On Hart's Boardwalk (On Dublin Street 6.7)

She eyed me with a curious smile of her own. “You don’t sound Scottish.”

I laughed, leaning into Nate. “No, my dad is, and then I married this handsome Scotsman.”

Bailey gave Nate a once-over and then grinned knowingly at me. “I might need to go to Scotland.”

“Don’t let your fiancé hear you say that.”

We looked to our left and watched a curvy brunette descend the central staircase.

“Tremaine knows where my loyalties lie.” Bailey waved off the woman’s concerns. “This is my assistant manager, Aydan. If I’m not around, Aydan can help you out with whatever you need.”

“Nice to meet you.” Aydan smiled at us. “You guys want some dinner before you hit the hay?”

I turned to Nate. “I think we should try to stay awake as long as we can. Try to adjust to the time change.”

“Whatever you want, babe.”

I smiled and wrapped my arm around his. When I looked back at the inn owner and her colleague, they were grinning at us.

“Okay, I’m trading up.” Bailey looked at Aydan. “I’m going to Scotland.”

“She’s not going to Scotland,” Aydan said to us. “She has her own hottie who gives her anything she wants.”

“He does?” Bailey made a face. “Really? I thought I had to argue with him until I was blue in the face before I got my way.”

“Don’t listen to her. They are sickeningly in love.” She grabbed Bailey’s left hand and stuck it out toward us. “Look at the rock he put on her finger.”

A stunning white gold band with one large, simple but beautiful diamond sat on her ring finger, winking in the light. It was pretty spectacular.

“Would you stop?” Bailey huffed, pulling her hand away, but I could tell she wasn’t really annoyed with her friend.

“Congratulations.” It seemed like the right thing to say to her considering the two of them were treating Nate and I like friends rather than guests.

Bailey’s face suddenly softened, her gaze turning dreamy eyed. “Thanks.”

That one look was all I needed to know that she was definitely not going to Scotland for a trade-in fiancé. She was perfectly happy with her current situation.

“Okay, back to business. I just need a credit card confirmation from you and then we can get you settled into your room.”

As Nate handed over his card, I stared at our surroundings, soaking it all in. “Your inn is really beautiful.”

The two women beamed at me and gave me their thanks.

“We’ll reserve a table for you for dinner then?” Aydan asked as we all walked over toward the staircase.

“Aye, please.” Nate nodded and looked down at me. “Around seven thirty?”

Before I could answer, Aydan sighed. “Could you just talk to me all day?” She glanced at Bailey. “Couldn’t you just listen to him talk all day?”

“I could.” Bailey looked like she was struggling not to laugh. “But I think Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer would prefer if he didn’t.”

“Call us Nate and Liv,” I said congenially.

She nodded with a smile and took hold of one of the suitcases.

“I can get that,” Nate said immediately.

“I’m stronger than I look.” And she proved that by lifting it and hauling it upstairs.

I quickly followed at her back, and then Nate followed me.

“We’ll see you at dinner,” Aydan called and we gave her our thanks.

“So, annual vacation or are we celebrating something?” Bailey asked as we climbed the stairs.

“It’s our ten-year wedding anniversary,” Nate told her. “And Liv’s birthday.”

“Ten years? Congrats. And happy birthday.” She threw me a sweet smile over her shoulder. “I’m guessing thirty.”

“I love her. Can we stay here forever?”

Nate just chuckled.

Bailey laughed in turn, a light, bubbly sound that made you want to laugh right along with her. “You are totally welcome to stay here forever. No kids?”

“Two daughters,” I said. “Lily is eleven and January is eight.”

“Two girls and you not only made it ten years but are taking the time to spend some vacation time alone. You guys are doing good. I’m taking notes. Ooh, here we are.” Bailey came to a stop at a door on the second floor. She unlocked it with an old-fashioned key with the room number plaque attached to it, and then pushed open the door. She led us inside one of the prettiest rooms I’d ever had the pleasure of being in. Decorated in a contemporary style with a nautical theme the room was airy and bright. There was a huge four-poster bed in the middle of the room covered with pale blue and cream throw pillows, some plain, some striped, and there was a living area with a comfortable couch, armchair, desk, and television. I could see beyond that was a door to an en suite bathroom.

But what really caught my attention was the French doors that led out onto a balcony that faced the sea.

“This is the best room in the inn,” Bailey said proudly. “I hope you’ll enjoy it.”

“It’s gorgeous,” I said, walking toward the French doors. I threw a happy, excited smile over my shoulder at Nate and he returned it with an affectionate one of his own.

“I’ll just leave you to get settled then. We’ll reserve that table for you for dinner. Breakfast runs from seven a.m. until ten a.m. and we serve hot food and continental.”

“Thank you,” Nate said, and I caught him handing her a tip, which she accepted gratefully.

“Anything you need, just give us a shout.”

I gave our cheerful inn owner a small wave before she shut the door, providing us with privacy. I leaned against one of the Fre

nch doors and shot my husband a tired smile. “If I didn’t feel hungover and tired right now I would strip you naked and thank you properly for bringing me to this beautiful place.”

Nate’s eyes grew lazy as he sauntered toward me, and even though I was knackered, I still felt a thrill of desire in my lower belly. He pressed into me, sliding his hands around my back and down over my ass to pull me into him. His lips brushed mine as he said softly, “I suggest you get plenty of rest tonight because your husband plans on using you abominably for the next ten days.”

I bit my lip on an excited smile. “I can’t wait.”

He kissed me, slow, lazy, sweet. When he stopped, he rested his forehead on mine. “I adore our kids more than anything, but I admit to feeling guilty that I’m excited to get you to myself for ten days.”

“I feel the guilt, too. But we’re allowed to feel excited.” I curled my hands into his already wrinkled T-shirt. “Needing alone time doesn’t diminish how we feel about our kids, Nate. I want them to grow up knowing what real love is and how a man is supposed to treat them so that when the right one comes along, they’ll know it.” Our eyes met, and the look in his made my knees wobble. “I want them to meet a man who still makes their knees weak with one look even after ten years of marriage. I want them to be as lucky as their mom.”

Voice gruff, Nate asked, “I still make your knees weak?”

Tears unexpectedly filled my eyes. “Yes. I love you more and I want you more than I did when I first fell in love with you. That’s why it hurt so much when you shut me out. Wouldn’t it hurt if I shut you out?”

“Like hell,” he responded immediately and emphatically. “It would hurt like hell, Liv.” He brushed a thumb over my tear, swiping it away. “I’m going to make it up to you. By the end of this vacation you’ll never doubt my love for you again.”

Chapter Six

Jet lag woke me the next morning, which was a shame because the bed in our room was made from a cloud pulled down from Mount Olympus. Seriously. I wanted to pack up the whole thing and have it transported home with us.