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* * *“It’s been a week,” Anastasia says, her bright blue eyes firing at me from across the kitchen. “Kane, I have to go home. I have office work to do and a schedule to look at.”
“Can’t we have someone fetch it for you?” I ask. “I’ve a desk you can use.”
I don’t want her to leave. I’ve grown too used to having her here, to having her presence in the house. Murphy adores her. Hell, I adore her.
“All of my things are in my office at home,” she says. “I’ll see you in a couple of days.”
A couple of days might kill me.
And it’s not just the physical connection that has me completely taken with her. Yes, the chemistry is there, but I’ve not touched her since she hurt herself. I can’t take the chance of injuring her further.
It’s been a test of my patience, having her next to me each night, and not being able to have my way with her.
But being close to her is enough to soothe me. Knowing when I’m working that she’s just inside has been a balm to my moody soul.
My parents returned to Ireland, and life is going back to normal. My normal includes having Anastasia here.
And now, she’s leaving.
“I don’t like the idea of you driving yourself,” I say and decide here and now that I won’t get much work done today. “I’ll take you.”
“Actually, Shawn’s taking me.”
I take a breath and let it out slowly through my nose. I’m a reasonable man. I’ve never been jealous of any member of my family a day in my life. But if Shawn were standing before me right now, I’d break his face.
“He has a meeting out my way today.”
“I didn’t realize you and my brother have been chatting.”
She frowns. “He called here yesterday, looking for you. He asked how long I’d be staying, and I told him I should probably go home soon. He offered to drive me. I can’t believe I’m explaining myself to you.”
“I can take you.”
“You’re busy,” she insists. “You’ve been working so hard on the new pieces for the museum exhibit. There’s no need to take a full day off just because I want to go home. Shawn’s literally driving that way today. He’s your brother. Surely, I can trust him to get me there safely.”
“There are few people in this world that I trust as completely as I do my brothers,” I admit. “And you’re right, I shouldn’t take the day from work. But I’d rather you not go at all.”
Her lips twitch as she walks to me and boosts up on her toes to offer me her soft, plump mouth.
“Thank you for taking such good care of me,” she says. She drags her fingertips down my cheek, effectively setting my blood to boiling. “I’ll see you very soon. If I can get things wrapped up there, I might be able to come back for a few days.”
“I hate that you’re so far away,” I murmur before I cover her mouth with mine. I sink into the kiss, claiming her without words. “Come back sooner rather than later, darling. Otherwise, I’ll have to come find you.”* * *I’ve been in a pisser of a mood all day. My feelings are bruised that Anastasia left, and with my brother of all people. Yes, it’s irrational, but a man can’t help the way he feels, can he?
After ruining the piece of glass for the third time, I set the pipe aside in disgust and glance up to see Maggie standing inside my barn. She’s petting Murphy and watching me with sad eyes.
Upon closer inspection, I see she’s added anger to the sadness today. I’m interested in hearing what rose the heat in her temper.
“What’s wrong with you?” Maggie asks before I can ask her the same question. “You look ready to go ten rounds with the champ.”
“She left me,” I mutter in disgust.
“Anastasia? She broke up with you?”
“No, she bloody left me. She went home today. Said she has work to do, but she’s not to be moving that arm of hers, or she’ll injure it again. It was better for her to recover here, wasn’t it?”
“So, she didn’t break it off, she just went home?”
“Shawn took her,” I continue, on a roll. “My own flesh and blood took my woman away from me. Alone in the car with her, all the way to Bellevue. Inappropriate, that’s what it is.”
“Wait. You think Shawn and Anastasia are having an affair?”
“No, I don’t feckin think that.” I toss a dirty towel into a hamper, harder than necessary. “He just gave her a ride, is all.”
“You’ve never been the type to be such a drama queen,” she says, tapping her lip with her finger. “You’re not usually so needy.”
“I’ve never had her before,” I mutter.
