Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 68102 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68102 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
She blew her nose into the tissue, her cheeks growing red. “I can’t believe you made me do that.”
“Why?”
“B-because it’s gross!”
“It’s just some snot and tears.”
“Great. Just what every girl wants on her first real date with a guy. To be snotty.”
“Well, technically, you’re not snotty anymore.” He grinned at her.
She huffed out a breath but found herself smiling back at him. “I’ve never heard you sing before. What was that?”
“Ah, it was an old song my Ma used to sing to me when I was upset.”
“You have a beautiful singing voice.”
“That will come in handy later,” he said mysteriously. “Unless you want to go back to the estate? What happened, baby?”
“I started to feel all weird. Like I was having an out-of-body experience, and then I couldn’t breathe properly and my heart was racing . . .”
“Panic attack,” he said.
Yeah.
“But why? Was it because we left the estate?”
“I . . . I don’t know. Maybe? That’s so silly, though. I know I’m safe with you. Just like I know nothing is gonna happen. I was dying to get off the estate.”
Colm cupped the side of her face. “It’s all right if it’s too early. It’s okay to take things slow.”
“I just . . . I feel terrible. I’ve ruined the date.”
“That’s why you said you were sorry? Because you thought you’d ruined the date?”
She nodded, staring down at her hands. “Yeah. I guess. I was embarrassed.”
“Sofia,” he said sternly. “Look at me.”
She raised her gaze to his firm one.
“You could never ruin anything. All I want is to spend time with you, so long as that’s what you want too, it doesn’t matter where we go or what we do, understand?”
Relief filled her. “Yes.”
“You want to go back to the estate?”
Sofia bit her lip. “I don’t know. I want to go on our date, but I’m worried that I’ll panic again.” She didn’t want to do that in public.
“I have an idea. Let me make a couple of phone calls?”
She nodded, and he placed her back in her seat before climbing out and making some calls.
Sofia kept her gaze on him the whole time as he paced back and forth in front of the car. Finally, he hopped back in and then reached over to grab her seatbelt.
“You’re not upset with me?” she whispered after he buckled her in.
He grasped hold of her chin, turning her to face him. “Baby, never.”
Half an hour later, there was a knock at the door and Colm lifted her off his lap, placing her on the sofa before walking to the front door.
To her surprise, Sacha hadn’t demanded to know what happened when they returned. He’d just studied her for a minute, then said he was going out.
So who was at the door?
She waited in the smaller sitting room that she preferred to use.
When he walked back in, he was carrying a picnic basket, a plaid blanket, and—was that a karaoke machine?
“Are we singing karaoke?” she asked, grinning as he set everything down.
“Yep, after our picnic, we’ll sing some karaoke.”
That was so unexpected. Colm didn’t seem like the karaoke type. But then, she was always surprising her.
And a karaoke night might be exactly what she needed.
Sofia held her hand over her stomach. It was aching from how much she’d laughed.
Colm was currently trying to twerk, which was the funniest thing she’d ever seen. He finally gave up and sat down next to her, huffing for breath. They’d eaten a delicious picnic dinner earlier and then taken turns choosing songs for the other person to sing.
“Why are you laughing? I think my dancing moves are amazing.” He mock-glared at her.
“Oh, they are,” she agreed. “Amazingly bad.”
He reached over and tickled her lightly, pulling back quickly. Probably worried about hurting her back.
“Brat,” he grumbled. “Remind me to spank you later.”
She rolled her eyes at him and he pointed a finger at her. “That’s a spanking offense too.”
“Sorry, so sorry.”
“Hmm, somehow, I don’t think you mean that.” He brushed the hair back off her face. “Are you happy, Mo Chridhe?”
“I don’t think I’ve ever been happier. This is the best night I’ve ever had.”
“Me too, baby. Me too.”
28
Colm’s hand moved up her leg.
Tonight, Sofia had deliberately worn a skirt.
And no underwear.
They were having a movie night. The film was playing on the screen, but she didn’t know what was going on; she couldn’t even hear the words being spoken. Her breathing grew faster.
Lord.
These last six weeks had felt like the biggest tease. Colm had visited her nearly every day. And if he couldn’t come see her, then he always called her. Sometimes they could talk for hours about everything and nothing.
It had taken Sofia a while to figure out that he wanted her to speak her mind. That he had no problem with her saying how she felt.