Kate Hoffmann - The Mighty Quinns - Dermot-Dex

Rachel sighed softly. As much as she needed a vacation, she knew the reality of her situation. “You know how difficult it is for me to get away. The dairy requires me to be here every day of every week.”

“Then we’re going to have to find someone to help you out after I leave. And he’s going to be old and toothless and preferably gay.”

Rachel laughed. “Oh, so you don’t want me hanging around the bus stop and hiring another Dermot Quinn?”

“I’m one of a kind. You’ll never find another farmhand like me.”

She stood up and walked down the steps. “I’m going to get the mail. Do you want to come with me?”

Dermot shook his head. “No, I think I’ll just stay here and watch.”

As Rachel walked to the driveway, she swayed her hips provocatively and he gave her a wolf whistle.

“Work it, baby,” he called.

She usually avoided the mail for as long as she could, sometimes letting it build up for a week. It was always the same thing—bills, bills, bills. The power, the feed store, the vet.

She opened the box and pulled out a stack of envelopes, then walked back down the driveway, flipping through them. One piece of mail caught her attention and she pulled it from the bunch, staring at the return address. Minneapolis.

When she reached the porch, she sat down again and waved the envelope at Dermot. “A letter from my sister, Jane,” she said.

“Really,” he murmured. He grabbed the envelope and examined it. “Are you going to open it?”

“I know what’s inside. She’s going to try to convince me to sell the farm. I’m sure she could use the money for a new car or a vacation to Mexico. She lives in a neighborhood where money is very, very important.”

“Don’t open it,” Dermot said.

But Rachel didn’t want to shy away from the conflict any longer. She felt stronger now, as if she could finally stand up for herself and state her case. Her father had left the decisions about the farm to her. She was the executor of his estate. “I want to see what she has to say.”

Rachel ripped open the envelope, pulled out a three-page letter and began to read. But the subject wasn’t at all what she’d expected. “Oh. She and her husband are having problems. They’re getting a divorce. He took all their money and ran off with… Oh, no. He ran off with another woman.”

Dermot slipped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. He took the letter from her and continued reading. “She needs time to sort out her life. She wants to send her boys to live on the farm to get them away from all the gossip.”

“I don’t even know them. I met them six or seven years ago when they came for Christmas when my mom was still alive. They haven’t been to the farm since then. They’re probably teenagers now.” Rachel leaned over to read the rest of the letter. “When does she want to send them?”

“As soon as possible,” he said. “She wants you to call her.”

A long silence grew between them. How could she refuse? This was the first time any of her siblings had ever asked her for anything—beyond their demands to sell the farm. She wanted to believe she might one day have a relationship with her brothers and sister, but this was not the way she wanted it to happen.

“What are you going to do?” Dermot asked.

“She’s family. And she needs my help. I can’t say no.” She met his gaze and felt a surge of emotion. “What do you think?”

He nodded. “I think you’re absolutely right. This will be a good place for your nephews to be while all that turmoil is going on at home. And maybe you and your sister can become a bit closer.”

“I’ve never had many opportunities to deal with teenage boys before,” Rachel said. “What if they’re naughty?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll help you out. I was once a teenage boy. I know what’s going on in their heads.”

Rachel slipped her arms around his neck and kissed him. “Thank you,” she murmured.

It was so simple to depend upon him, and yet, she knew that in a few more weeks he’d be gone. Life seemed so much easier when she had Dermot standing in her corner, backing her up, ready to catch her when she fell.

“When they come, they’ll have to stay in the house,” she said.

“I didn’t expect that you’d put them in the barn.”

“Which means you’re going to have to move back in with Eddie.” He opened his mouth to protest, but she put her finger across his lips. “It just wouldn’t be right. I have to set a good example. And Jane is very conservative when it comes to her children.”

“Well, then, we’re going to have to find a place to sneak away every now and then.”

Rachel smiled. “I suppose that could be arranged.”

“And we’re going to have to get in as much sex as we can before they arrive,” Dermot added. “Starting now.” He stood up and scooped her into his arms, then carried her up the porch steps and into the house.

Maybe this was for the best, Rachel thought. They’d become so close that it was almost impossible to imagine how she could ever let him go. Perhaps by putting some distance between them, the leaving might be a bit less traumatic.

He set her on the edge of the kitchen counter, stepping in between her legs as his hands smoothed up her bare thighs. His lips met hers, and a heartbeat later, they were lost in a deep and stirring kiss.

“I’ve been thinking about this all day,” he said against her mouth, his hands slipping through her hair.

“What were you thinking?” she asked, her breath coming in quick gasps.

“About what would happen once we were alone again.”

“We’re always alone,” she said, unbuttoning his work shirt. “What did you imagine?”

Pushing the soft cotton aside, Rachel reached up and smoothed her hands over his naked chest. “What are we doing here?” she murmured, pressing her lips to his chest.

“I have no idea,” Dermot replied, “but I don’t want to stop.”

He ran his hands down her back and Rachel shivered at the sensation of his touch. “This is going to be impossible,” she said, nuzzling her face into his neck.

“We’re sleeping in the same bedroom. How is that impossible?”

“How long do you think we can keep this up?” Rachel asked. “It’s getting out of control.”

Dermot drew her closer, pulled her legs around his waist. She could feel his desire beneath the faded fabric of his jeans. “Out of control is good,” he said. “That’s exactly how it should be between us.”

Rachel reached up to run her fingers along his lower lip. “What do you want from me? Tell me.”

“I’m sure we can come up with something.” He gently bit at her fingertips. “God, you’re beautiful. I’ve looked at you hundreds of times in the past few weeks and I can’t seem to get enough. Not this way.”

Dermot tugged the strap of her tank top off her shoulder and pressed a line of kisses over the gentle curve between her neck and arm.

“I don’t know anything about you,” she said. “Yet I know you completely.”

“It’s strange,” he said, smoothing his hand across her breast. “But wonderful.”

Dermot smiled as he cupped her breast in his hand, teasing at her nipple with his thumb. And then, in one easy motion, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his mouth against her neck. He trailed kisses from her collarbone to her breast, then finally drew the hard nub of her nipple into his mouth. She arched back, holding her breath as he pulled her down into another kiss.

She wanted to tell him how she felt, just blurt it all out and let the consequences fall where they may. What did she have to lose? He was going to leave anyway. Rachel cupped his face in her hands and turned his gaze up to hers. “I’m not sure anymore that I can let you go.”