Bellamy’s hand at the small of her back pressed her hard. Was he just pretending? Or did he feel everything too?
She honestly didn’t want the kissing to end, wanted to keep on going, wanted to keep the closeness with him.
But in the next instant, he pulled back abruptly, letting go of her and taking a rapid step away. He tossed a glare toward the men he’d just served. “There. Are you satisfied I know how to kiss?”
The men were beaming as if they’d just been given the greatest show on earth.
“Oh yeah!” shouted one.
“That’s the way it’s done,” called another.
The calls bordered on lewd, but Zaira was trying to live in the moment and let the experience saturate her senses. Her lips were swollen and warm. Her blood was pumping at double the speed. Her nerves tingled with a need to be touching him again. And her heart ...
She splayed a hand over her chest to capture the rhythm of the wild beating. Her heart was tapping out a song of its own—a new melody she didn’t know but wanted to hear more of.
Would it be possible to do more research with Bellamy? With this kind of emotion flowing through her, she would constantly have a source of inspiration, wouldn’t she?
“Thank you, Bellamy.” Her voice was breathless.
His dark gaze collided with hers, sending more heat crashing over her. What was this? They weren’t kissing or hugging, and she still felt like they were. Was it possible to facilitate passion even without physical contact?
Did she even want to?
“It’s done.” Bellamy’s whisper was so low she could hardly hear it. “And it better not happen again.”
6
He’d just kissed Zaira Shanahan. In public.
What in the wee devil had he done?
“Whoo-ee!” Georgie slapped his hand against the bar counter. “I always knew that when Bellamy found the right woman, he’d be a goner.”
Bellamy was standing close enough to Zaira that he could see the hurt in her eyes at his comment about not kissing again. He meant it. He couldn’t kiss her again. But he didn’t have to be a donkey’s hind end about it.
“He’s a goner!” Georgie shouted again. “Madly in love.”
“Who’s madly in love?” The door of the pub opened, and Oscar stepped inside. The midday sunshine outlined his bulky body and poured past him into the dimly lit room.
“Bellamy’s madly in love.” Georgie’s grin was much too big for the occasion. “And he just kissed Zaira Shanahan.”
Bellamy couldn’t deny he’d enjoyed the kiss. Any denial would be a total lie. From the moment Zaira wrapped her arms around his neck and moved against him, his body had flared to life with a need for her so intense that he hadn’tbeen able to resist kissing her back. Oh aye, he’d tried not to, had tried to think about other things, had tried to pretend she wasn’t there, had tried to ignore her luscious lips and her hot breath and her soft body.
But he hadn’t been able to think about anything but her. The longing for her had risen so strongly that it had cut off his heartbeat and breathing, leaving him incapacitated and able to do only one thing—kiss her back.
Just once. That’s all.
“Well, it’s a good thing Bellamy’s ready for love.” Oscar threw the door open wide. “Because it’s time for the matchmaker to be finding a match.”
“So it is,” someone echoed.
Oscar stepped back outside and cupped his hands around his mouth. “Let it be known!” he shouted in his loudest voice to the passersby. “I’m now accepting offers for forming a match with Bellamy! Spread the news far and wide through the Kerry Patch and beyond!”
As he shouted it again, Bellamy wanted to roll his eyes at Oscar’s theatrics, but he folded his arms instead.
Zaira had taken another step away from him, putting a table between them. She was even more beautiful now than she’d been when he’d stepped out of the kitchen with lunch for everyone. In fact, he’d nearly stumbled at the sight of her. With her long hair down and her cheeks rosy from the heat and her green eyes so vibrant, he’d had a hard time preventing himself from stopping and staring at her. But he’d forced himself to walk past her and deliver the food.
Of course, she hadn’t been willing to let him snub her. And she’d been right. He shouldn’t have canceled their bargain. It hadn’t been noble of him. If he’d done as he said,then he would have avoided having her come to town and seek him out in a public display that was sure to cause gossip.
