Page 79 of Intimately Faithful

She had the urge to giggle and before she could, Danny’s hand pressed to the back of her head, so she was forced to stifled it against his chest. Danny tangled his hand in her hair and called out. “You can take the afternoon off, Cora. There’s not much to do here.”

Except me.Aoife thought, tightening her inner muscles and he grunted. The giggles intensified, and he yanked her hair gently to stop her. Of course it didn’t help a bit.

“I thought you wanted to go over the list for next Sunday service, so we knew who—” to save everyone their blushes, Danny most of all, it was Aoife who called out next before Cora could come through that doorway. “Cora, I’m with Daniel. Would you mind—”

“Oh!” and then they caught her gentle chuckle. “Yes, of course. I just remembered I said I’d help over at the bakery today. Yes, clean forgot about it. Have fun you two.”

Cora, bless her soul, was most definitely on Team win Danny back.

“That was a close one,” she grinned up at him as he rose and did a fast removal of the condom before he yanked on his shirt again.

When he turned his back and scraped both hands through his hair while he loudly exhaled, doubt crept through Aoife’s head.

Was he glad Cora interrupted before they could do anything else?

She quickly climbed down off the table and got back into her clothes.

“Daniel? Please don’t say that was a mistake.”

He turned then. Eyes dark and moody. “I’ve never regretted ever fucking you, Aoife. I can’t see me starting now.”

Relief stung the back of her eyes as she tried to smile at him. “Then what’s wrong?”

“My aging housekeeper almost caught me …her pastor… balls deep in a girl she didn’t know last week.”

Aoife’s mouth started to turn up at the corners seeing his cheeks highlight with color. “You’re embarrassed! Danny-boy, that’s so cute.”

“Shut up,” he puffed out with a scowl and when he looked as if he was about to stride by, he stopped directly in front and swooped down and took her very willing and eager mouth.

“Since we now have the afternoon to ourselves…” he practically growled and hoisted her feet off the floor until she had no choice but to wrap them around his waist.

Giddy, she clung securely while he took them upstairs.

If he could hear her thoughts he’d hear her singing her heart out.

Badly.

In the wrong key.

But so happy.

NINETEEN

“He loves me. He loves me not.” – Aoife

“Was your husband good to you, Aoife?”

Roving his hand up and down her back he broke their intimate silence.

“Are you sure? You turn into a great growling bear when I try to talk about it.”

Though she posed it with sweetness on her tongue and her fingers tickling his ribs, he heard her hesitancy and he felt ashamed.

Because while he didn’t want to acknowledge she had another life without him coloring her days, he knew she needed to share with him and for Aoife he’d endure anything.

Smiling, he laid his cheek on hers, cradled her jaw as gently as if holding a flower petal.

She sometimes cursed worse than a sailor, but his Aoife was delicate where it counted.

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