The Firebrand Who Unlocked His Heart (13 page)

Happiness washed over her. Maybe Daniel did love her. In the meantime, she would take whatever he had to offer, no matter how short-lived it was.

* * *

Daniel eased his arm out from under Harry’s shoulders carefully, lest he wake him. Slowly and as quietly as possible, he removed the game console from Harry’s lap and, stretching his arm above his head, shuffled off the end of the bed. A floorboard creaked beneath his feet and he held his breath, but Harry didn’t move. He was definitely sound asleep.

Reaching for the lamp switch, Daniel hesitated, looking down at his son. He’d always loved him—but never more so than at this very moment. Very gently he stroked a finger down his cheek and in his sleep, Harry smiled.

Daniel could hear the sounds of a game show on the TV coming from the living room. Obviously the family relaxing at the end of a tiring day. He popped his head around the door. Colleen’s brothers were all there as well as Sheila.

‘If you’re looking for Colleen,’ Eugene said, ‘she’s mucking out down at the stables. But if you’re looking for company, you’re welcome to join us.’

‘It’s a beautiful evening,’ Daniel replied. ‘I think I’ll go for a walk.’ He had to find Colleen. The sky was streaking orange and gold, casting a shimmering light over the lake that was glass still. Was he becoming a
romantic? Daniel grinned wryly. So much was changing, himself included, he wouldn’t be surprised.

* * *

Crunching down the path, he made his way to the stables, wondering if he’d find her still there. But a quick glance in each of the boxes showed resting horses and no sign of Colleen.

He was about to turn on his heel when he noticed a light shining in the barn.

As if sensing his presence, she turned around, showering hay over her shoulder.

‘Come to help?’ she asked.

‘Sure. What would you like me to do?’

Colleen handed him a shovel and pointed to a pile of horse manure. ‘Shovel that up for a start.’

Great. Only his love for her could make him touch the stuff. ‘Shouldn’t your brothers be helping with this?’ He knew he was prevaricating, but he was unaccountably nervous. He had to make Colleen believe that what he felt for her had nothing to do with Harry.

‘They offered.’ Colleen rubbed a hand across her forehead. ‘But I love getting back to the farm and mucking in. It keeps me sane.’

Her fingers brushed his and Daniel felt an overwhelming urge to wrap his hand round hers. With her hair tumbling loose from her scrunchie, jeans low on her hips and the porcelain smoothness of her skin, he’d never felt such desire for a woman. Especially one with smudges of dirt on her cheeks and eyes sparking—not with make-up but with fire and laughter. In which case it was better, if he couldn’t convince her that he loved her, that soon she’d be leaving him and Harry. He couldn’t spend many more days with her and not touch her.

She smiled at him, the moonlight reflecting on her hair turning it to gold.

Daniel removed a piece of straw from her hair and tossed it to the ground. ‘That’s better,’ he said.

She moved towards him and stood on her tiptoes. Her perfume flooded his nostrils, making his head reel. He felt her hands in his hair. ‘You have one, too,’ she laughed.

He couldn’t stop himself. His hands dropped to her waist and his mouth was on hers. He tasted her lips, tentatively at first and then, as she responded, he tugged at the belt of her jeans and pulled her against him.

When she moaned he deepened his kiss. Her tongue flicked against his teeth, driving him crazy with desire. It took all his will-power to pull away from her.

Her eyes were shining and her breath was coming in short gasps.

‘God, I want you, Colleen,’ he murmured. ‘I’ve wanted you since the first time I saw you. I want to make love to you—badly. But I want you to be sure.’

Her answer was to pull his head back down so his mouth covered hers once more. ‘You great lummox, can’t you see how sure I am?’

When he released her, she grabbed a horse blanket from one of the stalls and took him by the hand and led him up a ladder into the hay loft. ‘Give me your shirt,’ she demanded.

He slipped it over his head and passed it to her. She placed the blanket with his T-shirt on top of it and lay down, grinning up at him. She held her arms out. ‘Don’t you know better than to keep a girl waiting?’ she asked.

* * *

Later, much later, they lay together. Her head was on his chest, their naked bodies entwined. Rain thudded
against the tin roof of the stables like a million bullets. One of the horses stamped his feet and snickered. Colleen called out to the horse and it settled down. She had never felt so peaceful.

‘I love you, Colleen.’ His voice came out of the darkness. ‘I never thought I could love a woman the way I love you.’ He put his hands around her waist and swung her around until she was sitting astride him. ‘Do you believe me now?’

She grinned down at him. ‘Now you wouldn’t just be saying that because you’ve had your wicked way with me, would you?’

‘Don’t you think I would have said it before I had my wicked way with you? Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to work?’

She feigned dismay. ‘Oops, I got it wrong. Damn.’ She felt as if she was floating somewhere above herself.

‘So will you stay with Harry and me?’

Some of the happiness dropped out of her world. ‘Because of Harry?’

‘No, you idiot. Not because of Harry. Because I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you.’ He raked a hand through his hair. ‘I didn’t think I’d ever say that again. But, yes, Harry is part of the deal. I meant what I said to him earlier. I’ve got a lot of making up to do. He needs a father.’

‘And a mother?’

‘Do you think that’s why I’m asking? Harry loves you. I love you. I want you in our lives—permanently. I want you to marry me, Colleen. But if you need time, I want you to be with me any way you choose.’

Colleen’s heart was singing. ‘And here’s me just unengaged. Now you’re wanting me to do it all over again.’

‘The difference is that I want you to do it all over
again, but this time with me. Only me. Only ever me.’ His eyes glinted in the dark. ‘I’m warning you, Colleen, now that I’ve found you, I don’t intend to let you go.’

C
OLLEEN
walked up the aisle on Eugene’s arm to where Daniel was waiting for her with Harry standing by his side. The last three months had flown by. Harry had continued to improve so much that he was able to walk reasonable distances on his own. His speech was clearer and, although his concentration was less than perfect at times, they were all confident that, with a bit of extra support, he’d be able to resume his studies where he had left off when he returned to school.

In the pews her friends and family smiled at her. Trish, who was her bridesmaid, was grinning from ear to ear as if getting Daniel and Colleen together had been all her doing. Jake from the unit and Kiera were also there, as was most of the staff from the unit in Dublin. Dora was using her handkerchief to dab at her eyes and even Burton’s eyes looked suspiciously wet. Colleen and Daniel were going to fund another special unit for brain-injured patients in Dorset and Colleen was looking forward to getting stuck in to the planning of the unit. As she approached the altar, two pairs of shockingly green eyes turned in her direction.

Daniel held out his hand.

She stood next to him as the final strains of the wedding
march faded away and knew that life was going to be a roller coaster, but one she intended to enjoy for every breathtaking minute it lasted.

ISBN-13: 9781460376485

THE FIREBRAND WHO UNLOCKED HIS HEART

© Anne Fraser 2012

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