Page 39 of Taming Irish

Chapter 10

Shane

The afternoon goesby in a lazy haze of laughter and easy flirting. Listening to Makena talk about her family, her crazy cousins, and the small town she grew up in, I realize that even though an ocean separated us, we didn’t have all that differentupbringings.

Family is just as important to her as it is to me. And despite how hard she tries to deny it, she’s led by the same creative urges as I am. But I can tell she’s lost that spark, the one that drives an artist tocreate.

There’s a passion in her that’s laid dormant for too long. I want to be the man who awakens it in her. And not just sexually. I want that spark in her eyes that she occasionally gives me a glimpse of to be unleashed. Because I have a feeling this woman could light up the darkest sky if she was only given the chance toshine.

She doesn’t talk much about her ex, but she doesn’t have to. I already hate him, and I don’t even know the man’s name. All I need to know is that he kept her down, used her as a stepping ladder to build himself up. The asshole was probably just as selfish inbed.

Maybe it’s the whisky, but as the hours pass, the tension that Makena wears around like a shield starts to release. Her eyes brighten, her shoulders lose the stiffness, and that smile of hers lights up her wholeface.

“I needed this,” she says, her voice slightly slurred from the alcohol. She’s sitting in the center of the boat, head tilted back, resting against the side, her eyes now closed. The midday sun casts a golden glow across herface.

My one knee rests gently against her shoulder. It’s all the contact I trust myselfwith.

Too many times during the day, I find my mind drifting to how much I’d like to explore every curve of her sweet little body. I’d take my time, no matter how much she begged for me to fill herquickly.

And she wouldbeg.

Willbeg.

Because every minute I spend with her, I know I have to have her. Not today. Not yet. Not until she trusts me. Until all those damn walls she’s got so carefully constructed around herself come crumbling down. I want no more reservations when I possess herbody.

God, I’m a selfish prick. I know it’s the truth. Because I know by doing so, by tearing down those walls, I’ll leave her heart exposed. And the woman has already been through toomuch.

But maybe I can help make her see how much better life is without letting emotions get involved. It’s not using if both people use eachother.

“Do you come here a lot?” she asks, eyes open now, watching me with the same hunger I can’t shakeoff.

“Whenever I’mhome.”

“I thought you lived inDublin.”

“My house is there, but this…” I glance around at the rolling hills that surround the lough. “This will always be myhome.”

“Where are youstaying?”

“With my mom. She’s had some health problems recently, so I thought she could use the help around the house. But I’m starting to get the feeling that I’m more of a nuisance toher.”

“She never remarried after yourfather…”

“Died,” I offer, then shake my head. “No. They had the kind of love that ye only get once in alifetime.”

Makena frowns at me, deep lines furrowing herbrow.

“What?” Iask.

“You just…” She sighs. “You just keep surprising me, that’s all. I thought you didn’t believe inlove.”

“Just because I don’t want it for myself, doesn’t mean I don’t believe init.”

She shakes her head like I’m a puzzle she can’t figure out. “So, you’d rather be alone for the rest of your life than take a chance on finding that someonespecial?”

“I’m not alone. I’m withye.”

She grunts. “And then a redhead next week, and maybe a couple of blondes the week afterthat-”

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