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Makenzie's eyes widened in surprise as she took in the sight of several bags sitting on the bed. “What's all this?” she asked.
Irish grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. “While Sean didn’t tell me too much, he did say you were on your way with nothing but your wallet. Although I knew you’d need a few things, I wasn’t expecting you to show up in a wedding gown. These are from Veronica, Bull's girlfriend,” he explained. “I gave her my card and asked her to pick up a few things. Your brother helped with the sizes.”
“You didn’t need to do that! I’ll pay you back for everything. I was planning on ordering a few things from Instacart.”
“Instacart isn’t a thing out here. Neither is Uber. We don’t have any of those services. It’s a small town in the middle of nowhere. The nearest Walmart is forty minutes away and Target is an hour. We have a couple of boutique stores downtown, there’s small stores inside some of the ski resorts, and of course we can order online.”
“You don’t have much in the way of shopping?” Makenzie frowned slightly.
“We have a ton of shopping. We are just intentional about driving into the city for it.” He corrected.
Makenzie couldn't help but laugh at the thought of planning a shopping trip. She sporadically stopped by Target a couple of times a month just to wander the aisles.
“So, Bull’s girlfriend drove an hour for me?”
“Believe me, she didn’t mind. I’m quite sure she probably took friends with her. Those girls love any excuse to shop, especially with someone else’s money.”
Makenzie laughed again. She too loved shopping, and if she had a gift card? It was game on.
“I hope she kept the receipts so I can pay you back.”
“Stop saying that. I am not hurting for money, and I don’t expect anything in return. If the receipts are here, it’s to return anything you don’t like or won’t fit, not for reimbursement.” Irish said firmly.
“But—”
“I said stop.” He didn’t raise his voice, but the lowered tone caught her attention. “If I want to spend my money on you, I will. A simple thank you is all I need in return.” His tone was softer, but yet demanding.
And it stirred to life the hidden submissive desires that Makenzie had been pushing down for years.
“Yes, da-” she quickly caught herself. “All right.”
“What were you going to say?” Irish’s eyes flashed with something that Makenzie couldn’t quite put her hands on. A cross between danger and passion.
“Nothing.”
Irish took a step closer to her. “I’ll drop it for now, but this is your only warning. Don’t lie to me, little girl. Not outright and not by omission. Do you understand me?”
It was a challenge. It hung in the air between them. As if Irish was studying her reaction, waiting to see how she’d respond tohim. Heat rushed to her cheeks, her nipples tightened, and it felt like the air had been sucked from the room. She nodded quickly, not trusting herself to speak.
“Why don’t you go through the bags and let me know if you need anything else. I’m going to get started on dinner. I know you have to be starving, you barely touched your lunch.”
They’d gone through fast food on the way back from the airport, but Makenzie’s stomach was in knots, and she hadn’t felt like eating. Now, her stomach growled at the mention of food.
As Makenzie unpacked the bags, she felt a sense of contentment wash over her. She’d been battling the feelings of guilt all day, but here, in Irish’s home, it was as if the guilt melted away. She pulled out several pairs of leggings, three new shirts, some toiletries including bubble bath and even some fuzzy socks.
Inside of the last bag on top of the softest stuffy she’d ever found was a handwritten note.
“Hi, Makenzie, if you need anything else, including a friend to talk to, don’t hesitate to text or call! My number is below. Please text anytime! Veronica”
Tears welled up in Makenzie’s eyes. She felt a bit ridiculous getting emotional over a sweet note left behind by a stranger. Her phone hadn’t stopped dinging until she’d put it on silent. Friends and family demanded explanations of her absence. She’d felt like she was drowning with the bombardment and accusations. The one from her almost sister-in-law hurt the most, it accused her of having an affair and running off to be with a lover. Unfair and unsubstantiated, but Makenzie didn’t have it in her to defend herself.
“Dinner’s almost ready!” Irish called from down the hall.
Makenzie took a deep breath and walked into the bathroom. She washed her face and plastered on a smile. In the middle of the storm, she’d found a life vest. Irish and his kindness. Sheplanned on strapping it on and wearing it until she could float on her own again.
CHAPTER 4
IRISH
