Beyond Affection (10 page)

“Where is Corinne now?” he asked.

“She left.” 

“When?”

“Why the interrogation, Craig?” she huffed.  “Does it really matter?”  Lacie turned and started to head back toward the kitchen, already tired of the conversation and wishing she had never agreed to give Craig a key to her place.  She looked longingly at the counter where Shane had been so wonderfully attentive only minutes earlier.

“Hell yes, it matters,” Craig said, his voice angry, stalking after her.  “Her car wasn’t in the lot this morning when I took Shelly back.”  He pointed at the mugs, the plates, the forks accusingly.  “Who made you breakfast, Lacie?”

“I did.”

Shane stepped from the back room.  So much for his ability to let her handle things.  She tried to be annoyed with him, but the truth was, his presence did make her feel better.

Craig’s eyes were murderous as he took in Shane’s appearance.  Shane’s shirt still hung open, his hair was still tussled from her fingers raking through it, his jaw still shadowed.  But his eyes were as bright as Lacie had ever seen them.  Bright and yet so very dark.  She suddenly knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the rumors of the Callaghans were true.  For all of his gentlemanly charm and easy-going manner, Shane was a lethal man. 

“What the fuck is he doing here?”  The purplish tinge of rage raced up Craig’s neck and into his face, his fists clenched at his sides.

Shane strode through the apartment with the supreme confidence of a man who was exactly where he belonged, deliberately placing himself between her and Craig.  His movements were unhurried, almost lazily careless, but there was nothing remotely casual about the look in his eyes.

Realizing she would have to face this now rather than later, Lacie stood a little straighter, her chin taking a slightly defiant tilt.  “Corinne called him when she had to leave.”

Craig whipped his gaze back to her.  “Why didn’t she call me?  I could have taken care of you, Lacie.  You didn’t need to call on a complete stranger.”  He glanced at Shane as if he was some bum she picked up off the street.

It was Lacie’s first instinct to simply state the truth, but she couldn’t exactly tell him Corinne was, in her words, ‘totally creeped out’ by him.  Instead she kept to the truth in as non-confrontational a way as possible.  “Shane is not a complete stranger.  And you had Shelly.  Seeing me like that would have upset her.”

“I would have taken her back to her grandparents,” Craig said through clenched teeth, his voice strained in barely-repressed anger.  “They would have understood.  Christ, Lacie, I’ve known you your whole life.  You’ve known him, what, less than a week?  And yet you allow yourself to be alone with him in your apartment when you are so vulnerable?”

Craig’s eyes roamed around the room, some of the tension in his face vanishing with visible relief when he noticed the pillows and blankets on the couch, but returning again the instant he turned back and saw Shane.  Since Shane was standing slightly in front of her, she couldn’t see his expression, but Craig could.  His entire body went rigid.

“Your daughter needs you more than I do, Craig,” Lacie began.  The heated burn of embarrassment and irritation rolled through her, even as her nurturing nature tried to take over.  Despite her ire, it was an effort to ignore the stunned, and if she wasn’t mistaken, hurt look on his face.  Shane’s presence gave her the strength and courage to overcome it. 

“And one night was enough for me to know that I can trust him,” Lacie said defiantly, stepping closer to Shane.  Shane’s eyes glittered, the hint of a smirk on his face as he wrapped one arm around her waist.

“Jesus Christ, Lacie, do you even hear what’s coming out of your mouth?” Craig said.  “You trust a man - and not just any man - a fucking
Callaghan
– after he flashes you a smile and buys you a donut and a cup of coffee?”

“Got a problem with Callaghans, do you?” Shane asked casually, though his voice carried with it an unmistakable edge.  Lacie felt the slight shift of his body weight.

“You bet your ass I do,” Davidson grated, standing taller.  “You’re a bunch of cocky motherfuckers, thinking you’re better than everyone else, thinking you own this town - ”

Shane’s body leaned forward and Lacie knew they were close to blows.  “Enough!” Lacie bellowed, taking a step forward to place herself between them, arms out as if to keep them apart.  “I will not listen to you speak to Shane that way.  I am a grown woman, Craig, not some helpless child you can bully around.  I am capable of deciding how and with whom I choose to spend my time.”

Craig’s eyes darkened and his face paled as her words hung in the heavy silence.  The effect was even scarier than when it had been dark with rage.  “Thank God Brian’s not here to see this,” he seethed finally.  “Because it would break his fucking heart to see you acting like some crushing teenager.  How am I supposed to keep my promise to look out for you when you pull shit like this?”

Her sharp intake of breath was loud in the sudden silence.  Shane’s fingers brushed against hers in silent, unwavering support along with an unspoken question, but he didn’t need to ask it out loud for her to hear it.  The same words from a few minutes ago floated unbidden into her mind:
Do you want me to kill him?
  Lacie shivered, feeling the quiet, lethal intensity of the man beside her.  She knew if she looked up at his face she would see nothing but an unnerving calmness, but she felt anger rolling off of him in waves.  There was no doubt that this man would kill on her behalf, without question.  As horrifying as that thought was, it also made her feel incredibly loved and protected. 

Still, she had no wish to see violence, especially not here, not now.  Lacie’s fingertips met his and gave a quick, gentle squeeze of thanks, but no thanks. She turned to Craig.  “You need to leave, Craig.”

Craig’s jaw set stubbornly as he crossed his arms over his chest.  He was several inches shorter than Shane, but he had the bulk of a man who spent several hours in the gym every day.  “We need to talk about this, Lacie.”  His eyes flicked to Shane.  “Alone.”

Shane shifted his weight again, but only slightly.  It was enough to tell Lacie that if she didn’t do something to diffuse the situation now she would no longer have any say in what happened.  And as big and tough as Craig was, Lacie knew with certainty that he would be no match for Shane Callaghan.  The stupid idiot was going to get himself hurt.

She took a deep breath and squeezed Shane’s hand again, a silent plea for restraint.  She would have preferred to discuss things privately, but Craig was giving her no choice.  No matter how angry, irritated, or aggravated he got her, he was still like a brother to her and she did not want to hurt or embarrass him. 

“Maybe later, when you’ve calmed down and I’m not sorely tempted to say something I’ll regret,” she said, glad that her voice didn’t tremble as much as the rest of her.  Not out of fear, but out of anxiety.  She hated the fact that Craig was putting her in this kind of position, making her feel like some sort of errant child who needed watching over.  After spending the morning feeling gloriously like a woman, being treated like a child was particularly abrasive.

Craig’s eyes widened in disbelief.  He was not used to her standing her ground so boldly.  He shot a look of loathing at Shane.  Lacie knew he was blaming her sudden show of spine on him, and in a way, he was probably right.  If Shane wasn’t there, Lacie would probably already be making a pot of tea and trying to soothe Craig’s ruffled feathers instead of showing him the door.

As unpleasant as it was, Lacie realized, it was also far past due.  She’d let Craig get away with too much for too long, good intentions or not.

Craig’s lips thinned, but he kept himself in check and did not force the issue.  Lacie attributed that to Shane’s presence as well, and was glad for it.  It might make things more difficult later on, but hopefully by then they’d be a bit calmer and be capable of having a rational, adult discussion.

“Fine,” he said finally.  “You know where to find me.”

Craig opened his mouth to say something else, but Shane gave him the barest shake of the head, warning against it.  With one final look at Lacie, Craig let himself out, slamming the door as he did so.

Lacie sagged against the countertop.  Any pride she’d felt at standing up for herself was negated by the look in Craig’s eyes as he left.  It held so much disappointment, so much betrayal, that it physically hurt. 

“Hey.  You okay?”  Shane was there, beside her, once again the charming, soft-spoken man who had stolen her heart.  The pads of his fingers trailed across her cheek lightly, providing the tender contact she needed.  He had a way of doing that – saying and doing exactly what she needed, even when she didn’t know herself.

She offered him a weak smile, leaning against him.  He felt so good.  So strong.  So warm.  So deliciously
Shane
.  “Yeah.  I’m sorry you had to see that.” 

S
hane kissed the top of her head and tucked her beneath his chin, glad she couldn’t see the fire he knew was flashing in his eyes.  His mind ran through alternate scenarios of what might have happened if he hadn’t been there, and he didn’t like any of them.  Lacie did not fully appreciate the depth of Craig Davidson’s feelings for her, but Shane did, and they ran far deeper than brotherly concern.  After witnessing Davidson’s quick temper first hand, Shane’s concern over the man’s close relationship with Lacie increased. 

Corinne had been dead on; Davidson knew exactly what to say to hit Lacie where it would hurt the most.  Shane fought the urge to go across the hall and strangle the bastard right then and there.  If he thought for one moment that Lacie wouldn’t hate him for it, he would have. 

“Is he always like that?” Shane asked.  He was already forming a to-do list in his head, including items like getting Lacie’s locks changed, having Ian set up some extra security cameras that would encompass the main entrance, the fire escapes at the back of the building, and the parking lot, as well as getting a security system installed in Lacie’s apartment.  He was about to suggest that until then, Lacie accompany him back to the Pub and stay there where he knew she’d be safe.  He didn’t think she was quite ready for that yet, though.  She might see it as another attempt to control her, an implication that she was incapable of looking out for herself. 

Lacie pushed away, a soft stroke to his arm silently communicating gratitude for his support.  Content with that – for now - he crossed his arms over his chest, his posture relaxed, and leaned against the counter, fighting the urge to draw her back to him.  He liked the way she was already looking to him for strength and comfort.  As his
croie
should.  But he would give her the space she so desperately needed while staying close enough, just in case.  Even if doing so made him ground a few molars down in the process.

Shane watched her with thoughtful eyes as she poured them each another cup of coffee.  She really was beautiful.  Even the slight worried crease to her brows couldn’t take away from her soft, delicate features.  Conflict didn’t sit well upon them, though.  Standing up to Davidson, while necessary, had upset her; she was much more comfortable smoothing feathers than ruffling them, he realized. 

“No,” she finally answered, handing him his coffee and taking a similar position adjacent to him.  Her toes were just barely touching his, a slight contact, but one that gave her the anchor she subconsciously needed. “Most of the time, he’s helpful and supportive.  But he does have his caveman moments, usually when I do something he perceives as foolish or possibly dangerous.”

“I would never hurt you, Lacie.”

* * *

“I
know.”  Lacie’s voice was soft, her expression contemplative.  “I’m not sure how I know that after meeting you less than a week ago, but I do.  I feel very safe with you, Shane.  It’s almost as if ...”  It was on the tip of her tongue to say that she thought they were meant for each other, but decided against it.  Craig’s words from the previous morning were still fresh in her mind.  Was she, on some subconscious level, hoping that she would prove to be Shane’s perfect match?

No, she thought, she could not afford to acknowledge something like that.  If she dared to hope and was wrong, she wouldn’t just be hurt, she’d be destroyed.  Unmercifully, she shoved, pushed, and jammed it back into that secret place where she kept her deepest, darkest desires. 

If things worked out, awesome.  If not, then perhaps she could at least retain some small shred of dignity.  That’s what she told herself, anyway.  Yes, Shane did seem really into her.  And he obviously cared a little, or he wouldn’t even be there.  But did he feel the soul-deep connection with her that she felt with him?  The one that had hit her hard and fast from that very first moment she’d open her eyes in that classroom and found him looking at her with amusement dancing in those beautiful blues? 

While Lacie had always been an incurable romantic at heart, she’d had her doubts about the whole love-at-first-sight phenomenon.

Until Shane Callaghan had unknowingly proven otherwise. 

From what she’d heard, most men tended to run screaming into the hills when a woman started talking about a serious relationship, especially after such a short time.  She didn’t want to do anything that might scare Shane away.  Whether she said it out loud or not, she was quite certain she was head over heels in love with him, and she was not about to jeopardize that because she couldn’t keep her mouth shut.  It would be prudent (and preferable) to keep her thoughts to herself until she had a better grasp of his feelings and intentions.

“Almost as if what?” he prompted.

“Nothing.” She waved it off, hoping he didn’t read the truth in her eyes.  Sometimes when he looked at her, she suspected he saw a whole lot more than most people did.  Given the intensity of her feelings, she didn’t have a prayer of hiding them from anyone willing to look.  She cared for him, so deeply that it bordered on frightening.  It was kind of exciting, too, very much like the feeling she got approaching the crest of a thrilling roller coaster ride.  She had to keep her arms and feet safely planted and inside the car for just a little while longer.