A Passion Most Pure (23 page)

"We weren't doing anything ..." Faith stammered.

"Excuse me, but we were," Danny said. A gasp escaped from Faith's lips as he reeled her into his arms, "We were doing this." Before she could object, he kissed her again as Charity and Collin looked on. When he let her go, Faith fell against the seat with a soft thud, breathless. Danny smiled at Collin. "Any objections?"

Collin grunted and jerked toward the car.

Charity gripped his arm. "Collin, no! It's not worth it." She looked at Faith, her eyes glazed with frost. "I don't have any, Danny, but I'm sure Mother and Father will. Let's go inside, Collin. It's rather chilly out here." She tugged him toward the house while he glowered at Danny. The door slammed behind them, and Faith finally exhaled.

She turned to Danny with fire in her eyes. "What in the name of sweet saints did you think you were doing?"

Danny grinned. "Putting those two in their place, I hope. Enjoyed it too."

Faith shoved at the door to get out, and Danny grabbed her arm. "Faith, I'm sorry. Please forgive me. It's just I would jump at any excuse to kiss you. I really care about you."

She swerved to face him. "Danny, I like you too, but this is going much too fast for me."

"Okay, Faith, we'll take it slow, I promise. Say you'll spend time with me again. I give you my word-nothing but pecks on the cheek, if that's what it takes."

She let him wait before she answered. "All right, Danny, but I want to be friends first. There's plenty of time for the other. Promise me."

"Okay, I'll promise, but I'm not sure I can keep it-"

"Promise me, Danny. I want it ironclad."

Danny sighed and dropped back in the seat. "Okay, Faith, I promise. Friends it is."

She smiled. "Then I will see you again, as friends. I had a lovely time, honestly I did. Thank you for everything."

Danny got out of the car and escorted Faith to the house. At the door, Faith looked up at him. "Would you like to come in for a while? You're welcome to."

"No, I don't think I'm up to facing those two again, but thanks. See you tomorrow?"

She nodded. Danny leaned to kiss her cheek. "Good night, friend." He turned and whistled all the way to his car.

Smiling, Faith entered the foyer. The sound of laughter was spilling from the parlor. She glanced at the clock- 10:30 p.m. on a school night, and everyone was still up? Peeking in the parlor, she saw Sean and Father embroiled in a game of chess while Collin hand-wrestled on the floor with Steven. Mother was reading a book to Katie, who was half asleep in her arms, and Charity was braiding Elizabeth's hair.

Her mother looked up, a bright smile on her face. "Faith! How was your evening? I want to hear all about it. Danny seems like such a nice young man."

Faith smiled, careful to avoid Collin's probing stare.

Her father glanced up from his game. "I like that boy, Faith. He's a hard worker. I have a hunch he'll go far at the Herald. Did you enjoy your evening?"

"I did-very much. Danny's a perfect gentleman." She regretted the words the minute they were out of her mouth. Charity's smirk was positively annoying, and Collin's look was penetrating. Faith leaned to kiss her father good night.

"I'm very tired, so I think I'll head up. Mother, will you come talk to me after you've put Katie to bed?"

"I wouldn't miss it. I want all the delicious details," her mother said.

Faith felt a hot blush stain her cheeks when Collin chuckled. She shot him a scathing look. "Good night, everyone," she called, hurrying to the staircase. "Sweet dreams."

"Don't count on it, sis," Charity teased. "Tonight, they all belong to you."

Anxious for escape, Faith tore up the stairs two at a time, the sound of her family's laughter ringing in her ears.

"So tell me, how was it? Wonderful?" Maisie's eyes were glowing with curiosity.

"It was nice."

"Nice? It was nice? No, lunch with Mrs. Gerson is 'nice.' Dinner with Danny should be beyond nice."

"It was beyond nice, if you must know. I really like him. As a friend."

Maisie plopped back in her chair. "Then he didn't kiss you?"

"Oh, he kissed me, all right. Several times."

"And you still think of him as a friend? Impossible-that man is an amazing kisser!"

Faith smiled patiently. "He kisses nice, I suppose."

"That word again, nice! I know, I know-nice, but no bells, right?"

"No, not yet, anyway. But I really do like him. He's safe, I think."

Maisie laughed out loud. "Boy, oh boy, would Danny O'Leary really hate being referred to as 'safe.' There are girls at this paper who would kill to go out with him, and I'm at the top of the list. Trust me. One thing Danny O'Leary definitely is not, is 'safe.' He'll get under your skin, I can promise you that. You'll fall for him. All of us eventually do."

"I just like being friends with him. He calms me."

"So you're going to see him again?"

"Of course I am, as friends. It's the deal we struck."

"And he agreed to it?" Maisie's brows lifted.

"He promised-nothing more than a peck on the cheek."

"All I can say is he must be out of his mind with love. I can't believe he promised that. It'll be interesting to see if he sticks to it."

"Wouldn't tell you if he didn't."

"Oh, you'll tell me, all right. You tell me everythingsuch as there is to tell."

The crowd at Brannigan's Pub was in rare form tonight, and Collin was certainly up for it. There was no better place to celebrate St. Patrick's Day than here, with Jackson, and he wouldn't have missed it for the world. Charity pouted considerably, of course, but Collin was adept at handling her. Before long she was, once again, smiling and cooing, anxious to please.

Few things swelled his chest with pride more than being Irish. He loved everything about it-the people, the music, the dancing, the pubs. He'd forgotten how much he enjoyed sharing a cold beer with Jackson, flirting with a pretty girl, or playing a game of poker with old friends. It had been months since he'd been here, five to be exact, a fact that did not exactly endear the O'Connor family to his best friend.

Jackson had saved him a seat at the bar, one of the few left in the room. The tiny pub was packed bar-to-wall with apple-cheeked old women, pretty young things, and all ages of proud Irishmen raising toasts to their heritage. Collin jostled his way through the sea of green, occasionally greeting an old friend or enjoying a kiss from a lass in his path. He gave Jackson a bear hug and sat down beside him, then signaled Lucas for a beer.

"So, Collin, I thought you fell off the face of the earth." Lucas shoved a foaming mug his way. "I swear my profits have dropped in half. Where you keeping yourself these days?"

Collin downed half the mug before wiping his mouth and answering. "Don't expect me to boost your profits any, Lucas. Haven't you heard? I'm going to be a married man."

"Jackson spread a nasty rumor to that effect, but none of us wanted to believe him. Especially the ladies. So, when's the big day?"

Collin chugged his beer, then pushed the empty glass toward Lucas. "Middle of September, if we don't go to war first."

Jackson punched Collin on the arm. "Come on, Collin, I don't want to be talking war. It's Saint Patty's Day, and I aim to enjoy it. Besides, that woman of yours doesn't let you out all that often. Let's make the most of tonight."

"Got you on a short leash, does she now?" Lucas grinned ear-to-ear, obviously tickled Collin McGuire would allow a woman to hog-tie him. He placed another glass with foam spilling down its side in front of Collin.

Collin shot Lucas a look that tempered his grin, then quickly drained half the mug. "Nobody's got me on a leash, Lucas. I've just got better things to do with my time than hang out with this riffraff." He flicked Jackson's head.

"Don't be a stranger, Collin. A wife needs to know a man's got someplace to go if she gives him any grief." Lucas grinned and worked his way down the bar.

Jackson watched Collin finish his second beer in record time. "Hey, buddy, take it easy. I know it's been awhile, but we have all night. I sure don't wanna carry you home. So, how's 'almost-married life' treating ya?"

Collin swiveled on the stool to scope out the scenery. "It's okay. You know what, Jackson? None of these girls can hold a candle to Charity. She's one beautiful woman. I'm a lucky man."

Jackson grinned and gulped his brew. "Now, why am I having trouble believing that?"

Collin glanced at him sideways. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Jackson almost choked on his beer. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve, then turned to look Collin straight in the eye. "Look, Collin, this is me, Jackson. I've known you since we were kids. You can't pull one over on me-you're miserable! What are you doing this for?"

Collin signaled Lucas for another beer. "Drop it, Jackson. You're just mad 'cause you lost a drinking buddy."

"Maybe." Jackson leaned against the bar, head cocked as he studied his friend. "I just hope you're not making the biggest mistake of your life. I've seen you happier."

"And drunker. But not for long."

"So, you know what you're doing, do you?"

Lucas pushed another brew his way, and Collin flicked the sweat from the side of his mug. He took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. "Yeah, Jackson, I do. Charity's a great girl, and she's got the most incredible family. Bottom line? I'm happy when I'm there."

Jackson took another drink. "And the sister?"

Collin lowered his head, then looked up through hooded eyes. "She's an inconvenience, I won't lie to you. But that'll go away when Charity and I are married, if you know what I mean."

"The old man keeps pretty close tabs on Charity, does he?" Jackson eyed him closely.

Collin grinned. "Afraid so. She's off-limits until the gold band's in place."

Jackson chuckled. "Well, how do you like that? For the first time in his life, Collin McGuire's in the same predicament as me-love starved! Who said life wasn't fair?"

Collin laughed. "Yeah, but mine's by choice." His smile turned wicked as he took a sip of beer.

Jackson leaned close, a devilish gleam in his eye. "So whaddya say we do something about it? I hear Saint Patty's Day does strange things to the ladies."

Collin's eyes were slits as he studied his friend. The beer was beginning to take effect. He didn't answer right away. When he did, a mischievous grin spread across his lips like a little boy with one toe over the line. He turned to assess the selection of eligible females in the room.

"There's no ring on my finger yet, now is there?" Lifting his glass in the air, he made a toast. "To Saint Patrick of Ireland."

"To bachelorhood," Jackson replied.

Collin grinned, focusing on two pretty girls across the room. "To the best night of our lives," he muttered. They both downed their mugs and signaled Lucas for another.

"It's late, Danny; I better go in." Faith rose from the porch swing and smiled. "St. Pat's with your family was a lot of fun."

He reached for her hand. "Not yet, Faith, please? Look at that moon-it's amazing! When was the last time you saw weather like this in March? It must be sixty degrees. And tomorrow's Sunday-you can sleep in."

Danny's tone was earnest, and Faith could do nothing but relent. Shaking her head, she sat down again. He drew her close. "It is an amazing moon," she said as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Sent by St. Patrick himself, no doubt."

"Faith?"

"Yes?"

He stared at the moon, his throat bobbing before he spoke. "I know we're friends, but I swear, I've never wanted to kiss a friend so badly in my life."

She looked away. Over a month had passed since that night in the car. There hadn't been more than a peck on the cheek between them. "Danny, I ..." She stopped and turned to face him. "I'd like that."

His arms tightened. "Oh, Faith, I'm crazy about you. Have been from the start." He leaned to kiss her, tenderly at first, then more passionately.

"Danny..." she whispered, pulling away. His arm tugged her back. Her palms flattened against his chest in protest. "Danny, please! This is exactly why I want to take it slow." She looked up at him. "I care about you, I do. More than as a friend. And I like kissing you. But all of this leads to feelings, to things we aren't ready for yet. Things I'm not ready for ... at least for a while."

He stood and pulled her in his arms, his tall frame towering. "Faith, I know what your beliefs are. I know how important God is in your life. He's important to me too. I just didn't know how much until you came along. I'm not sorry I kissed you. Like I said, I'm crazy about you. But I can't just be friends-not any longer." He paused. "So what do we do now?"

Faith drew a deep breath. "Well, I guess it's too late for friends, anyway. I'm afraid Maisie was right. Your kisses are ... very nice. But we have to take it slow."

"So ... the kiss won you over, did it?" He reached to pull her close. She dodged him.

"Yes, and the kiss can push me away just the same. I think we better call it a night," she said softly. "And it's been quite a night, I think."

He smiled. "Good night, Faith." He gently grazed her lips with his. "Happy Saint Pat's."