Keely shook her head. 'I'm not going to listen to this. Rafe and I are going to be together and nothing you or Seamus says is going to keep us apart. Now, are you coming to lunch with us or not?'
'I'm not,' Fiona said. 'And you'd do best to stay here and help me finish this cake.'
Keely slipped her arm through Rafe's. 'I'll finish it later. Tomorrow. I'll have plenty of time tomorrow. Right now, I have to go to lunch with my fiance.'
As they walked to the door, Rafe slipped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a hug. But when they got outside, Keely's bravado dissolved and a worried expression replaced her smile. 'What are we going to do?' she asked.
'Well, first we're going to have lunch. And then I thought we could shop for some things we'll need after the wedding and then I have a suite at the-'
'No! What are we going to do about my parents and my brothers? They all hate you.'
'They'll get over that, Keely. If you and I are together, they'll be forced to accept me.'
'How can you be sure of that? What if they don't? Conflict like that can tear a marriage apart.'
'Keely, we won't know until we try. You just have to stand up for us the same way you stand up for yourself.'
'And that's not the only thing we have to worry about. I have a business here. People depend on me. I can't just pick up and move to Boston, any more than you can pick up and move here. Besides my parents standing between us and six brothers, there's also three hundred miles of interstate-very congested interstate.'
'And don't forget the measly three or four months that we've known each other. That should count for something, too.' Rafe couldn't keep the sarcasm from his voice. He drew a deep breath, then pulled her back into his arms. 'Let's just forget about them for today. We have a whole afternoon and evening to spend together in New York. And we're going to make the most of it.' He stepped back and looked down into her eyes. 'Do you love me?'
'I do, but-'
Rafe pressed his finger to her lips. 'No buts. For now, that's enough. And we'll figure out the rest later.'
CHAPTER ELEVEN
A WINTER STORM raged outside, the snow blowing so hard that it hissed against the windows of Rafe's apartment. Keely snuggled farther down beneath the comforter, pressing up against the warm, naked body beside her. On the mornings after the nights they spent together, Rafe never bothered with an alarm clock. Instead, he waited for her to wake him up. They'd make love once more before they shared a relaxed breakfast. And then she'd either jump in her car or hop a train back to New York. Or rush over to Conor and Olivia's apartment for a short stay with the family.
It had almost become second nature, sneaking around. And, at first, it had been exciting. But Keely knew all the subterfuge was wearing on Rafe. They'd share a stolen night or afternoon once or twice a week, then go on with their lives as if they barely knew each other. And every time they said goodbye, she'd see the impatience in his gaze, feel it in his kiss, and wonder how much longer he'd pretend to understand.
Keely had hoped that once she felt more comfortable with her newfound family, she'd be able to broach the subject of her continuing relationship with Rafe. But if she'd learned one thing over the past month, it was that the gene for holding a grudge ran deep in the Quinn family. Her brothers still spoke of Rafe with such disdain that she wondered if their hatred would ever fade. So she'd stalled and made excuses and tried to pacify Rafe, all the while hoping for some miraculous attitude adjustment from Seamus and his boys.
Rafe moved beside her, pulling her more tightly into his embrace and kissing her shoulder. 'What time is it?' he murmured, his voice ragged with sleep.
'It's early. Seven, maybe. It's still snowing. It's going to take me forever to get back to the city.'
He groaned. 'Then don't go back. Spend the day with me. We can hole up here and watch old movies and make soup and take naps.'
'I can't. I've got meetings scheduled this afternoon with three brides. And I still have to put together some sketches. And you have to go to work.'
'When is this going to stop?' he asked, his voice edged with frustration.
'What? This is life, Rafe. We both have jobs. We both have responsibilities.'
'This is limbo,' he said, 'not life. We're just waiting. I want to begin
Keely pushed up on her elbow and looked at him. Reaching out, she smoothed a strand of hair off his forehead. 'All right. Maybe I should stay the day.'
'Answer me, Keely. How long is this going to go on?'
'I admit that we do spend an awful lot of time in bed,' she teased, trying to lighten his mood.
He sat up. 'Don't try to placate me. I asked you to marry me and you said you would. So, let's make some plans. When are we getting married? Where are we getting married? Who are we inviting to the wedding?'
'I can't just decide these things all at once,' Keely said. 'A wedding takes a lot of thought and planning.'
'Have you decided anything? Have you given a minute's thought to any of it?'
Now, he was angry. She scolded herself for not accepting his invitation to stay the moment it was offered, thus avoiding the same old discussion. 'How many times have we talked about this in the past month?' she asked, turning the question back on him. 'Remember when you told me that it didn't matter how long it took to work things out with my family? Did you really mean it or were you just overestimating your capacity for patience?'
'I just don't understand why this is taking so long. I feel like a kid, sneaking around as if we're both doing something sinful. We're adults and we should be allowed to see each other whenever we want. I should be able to call you five times a day and stop by to see you on a whim. We should be able to take a vacation together and spend holidays with your family.'
'Oh, that would be fun,' she said sarcastically. 'You and the Quinn brothers at Thanksgiving. Hide the carving knife.'
'What am I supposed to do? I want you in my life, permanently. Not just when it's convenient for you. Or Seamus. Or your mother. Or your damn brothers.'
She sighed. 'Can't you at least understand how they feel? What you did caused a lot of trouble for the family.'
'They feel that way because you haven't given them a good reason to feel differently. I did what I had to do and I'm not going to make any apologies. We learned the truth and life goes on. I've accepted it-why can't they? Tell them you love me and you want to marry me and then tell them if they don't like it, they can all go to hell.'
Keely pushed aside the covers and crawled out of bed. She grabbed the silk robe he'd bought her and wrapped it around her naked body, shivering against the chill in the apartment. 'I don't want to talk about this anymore.'
'And I do. We're going to solve this problem now or-'
'Or what? It's over between us?'
'Yes,' Rafe said, a stubborn set to his jaw. He crossed his arms over his chest. 'Maybe it is.'
Keely's breath caught in her throat. 'You don't mean that.'
'I do.'
'Are you giving me an ultimatum?'
'I guess you could say that.' Rafe shrugged. 'Yeah, I am giving you an ultimatum. It's me or your family. You're a big girl, Keely. Make a decision. I'm going to take a shower. I'll expect your answer when I get out.'
Rafe tossed aside the comforter and walked naked to the bathroom. Keely heard the water go on, but she wasn't ready to end their discussion there. She stalked to the bathroom and stood outside the shower.
'My mother used to give me ultimatums and they never worked. When someone tells me I have to do something, I usually do the opposite.'
'That's what your mother told me,' Rafe shouted over the running water. 'She said if she opposed our marriage that you'd probably go ahead with a wedding.'
