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“You changed your hair,” he commented.
“I change it every month, and that’s not all that’s changed.” She meant it as a warning, but he lifted his eyebrows suggestively in response, as if he wanted to hear all about it.
Her grandmother was clucking around Sean like a mother hen, and both ladies were dressed up, Aunt Gladys in her best pink hand-knitted twin set—the one she normally kept for church services—while Nan had her best frock on. “Have you eaten?”
“Yes, thank you.” Sean didn’t take his eyes off Rowan as he replied, and she had to make a supreme effort to walk around him—rooted to the spot as he was at the bottom of the stairs, like the side of a house.
“Is your record clean?” Gladys asked. “I mean, now that you’ve served your time?”
“Rest assured you aren’t harboring an escaped criminal under your roof.”
Rowan noticed the ladies were thrilled to bits with him, but Sean suddenly looked awkward as hell when they closed in on him. That tickled her.
The ladies could be tough interrogators when they went in double-handed, and he probably anticipated that. They worked together in silent agreement. They’d attack on two fronts, cornering their victim. Fine, Rowan figured, amused. Let it happen. She could just sit back and watch him squirm. She just had to stick to the plan.
What was the plan again? Ignore him. Let him see what he’d missed.
“You better get comfortable,” she suggested, and waved him into the sitting room. “Might as well sit down for the duration of the interrogation.”
She strolled past him in the narrow hallway, attempting to seem nonchalant and offhand. What she didn’t account for was a lightening fast reaction on his part, the sudden movement closer and the resulting brush of his arm against hers.
“Oh.” The static charge from the point of contact took her by surprise and she faltered for a brief moment as he closed in behind her. The bulk of his body at her back sent her deeper into a state of self-awareness.
With a faltering intake of breath she pressed on, and pointed out a single lounge chair in one corner, indicating he take it. Folding her arms across her chest she waited until he sat down where she’d directed, nodded sternly, and then turned away. Striding past him deliberately, she perched on the edge of the piano stool, choosing the spot because it was further away from the other chairs, close to the door. She wanted her exit clear. If she chose, she could simply walk out and leave them to it. Yeah, that would be the best way to indicate how little of a damn she gave. Smiling inwardly, she anticipated the moment, pleased with her strategy.
She took a quick scan around to make sure none of Pixie’s toys were still lying around. Pixie was fast asleep upstairs. She’d been kept busy all afternoon and mostly slept through the night now. Rowan wanted it that way, and the ladies had agreed. They babysat most evenings anyway, while she was at night school. Nan had the baby monitor in her pocket and it would vibrate if Pixie woke and called out. She and Aunt Gladys said they’d take it in turns to check on her so Rowan wouldn’t have to worry. Sean was oblivious to the fact she even had a child. She’d sworn the entire family to secrecy. It was only a matter of time until he found out. She wouldn’t be able to hide the fact for long, but she didn’t want him to know just yet, and under no circumstances would he find out who the father was. He’d be gone soon enough, with his ‘bed for the night’ attitude, so he might meet her. It was important to get a handle on him first—and use it to keep him in his place.
“It’s just the same, cozy and welcoming,” Sean commented, looking around. “I missed you guys.” The comment was directed at Nan and Gladys, but his gaze sidled over to meet Rowan’s.
He’d changed. It hit her fast and hard. There was a level of seriousness about him she didn’t expect to see. He’d always been a dark horse, brooding and watchful, but this was a new level of intensity, and it was damned sexy.
“You missed the place..?” Rowan retorted. “In that case why didn’t you come back to visit? You’ve only been in jail for the last year. What about the two years before that?”
“There was a lot going on. Doesn’t mean I didn’t feel it. W
e all have regrets…don’t we?” He met her stare directly, letting his question hang in the air between them. “Had a lot of time to think when I was inside,” he added, and his gaze raked over her, suggestively.
Damned cheek, she silently fumed, but her pulse reacted, speeding out of check. One glance at Nan and Gladys only annoyed her more. They were sitting on the edge of their seats, eyes bright with interest.
“You’re avoiding my question. Why didn’t you come home at some point during the first couple of years, or were you too busy having fun…hacker boy?” She made sure her tone was filled with sarcasm
“I’ll be honest—”
“Yes,” she interrupted. “Why don’t you.”
“I didn’t think I’d be welcome.”
Both of the ladies exclaimed, disagreeing. “That’s simply not true, young man,” Gladys stated. “You’ve always been welcome. We made that clear. When your patents married, we all loved having you here with us. You’re family.”
Inwardly, Rowan sighed. They were family. That was part of the problem. He was thinking the same, she could tell. For a moment, there was no stopping the silent acknowledgement between them. For the most part they’d kept their relationship secret. Parents and elders had made it clear, Sean and his brother Rory were their stepbrothers, and for Rowan that meant the boy she had the hots for was to be treated as kin. Trouble was, they wanted to be more than kin. When it had eventually come out that they’d become intimate, all hell broke loose.
Over time Gladys and Nan had mellowed somewhat, but Rowan never shook off their disapproval, the rejection they’d both felt, the wall that had been built. Then Sean took off with Rory and her full brother Draco, without a word. She and Sean were both rebels by nature, and they’d been in it together. Emo kids who were forbidden lovers. Deeply committed. Or so she thought.
Nan nodded at her sister approvingly. “Stay as long as you like, Sean. You’re home now.”
Rowan seethed. She thought they’d be polite. They were welcoming him with open arms now—now she wanted him to be gone as quickly as possible.
Nan stood up. “I’ll get some refreshments. You must be famished.” She headed to the kitchen.
