At the curtain Kieran turned and winked at her. Obviously he had. Picking up their mugs, she went to rinse them, determined her face would have stopped glowing by the time she got back.
CHAPTER EIGHT
‘UNCLE KIERAN, why’s it called Rabbit Island?’ Olivia bounced around his legs, her face and body liberally smothered in sunscreen lotion. Her cute yellow swimsuit accentuated her black hair and blue eyes. So like her mother. His eyes switched to Seamus. Again the dark hair and blue eyes. His heart lurched.
So like his dad.
‘Uncle Kieran, are you listening?’ She sounded just like her aunt.
He crouched down on his haunches. ‘Yes, Princess, I am. Now, about this island that’s not really an island. I’m sure it’s called that because there are lots of rabbits here.’
Olivia spun around. ‘I can’t see them.’
‘They’re hiding in their burrows, away from little girls who’d want to pat them.’
‘What’s a burrow?’
‘A rabbit’s house. They dig holes in the ground to race down when there’s danger about.’
Olivia’s eyes widened. ‘Show me.’
A sweet chuckle caught his attention, stirred his blood. Abby knelt on a blanket spread on the sand, plastering sunscreen on Seamus. ‘You’ll have to find one now.’
Dressed in cut-off denim shorts and a bright red singlet top that barely covered her midriff, her hair swinging in a short ponytail, she looked like a teenager. The compassionate face of the exceptional nurse he knew her for had been replaced by that of a carefree, happy mother. He felt a tug at his heartstrings. The sort of tug any attractive woman caused. Yeah, right. Abby wasn’t just any woman. She was beautiful, on the inside and outside.
Abby appeared so confident in everything she did, but he had seen that flicker of discomfort when he’d suggested dessert the other night. Did she believe she had to watch her weight? When her figure was superb? It didn’t make sense. Someone had to have made her think like that. Someone who had hurt her. Why would anyone want to hurt Abby? His teeth clenched. He’d like a moment with that person.
‘Ah, hello, Kieran?’ The woman in his mind waved at him. ‘We’re looking for a burrow, remember?’
‘Shouldn’t be too hard to find one close by. I’ve got reinforcements if I need them.’ He waved a hand at the staff members and their families sprawled over this area of the park, resting after an energetic game of cricket followed by an enormous barbeque lunch. He shook his head at how easily Abby distracted him.
Seamus pushed Abby’s hand away and struggled to his feet. With arms outstretched, he stumbled towards Kieran. ‘Raabb.’ His foot tripped over a stick and he plonked down on his bottom. ‘Raabb.’ He put his hands down to push himself back on his feet.
A piercing shriek filled the air. Kieran jumped. ‘Seamus?’ He reached for the boy, caught him up just as Abby got there. Immediately Kieran handed Seamus to her, but she shook her head.
‘Hold him still while I check him over.’
‘Abby.’ Panic rose in his throat. What had happened? One moment Seamus was fine, the next screaming his lungs out. Why? ‘I’m the doctor. You’re his mother. Take him and I’ll look him over.’ How was he supposed to sooth a screaming little boy? How did he calm his son? ‘Abby, take him.’
‘You’re doing fine. Just hold on.’ She gave him a tight smile.
Was that supposed to reassure him? ‘Thanks a bunch.’
‘I think he’s had a bee sting.’ Abby took one arm, carefully searched the skin, turned his hand over, checked his palm.
‘A bee sting? Has he had one before? Is he allergic?’ Anaphylactic shock could kill Seamus, he was so tiny. Kieran stared around at his colleagues and shouted, ‘Have we got a first-aid kit with us?’
‘I’ll get it from my car.’ Pete bounded away, a slightly bemused look on his face.
Kieran glared after him. Didn’t the idiot understand what could go wrong here? Seamus tensed in his arms. Kieran dropped his gaze to his son. Seamus’s face scrunched up as he sucked air for another scream. His eyes registered fury more than anything. His feet pushed hard into Kieran’s abdomen, giving him leverage to stretch his body.
Kieran’s heart thumped. His boy was hurting, and Abby wouldn’t let him do anything about it. ‘Abby,’ he ground out. ‘Hold Seamus. I’ll look for the sting. He’ll calm down a lot quicker with you holding him.’ Seamus was never going to calm down for him.
By now a circle of staff had gathered around them, all offering helpful advice. How much advice did anyone need to find a bee sting? Pete returned with the kit.
‘Found it. Hold him still,’ Abby muttered.
Damn it, he was trying but who would’ve known how strong the little guy was?
Abby raised her head. ‘There, the sting’s out. All better, sweetheart.’ And she plonked a kiss on Seamus’s cheek. ‘Now we’ll put some cream on to take away the itch.’
I could do with one of those kisses. I deserve one, too. Kieran held Seamus out to her. ‘I’ll do that.’
But Abby took the tube of cream Pete handed her and quickly smeared the red spot on Seamus’s hand with a good dollop. ‘No need. All done.’ And after another kiss on her son’s cheek, she looked directly at Kieran. ‘Just jiggle him up and down, give him a few kisses, and he’ll be right in no time.’
‘But I can’t.’ She’d turned away. ‘Abby.’
Abby looked over her shoulder. ‘Yeah, you can. You’ve been brilliant so far.’ She lowered her voice so that no one else would hear her. ‘For the record you just acted like a parent and not a doctor.’ She winked at him. Then, damn it, she walked away.
He stared after her. A parent? Him? No, she’d got it wrong. He was a doctor. What was she doing to him? Seamus twisted in his arms and Kieran peered down at him. Soothing a child was definitely not his territory.
Seamus was hiccuping. Taking great gulps of air and building up to another shriek. Kieran felt a weird lurch in the region of his heart again. ‘Hey, little man. Take it easy.’
Kieran jiggled his bundle as Abby had suggested, made soothing noises, and began walking around. ‘Come on, my boy. We can do this. We’ll show your mum we can put smiles back on our faces.’
Doing exactly what she’d intended. Kieran knew that. Knew he was jerking on the end of her string. But, hey, what else could he do? Charge after her and shove Seamus into her arms, crying and distressed? No way. He’d prove he could manage.
Just as she wanted. Cunning woman, he’d give her that. Then he stopped, looked down at his son gurgling and waving his hands around. Hell. I’ve done it. Quieted the boy. Made him smile again. Warm love, pure and simple, spread through Kieran and he sank to the ground, staring into the young eyes watching him. He glanced around and his eyes clashed with Abby’s. Triumph glinted back at him.
Abby clapped and did a jig on the spot. She’d forced Kieran to look out for Seamus as a father, not as the doctor he automatically reverted to. And it had worked out perfectly. Another step towards being a parent achieved. The proud look on his face was worth the uncertainty she’d seen moments earlier, and which had had her wondering if she’d done the right thing. She had. End of story.
A deep laugh had Abby turning her head.
‘I saw that, Miss Clever Clogs.’ Kieran stood beside her, so close she could smell the soap on his skin, see the flecks of black in his blue eyes. His mouth was mere inches away. She yearned to lean closer to kiss those lips. What was it about Kieran’s mouth that made her act out of character? Those lips sent heat flaring along her veins and scorched her heart. Her cheeks flamed. She scrambled backwards.
‘Time for a swim.’ Anything to cool off. She reached for Seamus and lifted him into her arms, using him as a barrier between her and the man now gazing at her solemnly.
‘Let me carry Seamus down to the beach, give you a break.’ The Irish lilt washed over her, like a cool, damp cloth on fevered skin.
‘Guess I’m used to it.’ She
clung to Seamus, suddenly unable to let him go, needing a shield from Kieran’s magnetism.
‘At least let me help while I’m here.’ His hands held Seamus’s waist, pressing against her bare arms, making her quiver.
She definitely needed total immersion in the cool sea. Relinquishing her grip, she stepped away from Kieran’s touch. ‘Thanks. If I seem ungrateful it’s because I’m not used to people wanting to do things for me. I guess I tend to take over and push people away.’