Irish Sex Fairy

And speaking of leaving… “Keara, a call for you.”

It was Stefanie, the disability case manager, calling to see how she was doing. She’d said she’d check on her this week.

“I’m feeling pretty good,” Keara said into the phone. But the thought of going back to work still caused the tight clenching of her gut. She’d finally confessed her fears out loud to Shane. It wasn’t just post-traumatic stress disorder from the hostage taking. Maybe that had been part of it, at first—having your life threatened like that would be enough to do it—but in addition to that, facing the mistakes she’d made in her management of the bank, the way she’d treated staff and her fear that she wouldn’t be able to make sound, rational business decisions still filled her with doubts. What if she went back and she couldn’t cut it anymore? Her job was her whole life.

She gripped the telephone.

“That’s wonderful,” Stefanie said brightly. “So what do you think about going back to work next week?”

“Next week?” Keara turned in a circle and stared into space. “Well, I still don’t have a car.”

“You know, I mentioned there are other ways to get you back to Los Angeles.”

“I know. I expect to hear from the insurance company this week. I could probably go ahead with getting a new vehicle.” She had to, sometime. There just didn’t seen any big rush there in Kilke

“I just…I’m not sure,” she said.

Stefanie’s voice got firmer. “Keara. Unless we have something in writing from a medical professional—Dr. Cogan, for example—saying that you can’t work, we won’t be able to keep paying your benefits.”

The disability insurance company was depositing money into her account every two weeks. She hadn’t spent much since she’d been in Kilke

“Well then,” she said a bit stiffly. “I guess I really don’t have much choice.”

“Of course it’s your choice,” Stefanie said, back to cheery. “But you should know that the bank is getting anxious about you coming back. This costs them money too, and they’d rather have you back at work.”

“Of course.”

Money. It all came down to money. Now she was the number. She rolled her lips in and clenched her teeth. “I understand,” she said. “I’ll see what I can do about getting a car. I don’t think I can be back next week, but how about the Monday the week after?”

“That sounds wonderful! I’ll let them know that’s the plan.”

Keara clicked off the phone and stared blindly at it. She was going home.

“My mom wants me to bring you for di

“Me and Maeve?”

“No. Just you.”

She looked at him. “Is it a party?”

He shook his head, and his eyes shifted away. “No. They just want to have you over.”

“Why?”

“Because…we’ve been…uh…”

“Having sex?” Her dry tone grated on him and he frowned.

“No. Well yes, but…they think we’re seeing each other.”

She laughed, a short, tight laugh. “Don’t they know you’re just helping me out?”

“Uh…haven’t discussed that with them, actually. And I’m sure you don’t want me to.”

“I guess not.” She eyed him warily. “But it’s probably not a good idea for them to think there’s more between us than there is.”

Shane’s stomach tightened. He took a deep breath. “Maybe there could be.”

She blinked at him. “Like what?”

“Like…” Christ, this was hard. Sweat prickled his underarms and his heart thudded. “Keara, I…really like you.”

She smiled. “Thanks. I like you too.”

He closed his eyes, felt like he was jumping out of a speeding cop car on a high-speed chase. “Keara. I think I’m falling in love with you.”

She stared at him for a long, fraught moment. Then she rolled away from him and off the bed, reaching for his shirt on the chair and dragging it on. She wrapped it around herself, holding it with her arms. He watched her, dismay sliding through him in hot shivers.

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m going back to LA.”

“When?” he challenged. “Why?”

“I told them I’d be back to work a week from Monday. I’ll leave next weekend.”

Shane’s breath stopped. He kept his face tight and controlled. “Next week. You’re leaving next week.”

She nodded. “The case manager called, and said I need something from a doctor if I’m going to stay off any longer. I haven’t seen a doctor, and I’m feeling better…” He saw the shadow pass over her face as she said that. “So I have to go back.”

“Oh. Jesus.” He let his head fall back down to the pillow and stared up at the ceiling. She hadn’t talked about leaving and he’d just thought maybe she was enjoying it in Kilke

He was a fucking idiot.

He couldn’t believe this was happening to him again.

“But I’d love to see your parents before I go.”

He lifted his head to gape at her. Was she serious? Apparently so, standing there, his shirt wrapped tight around her pretty body, emerald eyes blinking at him.

Shit. He felt like he might just puke up the meal he’d eaten earlier. And yet, he knew if he had only a week left with her, he’d spend every minute with her he could. So he’d torture himself by taking her to di

His parents definitely had the wrong idea. They were being so nice to her, they clearly thought she was their future daughter-in-law. And so, over dessert, she said, “I want to thank you for having me over so I could say goodbye to you before I leave.”

Fiona’s mouth opened and she paused with her fork halfway to her mouth. “Leave?”

Keara nodded and smiled brightly. “I’m going home. Next weekend.”

“You are?” Fiona said slowly. “For good?”

“Well, yes. I have to get back to work.”

“But…” Fiona glanced at Declan, who also looked…puzzled.

Damn. She was hurting them? That was crazy. They didn’t even know her.

“Well then. I should give this to you now, then.” Fiona rose from her chair and crossed to the sideboard. She picked up a small silver box and handed it to Keara.

Reluctantly, Keara took it. She paused before opening it, glancing at Shane, whose dark scowl told her he was pissed off. His parents were going to hate her for doing this to him. Despair and sorrow twisted in her as she slipped the lid off the box and saw the oval of marble, a soft glowing pink streaked and flecked with gold.

It was similar to the stone she’d admired the last time she’d been there. The one Maeve had given them. A vow of friendship between families. She tried to speak but the words stuck in her tight throat. She coughed and tried again. “It’s beautiful,” she choked out and lifted it from the box.

“Declan said you’d admired the one we have.”

Keara nodded, and replaced it in the box. “I did. But you shouldn’t have.”

“It’s nothing,” Fiona said, but Keara felt her guarded disappointment. Oh hell, she was making a huge mess of things here. She should never have gotten involved with Shane’s family. “It’s a symbol of friendship. Between families.”

“So,” Declan said briskly. “Your job must be important to you.”

“Yes. It’s very important to me. I feel bad that I’ve been gone so long. But there’s no reason not to go back.”

The hell there wasn’t. But she ignored that thought and focused on the reasons she had to go back. She picked up her fork to finish her cheesecake, then set it down, unable to eat.