Her sisters confided in her about their talks with Donovan last week. The Walsh sisters kept no secrets between each other—not since Kayla was almost killed by a stalker. Okay, Kayla didn’t recite exactly what had been said between her and Don, but she’d reassured Kate that he definitely was all-in.
Kate rummaged in her drawers and picked out clothes for work tomorrow. When she entered the living room, Don stood up from the couch and said, “I remembered just now that I left something in your room the last time I was here. I’ll be right back.”
Kate thought nothing of it and went into the bathroom to pick up her makeup bag. When she entered the hall with her oversized bag, he was already standing there ready for them to leave. He opened the door for her and waited for her to walk out in front of him.
“Oh, it’s so good to see you. I never had the chance to tell you two how happy I am for you!” Kate’s neighbor Maureen practically sing-songed.
“Thank you.” Kate blushed while Donovan closed the door behind her and locked up. He handed her the key and rested his hand on top of her shoulder. He gave Maureen a nod and said, “Thank you. It means a lot you approve.”
“Approve? Ah, my dear boy, you couldn’t have picked any better. Pops and I were just talking about you two the other day. He was boasting for the whole pub to hear that another one of his boyos had got himself a real Irish girl.” Maureen was dressed in her signature pink Coco Chanel suit and still rocked it at seventy-six years old. Her gray hair was neatly kept in a low bun, and she was as chipper as always.
Kate could sure picture Pops bragging. They all snickered, and she chanced a glance at Donovan when he didn’t contradict Maureen about her being his girl. He winked at her before greeting Caitlin, who’d joined them in the hall. Kate’s apartment sat between Maureen and Cait’s, and they would often knock on each other’s door whenever they felt like they wanted some company. Caitlin and her sister Kayla had become close friends when they lived next to each other.
Before she greeted anyone, Cait was determined to check up on her sister first. “Was Bree still at school when you left?”
“Umm, no, she took Craig home,” Kate offered.
Cait grumbled, “Hmm. I don’t get what she sees in the guy.”
“Oh dear, I think we all know she’s just trying to move on,” Maureen said and placed her wrinkled hand on Cait’s shoulder.
Cait didn’t seem to notice as she voiced her irritation. “I get that. I truly do, but why him? She walks all over him. I can’t see anything appealing about the guy.”
Donovan grinned, but Kate felt the need to stick up for her colleague. He’d been nothing but nice to her, and to Bree for that matter. “Craig’s a real nice guy, Cait. He—”
The fire in Caitlin’s eyes and tone of voice made Kate swallow what else she intended to say. “There you have it! He’s nice. Bree hates nice.”
Maureen jumped in with a chuckle. “Oh dear, you don’t mean that. Who wouldn’t want a nice boy? I know I’m quite out of the dating scene. You youngsters might say romance is dead and all that, but surely there is nothing wrong with someone doing nice things for you?”
Cait harrumphed. “Hmm, I guess. As long as they’re in bed—”
Donovan took Kate by the elbow, deciding to call this hallway chat over. “Stop your sentence right there, Cait. I’m taking my cupcake home with me. I’ve reached my limit of girl talk.”
Maureen giggled at his grouchy tone of voice, and Donovan kissed her cheek in goodbye. “See, girls. There’s a nice guy for you,” Maureen said while lovingly looking up at Donovan.
Caitlin scoffed, “Yeah, real nice. And I’m sure in bed, he’s a—”
“Bye, Cait,” Donovan boomed as he pulled a still blushing Kate with him to the elevator. She waved over her shoulder at her friends, and without waiting for the elevator doors to close, he pulled her straight against his hard chest. She placed her hand over his rapidly beating heart while the other gripped the handles of her oversized bag in a firm hold.
“I’m not nice,” he growled.
Kate craned her neck and breathed, “I know.”
He searched her eyes and continued, “I’ve done things in my past, and even in present time, that I’m not proud of. Most of the time, I’m a closed-off bastard. I hate being told what to do. I don’t have time for fucking girl talk. I hate sharing feelings.”
She swallowed and wondered where he was going with this talk. He pushed her against the mirrored wall and slammed the alarm button. The elevator halted abruptly, and she swayed on her feet and dropped the handles of her bag, which landed on the floor with a soft thud. He fisted her ponytail so she had to crane her neck to look up at him.
“If I was a nice guy, I wouldn’t even think of fucking you right here, right now.”
“Oh….” Sweat broke out over her body while her heart rate picked up. It seemed that in any time, her heart would beat out of her chest. His intentions were clear. There was a slight bit of pain at her scalp when he fisted her ponytail harder. She gasped as he cornered her and his hard length teased her belly.
“That’s right. I keep thinking about all the ways I can get you off. Let’s start with my tongue, shall we?”
He let go of her hair, and to her surprise, he knelt down before her. She was wearing modest-sized heels because she had to walk around all day in the classroom and playground. Her tight-fitted gray skirt had a slit at the back, and she felt his hand slip under it where he caressed the back of her knee. It tickled, and she bit down on her bottom lip.
“We’re gonna have to make this quick if we don’t want to have an audience. Although the thought of showing you off and making you scream in front of the entire fucking building is making me even harder.”
Oh my God….