Page 139 of Beneath the Quiet

I bite down on my lip and then decide to throw caution to the wind. “I want more than our Tuesday fling dates. I’d like to take you and Katie out on a date.”

He grows quiet in my arms, but I push through the insecurity.

“Yes, I want Katie to go with us. It doesn’t have to be something big, but we can go to the cinema in Kinsale or Cork. Do you think she’d like that?”

He lifts his head and slowly moves his hands to rest on the back of my neck, fingers splayed. His thumbs move gently up and down my skin, but even though his touch is gentle, my skin breaks out in goosebumps.

“She loves movies.”

I smile, more at ease now that I can see his face. “Good. Would it be okay with you to bring her along with us?” I run my hands up and down his chest. Now that I’ve started, I can’t seem to stop touching him. “I don’t know the rules here. I’ve never dated a sexy, single dad farmer before.”

“It’s more than okay, Mae. Especially since this sexy, single dad farmer is just as smitten with the sassy and sweet detective sergeant as she is with him. I know your heart already. And I know that, whatever happens, you’ll guard Katie’s even harder than your own.”

“Oh, my gosh,” I whisper. “I can’t believe you just said something so romantic like that.”

He kisses the tip of my nose. “Just wait and see. I may be rusty, but I can get even more romantic.”

“I don’t think I can handle more tonight. I just want to know everything about you, Aidan.” A thought strikes me then. “I don’t even know when your birthday is.”

“The eighth of May.”

I deflate in his arms. “I missed it.”

He shakes his head. “No, you didn’t. One of our Tuesday fling dates was on my birthday.”

My insides turn to jelly, and I melt a little further into his arms. “Aww.” I move closer and nibble on his full bottom lip. “In that case, were you happy with your present?”

“Deliriously so.” He groans into my lips, his tongue swiping against mine, and I open for him, but before we get carried away, I end the kiss.

“Good. Now, let’s get home to Katie. I’m famished.”

He licks his lips once, eyes like molten lava, and I shudder from the heat.

“Scoot back, or we’ll be late.”

Quickly, I do as he says, and once I’ve safely returned to my seat and buckled up, I can’t help but grin at him.

“This was easier than I thought it’d be.”

“What, opening up to me?”

“Mmhm.”

“Your heart’s safe with me. I won’t break it. I’ll cherish it.”

My heart skips a beat, my nose prickles, and I take a deep breath to hold the tears at bay. I can’t start bawling like a baby. Not when I’m about to have dinner with him and his precious girl.

“Aidan…”

He reaches for my hand again, but before he can take it in his much larger one, I lay mine flat on his thigh, palm up, and as he threads his fingers through mine, a little broken shard of my heart finds its way back to its spot.

Aidan

I watch Maeve and Katie as they work side by side in my kitchen, grinning at each other, and I don’t know how we got here. A couple of months ago, I’d have sworn I’d stay single for the rest of my life, needing a simple life with my daughter and avoiding any romantic relationships, but here I am, watching my wee girl peeling potatoes by the kitchen sink with the woman I’m utterly besotted with.

How the fuck did it happen?

“Are you sure I can’t help you?” I call out softly from my perch at my new kitchen island that finally arrived earlier in the week.