[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
lighter and knowing how ridiculously overprotective they are
Yeah, they re a bit old-fashioned, all right. Uncle Michael was the only one who
went to bed early, so I imagine he s the only one who could face the dawn today. After
thinking about that for half a second, Maura said, Yeah, we d better get back.
179
Ashlyn Chase
Chapter Twenty
As soon as they opened the back door, they heard the shower. Whew. We can
sneak in without him hearing us, Maura whispered.
I m afraid not, lass. Uncle Michael stepped out of his bedroom, leaning on his
cane.
Damn. Maura put a sweet smile on her face and said, Uncle Michael. Top o the
morning! I thought you were in the shower.
Don t you be actin innocent, Miss Keegan. You re old enough to know better. I ll
have you know I ve been waitin up for you ever since I heard you two sneak out
together.
Oh.
And I m not in a good mood for lack of sleep. Understand?
Yes, sir.
You don t have to sir me, lass. I m just your uncle, but your mother will be
hearin about it, to be sure.
Maura nodded. How could she appease the dear old man?
That s Patrick in the shower. He has a job to go to. And what is it you do, Adrian?
I own a vineyard in France and a museum in New York.
Ah, good. So, are you two to be married soon?
Maura bit her lip and looked to Adrian, hoping he d think of something clever to
distract Uncle Michael from this line of questioning.
No, sir.
Maura rolled her eyes. Great. Just great. That ll really help.
You kept my sweet young niece out all night, but you don t intend to marry her?
I m neither young nor innocent as you pointed out just a minute ago, uncle& in
fact, I m
Uncle Michael waved at the air in front of him and made his gruff noise.
It s& complicated, sir. To his credit, Adrian was being respectful and patient.
Uncle Michael leaned on his cane and shuffled toward them. Complicated, is it? I
don t think it s any more complicated than askin you to take your things and leave.
Uncle!
No, Maura. He s right. Adrian laid a hand on her arm. I still have that important
business to attend to and putting off goodbyes won t make them easier.
She looked at the floor, but eventually nodded.
180
Vampire Vintage
I won t forget what I promised you.
She looked up at him and forced a smile. The concern on his face was impossible to
miss. His forehead furrowed and he looked into her eyes with his intense gaze. He bent
over and brushed her lips with the most tender of kisses.
Maura cupped the back of his head and forced his lips back to hers. She opened to
him and silently begged him to deepen it. He responded as the only man who loved her
would. He answered her probing tongue and kissed her as she wanted to be kissed with
uninhibited passion.
Eventually Uncle Michael cleared his throat.
Adrian reluctantly pulled away from her. I ll just get my suitcase, sir.
It s already at the front door, lad.
Calling Adrian lad was a good sign and she was glad to hear her uncle say it even
as ridiculous as it might be to think of her almost six hundred-year-old vampire as a
lad.
He strolled to the front door with Maura trailing behind, picked up his suitcase and
with his hand on the doorknob said, Je t aime. A tout a l heur, ma cherie.
Maura couldn t speak. The lump in her throat prevented words from coming. She
hugged herself and nodded. Tears burned her eyes and she could barely see as Adrian
left the cottage and her life.
Biting her lip, she trembled. Her uncle hobbled up beside her and put a hand on her
shoulder.
Maura, it s for the best& whatever it is. Life has too many complications as it is.
She couldn t stop the tears from gushing forth and her body shook with sobs. Uncle
Michael wrapped an arm around her in a firm one-armed hug.
Not to worry, lass. If it s meant to be, it will be. Come. Sit on the sofa with me. Tell
me why this one s so special.
Uncle Michael sat on one end and placed his cane against the side of the couch. He
extended one arm, as if inviting Maura to curl up against his chest. Feeling like a little
girl and suddenly missing her father, Maura did just that.
She wound up curled into a fetal position on the couch spilling her guts. She told
Uncle Michael everything. Everything!
After an hour of sniffling, talking and confessing her sins, her uncle finally spoke.
Stroking her hair, as one would pat an Irish setter, he said, So, you re in love with a
vampire, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Yes, uncle.
And to be with you safely, he needs to find or make enough of his special
wine& his Blood of the Warrior, is it?
She nodded against his leg.
181
Ashlyn Chase
And there s this old girlfriend, another vampire, who thinks she can get her hooks
into him if you re out of the way?
Yes, she barely squeaked. And I m afraid. If she finds me without Adrian to stop
her& She couldn t even finish her thought, but there was no need. Uncle Michael got
the picture.
I think I know the answer to this, lass. A bit of Irish magic should do the trick.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]