Finding Ronan’s Heart by Melanie Moreland

Chapter Nine

Beth

Iwas surprised when I got home Tuesday to find a strange truck in the driveway. There was no name on it, no sign as to whom it belonged, but from inside the house, I heard the sound of power tools. A saw was set up in the driveway, the sawdust piles indicating work was being done. I went in and found Paige in the dining room at the small desk she used for work. She was typing but looked up with a smile.

“Hi.”

“Hey. What’s going on?”

She grinned. “Your man is downstairs installing a door.” She waggled her eyebrows. “He’s hot when he’s in construction mode.”

I rolled my eyes. “He’s not my man.”

“Really,” she replied sardonically. “I think he’d say otherwise. His helper is pretty hot too. Older, though, and married. Shame.”

“I wasn’t expecting him to do this.”

“I know. He called this morning, and I talked to the landlord to make sure it was okay. Ralph was fine with it, and I let Ronan know. They showed up a while ago.”

I set down the bags I was carrying and headed downstairs. Ronan was holding a door as another man fitted the hinges. They had used the wide space to add a set of double doors, and I had to admit, they looked great. Ronan saw me and grinned.

“Beth.” His stare was warm and frank. “How was your day?”

“Good.”

The other man stood, and I blinked. He was as big as Ronan, his muscles rippling as he swung the door to test it. “Hello.” He dipped his chin and held out his hand. “I’m Van.”

“Hello, Van.” His handshake was firm and strong, yet gentle. His voice was low-pitched and pleasant. He was older, as Paige stated, but attractive. “Thank you for doing this.”

He clapped Ronan on the shoulder. “Any friend of Ronan’s is a friend of mine. Happy to help.” He checked out the level of the doors and nodded. “Okay, I’ll measure the trim. You add in the hardware,” he said to Ronan. “Then we’re done aside from a lick of paint.”

Ronan ran his hand over the door. “I had them primed and the first coat put on already. Same with the trim. I’ll add a second coat once we’re done.”

“Great.” Van took some measurements and headed back upstairs.

I looked at Ronan. “I didn’t expect this.”

“I know. But I figured we had them in the shop, and I’d put them in today. Van’s schedule was light, and he offered to help.”

“You work with him?”

“He runs his own division. He’s, ah, he’s my uncle.”

Another tidbit of information about his family. They dripped out like syrup on a cold day, slow but satisfying.

“Oh, that’s very kind of him. You work together with your family.”

He nodded, a frown on his face. “Some more than others,” he stated, then changed the subject. “What time does Evan get home?”

“About four.” I glanced at my phone. “So, about half an hour.”

“Great. I got a surprise for him.”

I shook my head. “You can’t do this, Ronan.”

He stepped closer. “Do what?”

I waved my hand. “Come in here with doors and gifts and your smiles.”

“Why not?”

“I can’t reciprocate. I don’t know how to repay—”

He cut me off. “No repayment is needed. All I want is to spend some time with you. And what I have for him isn’t a gift. It’s a loan.”

“Can I pay for the doors?”

He slid his hand under my chin, lifting my head. He met my gaze, his bright-green eyes burning into mine. He stroked along my jaw—featherlight strokes of his fingers that I felt right down to the soles of my feet.

“Yes,” he murmured. “You can.”

“How—”

His mouth silenced me. His lips were firm and warm. He snaked his arm around my waist and pulled me close. His tongue splayed across my lips, and I opened for him with a low moan. He kissed me deeply, holding me tight to his chest. Everything left my mind but his touch. The feel of his mouth on me, his tongue sliding along mine, possessive and gentle at the same time. I never wanted him to stop.

Until a throat clearing made me stiffen, and Ronan drew back. He lifted his eyebrows as if to say “Busted,” then kissed the end of my nose.

Van walked past us, chuckling. “As you were.”

Ronan grinned, reaching for me, but I pulled back, slapping at his hands. He only laughed.

“Paid,” was all he said.

I headed up the stairs, unsure how to respond. If he accepted kisses for doors, his bonus was going to be dinner. And I had a feeling he was going to love it.

* * *

Van and Ronan came upstairs, and I watched from the kitchen window as they loaded stuff into the truck and swept the driveway clean of sawdust. As they stood talking, Evan’s bus pulled up and he got off, making his way toward them. I expected him to say hello and come inside, given his shyness with new people. But I was shocked to see him greet Ronan enthusiastically and shake Van’s proffered hand. Van bent down on one knee, talking to Evan. Ronan copied him, and the three of them seemed deep in a serious discussion. Paige came up beside me.

“He’s talking to them. Both of them,” I breathed. “Like he knows them.” I met her gaze. “Like he is comfortable.”

She smiled. “Ronan has that way with him. I guess Van does too. He seemed really nice.”

“He’s an uncle.”

She elbowed me. “Were my instructions not a single brother? Not a married uncle. Jeesh.”

We laughed, and she grabbed some of the veggies I had washed and moved them to the cutting board for me to start chopping. She left to go and pick up Lucy at day care. Working from home, she liked having Lucy go to a place where she could play with kids her own age, and she found a great spot only a few blocks away. Lucy went three days a week. In the fall, she would start kindergarten and be gone every day. Paige often remarked she wasn’t ready for that to happen yet.

I kept watching as Evan spoke to Van. Their conversation seemed to focus on his leg, and Evan demonstrated how he used his crutches and patted his hip and thigh as if showing them where the lingering damage was. Van did a lot of talking and, I assumed, asked a lot of questions, although at times, Ronan would add something in. Evan was surprisingly relaxed and talkative. He normally refused to discuss his injuries, especially to a stranger.

Eventually, Van stood, placed his hand on Evan’s shoulder, and spoke directly to him. Evan nodded, then turned and headed to the front door. He came inside, waved in hello, then went to his room to get rid of his book bag.

Van spoke to Ronan, his gaze flickering to the window, catching me staring at them. He smiled, clapped Ronan’s shoulders, shaking them slightly, and spoke seriously. Ronan followed his gaze, then nodded. He waved as Van pulled out of the driveway then disappeared. A few moments later, Ronan came into the kitchen.

“What smells so good? Is that…homemade tacos?” he asked, looking at the piles of fixings and sniffing the aroma of the ground chicken I had cooking with the spices.

“Yes. I know you love them, and so do the kids. I thought you’d enjoy them.”

“I was going to order in for us,” he protested as he snagged a slice of red pepper off the pile. “I said I would.”

“Well, consider this payment for the door.”

He stepped behind me as I stirred the filling, switching off the heat. He wrapped his arms around me, burying his face into my neck and kissing the skin. “I prefer my form of payment,” he muttered.

I shivered at his words. “We can split the payments,” I joked.

“Maybe we can try out the effectiveness of the door later,” he whispered, his breath hot on my neck and his tongue tracing the shell of my ear.

I never got to answer since Evan came into the kitchen, a huge smile on his face.

“Ronan—is the box on my bed from you?”

“Yeah, bud. Those were my Lego sets when I was a kid. I thought you’d enjoying building with them. There are a few kits you can’t get anymore.”

I was touched by his gesture. His thoughtfulness knew no bounds, whether it was for me, my kid brother, or the small group of people in my life. Paige had told me when he arrived earlier, he had noticed her chair was wobbly, and in ten minutes, had tightened the bolts, oiled it so it no longer squeaked, and gotten rid of a virus her computer had picked up. He seemed too good to be true.

“I’ll take really good care of them, Ronan.”

Ronan laughed, his white teeth flashing. “Lego bricks are almost indestructible. I’m not in any hurry to have them back, so build to your heart’s content.”

“Do you wanna come build with me?”

Ronan met my gaze, and I nodded imperceptibly. I wanted him to stay in the kitchen with me, but I knew how much Evan would enjoy his company.

“You guys go and build. I’m going to finish this and grab a shower. We’ll eat about five thirty, so Paige can join us before she leaves for her meeting.”

Evan and Ronan high-fived each other. Evan turned and left, and Ronan grabbed me, hauling me in for a fast kiss.

“Goddammit,” he swore. “Your mouth is addictive.” He tilted up my chin and kissed me again. A long, slow, lingering one. He shook his head. “Addictive.”

He left the kitchen to follow Evan, and I touched my mouth, feeling the possession left behind of his.

Addictive, he’d said.

I had to agree.

* * *

Dinner was one of the most fun meals we’d ever had in this house. Ronan was droll, teasing everyone, consuming tacos like a starving man. Evan was fascinated watching him, determined to match him taco for taco. He gave up after three. I lost count after six for Ronan. Somehow, Lucy ended up on his lap, and he held her easily with one arm, only releasing her to quickly roll another taco. She looked at Paige, wide-eyed with wonder.

“Momma,” she whispered. “Is he a giant?”

Ronan chuckled as he finished another taco. “Not a giant, Lucy-loo, just hungry.” He winked at me before he lifted her arm, studying it. “If I were a giant, though, you look good enough to eat.” Then he pretended to chomp on her, causing loud shrieks of laughter to escape her mouth. We all laughed, and even Evan looked amused. He’d smiled more tonight than I could recall him smiling in a long time, and I was grateful to Ronan for that.

When I had gone to get them for supper, I found all three of them on the floor, a building happening between them. Ronan was showing Lucy how to put some pieces together, his voice patient, his big hands helping guide her smaller fingers that fumbled. He was amazing with children. I’d watched them in silence for a moment before Ronan noticed me in the doorway, and our gazes locked for a long minute, causing my breathing to pick up. How he said so much with his intense green eyes, without uttering a word, was astounding. It was as if I knew exactly what he was saying. He wanted me. Alone.

And God help me, I wanted the same thing.

Paige left after we finished. She paused before leaving, her voice low. “If the basement door is shut, I’ll just head to bed when I get home.” Then she nudged me. “And it will be, so don’t even try with me.”

I didn’t say anything.

Ronan helped me clean up while the kids returned to the creation of the Lego building.

“How busy is your weekend?”

I hesitated and he smiled. “I was thinking of a picnic on Sunday. Bring Evan, Lucy, and Paige. I know a great spot. A storm is supposed to move in later in the afternoon, so we might see some clouds. I could pick you up around eleven?”

“I’d like that.” Then I frowned. “Do you have a car seat?”

“Not an issue.”

“Okay. That sounds fun.” I smiled. “How about I provide dessert?”

He waggled his eyebrows, and laughing, I slapped his arm. “I meant a cake.”

He wrapped his arm around my waist, dragging me close. “I’d rather have you.”

“Maybe later,” I whispered breathlessly.

He kissed me, hard and fast.

“I’ll hold you to that.”

* * *

I tucked in an already-sleeping Lucy, making sure the covers were loose the way she liked them. After dishes, Ronan had disappeared, coming back with ice cream from a local shop he had asked me about. He brought a sampler and opened it in the middle of the table, handing us all tiny spoons so we could try the various flavors he had picked out.

“Which is your favorite?” I asked.

He paused with a frown. “The blueberry cheesecake is awesome. So is the white chocolate raspberry. I like those the best.”

“Mine too. The triple chocolate is delicious.” I dipped my spoon into it and held it out. “You haven’t tried it yet.”

He covered my wrist with his large hand, pulling it close to his mouth. I stared, fascinated, as his lips wrapped around the spoon, and his tongue flicked out over my finger, catching the tiny amount on my skin.

“Decadent,” he hummed, once again his eyes locking on mine.

I had to look away before I jumped him in front of my little brother and Lucy.

He grinned and dug back into the ice cream. “I don’t usually like the type with nuts. My mom always bought strawberry and butter pecan ice cream. Sometimes maple walnut. I was never as big a fan as my brothers.”

“She didn’t buy your favorite?” I asked.

He shrugged. “I never said anything. They liked those flavors, so I just went along with it.”

I studied him, wondering what else in his life he simply “went along with.”

Before I could ask, he made Lucy laugh, and I filed that question away for later.

He’d built Lego with Evan then helped him with homework as I bathed and got Lucy ready for bed. I could hear them talking while I washed her hair, their voices low. I had a feeling they weren’t talking about other Lego projects, and I wondered what Evan was saying to Ronan.

After Lucy’s bath, Ronan read her a story, and she fell asleep. He carried her into her room and watched as I tucked her in.

Ronan followed me down the hall. I stopped at Evan’s door and peeked in. He was busy with his books, concentrating on homework.

“Need anything?” I asked.

He looked up. “No, I’m good. I’m going to study a bit and read.”

I smiled. He loved to read as much as I did. We went to the library a lot to pick up books for all of us.

“You figured out that math thing?”

He nodded. “Ronan explained it to me, and now I get it.”

“Okay.”

“Can you shut my door?”

“Sure.” He liked his privacy, and I always knew when the door was shut not to bother him.

“Night, bud,” Ronan said behind me.

“Thanks, Ronan. For the Lego and…and the talk.”

“Anytime.”

I shut Evan’s door, and we went to the living room. I sat down, Ronan beside me on the sofa.

“Is he being bullied?” I asked quietly.

“He’s having a hard time.”

“I don’t know what to do,” I admitted.

He exhaled hard. “Maybe I can help.”

“How?”

“Give me a few days. Just…just trust me.”

“I do,” I whispered, surprised to hear myself say those words. “I do trust you.”

“Good.”

“What were you and your uncle talking to Evan about?”

“Oh. Van’s son, Reed, is adopted. When he was little and first came to live with them, he had a bad limp. Van and my dad helped build up the strength in his muscles. Reed overcame the limp, and I thought Van might have a few ideas on how I could help Evan. He asked Evan some questions about his leg to better understand what we’re dealing with.”

“Your dad?” I asked, surprised. “Is he a doctor?”

“No. But he’s taken countless courses about therapy. He does massage, acupuncture, and knows all about the body. He’s really into fitness and strength.”

“I see.”

“I think we could help Evan, Beth. I want to try if you’ll let me.”

“Why?” I asked, unable to stop myself. “Why do you care?”

He frowned as if searching for words. “He’s a good kid and I like him. He matters to you.” He paused, picking up my hand. “You matter to me.”

“I don’t want to bother—”

He stopped my words by shaking his head. “It’s not a bother. I like him,” he stressed again. “Let me try. All we asked was what he was doing so we could see if we could add something to it that might help.”

I sighed. “I have no supplemental insurance, so his therapy is mostly what we do at home. The place we went was good and gave him bands and exercises, and when I can, he goes in for an assessment…” I trailed off as Ronan nodded in sympathy.

“Let me try.”

I would do anything for my little brother. Seeing how determined Ronan was to try to help touched my heart.

“Thank you,” I breathed out.

He stroked my cheek. “You’re welcome. Now, how are your intersession classes going?”

I smiled at him. He remembered everything I told him on our date. He’d asked so many questions, I’d lost track of all that we’d discussed. He didn’t, though.

“Fine.”

“You work too hard.”

I shrugged. “By taking two now, I can work all summer and save more money. With tourists, the diner will be busy, and I can get full-time hours. My schedule is lighter than usual for the next while with only two courses.”

“I did the same thing when I was going to school. I took summer classes too.”

“Then you know how busy I am.”

“I didn’t have the responsibilities you do. You amaze me, little bird.” He played with one of my curls, twirling it around his finger, looking thoughtful. “I want to make your life easier,” he said with a frown.

“My life is fine,” I responded, touched by his sincere words. He seemed so concerned about me. About us. It was an odd feeling to have someone be worried about me anymore, aside from Paige.

I met his eyes. “Especially now you’re part of it.”

With a low groan, he hauled me onto his lap and covered my mouth with his. He kissed me until I was breathless. Until I was clutching his shoulders as need and desire twisted inside me so tightly, it felt as if my nerves were on the outside of my body, stretched and taut. I wanted him more than I had ever wanted another man. I felt his desire trapped between us. I twisted so I straddled his lap, and he groaned as I moved over him.

“I want you,” I whispered into his ear as I nipped at his lobe. “Ronan, I want you so much. What are you doing to me?”

“The feeling is mutual,” he hissed as I undulated over him. “How fast does Evan fall asleep?”

I eased back, meeting his eyes. “What?”

“I can’t—we can’t—” he sputtered, his cheeks darkening. “I can’t make love to you with your brother listening.”

His obvious discomfort caught me off guard. To see this big man flustered and embarrassed was touching. Amusing. I turned my head, trying not to laugh.

I cleared my throat. “You build things, Ronan?”

“Yes.”

“Then you should have realized my brother’s bedroom is at the back of the house. My room downstairs is at the front.” I nuzzled his neck, flicking out my tongue and tasting him. “And I have a nice new door.”

He was on his feet fast. “Let’s go.”