from you for that long,” he admitted. “And I was sorry for what I said as soon as it came out of my mouth, but I was still too angry to be reasonable.”
“And now?” I asked.
He kept his hold on my fingers but removed them from his chest, resting them on his thighs instead. “I understand why.” He sighed, laughing a little. “After talking with Harrison, I even agree.”
“Harrison? Really?”
He laughed again. “Yes, in this one instance, I do.”
I stared at him for a long time, my answering smile fading. “It’s truly over,” I murmured. “I can’t believe it’s finished.”
He let go of my hands, lifted his fingers to my face, and stroked my jaw. “It’s not over. It’s just beginning.”
In a week, my entire life had changed, but he was right. It wasn’t an ending.
When he leanedin to kiss me, I met him halfway. Relief, regret, and joy tangled into a ferocious knot in my abdomen.
Our lips clashed and his tongue spiked into my mouth, tasting me. Suddenly the barrier he’d erected between our minds disappeared and I could sense his emotions once more.
His feelings mirrored mine, relieved that it was over, yet mournful of what we had lost.
Macgrath laid me back on the bed, stretching his body over me. I wore nothing but a t-shirt and loose cotton pajama pants. He must have put them on me while I slept.
His hands were gentle as he stripped the shirt from my body, revealing my naked torso. When he lowered his mouth again, it was to my breast rather than my lips. His tongue flicked over my nipple before he wrapped his mouth around me and suckled.
My back arched and I buried my hands in his short hair. His lips and tongue felt incredible as they moved over my skin.
