A Date with the Irish Surgeon - Chapter 6

The next two weeks seemed to rush by. Between her workload, acting as referee between her battling parents and preparing for the trip to Ireland, Indra could hardly catch her breath.

And, besides their shared research patients, she hadn't seen Lorcan at all. A part of her had hoped he'd call, or text, and suggest getting together again, but he hadn't. Although she should know better, it still hurt.

Her friend Kyanna had come through and somehow created a gorgeous dress for the wedding.

"It's Maeve Jerico, Indra, so the entire affair is going to be over-the-top. There's no way I'm letting you go looking like the poor cousin!"

Although Indra agreed, inside she was more concerned with whether Lorcan would think she looked good than she was with anyone else's opinion.

It seemed that before she had even blinked, they were on the first leg of their trip via train from London to Holyhead.

"I usually drive and take the ferry to Dublin, but it's too short a trip this time," Lorcan explained while giving her the itinerary. "Easier to go by train and ferry and rent a car on the other side. Either way, it's a ten-hour trip, but at least I won't be exhausted when we arrive."

It was, she decided about halfway into the trip, fun to travel with Lorcan. They chatted a lot of the time, but even when silence fell, it was companionable rather than heavy, and the day passed far quicker than she'd imagined it would.

They had reservations at an inn near the wedding venue, and as they were checking in, Indra caught herself wishing they were sharing a room rather than sleeping separately.

She kept that thought to herself.

Lorcan asked if she'd mind going over to his parents' house, in a village outside Galway, after dinner. "I thought it might be easier for you to meet my family before the whole wedding business gets too crazy."

"Of course," she agreed, although her stomach dipped at the thought.

She shouldn't have worried, though. Mr. and Mrs. Connor greeted her with such enthusiasm, she was a little taken aback at first. Then, as she watched the family interact, she realized they were a genuinely gregarious, warmhearted bunch.

Almost too gregarious, she thought, when she realized Lorcan was slowly but surely stepping into the background.

Determined not to let him, she made a point of bringing him into the conversation, although it was a lot more difficult than she expected.

After they'd taken their leave and were heading back to the inn, he said, "I hope you didn't find my family too overwhelming."

"Not at all." She paused as a huge yawn overtook her. "I'd go so far as to say you seemed more overwhelmed than I was."

Lorcan chuckled, making her realize he'd done so a few times that day. How had she ever thought him morose?

"As the middle child, I learned early to keep my thoughts to myself so as not to get in fights. It's a hard habit to break, especially when we're all together that way."

That she could believe. Her own brothers had been overbearing, often shouting down her opinions or telling her to shut up. The difference was, while Lorcan's family got loud and argumentative, from what Indra saw, their discussions probably never devolved into out-and-out battles.

At least not since they'd become adults.

While getting ready for bed, Indra was still considering the dynamics of the Connor clan and couldn't help longing for a similar experience.

How lovely it would be to have the entire family together without needing to walk on eggshells all the time, waiting for someone to lose their temper and go ballistic.

Lying in bed, lonely and a little sad, she allowed herself to fantasize that the friendship she and Lorcan had developed could grow into something more.

He was just the type of man she'd hope for if a relationship was in the cards.

And as she dozed off, the memory of that one solitary kiss they'd shared rose in her mind and followed her into slumber. Which might explain why she woke up the next morning more tightly strung than a piano wire.

*

Lorcan seemed quieter while they had breakfast, which just increased Indra's tension. So much so that when they set out to go sightseeing, neither spoke much, and when Lorcan finally broke the silence, Indra started.

"I'd like to take you to one of my favorite places. It's about an hour away, if that's alright with you?"

"Sure."

Then, because she sounded curt even to her own ears, she delved in her brain for small talk and prattled away for the rest of the drive.

Eventually, she saw the sign for a town named Clifden, but Lorcan continued through, still going west, until…

"Oh!"

The vista that opened up before them literally stole Indra's breath. Even though it was a blustery day, with clouds obscuring the sun, the view from the cliff out to the wind-whipped sea was magnificent.

"It's called the Sky Road," he said quietly. "And I think it's one of the most beautiful drives in the world."

"Yes." It was hardly more than a whisper, and her gaze stayed glued to the changing landscape, drinking it all in.

They got out at a lay-by, and as they walked toward the protective wall, Indra reached out and took Lorcan's hand, her heart hammering, although she didn't know why.

Emotionally, she'd always been caught between her parents' worlds. Both the tropical heat of Guyana and the cool Welsh countryside spoke to her, each in a different voice, neither stronger nor preferred over the other.

But this? This was different again.

The wild scene affected Indra on what felt like a molecular level, sending flashes of energy through her veins and over her skin. There was no way she could resist turning and reaching for Lorcan. When he dragged her close, and their lips met in a kiss as primal as the sea below, it was more than arousing.

It was perfection.