Page 29 of Only You

He tapped the container beside him. Warmth filled her chest. She couldn’t remember the last time someone took care of her. Or even thought about things like feeding her.

“Yeah?”

She couldn’t fight the smile as happiness filled her.

He nodded. “Not to be presumptuous, but I brought enough for two.”

Another kind of warmth filled her, slipping through her blood and heating her from within. Just the thought of eating a meal together, alone…the intimacy made her hot and worried at the same time. It was a weird feeling.

“Or not?”

She shook her head. “Yes. I would like for you to join me.”

Then, he smiled. It was slow, sexy, and his eyes brightened as he studied her. Her breath tangled in her throat as she studied him. His hair was down tonight, which he usually kept up at the bar. Man buns were not her thing, but on him…it made her smile.

“Let’s go in.”

He stood, grabbed the container, then stepped aside for her. She had danced with him less than twenty-four hours ago. She knew how big he was, but…this was different. It was just the two of them.

“Hey, Eileen,” Mrs. Kilpatrick called out.

Okay, not alone. She glanced at the stoop next door. Rosemary Kilpatrick was in her seventies and independent as the day was long. She stood just under five feet and probably weighed about one hundred pounds soaking wet. She wore a short housecoat and rollers in her thinning hair, but that was normal at any time of day.

“Hey, Mrs. Kilpatrick.”

“I wanted to make sure you were okay.” The stern look she gave Declan had Eileen biting back a laugh.

“Mrs. Kilpatrick, this is Declan Fitzpatrick.”

“Oh, you know him?”

“Yes, and he brought me food.”

Her gaze raked over him. “Are you one of Deirdre’s boys?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Declan rumbled. He had one of those wonderfully deep baritones. It always slipped beneath her heart every time he spoke.

“You tell her Rosemary Kilpatrick said hello.” He nodded, and then Mrs. Kilpatrick’s gaze turned to Eileen. “You need rest, girl.”

“Well, I would get some after the yummy meal waiting for me, but some nosey Nora is keeping me out here.”

The gleam in the older woman’s eyes told Eileen she was amused. “Don’t sass your elders.”

Then she turned and walked into her house.

“Sorry about that,” Eileen said as she continued to stand there. He sure was pretty.

“Eileen?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for the compliment, but maybe we should get out of this chill?”

Her face flushed. Oh, damn, she said that out loud.

“Don’t be embarrassed. I think you’re pretty, too.”

She rolled her eyes. After unlocking the door, she stepped aside, but he shook his head. “Ladies first.”

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