“Still you could have said somethin’,” she hissed, scooting off his lap and snatching up her bra.
“You were a virgin for Christ’s sake. What was I supposed to say? I can make you fly apart with one finger and my mouth on your nipple?” he growled back as he rose and glowered down at her.
“Don’t swear and don’t you dare yell at me,” she roared.
Sean stared down at her, frustrated as he ran a hand through his hair. He watched her as she hunted down her panties and pulled them on under her skirt. When she turned away from him to put on her bra and shirt, he couldn’t help but smile at the way her mind worked. He’d seen nearly every inch of her and touched most of that, yet she didn’t want him to see any more. Finally, she turned around and faced him.
“Woman, are you goin’ to marry me or not?” he demanded.
“Aye,” she replied coolly as she smoothed her clothing.
“Then you’d best know I believe in doin’ a thorough job on anythin’ I take on. When you misbehave, I’ll spank you thoroughly, and when I’m lovin’ you, I’ll do that thoroughly as well.”
“I’d expect nothin’ less from you, O’Malley and you’d should know a few things as well. I’ll marry you but you’d best go heavy on the lovin’ and sparingly on the spankin’,” she warned. “There is such a thing as divorce you know.”
“There’ll be no divorce, Maeve,” he stated, grabbing her wrist and pulling her into his arms. “I have a feelin’ they’ll be plenty of both those things until we get used to one another, and ifyou’re as smart as I think you are, you’ll soon learn they are not related. Holdin’ you accountable for your actions has nothin’ to do with lovin’ you. In fact, it’s because I love you that I’ll wear the pants in our family, but don’t assume because you get your fanny roasted we won’t be makin’ love, because we will.”
“You’d take me against my will?” she asked, her mouth dropping open in shock.
Sean picked her up and kissed her until she hung limp in his hold. Setting her carefully back on her feet, he grinned and steadied her. “I’m not sure that’s possible, takin’ you against your will, love. You seem pretty willin’ every time I touch you,” he teased.
“You are such an arse,” she sassed. Picking up her coat, she marched to the door, ignoring his snort of amusement. “When do we have to be in the States for you to accept the position?” she asked as she buttoned up her coat.
“I wanted to explain about that,” he replied, holding the door open and taking her arm. “I’ll have a month of orientation before startin’ in July. I can stay on the base in special quarters, but I won’t be able to bring you over until I find us a flat. I think you should stay here and plan the weddin’. I’ll return a few days before.”
“What plannin’? Your ma’s taken over everythin’ but the marriage bed and I have no doubt she’d do that as well, if she could.”
“Then take it back,” he advised calmly.
“I don’t have access to heavy equipment,” she grumbled.
Sean laughed, taking her arm and helping her down the stairs. “I mean it, Maeve. Take the weddin’ back. We need to move the date up anyway. There’s no way I’m waitin’ till September to take you back with me. As soon as I get there, I’ll start lookin’ for a place to set up housekeepin’.”
“Why can’t we just elope? I want to go with you when you leave,” she pouted as he helped her into his car.
“That would mean we’d have to stay in a hotel. What we’d spend on that might well be a down payment on a house if we can find one that needs work. No, it’s better if I stay for free and save my money.”
“But, Sean, we’ll be parted,” she pointed out.
“Absence makes the heart grow fonder,” he quoted.
“It didn’t this time.”
“It did on my part,” he growled. “T’was you who made the decision to go against my wishes. You’re lucky they’re allowin’ you to graduate at all.”
Maeve wiggled uncomfortably on the seat and lowered her head. He was right about that. It had taken some mighty fancy explaining for Father Fitzpatrick to let her come back and make up the work she’d missed. Thankfully, he thought the world of Sean and said quite plainly he didn’t want Sean saddled with an ignorant wife. Keeping her mouth shut that day had been a feat of enormous effort. Groveling was not her forte.
Mr. McGreevy had been much more understanding, arranging her hours so she could work after school and on weekends. Of course, the job was tedious unless you were interested in that kind of thing, and he had a hard time keeping help. He wanted to keep her as long as he could and promised to write a letter of recommendation upon her leaving.
“Your ma is never goin’ to agree,” Maeve sighed.
“She will. I’ll speak to my da and he’ll understand. I’ll simply tell them all previous arrangements need to be canceled as we are movin’ the weddin’ up to accommodate my new position.”
“She’ll think we ‘did’ it,” she laughed. “Serves her right, the nosy?—”
“We almost did,” he pointed out with a grin as he took her hand.
“Aye and we still can if you’ll just turn around and take me back to your rooms,” she teased, leaning toward him and placing her hand on his thigh.
