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“Yes.”
My smile widens, and I give him a quick kiss on the cheek before letting go of his arm.
I love being with him. It’s so much better than I expected.
When we return to the hotel, we have just enough time to eat lunch and take a shower together before we have to head to the airport.
Flying first class is even more fun on the flight home because I’m more relaxed. I have tiramisu and champagne. He drinks Scotch and continues to tease me about how many pictures I took.
“I might become a birdwatcher,” I announce sassily.
“If you do, it’ll lower the average age of birdwatchers by a decade, to about sixty-three.”
“I saw you admiring those cranes. When is your birthday? I’ll buy you a birdwatching guide, so we can pursue this hobby together.”
“Finally, the answer to my prayers,” he says dryly.
As I laugh, the flight attendant smiles at us and drops off more snacks. I nibble on a square of cherry chocolate almond bark as he tells me stories of his family in Ireland, who he jokes would threaten to disown him for skipping an afternoon in the pub for a walk through a swamp.
“They sound great. Is it a lot of fun having a big family?”
“It suits me, but then again, it’s all I know.”
“Do you talk a lot to all your brothers or only Aiden?
“Luke and I exchange texts a few times a week. Killian, the youngest, is a half brother and all manner of trouble. I talk to him more than I’d like sometimes. I see all of them together about once a week. Dinner at the old house or mine.”
“Why does your lip curl when you say ‘the old house’? Where is it? And is that where you grew up?”
“Yeah. It’s a three-story in Dorchester that’s seen better days. Ma refuses to move. Aiden went as far as buying her a new place. Great piece of property in a nice neighborhood. But she’s not interested. So now that’s a rental property, waiting for the day when she changes her mind. Which will be never. But he’s too stubborn to sell the new place. There’s no doubt where he gets that from. Straight from Ma.”
I lean my head against his shoulder. “Sounds fantastic.”
“Yeah? Real estate wars between a mother and her sons sounds good? You wouldn’t think so if you got a look at the peeling paint. She pushes back against having contractors in the house. At least we got the rot on the outside repaired. That was another battle.”
“She doesn’t want your help?”
“She’ll take help in the form of labor. If I wanted to strip and paint the walls with my own two hands, no problem. She’d make me lunch every day and tell me all the neighborhood gossip. She managed to get Aiden and Luke to spend four months of Saturdays restoring the second floor. Crazy.”
“You don’t like working with your hands?”
His hand slides to my thigh and squeezes. “I enjoy it in bed. As you know.”
Heat rises in my cheeks, and I run my fingers over his cross tattoo.
“Speaking of which, I’m going to take you on an adventure tonight,” he says.
“A nighttime visit to another nature preserve?” I tease with mock confusion.
“Sure.” The corner of his mouth curves into a persistent smirk after he finishes off his Scotch.
Threading my fingers through his, I lean closer. “Should I be nervous?” I whisper.
“Yes.”
My fingers tighten on his hand. “Well, I choose not to be. I trust you.”
A little fissure of anxiety cuts through me when he doesn’t respond.Calm down, I tell myself.Liam is trustworthy.
