“You could go into heat?”
I nod. “Exactly.”
“Feck,” he says, shaking his head. “I need to speak to Patrick. We discussed not going near your apartment in case anyone is watching.”
My stomach tightens, and I try not to sound accusatory as I say, “Wait, I thought you said you handled those guys.”
“We did,” he says quickly. “But you never know who is watching…the cops, the feds, some other third party that we don’t know to look out for. Let me speak to Pat, and we’ll make a plan.”
“I appreciate it.” I don’t know what comes over me, but I bring my hand to his jaw. His beard is soft and also slightly crunchy. It’s weird, but I love it.
Malachy leans closer, and the air between us feels almost electrically charged.
My heart pounds, and I lick my lips.
He’s going to kiss me…
It’s surprising to realize I wouldn’t turn away.
He stretches forward, and I wait for his lips to press against mine. Only, he kisses my forehead, and my stomach drops.
I completely misread that situation, and I don’t know how I feel about that.
Malachy makes a detour to his room to change clothes because, apparently, Miriam doesn’t like it when they come downstairs half-dressed.
I take the opportunity to change into daytime clothes, but somehow, I’m faster than he is.
I get antsy waiting and convince myself I can find my way on my own. I once again take the back stairs to the kitchen, even though I was trying to find the main stairs this time.
The leftover smells of breakfast hit my nose as I cross through the kitchen. I’m sure it was delicious, but I’m always overly sensitive without the suppressants deadening my sense of smell to almost nonexistent.
Coming around the corner into the living room, I stop dead in my tracks.
“And here we have Cormac,” Patrick says, pointing at his phone that he holds up for Lucky. My kid looks quite comfy as he sits on his lap in the opulent living room. “God, I thought he looked goofyafterhe got the braces, but check out those glasses. I should print this one and frame it to keep in my office.”
“That’s Cormac?” Lucky asks, squinting. “He’s little like me!”
“He was.” Patrick laughs. “And here we have me. Luckily, I’ve been devastatingly handsome since birth. It kinda defies logic that I never had a gangly phase, but the universe loves me.”
“She’s pretty,” Lucky says, pointing at someone on Patrick’s phone.
“She was.” Patrick’s face twists into a look I can’t place. I don’t think his expression signals pain, at least not exactly. It’s more like grief or sadness, but it’s only there for a second before it flickers away. “That’s mine and Cormac’s mother. It’s been so long, I think I forgot what she looked like.”
“She in Heaven?” Lucky asks, tilting his face over his shoulder to look up at Patrick. “My dad goes there.” He nods, and I finally get myself together, striding across the room.
I think he meant to sayhe went there, but I try to change the topic whenever he asks why he doesn’t have a dad like the other kids at day care. No matter how hard I try to handle that conversation with care, I always end up emotional, and he can’t possibly understand why.
“Hey, kiddo.” I grin, coming to a stop a few feet away from the club chair they’re seated in.
“Mommy!” Lucky, ever the gentleman, shoves Patrick’s arm out of the way and slides down his legs. He bolts straight for me, and I bend down to pick him up. He hits me like a freight train, and my temples throb.
“You snuck off again.” I stand, giving him a squeeze as I kiss his temple. “But I heard you had help.”
“Yeah, Mal, help me.” He nods, resting his cheek on my shoulder. “Mommy, I gotta go potty, real bad.”
My eyes widen, and I take off, but then I remember I don’t know where the closest bathroom is down here.
Patrick pops up at my side, smiling. “It’s this way.” He winks, and my silly heart races.
