Chapter Four
Aidan liked the way Beth looked at him as if he were a large slice of chocolate cake. It was a look he had seen in many women’s eyes before, but somehow when she looked at him with her sweetly hungry eyes, it was satisfying in a soul-deep way that was difficult for him to understand.
“Are you going to let me in?” he casually asked, a slight grin on his face.
Bethany blushed, and waved him in. “Please tell me you didn’t drive your motorcycle in this weather.”
Aidan laughed. “No, Mummy, were you worried? I drove in a car, and I’ll admit that it is not altogether safe out there.”
“Sorry. People tell me all the time I’m a mother hen.”
Aidan cupped her face lightly. “That’s a good thing. I appreciate the worry. There is something so…soothing about you.”
Bethany frowned. “Oh. So I’m soothing?”
A miscalculation. It appeared that particular word was an insult to his little pixie. “I come in here and feel, I don’t know, comfortable, calm and, yes, soothed. What is wrong with that?”
“Nothing,” she muttered. “It’s probably the lavender sachets; I have them throughout the house.”
“My grandmother did that.” Aidan smiled. “She loved it.”
Unfortunately, that observation only seemed to make her frown deepen. “I have your books right here,” she said as she walked toward the table with the huge stack of books.
“Well, if you don’t mind too much I’d rather not get back in the car and drive back to the hotel just yet.” His hope was to stay the night again in her magically comfortable home. He couldn’t help but want to spend time with this sweet woman—she seemed to cast a spell on him.
Bethany winced as she glanced out the window at the conditions outside. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to make it seem like you weren’t invited to stay if you want. I, um, can make a pizza, we could watch a movie. But only if you want.”
“You say sorry too much,” he admonished, kissing her sulking mouth lightly.
God, she was too sweet. He should stay as far away from her as possible, and yet he did not want to leave her company. He had spent much of his life with a type of woman so foreign to Beth; she wouldn’t even be able to speak the language. He eyed her nervous face and smiled charmingly. “Sounds great, but do you want me to order a pizza? I would hate to have you go to the trouble of making one.”
“Don’t be silly. I could never ask someone to drive in this weather just to bring me food when I have plenty of my own right here.”
His gaze followed her as she checked cabinets, moving efficiently and gracefully in her kitchen. It was pure magic.
Aidan sniffed the air. “It appears you’ve been baking, am I right?”
“Yes, I made some peanut butter cookies and scones.”
Aidan paused on his way to the kitchen table, and asked, “What kind of scones?”
Bethany continued to pull items from her kitchen for the pizza.
“Currant. A friend of mine from New Zealand gave me this great recipe.”
“May I try one?”
“Of course, you can try one. Would you like some tea to go with it?”
Aidan was suddenly transported to Ireland and his grandmother’s kitchen. He must have looked in a trance because Bethany gently coaxed him into a seat at the table and set about making tea.
“You use loose tea?” he asked, astonished by her use of the old-fashioned strainer. Would she continually surprise him?
“Yes, my New Zealand friend introduced me to loose tea, and I’ve been a convert ever since. It’s such a stronger, more honest taste, don’t you think? She sends me boxes of New Zealand breakfast tea, and I’m a total addict. Wait until you try it.”
Bethany placed the cup of tea and a warm scone in front of him. “Cream or sugar?”
“A bit of both, please.”
Aidan sat back and sipped the brew. She was right; it was wonderfully strong tea like he drank when he was back home. The scone was also perfect—crumbly and sweet and filled with currants. It was like sitting back in the kitchen in County Clare, the only place he ever felt comfortable.
“Do you make brown bread as well, Beth?”
“No, what’s that like?” she asked, sitting down across from him at the table and sipping her own cup of tea.
Aidan grinned. “Like heaven, just like a taste of heaven. Especially when it’s eaten right out of the oven. It’s warm and richly fragrant. I’ll see if I can get a recipe for you.” Suddenly feeling a bit shy, something he rarely experienced, he asked, “Will you make it for me if I get the recipe?”
“I would be delighted to do that.” As if she sensed his need to be touched, Bethany placed her hand on top of his and lightly rubbed his warm skin. He smiled. She would be delighted, she’d said, and he could tell she meant every word.
Bethany eyed him with a discerning look. “What do you say we skip the pizza? I’ll heat up more scones and a few cookies, and we’ll share a pot of tea and watch a movie,”
Now she was talking. He had had an amazing sweet tooth all his life. Although most nights when he was off the set he would go to a local pub with his cast mates, this quiet evening was what he needed most to recharge for the scenes to come. A movie, a pretty woman, and sugar.
“Sounds perfect, as long as the movie does not star a certain Irish actor.”
Bethany winked at him. “You got it. He stinks anyway.” She made her way to her small living room and turned on the television.
“That he does,” he agreed, adding, “I have to ask, about the animal on my mug. What is he?” He sat down on the sofa.
Bethany blushed again. It was amazing how much emotion she broadcast on her face. “I’m sorry, I should have gotten out the nice cups, but they really don’t hold a lot of tea.”
“The cup is grand, just fine, but the, what, a bear?”
“A badger. He is the mascot for the University of Wisconsin. I’m from there.”
“You aren’t from here?”
“No, can’t you hear it in my accent?”
“I guess it didn’t occur to me to ask why you didn’t have one of those Southern accents,” he said, adding a twang to his voice.
“I have learned to say y’all with the best of them. It’s been almost ten years since I moved here to go to college,” she said as she walked back to the kitchen to get the cookies.
“You still fancy a bit of cheese?”
Bethany smiled. “Oh yeah, I fancy it a lot. In fact, my dream pizza is plain cheese.”
Aidan frowned. “No meat? Tomatoes?”
“Nope. Plain ol’ cheese for me.”
“Then it’s best we stick with scones and cookies, sweetheart, because with the pizza we would have fought about toppings.”
Bethany smiled. “No, I would have let you have what you wanted since you’re the guest.”
Aidan swallowed a filthy reply and smiled back at her. “Anything I wanted, Beth?”
She blushed prettily, which made his smile widen as he relaxed on her sofa.
It turned out sweet Beth had a large collection of horror films, and since he had never starred in one, they sat down to a movie festival of the macabre. After a second movie of screaming virginal girls running in white nightgowns in the rain, he noticed she was trying to stifle a yawn. With great reluctance, he realized he might have to leave. The trouble was he didn’t want to go. It had been forever since he just sat with a girl—or anyone, really—and watched movies. He spent most of his time making love to women, not hanging out with them. Except for Maeve.
Maeve O’Donald, a fellow actress, was his best friend and confidant. They had never been involved, although the gossip columns had purported a love affair gone bad between the two of them. She was an American of Irish descent, a little flamed-haired hell-on-wheels, and he loved her like a sister. If it hadn’t been for her and his beloved grandmother, he would have believed the worst of all women.
“Beth, I should go and let you get some sleep.” God, he wanted to snuggle up with her and love her through this cold night, but she wasn’t ready for that. Not yet, anyway.
Bethany stood, went to the window, and frowned. “Aidan, I know I’m probably worrying again, but look out the window. It looks dangerous out there.”
Aidan joined her at the window. He watched as a car that looked remarkably like the one he had borrowed to get here slid down the street. Aidan looked at Beth and saw that she was concerned for him. Although he knew he could get a car to pick him up without a problem, he was not ready to part company with Beth. “Is the guest room available once again?”
“Of course, it is.” She smiled at him sleepily. He wondered if she would look at him like that when they woke up together.
“Thanks, luv, I think I’ll take you up on your offer. I’m sorry to be such trouble.”
Bethany smiled. “Not at all, this is only the second time I’ve ever used my guest room. This is kind of exciting for me.”
Aidan laughed out loud and feelings of tenderness threatened to break the hardened parts of his heart. “Well, then, that settles it.”
Later that evening as Aidan slowly slipped off to sleep in Beth’s cozy guest bed, he thought of her words. No one had ever come to visit her? Where were her parents? Her family? Friends? The guest bathroom was set up for a surprise guest. She had a basket on the top of the commode with deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, fluffy white towels, moisturizer, and a new toothbrush. She was the perfect hostess, so why had the room never been used before? As he drifted off to sleep, he considered that this was a mystery to be solved at a later time.
He woke up to use the bathroom and heard sounds of crying from Beth’s room. His heart lurched. Instincts taking over, he walked to her room, and quietly opened the door.
He saw her curled into a small ball on her bed. She seemed to be wrapped in a painful dream, and it broke his heart to watch. She was facing him. The hallway light emphasized her tear-stained face. “No! You’re not dead,” she said softly, almost whimpering. “Please stay with me.”
Aidan closed the space between them in two steps and scooped her up into his arms, sitting on the bed to cuddle her closer. He rocked her and kissed her lightly on the forehead.
“There now, it’s all right,” he crooned. She continued to sob softly as he held her. What a mystery she was. All smiles during the day but crying in her dreams at night from the loss of someone precious.
He held her for more than an hour, watching her sleep. He knew instinctively that she would be mortified if she was aware of tonight’s visit so he would keep it to himself. For now.
****
The next morning, Aidan woke to the smell of bacon. He groaned. He would have to spend an extra hour working out to make up for all the great food he had had since coming over to Beth’s flat. He made use of her truly wonderful shower and all her little guest items, then dressed and walked out into the kitchen.
“Good morning, Aidan,” Bethany said with a smile sunny as the day. “Did you sleep well?” She flipped an egg over with diner-like expertise.
“I did, and thank you for that. You are a lovely hostess.” His phone rang, distracting him for a moment from looking at her lovely form. This morning she wore black leggings and a red sweater that hugged her luscious body. His mouth went dry. She was going to kill him in that outfit.
“Yeah?” he muttered into the phone.
“Aidan, where are you? You have call in about an hour,” Serena said with concern.
“Sorry, I was trapped in the snow, so I stayed over with a friend.”
“Aha. Well, it’s time to stop playing with your friend and come back here, okay?”
Aidan glanced at Bethany and walked away from her. “It’s not like that, all right?”
“Fine. Just get here soon, okay? I’m catching hell for you.”
Damn it. He hated it that someone had gotten angry with her. “Sorry, Serena. I’ll be there soon.”
Aidan walked back toward the kitchen. “Beth, I’m going to have to leave you, I’m needed on set.”
Bethany looked over her shoulder at him. “Hold on then, I’ll make your breakfast to-go.” She took the egg and placed it on a warm biscuit. Sliced cheese and two pieces of crisp bacon completed the sandwich, which she wrapped in wax paper and handed to him.
“Thank you. You didn’t have to.” He eyed the wrapped breakfast, his mouth watering. Damn, that smelled good.
“I wanted to, Aidan. It’s fun having a guest. I also have a bag of scones and a bit of my New Zealand tea for you to take with you for when you have a break.”
Aidan took the items, brushed a kiss over her rosy cheek, and prepared to leave her cozy home. He had always wanted a place like this that smelled wonderful from baking and filled with treasures of the heart. Beth had photos of her family everywhere, and a couple of framed drawings from a younger sibling. She was clearly devoted to her family, something he admired since he had never had anyone but his grandmother.
Like a child being sent off to school, Aidan stepped onto the elevator, a paper bag with food in one hand and books in the other. When he saw his car, he groaned. It was covered in snow. He turned to return to Beth to borrow a shovel when she appeared all wrapped up in a warm coat, a shovel in each hand. She grinned at him.
“I’ll help dig you out if you help me.”
They worked together in harmony. Bethany started both cars, scraped the windows, and brushed off the snow while Aidan dug around the cars to make space for both of them to get out. The street had been plowed, so both cars were stuck behind a wall of snow.
“I’m so glad you were here, Aidan. This would have been terrible to do alone. I lift weights at the gym, but this snow is crazy heavy.”
Twenty minutes later, the arduous chore was completed. They high-fived and laughed at one another.
Aidan walked up and touched his lips softly to hers. “Thanks for all your help. Please call and let me show you around the set. Come on,” he coaxed, “a movie fan like you? You’re dying to see it all up close, right?”
Bethany looked down at her feet. “Let me think about it.”
Aidan lightly touched her chin with his finger and gave her another soft kiss. “You do that.”
Bethany’s eyes widened, which pleased him for no reason at all. And then she nervously swallowed and looked at his mouth.
Aidan tried not to groan. Her expression was so carnal it was like a punch in the gut. She wanted another kiss. Oh, we will be doing plenty of kissing. “I have to go. I want to hear from you soon, okay?
“Okay,” she said shyly.
Yeah, he needed to have her soon.
“Here’s a number where you can reach me directly,” Aidan said, grabbing her phone to punch in a number. “Just in case, Serena can’t be reached.”
Her eyes widened. “Are you sure you want to give me your personal number?”
Aidan stiffened momentarily abashed by her innocent comment. He had two phones, and this one was not his personal one. “I’m sure.” Later that afternoon in his hotel, Aidan stretched out, releasing the tension in his neck. The number of movie scripts he needed to read was unbelievable. A soft knock on the door released him, if only for a moment, from the hell of the truly awful one in his hands.
“Yes, Serena?”
“Sorry to bother you, Aidan, but a Bethany called about a tour of the movie set.”
So, she had decided to do the tour, after all. “Sorry, I forgot to mention that to you. I didn’t expect her to call today.”
“Well, she asked if she could bring a friend along.”
Aidan scowled. That wasn’t at all what he expected, but then Beth was turning out to be a constant surprise. “Tell her—no, let me call her back. Will you ring her and transfer the call to me?”
“No problem and your salad will be here any minute.”
“Thank you,” Aidan said politely, although he hated eating salads all the time. Serena felt it was her job to keep him slender during the moving-making process. He appreciated this when his work was complete but was always sullen about the short food supply while he was filming. That was why the small package of scones from Beth was in a secret compartment in his office trailer. He practically drooled as he thought about the sweet cakes. Moments later, his phone buzzed, and he picked up. “Beth?”
“Yes, it’s me.”
“Are we set for the tour then?” he asked.
“Yes! I was hoping you wouldn’t mind if I brought a friend along for the tour? She is such a big fan of yours, and she would be thrilled.”
“Not at all, that would be fine. My schedule looks pretty busy the next two days, but Wednesday is good for me, although I must warn you that schedules on movie sets are made to be broken. I may have to cancel at a moment’s notice.”
“Well, of course, we’ll work with whatever is convenient for you, Aidan,” Bethany said, sounding cool and collected—her professional voice.
“I look forward to it then, luv. Shall we say one o’clock?”
“That would be great for both of us,” Bethany replied.
“Sorry I have to ring off now, I’ve got so many scripts to read today. Thanks again for all your help and the lovely scones.”
Aidan was about to hang up, but the voice that had begun to bewitch him said, “Aidan?”
“Yes, Beth?”
“Why do you keep calling me Beth when it’s not my name?”
Aidan grinned. “It’s a nickname, luv.”
“I don’t have a nickname.”
“Well, you have one now. Cheers.” Aidan hung up before he began to laugh. What a love.
He sighed as he dug into his healthy salad.