The Irishman's Christmas Gamble
Page 27
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The steel was still there when he said, “I intend to.”
The raw determination in his voice sent a streak of heat flashing through her. She wove her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck and pulled him down for a searing kiss, then leaned back against his arms. It seemed a good time to discuss the idea she’d been considering. “Speaking of soccer—”
“Soccer? What’s soccer?” His gaze scorched over her as he started to pull her close again.
She wedged her arms between them. “Good. I’ve got you in the right frame of mind.”
“You mean you’ve blown my mind to bits.” He loosened his hold with a sigh of resignation.
“You remember how lonely you were when you went away to the training academy and lived in the dormitory?”
“I try not to.” But he nodded.
“I was thinking that we might bring some of the talented Irish kids from Finglas and similar neighborhoods over here to train. Except we’ll have them live with us, now that you’re making an honest woman of me. That way they’ll have a family environment, even though they’re far from home.”
Liam went still against her for a long moment before his words seemed to burst from him. “Jaysus, Joseph, and Mary, you can still surprise me.” He picked her up like she was a mere girl and spun around in a circle before he gave her a smacking kiss on the lips. “I should know that it’s all or nothing with you. You took to Owen, so now you want a whole herd of kids. I love you for it.”
“It still hurts me that I can’t give you children,” she said, the truth of it making her stomach clench. “But I’m learning to believe that you can live with that.”
“You’re not doing this just to make me happy, are you?” Liam frowned, even as he continued to hold her up against him, her feet dangling.
“I would, if I thought that’s what you needed, but no. I love having Owen with us. He fills the place with life and energy. I want more of that.”
His smile returned. “We’ll buy a big house so you can have as much energy as you can stand.”
“It will cut into our sex life,” she said. “All those kids around all the time.”
“Not a chance.” He let her slide down the front of his hard, muscular body with exquisite slowness until her feet were back on the ground. “Our new house will have a master suite that’s miles away from the kids’ rooms.”
“But what about sex on the kitchen counter?” She thought of that particular location with great fondness.
“I’ll have a counter built in the bedroom. With a height adjustment so it will be even more…versatile.” His voice was a rumbling croon as he nuzzled behind her ear, while a tingle of sensation traveled down her neck, through her breasts, to settle between her legs.
“And we can always take the limo out if we need more privacy,” she said, her voice a rasp at the memories of their bare skin against black leather seats.
“Not to mention a private terrace.” He pulled back which allowed her to see the intensity of his eyes. “Because I’ll need to make love to you there every time it snows.”
She knew her eyes mirrored his as she remembered the profound connection of their first time together, a connection that had deepened every day since. “In that case, I’ll be hoping for an ice age.”
The raw determination in his voice sent a streak of heat flashing through her. She wove her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck and pulled him down for a searing kiss, then leaned back against his arms. It seemed a good time to discuss the idea she’d been considering. “Speaking of soccer—”
“Soccer? What’s soccer?” His gaze scorched over her as he started to pull her close again.
She wedged her arms between them. “Good. I’ve got you in the right frame of mind.”
“You mean you’ve blown my mind to bits.” He loosened his hold with a sigh of resignation.
“You remember how lonely you were when you went away to the training academy and lived in the dormitory?”
“I try not to.” But he nodded.
“I was thinking that we might bring some of the talented Irish kids from Finglas and similar neighborhoods over here to train. Except we’ll have them live with us, now that you’re making an honest woman of me. That way they’ll have a family environment, even though they’re far from home.”
Liam went still against her for a long moment before his words seemed to burst from him. “Jaysus, Joseph, and Mary, you can still surprise me.” He picked her up like she was a mere girl and spun around in a circle before he gave her a smacking kiss on the lips. “I should know that it’s all or nothing with you. You took to Owen, so now you want a whole herd of kids. I love you for it.”
“It still hurts me that I can’t give you children,” she said, the truth of it making her stomach clench. “But I’m learning to believe that you can live with that.”
“You’re not doing this just to make me happy, are you?” Liam frowned, even as he continued to hold her up against him, her feet dangling.
“I would, if I thought that’s what you needed, but no. I love having Owen with us. He fills the place with life and energy. I want more of that.”
His smile returned. “We’ll buy a big house so you can have as much energy as you can stand.”
“It will cut into our sex life,” she said. “All those kids around all the time.”
“Not a chance.” He let her slide down the front of his hard, muscular body with exquisite slowness until her feet were back on the ground. “Our new house will have a master suite that’s miles away from the kids’ rooms.”
“But what about sex on the kitchen counter?” She thought of that particular location with great fondness.
“I’ll have a counter built in the bedroom. With a height adjustment so it will be even more…versatile.” His voice was a rumbling croon as he nuzzled behind her ear, while a tingle of sensation traveled down her neck, through her breasts, to settle between her legs.
“And we can always take the limo out if we need more privacy,” she said, her voice a rasp at the memories of their bare skin against black leather seats.
“Not to mention a private terrace.” He pulled back which allowed her to see the intensity of his eyes. “Because I’ll need to make love to you there every time it snows.”
She knew her eyes mirrored his as she remembered the profound connection of their first time together, a connection that had deepened every day since. “In that case, I’ll be hoping for an ice age.”
