Part 14 (1/2)

Parking on the side of the house between two monstrous trucks and an SUV the size of a building, he heard Annie sigh in audible resignation. ”What's wrong?”

”They're all already here,” she said, staring at the vehicles.

”Your brothers?”

”Uh-huh. I'd hoped to introduce you slowly, rather than to everybody all at once.”

”I thought they all lived lived here.” here.”

”Randy does. But Steve and Jed both live in their own houses that they built nearby.”

Sean had a sudden suspicion. ”On your father's land?”

”He gave them each a hundred acres to build on when they turned twenty-five.”

He was starting to get the picture.

”Where's your hundred?” he murmured, watching for her reaction, suspecting what it would be.

He wasn't disappointed. She rubbed a hand over her eyes, sighed, then waved a hand generally toward the east.

”I see.”

Not only was he getting the picture, he'd begun to realize just how big big that picture was. Annie was in no way the simple small-town girl she'd made herself out to be. Her family had to be rich as Croesus, running a highly successful dairy farm, owning the land as far as he could see. Which could explain their overprotectiveness toward Annie. that picture was. Annie was in no way the simple small-town girl she'd made herself out to be. Her family had to be rich as Croesus, running a highly successful dairy farm, owning the land as far as he could see. Which could explain their overprotectiveness toward Annie.

Sean hadn't worried too too much about meeting them, given his ”crash course” and his ability to get along with just about anyone. Oh, he'd been prepared for them not to like him because of how much they wanted Annie to come home, but that was a natural thing, not too much of a concern. much about meeting them, given his ”crash course” and his ability to get along with just about anyone. Oh, he'd been prepared for them not to like him because of how much they wanted Annie to come home, but that was a natural thing, not too much of a concern.

Now that he saw the way they lived, however, he began to understand why, and to antic.i.p.ate the true depth of their imminent dislike.

She was the only daughter in a wealthy, close-knit family who built their homes within miles of each other to make sure everyone stayed together. While Sean was the only son in a wealthy family who still tried to arrange marriages, for G.o.d's sake.

He wondered what she'd say if she knew just how similar their backgrounds were. That he understood her a lot more than she might imagine.

He also wondered if it was a good thing, or a bad one, that his heart twisted in his chest for her when he realized how serious she'd been about her difficult family life.

He'd come here thinking her a typical I-can't-go-home-without-a-man single girl. But she'd meant meant it. Her situation was every bit as tough as his own. it. Her situation was every bit as tough as his own.

She'd chosen to escape by taking care of small children. He'd done so by taking care of the needs of strange women. Different...but rooted in the same dream of independence from the expectations of family.

He and Annie had the same dreams.

Sean was almost stunned by the depth of understanding-emotion-he suddenly felt toward the beautiful, strong-willed woman sitting beside him. The lengths she'd gone to might not have been as extreme as his, but she'd fought hard to get where she was, and to stay there. Including paying out a large sum of money that he suspected she couldn't afford-since she didn't live like her family supported her-to maintain her independence.

By bidding on him. him.

He'd do anything he could to help her. Anything except confide in her. Because Sean wasn't anywhere near ready to tell her just how well he understood her plight, and what a similar kind of desperation had driven him him to do. to do.

He'd never much cared about his lifestyle, or what anyone thought of it, with the exception of his sister. And now...now, he realized with a sinking heart, Annie.

s.h.i.+t. He was in trouble here. Wanting to get away, fast. Wanting more to pull her into his arms and tell her he understood, that she wasn't alone.

But, d.a.m.n it, he was he was. Alone. Always. And that's the way his life had to stay.

Wasn't it?

”I think this place is bigger than my family's estate,” he finally muttered, staring out the winds.h.i.+eld at the sweeping landscape below. The vibrant green hillside and valley below it were dotted with a few sheep...he'd been waiting for those fluffy b.u.g.g.e.rs.

”Estate?” She chuckled, distracted from her melancholy. ”Are you a pampered little rich boy?”

”Not pampered,” he clarified as he turned to see her watching him. He took no offense at her laughter. Not when she was finally relaxed, smiling, at least a bit, her eyes reflecting back the soft blue of the sky overhead.

”Should I call you Lord Lord Murphy?” Murphy?”

Wouldn't his father love that. ”Nope. One of my drunkard ancestors lost the t.i.tle-and half his land-by ticking off some royal or another a million years ago.”

Her jaw dropped open. She'd been joking. He hadn't.

”Oh, wow,” she finally said, sounding stunned. ”I guess I should have gotten a complete primer on you you.”

That wasn't going to happen. Not if Sean could help it.

Though, he supposed a few minor details would be smart. Especially since he'd realized this weekend might not be as easy as he'd originally thought. Not if this wealthy, small-town family had millions millions of reasons to be overprotective of their only girl. of reasons to be overprotective of their only girl.

”I drink tea, not coffee. Sweet, no cream,” he admitted, trying to think of what might possibly come up during the brief visit. ”Dark beer only-light is for infants. Murphy's is best, but you can never find it on tap on this continent.” Racking his brain, he added, ”I went to Trinity College in Dublin, have been known to knock men unconscious on the rugby field...and I speak six languages.”

Her eyes widened in shock. ”Six?” ”Six?”

He shrugged. ”I've the Irish gift of the gab.” Speaking fast since they could be interrupted at any moment, he continued. ”I never stay in one place for long and I have apartments in a couple of cities but not what you'd call a real home in any of them.”

”Sad,” she murmured.

Maybe to her. To Sean it was the only way he'd ever wanted to live. But he didn't want to explain that-not now, when they had no time. And when he hadn't yet figured out just how much he wanted Annie to know about his life.

Or how much he might be willing to change that life if he could keep her in it for just a little while longer.

Shaking off that unbelievable thought, he went back to what he was good at. Innuendo.

He smiled wickedly, letting her see the heat in his eyes. ”One more important detail you should probably know-I don't wear anything to bed.”

It worked. Annie licked her lips and raked a hungry stare over his body. The woman looked as predatory as her cat, and Sean would give just about anything to get out of here and let her devour him the way she appeared to want to. ”I can't wait to see you in your pajamas then,” she whispered.

”Naughty girl. What would the family say?”

Her unconcerned shrug answered that question as she leaned a little closer to whisper, ”How many hours do we have to be here again?”

His head filling with all the things he still wanted to do with this woman, he called himself ten kinds of idiot. They'd been friendly and casual all the way down here in the car. Why, now when they were parked right outside her parents' door, did he have to go and provoke her into reminding him of how much he wanted her? Especially given the fact that he was still reeling over the depth of connection he'd discovered between them, and the emotions that discovery had inspired.

As if she, too, suddenly regretted the bad timing, Annie cleared her throat and waved her hand in the air, dismissing the entire subject. ”Forget I asked that. It's not like I haven't been counting down the hours since the moment we left your hotel, anyway.”

Him, too.