Page 49 of Taming Irish

Chapter 14

Shane

There’sa chill in the air when the morning sun illuminates the smallroom.

Makena is curled up next to me, shivering in her sleep. I brush her hair away from her cheek, trying to ignore the twisting feeling inside mychest.

Friends.

Lovers.

Whatever name she wants to give us, I know I’m not ready to let her go. Good thing I don’t have to. At least, not for another six months. That’s when she’ll go home, back to theStates.

It’s almost a relief, knowing there’s a time limit on it.Almost.

“It’s freezing,” she mumbles groggily, inching closer tome.

“I’ll start afire.”

“No.” She turns into me and buries her face in my chest. “Don’tgo.”

I chuckle, wrapping my arms tighter around her, and tease, “One night of incredible sex and ye’re already begging me tostay.”

She tenses in my arms. “I didn’tmean-”

“Relax, love.” I nuzzle my nose in her hair. “I’m just teasingye.”

The moment is gone, and I can feel all her defensesbuilding.

“It’s light out.” She pulls away and shifts to sit up. “We should begoing.”

I sigh, rolling out of the creaky, old bed. “Allright.”

We dress in silence, and I’m shocked when I check my phone and see that it’s already close to noon. As if on cue, my stomach growls. Thank God it’s Sunday, because that means The Shamrock will be open forbrunch.

“I’m going to splash some water on my face and clean up,” Makena says as she gathers her clothes, then starts todress.

I watch her from the window as she makes her way down to the lake. Then, I turn to give her some privacy, checking mymessages.

There’s a text from my mom, reminding me about tonight’s family dinner, as well as a replicate one from Emer. But it’s the voicemail from my agent that has mewincing.

“…still no lead on those letters. I have my people on it, but without a name to go on, there’s not much else we cando.”

Fuck.

“What will you do?” he’d asked, when I first brought him theletters.

“Just find out if the kid’s really mine,” I’d said, knowing I’d do the only thing I could – be afather.

Sure, I might be an irresponsible, selfish asshole most days, but I’d never shirk off my ownblood.

Ever.

I haven’t told the guys about the letters yet. Owen knows about the whole condom-breaking incident. But I don’t even know if the letters are from the samewoman.

Ifthe kid is even mine. Or, if there’s a kid at all. It wouldn’t be the first time a chick tried to use a false pregnancy to get money from someone likeme.

But if the woman wanted money, why the hell hadn’t she asked for it? Why the secrecy, and theanonymity?

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