Catch Your Breath Read online

“What?”

  “I saw Liam.”

  “When?”

  “Last night. After I left you.”

  She stopped playing with her coffee and straightened in her chair. “You left my bed to go hang out with my brother? We might need to talk about your priorities.”

  His breath was heavy and strained in her ear. “Liam had a right to know that we’ve taken our relationship to the next level.”

  She closed her eyes tightly and asked the question she didn’t really want the answer to. “How did he react?”

  “He punched me.”

  “He what?” Her voice rang out across the room, and five people looked up from their work bubbles to observe the commotion.

  “I had it coming. You’re his little sister. He’s mad, but you know Liam. He’ll cool down and be more rational.”

  “That would’ve been good information to have before I made plans to see him for lunch. He’s still pissed.” She dropped her head onto her hand.

  “Are you regretting last night?”

  “Not for a second,” she mumbled. It was the truth. No amount of grief from her family would make her regret sleeping with Jimmy.

  “Is there anything I can do?”

  “No. It’s time for my brothers to accept they can’t decide who I have in my life or who I choose to sleep with.”

  “Good luck. Are you free for dinner?”

  “If I’m still alive, sure.”

  “I’ll pick you up at six.”

  “What should I wear?”

  “Whatever you want.” He paused and then added, “Nothing too sexy. I want to make it to dinner.”

  “Grubby sweats it is then.”

  “Sweatpants are easy access—no buttons or zippers. Just slide them down.”

  Christ. How did this man make sweatpants sound sexy? Her breath quickened because she imagined him doing just what he said.

  “Makes quite the picture, doesn’t it?”

  “Get out of my head, O’Malley. I’ll see you at six.”

  He chuckled softly as she hung up.

  She finally finished proofing the article in front of her and submitted it. Then she packed up her computer and prepared for lunch with Liam.

  Liam’s apartment was tidy. An odd word to describe a man’s apartment, but it was the first one to come to mind whenever she visited him. Moira attributed it to the fact that he worked crazy hours at the restaurant, but today, she realized the space was devoid of Liam. He had the barest essentials for living room furniture. Nothing comfortable and inviting, just utilitarian.

  His kitchen, on the other hand, was amazing. Here was the color and luxury and decadence. He didn’t say anything as he chopped vegetables and dripped oil into a pan.

  And Moira knew better than to start a conversation. Other than a perfunctory greeting when he let her in, Liam was in his zone. A radio mounted under the cabinet provided his sound track. As he worked, mouthwatering smells filled the air and the tension in his shoulders visibly eased.

  She figured the act of cooking produced the same results in him as eating brownie à la mode did in her. She snagged a carrot and crunched while watching.

  Liam in the kitchen was fascinating. She had no idea where he’d gotten his love for food, but she was glad he did. Many times over the years, he took over everyone’s cooking chores. All he asked in return was for someone else to do the dishes.

  After she’d been there about fifteen minutes, about the same time the silence started to get to her, Liam began humming along with the radio. It was a bubbly pop song, and she knew he managed to release a good portion of his anger through the knife in his hand, the same way she’d pound on her keyboard in a flurry of words.

  This was why she was closest to Liam. They were a lot alike. Beyond the physical attributes of red hair that their siblings had all dodged, Moira and Liam created. They used different tools, different media, and produced different results.

  But they understood each other.

  She sat at the counter and waited, knowing the food was almost done. Liam plated the food, chicken with some sauce and veggies, and even though it was just the two of them, he made it look pretty. If she were in charge, the food would get slopped on and passed around. He carried both plates to the kitchen table, so she followed.

  Many discussions in their family occurred at the table over food. It somehow made things less threatening. At least that’s what she wanted to believe. Her previous boyfriends who had been brave enough to come to an O’Leary family dinner might disagree.

  Moira tucked into her food quickly, afraid she’d lose her appetite once Liam starting talking.

  “Jimmy came to see me last night.”

  “So I heard.”

  “Did you send him?”

  She laughed and almost choked on her chicken. “Hell no. Why would I? He didn’t even tell me. He just said he had something to do.”

  Liam went to the refrigerator and pulled out a couple bottles of water, handing one to her. The cool liquid soothed her throat and she continued to eat.

  “I told you Jimmy was a bad idea.”

  She shrugged. She didn’t come here to fight with Liam.

  “He’s going to hurt you.”

  “How can you be so sure? I’ve spent time with him, and he’s never shown any sign of treating me badly.”

  “What the hell do you see in him that you can’t find in some other guy?”

  She shot him a devious look. “Besides his smokin’ hot body?”

  Liam’s face crinkled in disgust. “Don’t go there. I’ve known Jimmy long enough. I’ve heard his stories. I don’t need to imagine you starring in any of those accounts.”

  If Liam hadn’t been her brother, she totally would’ve pumped him for more information. She’d love to know more about the mystery of Jimmy O’Malley. “Look, Liam. I know you worry about me, and maybe it’s a little weird for me to be with your friend, but I like him. We connect and it’s . . . wow. I haven’t felt wow in a long time.”

  “You’re looking for the whole package. Jimmy’s not it. You’re wasting your time and his.”

  “There are worse ways to waste some time.”

  “I’m not going to change your mind about this, am I?”

  “Not unless you can offer some compelling reason I shouldn’t go out with Jimmy. You’ve given me nothing concrete. A strange foreboding isn’t enough.”

  Liam seemed to go back to his irritated self, but stopped talking long enough for them to finish their lunch. Moira took her dish to the sink and rinsed it before filling the dishwasher.

  Liam joined her and began wiping down the counter and stove. “Jimmy is looking to settle down with a wife who will wait on him and raise their children without having a life of her own. He’s determined to find a wife who won’t work outside the home.”

  The comments gave her pause for thought. She remembered overhearing Jimmy’s conversation with Liam at the block party, so she kind of knew that.

  Liam touched her shoulder. “Are you ready to give up your career to have Jimmy? And even if you were, what if it doesn’t work out? Then what?”

  “Then I guess I move myself and my brood of kids in here to keep you company so you can support us all.” Her joke wasn’t met with a smile.

  “I’m serious, Moira. You’ve worked hard to build your career. What happens when you walk away from it?”

  “Jimmy and I have barely started dating. We haven’t discussed the future.” But Liam’s points crawled into her brain and took root. Would she be willing to give up her career for the marriage and family she wanted?

  “Maybe you should’ve had that conversation before sleeping with him.”

  “He told you we had sex?”

  “That’s why I punched him.”

  “Did it make you feel better?”

  “A little.” He threw the sponge in the sink at the same time she closed the dishwasher. “I asked him to back off, and he refused. Said it was too late.”

&n
bsp; Her heart fluttered a little. So maybe she wasn’t the only one defending their relationship. She hugged Liam hard. “Thanks for worrying about me, but I’ll be fine.”

  “Famous last words.”

  She left Liam’s apartment feeling slightly less anxious. Her family would probably never stop worrying about her and there was nothing she could do about it. Instead, she’d focus on her career and her budding relationship. Life was good.

  The entire situation was fucked up. Jimmy sat at his desk and hoped to avoid Kittner for the remainder of the day. The man had felt the need to point out to Jimmy again that allowing Moira access to information on the investigation would be problematic for everyone. Jimmy took that to mean Kittner would hang him out to dry if something went wrong with the case.

  Jimmy put in a call to Griffin Walker to ask about any property he might have in the city he might allow them to borrow. It was a long shot to even ask, but Jimmy wanted to put in the effort to make this case.

  He’d built a rapport with the mayor. High profile cases could go either way and make or destroy a career. His father had stayed away from anything that would draw attention. He was a nose to the grindstone, head down, and do the job kind of guy. Nothing wrong with that, but it limited the advancement opportunities. No one would offer a hand up if they had no idea who you were.

  In that respect, Jimmy wanted to be known. He wanted to be the guy who could get things done. If Liam wasn’t pissed at him, he would’ve asked him to call Griffin. Griffin was tight with the O’Learys and would probably do the favor if Liam asked.

  The task force was split up, tackling different aspects of the case. Some built victim profiles they would use to incorporate into James Buchanan’s life. Some worked diligently on discovering what they could about the escort services Stan Decker had alerted him to.

  Jimmy was the only one without a specific job. He didn’t want to sit around pretending to be James Buchanan. He left the station after a quick good-bye to Gabby. He needed to go home and talk to Norah. The girl hadn’t told anyone what she planned. She was obviously having the baby at this point, but she sat in his room every day, leaving only to eat.

  Waiting in his personal life didn’t sit any better than in his professional life. He walked into the house and froze. The living room was clean, smelling of pine cleaner. The hockey equipment that usually piled in front of the door was stacked neatly. He crept into the living room, unsure what to expect.

  There was Norah, checking Dad’s blood. Without seeing the number, Jimmy knew it wasn’t good based on the look Norah gave him. Then she swiped the bottle of beer from their father. “If you can’t take your meds and monitor your shit, you can’t have beer.”

  “Give me my beer, girl. You can’t tell me what to do.”

  Norah straightened, planted one hand on her hip, and pointed at him. “I might not have been around much, but I know what I’m talking about. If you don’t start doing what you’re supposed to, I will dump every beer in this house. I grew up without a mother. I’m not about to lose you too because of stupidity.”

  Their dad grumbled but stopped arguing.

  Jimmy stood dumbfounded. He’d gotten so used to Norah slouching around, in near tears, not really speaking, that he’d forgotten how bossy she could be. With the exception of her bulging belly, she looked like she did as a toddler when she would stomp her foot and demand the world revolve around her.

  “Hey.”

  Norah spun and threw her hands up. “You need to deal with him. He doesn’t listen to anything.”

  “Tell me something I don’t already know.” He looked around the living room. “The house looks good.”

  “Well, someone had to clean it. Men are pigs.”

  As much as he wanted to argue, he couldn’t because he hadn’t had time to clean and Sean and Tommy never lifted a finger. “Thanks.”

  She shook her head and walked into the kitchen.

  He followed, digging into his pocket for the information he’d gotten from Gabby. “Here,” he said, thrusting the paper at her.

  “What?”

  “I found a doctor for you. You have an appointment tomorrow morning. Luckily, they had a cancellation.”

  “I don’t need you to make doctor appointments for me. I’m not a child.” She scrubbed the table as she talked.

  “You’re pregnant. You’ve been here for a couple of weeks and have barely left the house. Have you ever seen a doctor?”

  She nodded. “Back in Boston.”

  “You’re here now, and you didn’t seem like you were moving forward. Go to the appointment.”

  She nodded. He was surprised she gave in so easily.

  “Do you know what you’re going to do once you have the baby?” He leaned against the refrigerator to stay out of her way while she cleaned.

  “I don’t know. It’s just so overwhelming. I don’t know if I’m ready to be a mom.”

  “What about the father? Have you called him yet?”

  “No. But I will. Soon. As soon as I figure out what I want.”

  The strength he’d heard in her voice when she yelled at Dad had disappeared. Jimmy wondered what it was about her ex-boyfriend that made Norah shrink back.

  She dried her hands on a towel and leaned against the table. “I appreciate you giving up your room. I was thinking that if I sort through the crap in the spare room, I could buy a bed and move in there.”

  “No hurry. The couch isn’t so bad.” Plus, he planned on spending some nights at Moira’s. He liked the thought of waking with her in his arms.

  “Where did your mind go just now?” Norah prodded.

  “Nowhere.”

  “I call bullshit. You were all stern and serious and then it kind of melted away. I don’t believe for a second that it was because you want to give up your bed for me. Who were you thinking about? The hot redhead?”

  “None of your business, squirt. I’m going to shower and change. Then I’m going out. Thanks for keeping an eye on Dad.”

  She smiled and the whole room brightened. Jimmy smiled back. He didn’t know how not to. His baby sister was finally on the mend.

  Moira straightened up her apartment and hoped Jimmy planned to spend the night. He’d texted earlier to make sure everything had gone okay with Liam and to make plans for dinner. She’d changed the sheets on her bed and put on a cute summer dress. Then she tucked all of her research notes into drawers so the chaos wasn’t quite as noticeable.

  Jenny had called her with the details for the party they were attending on Friday. It was the same one she was supposed to report on, and she thought she might be able to do double duty. She definitely had to change her appearance because if people recognized her as a reporter, it would ruin her chances for getting the scoop. Plus, she didn’t really want people she knew to think of her as an escort, even if it was just for a story.

  Pushing work from her mind, she lit a couple of candles and waited for Jimmy. She knew she didn’t need a whole seduction scene, but she hoped to convince him to eat in and hang out at her place. She wanted to have him all to herself.

  When the knock sounded at the door, she reminded herself to check the peephole instead of ripping the door open, even though she knew it was him. She opened the door and he handed her a bouquet of mixed flowers. Hmmm . . . a guy who brought flowers. Jimmy was checking off items on her keeper list without even trying.

  “Thanks. This is a nice surprise. In my world, a guy only brings flowers when he’s fucked up and needs to apologize.”

  Jimmy halfway smiled. “This is an apology. How did things go with Liam?”

  “As well as could be expected.”

  She went to the kitchen to put the flowers in a vase. As she reached over her head into the cabinet, Jimmy let out a low whistle telling her just how short her dress was. Her inner diva gave a self-satisfied smirk. “Liam thinks you’re going to hurt me because you’re looking for a wife who will stay at home and be at your beck and call.”

 
Jimmy winced. “For the record, I don’t expect beck and call service, but I do want a wife who will stay at home with our kids.”

  He got points for honesty instead of brushing it aside. “I explained to Liam that we haven’t gotten to that point in our relationship. I can’t believe you told him we had sex.”

  “I told you I talked to him.”

  She slapped her hand on the counter beside the flower arrangement. “You said we were taking our relationship to the next level.”

  “After dating, sex is the next level.”

  “But he’s my brother. You could’ve shown a little more tact.” She leaned forward and buried her nose in the bouquet.

  “He’s also my friend. I never thought about censoring myself.”

  She moved away from the flowers and stepped on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “You also never dated his sister before. New game, new rules.”

  His arm circled her waist, pulling her closer. “Where do you want to go for dinner?”

  “We can order in.”

  He grunted in her ear and kissed her lips. His hands found the hem of her dress and inched it up. She curled her calf around his.

  “I like the way you think. Pizza will give us a good forty-five minutes.”

  She laughed and stepped back to grab her phone. “What do you want on it?”

  “Something with meat.” He wrapped his arms around her again.

  She turned in the circle of his embrace and tried to focus on talking to the pizza guy. Jimmy made it increasingly difficult by nibbling on her neck. She breathlessly rattled off her address for delivery and tossed the phone on the counter. “Forty minutes,” she said as she faced Jimmy.

  He captured her mouth again and she sighed. She ran her hands over his head, allowing his soft hair to bristle against her palms. Lost in the heat of his body, exchanging breath with him, Moira melted as he deepened the kiss.

  CHAPTER 14

  Moira studied herself in the mirror and wondered if the dress she wore was nice enough. Piper had texted that she should dress for a date, even though they planned to meet for coffee. The cocktail dress would work for most dates, she assumed. Her idea of a good date was shorts and gym shoes for riding the Tilt-A-Whirl. Remembering her first date with Jimmy brought a blush to her cheeks, which wasn’t entirely unflattering.