Chapter Fifteen
Saoirse had been so sweet and polite with Father Gideon. Someday he’d bring her to Hive and she’d get to meet Gideon in another context and wouldn’t that be a delight? The look on her face would be priceless.
Although a twinge of jealousy pinged at the base of Arthur’s skull, thinking of how Saoirse had looked at the handsome priest.
Gideon was a good looking man. If a person couldn’t see that objectively, they’d have to be senseless to miss how people reacted to him. The old ladies loved him—brought him home-cooked food and hand-knit hats and scarves that he dutifully wore in the cold months. Some people flirted with him outrageously and Arthur thought the man was a saint for never having taken any of them up on their offers.
Except Arthur knew better, having seen the man play at Hive. The priest had particular tastes so it made sense he wanted to confine his romantic pursuits to women he already knew were on the same page.
But he shouldn’t be envious of Gideon. Yes, Saoirse had taken him in wide-eyed, but she’d never stopped clinging to Arthur. Unlike kickass future attorney Saoirse, little Saoirse was shy. And he’d liked handing her into the car and buckling her up. Kissing her forehead before he ducked out to go around to the driver’s side. It felt right and good, like how the world should be.
Pulling out of the church parking lot, he turned right when to go home he would’ve turned left.
Apparently Saoirse realized that.
“Where are we going? I thought we were just going home after this.”
“Were you anxious to get home?” he teased, knowing she’d been squirming on the wooden pew during the service, probably feeling her earlier spankings and thinking about how he’d denied her an orgasm before they’d left as punishment for trying to take one herself instead of having him give her one.
Saoirse pouted, looked at him with that full lower lip jutting out. “Maybe.”
“For anything in particular?”
Her scowl deepened and he couldn’t help but laugh as they glided through the streets to their destination. He knew why Saoirse had been eager to get home but he didn’t think she’d be disappointed by making this stop first. And if she was then he’d make it up to her. Thoroughly.
“We’re not going home quite yet because you have a doctor’s appointment, princess.”
She frowned at him, her chin and brows furrowing.
“On a Sunday? And why do I need to go to the doctor?”
“It’s important that little girls get regular, very thorough check-ups to keep them healthy. I don’t think you’ve been taking very good care of yourself lately so we’re going to find out if there’s anything special I need to do to take care of you.”
Saoirse looked back at him with wide blue eyes, her pink lips parted. It was all he could do to keep his eyes on the road and put on his turn signal to take a left into the small parking lot alongside the sturdy brick colonial Doctor Eric Southerland called home. And work with the attached offices he’d had built for his regular pediatric practice, as well as the practice he ran for littles once a week and by appointment like today.
Once parked, Arthur climbed out of the car and let Saoirse out the passenger side door. He took her hand and led her up to the low slung addition with the hyacinths and white lights in the cheery window boxes. Saoirse seemed to be dragging her feet so before they went in, he turned to her and put his hands on her shoulders, waited until she was looking at him.
“What’s wrong, princess?”
“I’m nervous.”
“About seeing the doctor?”
She nodded, and he could see her chest rising and falling, even under her coat.
“Doctor Eric is a very kind man, you’ll like him.”
“Are you allowed to stay with me?”
“Yes, of course. Doctor Eric sees a lot of little girls and boys and they’re always allowed to have their mommies and daddies with them.”
“Oh.”
A line formed between Saoirse’s dark brows and he rubbed at it with his thumb. “What’s with the worry face, pretty girl?”
“More confused than worried. Is he a special kind of doctor?”
“Sometimes. Most of the time he’s a pediatrician and he sees children from babies to high schoolers or college students.”