“That’s why them boys weren’t worth a hill of beans this mornin’.”

“I don’t have a problem with them getting their work done during the week. But I can see why they’d wanna pull the covers over their heads if you were as much an ass to them as you’re bein’ to Carolyn.”

They glared at one another.

“I’m takin’ her on a tour of the house.” He clasped Carolyn’s hand in his and towed her behind him. “This is the dining room. Beyond that in the corner is a parlor, also my mother’s space.” He kept up a brisk pace. “Living room.” Down the hallway, he opened the first door. “This is Dad’s study.” The next room was self-explanatory but he found himself explaining anyway. “This bathroom got added on when they put in indoor plumbing. It used to be a bedroom. On the other side of that wall is the washroom with a washer and dryer.” He pointed to the end of the hall. “Around that corner is another entrance to the kitchen and also a door that goes out to the back porch. Let’s go upstairs.”

Carolyn stopped. When he turned to ask her what was wrong, she placed her palms on his chest. “Carson. Sweetheart. Slow down.”

He exhaled and pressed his forehead to hers. “Sorry. It’s just…”

“I know. It’s okay. I wanted to throttle my family earlier too.”

He tipped her face up and kissed her, meaning for it just to be a short tender press of lips. But the instant their mouths met, he needed more of her.

She pulled away. “Let’s get back to the tour.”

Carson led her up the wide staircase that opened onto the second floor.

“Are all of these bedrooms?”

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He’d never really looked at the house he’d been born and raised in through someone else’s eyes. “There are eight bedrooms up here now. Don’t know if they had rooms for live-in staff or what. During the remodel they turned one of the rooms into a bathroom. My folks’ room had two connecting rooms, with the smaller room being the nursery. Dad surprised Mom and had them put in their own private bathroom.”

“I’d love that. We have one bathroom in our house, but I know that’s better than an outhouse.”

“Yeah, I don’t miss that at all.” He pointed to doors on the opposite ends of the long hallway. “Casper and Charlie both still live here.”

“Did you have your own room growing up, with this many to choose from?”

“Since me’n Cal are twins we shared the biggest room until we were probably thirteen. Then we each got our own space.”

Carolyn touched the wide mahogany molding. “Did your grandparents have lots of kids?”

Carson shook his head. “They had four or five—I never can remember, but I do know that my dad was the only one who survived to adulthood.”

“A shame.”

“With this much space my mom always wanted to have more kids. Felt it was her duty.”

“My mom did her ‘duty’ and almost died after she lost the last baby. That’s the reason she and my dad have separate bedrooms. The doctor said the next pregnancy might kill her, so they had to stop…” She blushed. “I can’t imagine my parents doing it anyway.”

He ran his finger down her jaw. “I know what you mean. I’m sure all kids feel that way, thinkin’ about their parents’ bein’ nekkid together. Our kids will probably feel the same about us.” Dragging her against him, he kissed her, his mouth demanding. It’d be heaven to haul her into his old room, pin her to the mattress and f**k her until they broke the antique bed frame.

She moved her lips away from his. “I know what you’re thinking, McKay.”

“You do?”

“Uh-huh. And that wouldn’t give your dad a very good impression of me, would it?”

“Well, he already doesn’t like you because you’re a West—”

Carolyn shoved him.

He laughed. “Just kiddin’, sugar.”

“Carson? You still up there?” his dad shouted up the staircase.

“Yeah. We’re comin’ down.” He sighed. “And that is why I don’t live here anymore. Snoopy damn man.” They moved past the closed doors, taking the narrow set of stairs back to the main floor.

“They built this house with servants in mind, didn’t they?”

“I guess. These stairs came in handy when we were sneakin’ back in after curfew.”

She gasped. “I can’t believe a good Catholic boy like you would do that.”

“Just because Father Dorian called me that don’t mean it’s true.”

His dad was waiting in the kitchen. The aroma of coffee filled the air.

Rather than hanging back, Carolyn walked over to the counter. “If you’ll get plates and a pie cutter, I’ll dish up.”

Carson didn’t offer to help. His dad needed to make up for being an ass. If he’d had his way, his father would’ve been denied pie, just like her family had been.

They carried their plates and cups into the dining room. After a couple of bites, Jed McKay said, “This is good. Thanks for bringing it. I hafta get my sweet fix at the diner.”

“You tick off all them women who were dropping off coffee cakes, pies and cookies?”

His father iced him with a look. “Yep. Not interested in getting married and that’s what they were all angling for.” He looked at Carolyn.

She smiled. “Rest assured, Mr. McKay, I’m not interested in marrying you.” She shoved a bite of pie in her mouth.

Carson about choked on his coffee.

“You don’t look old enough to get married. How old are you?”

“Dad—”

“That’s fine, Carson, I’ll answer. I just graduated from St. Mary’s. I’ll be nineteen soon.”

“You sticking around these parts?”

“We’ll see. I’m here over the summer.”

He sipped his coffee. “How’s your mother?”

Then everything started to fall into place. Talking to Carolyn’s mother after lunch, she’d asked about his dad. Obviously they knew each other. How well? Then he remembered the story Thomas told him about Eli West putting Jed McKay in the hospital years ago.

Had that been over Carolyn’s mother? That made the most sense. No wonder the men hated each other. And it had nothing to do with the supposed blood feud between Eli and Jed’s fathers.




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