The Mighty Quinns: Danny

2

JORDAN ROLLED OVER in bed and stared at the alarm clock on the bedside table. It was almost 8:00 a.m. and she’d only managed a few hours of sleep. She was always up early, supervising the workmen, putting together the daily schedule, checking on supplies and invoices. This morning, she’d risen at sunrise, unlocked the doors, then crawled back into bed.

After what had happened yesterday with Danny Quinn, her whole routine had been thrown into a tailspin. Now, all she could think about was the way he’d kissed her and touched her, the feel of his chest beneath her palms, the way he seemed to ignite her desire with just one look.

Jordan groaned and pulled the pillow over her head. “I’ve been in Ireland too long,” she murmured. “I need to get back to my real life in New York.”

But she knew she was only kidding herself. The longer she’d stayed in Ireland, the more she’d grown to enjoy the feelings of freedom. Here she didn’t have to worry about pleasing her father or competing with her brothers or avoiding her mother’s endless attempts at matchmaking. Here, she did her job and she enjoyed it.

That had been easy until now. She hadn’t had any trouble keeping her mind on business. But after her encounter with Danny, maybe the effort had finally become too much to handle. The stress of devoting her every waking moment to this project had finally made her crack.

Never, ever, in her life had she thrown herself at a guy the way she had with him. He was, admittedly, the most handsome man she’d ever met. That dark hair and those incredible blue eyes. And that smile that sent shivers racing through her body. Undeniable lust was only a natural reaction.

But it was more than that. It felt good to be wanted. She’d spent so much time trying to make her way in the men’s club that was Kencor that she’d almost forgotten she was a woman. Danny had reminded her that she was pretty and interesting and maybe even a little sexy.

He was a charming bloke, as the Irish would say. Talented, too. She’d always admired artistic people. Though she’d possessed a knack for design, she’d majored in business in college. And her eye for choosing fabrics and furniture wasn’t nearly as interesting as that of a painter or sculptor.

But this project would be done in less than three months and she’d be ready to move on to something bigger and better at Kencor. Her father was in negotiation to buy an old Manhattan hotel and she wanted that project more than anything. She wasn’t about to allow herself to be distracted by a man—even one as sexy as Danny.

Jordan had sought her father’s approval from the time she knew what it was. But he’d never really noticed her, devoting his attention to his four sons. In truth, Jordan had always felt that she’d been born to satisfy her mother’s need for a daughter.

She’d spent her entire life trying to hide the fact that she was a girl. As a child, she’d dressed just like her brothers, in jeans and T-shirts, trying desperately to keep up with them in every activity from football to fishing. As a teen, she’d turned her competitiveness toward her education, refusing to take anything but the honors courses that her brothers had completed before her. And though she’d longed to major in interior design in college, she’d chosen business instead, like her brothers.

This was the project that would finally prove she was just as competent as any son Andrew Kennally had. He’d tossed this project to her, deeming it a good job for a girl. The fact that it was in Ireland made it even better. It would get Jordan out of the way for a year or two. But she’d determined that Castle Cnoc would prove her worthy of so much more.

Jordan snuggled back beneath the covers. If she could just catch a few more hours, she’d be ready to deal with the arrival of her new blacksmith. “Danny,” she murmured. “Danny Quinn.” She closed her eyes and an image of the handsome Irishman swirled around in her head.

It wasn’t wrong to indulge her attraction in private. Though sleeping with an employee was against every code she followed, sleeping with the fantasy of him was perfectly acceptable—as long as she didn’t tell anyone.

The sound of barking dogs invaded her waking dream and she brushed it aside. But then she heard a car door slam and that brought Jordan upright in bed. Tossing the covers aside, she raced over to the window that overlooked the front drive.

Two very familiar dogs ran around Danny’s battered Land Rover. “Oh, shit!” she muttered, running her hands through her tangled hair. How was it possible that he was here already? Had he stayed up all night packing? Somehow, she couldn’t imagine a man like Danny being so excited about moving in that he couldn’t sleep through the night. No, only silly, infatuated, desperate women did that.

Jordan scrambled to get dressed, pulling on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, with no time for underwear. As she slipped on a pair of loafers, she ran her hands through her tangled hair. Today she’d regain her footing with this man. She’d act professionally and she wouldn’t let anything he said or did tempt her. Time to get back to business. “Stay strong, be firm,” she murmured to herself.

Jordan grabbed her sweater, then raced down the stairs and ran though the entrance hall. Opening the plywood front door, she expected to find Danny waiting on the other side, but he wasn’t. She walked beneath the scaffolding and pushed the plastic aside to find him sitting on the tailgate of his Land Rover, staring up at the facade of the manor house as he chatted with Bartie the gardener.

The dogs saw her first and they came trotting up. “Hi, puppies,” she mumbled. What were their names? Mogue was one. “Finny,” she said. “Finny and Mogue.”

“They seem excited to move in,” Danny commented.

She glanced up at him, blinking against the morning light. “I’d prefer that they didn’t come in the main house,” she said.

“No problems,” he said. “They sleep with me.”

Another image of him flashed in her head, naked, lying in her bed, the covers tossed aside. What did he mean by that? Had he decided he wasn’t interested in sharing her bed? Jordan closed her eyes and banished the erotic fantasy from her head. “Morning, Bartie. You’re here early.” She glanced down to find the old man holding what looked like a metal detector. “What’s that?”

“Special thing it is. Got it from a gardener friend of mine. Supposed to measure the ferrous metals in the soil. Ferrous metals. Very bad for roses, I’m afraid.”

“Yes, well. Good luck with that. You’re not paying rental for it, are you?”

“No, no. ‘Tis a loan.” Bartie nodded at them both, then strode off around the side of the manor house, his pace sprightly for a man of his years.

“Ferrous metals?” Danny asked. “What are those?”

Jordan shrugged. “I have no idea. Something Irish I suspect. According to Bartie, it’s a wonder anything grows in Ireland.”

“My mother has a beautiful rose garden at our family cottage,” Danny said. “I never heard her complain about …”

“Ferrous metals,” Jordan said. She held her hand up to the sun, squinting at him. “I was just going to make a pot of coffee. Would you like some?”

He pushed up from his seat on the tailgate. “Actually, I’m going to start unpacking my things. My brother Riley is going to bring my anvil and tools. And I’ve set up a coal delivery for today. Steel is coming in tomorrow. Can I drive around to the back?”

“Of course,” she said. “Well, it seems as if you have things under control.”

He chuckled softly, shoving his hands in the back pockets of his jeans. “Appearances can be deceiving. Right now, all I can think about is kissing you again. I’d say control is the last thing on my mind.”

“The hours from eight until five are considered work hours,” she said. “With an hour for lunch.” But though her warning effectively shut him up, Jordan was secretly pleased he was still thinking of her as a woman rather than a boss. Maybe they could stretch the rules a bit. A kiss here and there couldn’t hurt, could it?

“After I get some coffee, I’ll come and help you unload.” She groaned inwardly at her choice of words. Everything she said to him sounded sexual now.

“Bring me a cup and I’ll meet you there,” he said.

She nodded. “Fine. I’ll come in just a—” This was ridiculous! “I’ll be just a moment.” Jordan turned on her heel and walked back inside the manor. When she reached the safety of the kitchen, she clapped her hands to her warm cheeks. “Get a grip,” she muttered to herself. At this rate, they’d be in bed by lunchtime and exploring their deepest sexual fantasies by dinner.

If this was the way it was going to be every day that he was here, she wondered how she’d survive. Her heart was beating double-time and her nerves were so jangled she wanted to scream at the top of her lungs.

The coffeemaker had been set up the night before and Jordan simply pushed a button and waited as the glass pot began to fill. Sitting at the huge worktable in the center of the kitchen, she cupped her chin in her palm and considered the men she’d allowed into her life—and into her bed.

Though she’d had a number of lovers in the past, none of them had really moved her. The relationships had always been enjoyable, the sex interesting, but she’d always held something back. And Jordan was self-aware enough to put the blame for this on her relationship with her father.

Though she’d struggled to win his approval, she sometimes resented the control he held over her life. Andrew Kennally could snap his fingers any time of the day or night and she’d come running, ready to do his bidding. But she had refused to do the same for any man in her life. And in the end, they’d never wanted to compete with a man as powerful as Andrew Kennally.

Jordan wondered what it would be like to let go of all the baggage she carried around. Just to set it down and feel completely at ease for once. What harm could a little romantic fling do? There were few people around to witness any dalliance, just a workman here and there. Bartie and Daisy were too preoccupied with the garden to pay any notice. And everyone left at five, giving her all evening alone with Danny on this remote seaside estate.

The coffeemaker clicked off, startling her back to reality. It was a risk, pure and simple. If her father found out, he’d be furious. Sex with an employee was forbidden by company policy. She could be sued for sexual harassment, putting her entire professional future at Kencor in jeopardy.

Jordan grabbed a pair of mugs from a nearby cupboard and filled them, then put sugar and creamer in one and left the other black. After this morning, she’d know exactly how he liked his coffee. And by the end of the day, Jordan was certain she’d know a lot of other things about Danny.

Anticipation mixed with fear as she walked out the kitchen door and toward the caretaker’s cottage. The dogs were romping along the garden path and joined her, trotting along behind. “I don’t want the two of you digging up any of the new plantings in the garden,” she ordered. “And if you have to poop, run out along the cliff to do it.”

Finny and Mogue looked up at her as if they understood everything she was saying. But she made a mental note to repeat the rules to their owner as well.

When she reached the cottage, she found Danny inside, his belongings tossed in the middle of the living area. He emerged a few moments later from the kitchen, his canvas jacket gone. He wore a faded T-shirt that hugged the muscles of his chest and dangled loosely around his waist.

“There’s beer in the fridge,” he said.

“I stocked the refrigerator last night.” She frowned. “Do you drink your beer warm?”

He crossed the room to stand in front of her. “No. Cold is fine. And I drink my coffee hot and black.” She handed him the proper mug. “That was nice of you. Very thoughtful … for a boss.”

She knew immediately that he was teasing. There was a definitely a twinkle in his eye and a devilish smile playing across his lips. “I just wanted to make sure you were comfortable,” Jordan said.

“I have drink. What about food?”

“You’re on your own there,” she said. “I set up the account for you at the market. They’ll have everything you need to make meals.”

“You’re not going to cook for me?” He put on a pout. “I thought that was part of the deal.”

“No, I think I made it quite clear yesterday that I don’t cook.”

“Ah, but I do,” he said. “Good thing.”

Jordan had been surviving on sandwiches and cereal for most of her stay. A few nights a week, she went into town and had a decent dinner at one of the pubs there. But she’d longed to explore a bit further. She just needed a dinner partner. “I’ll pay for dinners out whenever you care to go,” she said.

“If you come along, it’s a deal.”

Danny rested his hand on her hip. Jordan’s breath caught in her throat. Were they at that point already, that he could touch her without even having a good reason?

“It’s a deal,” she repeated.

“I’m gummin’ for a decent breakfast. Why don’t I finish unpacking and we’ll go out and get something. My treat.”

Jordan was tempted by his offer. She usually didn’t leave the worksite during the day. But the men who were scheduled knew their jobs and would keep an eye on the house. “All right,” she said. “Let me just make a few phone calls.”

“Fifteen minutes?” he asked.

“Yes. I’ll be back.”

The minute Jordan got out of the cottage, she ran. Back to the manor house, up the stairs and into her room. Fifteen minutes was just enough time for a shower. She hadn’t shaved her legs in a week, but that would have to wait. Though it was just a simple breakfast, Jordan couldn’t help but be excited. Any excuse to spend time with Danny was worth celebrating.

“TELL ME ALL ABOUT YOURSELF,” Danny asked, staring at Jordan over the rim of his coffee cup. “And spare no details.”

There was no doubt about it. He found her endlessly fascinating and they didn’t even know each other yet. He watched as she spread jam on her toast in a precise manner, then took a tiny bite out of it. It wasn’t just her body, he mused, although that was just grand. He found himself caught up in the chase, the desire to possess a woman who was equally determined to avoid him.

Sure, they’d shared a few kisses, but according to Jordan, it would have to end there. But that wouldn’t stop him from trying. He wanted to know what she looked like naked, how her body felt beneath his hands, what she talked about in her sleep. But even that wasn’t enough. He wanted to know about her life, the people she loved, her dreams, her fears.

Danny had usually satisfied himself with the superficial and left it at that. But there was something about Jordan that made him want to know more. Was it just curiosity or was there some deeper connection?

“Are you going to eat that toast or paint a portrait of the Mona Lisa with raspberry jam?” He grabbed her hand and took a bite, then grinned.

“Hey! Eat your own toast.”

“I like yours better,” he said. Though she did everything to perfection, from buttering toast to renovating the manor house, there was one thing that seemed to escape her—flirting.

“What do you want to know?” she asked.

“Tell me about your family,” he ordered.

“Only if you tell me about yours,” she countered.

“Agreed. You first.”

“All right. There’s not much to tell. I have four older brothers who work for the family business. My father thinks I should decorate houses but I think I should get the same chance to run Kencor as my brothers have. So I work as hard as I can.”

“You and your father don’t get on?” Danny asked.

Jordan shook her head. “I’m sure he loves me just as any father would. But he doesn’t really trust me. I think I remind him of my mother. She drives him crazy.” She took a bite of her eggs. “I suppose you have a normal family life?”

“As normal as it gets,” Danny replied. “Two sisters, two brothers, all older. I know what it’s like to be on the trailing end. I was always following my brothers around. My folks own a pub in Ballykirk. The Speckled Hound. My sisters are both married, both teachers. You know Kell. He’s the oldest boy and then there’s Riley. He’s a musician and he helps my folks with the pub.”

“And how did you become a blacksmith?” she asked.

“I went to art school and studied sculpting and along the way I started working in metal. It was the next logical step. I saw a demonstration at one of the heritage festivals and went to a few workshops. Then I spent my summer holiday working for a smith up in Galway.”

“It seems like such hard work to make that iron do what you want it to.”

“It is. It’s a slow process. It gives you time to think and plan and visualize what you want it to be. All the architectural stuff is just to pay the bills. Someday, I’d like to focus entirely on sculpture.”

“I saw the work in your portfolio. The willow tree that you did, the one that was blowing in the wind, that was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. I want it for the garden here.”

“You’ll have to steal it from the lady I sold it to in Dublin,” he said. “It’s sitting in the lobby of her posh hotel.”

“You should show in a gallery,” she said.

“I have a few things in a show opening next month. And I’ve had my own show a few times at a gallery one of my friends runs.” He paused, observing her from across the table. “What about a boyfriend?”

His question took her by surprise and Danny cursed inwardly, knowing he should have waited. But there was no reason not to be honest about his interest in her.

“Sorry,” he said. “Just curious.”

“You first,” Jordan countered. “Do you have a girlfriend? Or do you have five or six?”

“I have no girlfriend,” he said. “There was someone about a year ago, for about a month, but that ended. No hard feelings. Most women are looking for a little bit better than I’m able to provide. Now you.”

“There is a guy I used to see in New York. But we were never in a committed relationship. We were just …” She cleared her throat. “Friends.”