"I did warn you I wasn't going to give up."
"Yes, you did." Dragging off the gloves, Kiara slapped them on her left thigh, giving him the impression that she wanted to slap him instead. "Go away, Mr. O'Sullivan. I don't have time for your particular brand of humor."
"Humor is it?" he started forward, amused when she stepped back in retreat. "I meant every word. Ask anyone about me. When I see something or someone I want, I never stop until it or in this case, she is mine."
Her eyes kindled dangerously as she forced herself to stay where she was.
"I'm not a possession. Having money might have fooled you into thinking that you can do whatever you please, but you're dead wrong. Stop that!" she swatted at the hand reaching out to toy with a braid that had worked loose and was tumbling over her shoulder.
"It suits you." He let go of the braid, only to trail a finger over her left cheek. "You've a bit of smudge here."
"Look..." Before she could blast him some more, the sky opened up.
"Now, you're going to have to invite me in!"
Sending him a disgusted look, she sprinted for the front porch with him on her heels.
"Remove your shoes." She ordered briskly.
"Yes ma'am." Shaking off the water that had managed to soak through his light jacket and sweater, he sat on the entrance bench and toed off his boots. Rising, he dragged fingers through his dense dark hair to scatter moisture before following her into the bright yellow and white kitchen.
Looking around curiously, he saw that she had herbs on the window sill and that the room smelled heavenly of cinnamon and spice. And she had a hearth. A small one that was burning peat and scenting the air along with the spices.
A table was tucked beneath the window, which looked out to a stream and a rickety bridge that had a certain charm to it. Flowers bloomed everywhere.
"This does not mean anything." She put the kettle on and hunted through a tin for biscuits to go with the tea.
"It means everything." He liked looking at her, he decided. He had forced himself to give her two days before making his move.Had wanted to convince himself that he was being ridiculous and acting out of character.
He was not hard up for female companionship of course. He could get almost any woman he wanted and had enjoyed quite a few, both here in the states and Ireland where his parents had retired to. They were always throwing women at him, determined to have him married and settled and giving them grandchildren.
It did not matter one bit that his sister was married and living in Kinsale with a man who had been her childhood sweetheart. Or that Brianna had already popped out two children, one each. They wanted grandchildren from him. He had often wondered if that was the reason he had avoided the marriage noose so effectively.
But now things had taken a turn. He had seen the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. His friends at the club would laugh and call him fanciful, but wasn't he part Irish?
He mused as he watched her pour the water over the pouch. As night follows day, he knew their destinies were intertwined. It was just for her to get behind it.
"I like the cottage." He murmured into the silence as he waited for the tea to seep.
"Now I can die happy."
He chuckled at her caustic tone.
"You're going to fall in love with me soon enough Kiara Landan and when you do, you'll regret the mean way you spoke to me."
She simply narrowed her wonderful eyes at him and turned to get some plates.
"The rain is not going to continue long. By the time it stops, I want you out of my house."
Stretching his legs out, he settled back to enjoy a nice visit.
"There's an Italian place just a few blocks from the pub..."
"No." She wanted to grind her teeth and stamp her feet in frustration. The man was an imbecile and a persistent one. She was done being amused.
"How about French?" he asked easily, lifting the cup to take a sip. "Or we could stop over at my place and I cook for you.I've been known to be pretty decent at grilling steaks. How does tonight sound to you?"
"Like you're delusional." She sent him an exasperated look. "Are you that hard up for a woman that you continue to pursue one who has no interest in you?"
