“Excuse me, but I'm very tired of being interrupted and ordered around and spoken to like a recalicitrant eight-year-old.""Then don't behave like one," Brian suggested.”

“Now you can introduce me to the hunk." Mo fell into step beside Keeley."I will if you can behave like you have a brain as well as glands.""It had nothing to do with glands, I'm just curious. Don't worry, I'm taking a page out of your book there when it comes to men."Keeley stopped at the door to the stables. "Excuse me?""You know, guys are fne to look at, or to hang around with occasionally. But there are lots more important things. I'm not going to get involved with one until I'm thirty,soonest."Keeley wasn't certain whether to be amused or appalled.Then she heard Brian's voice, the lilt of it. And he forgot everything else.”

“You know what she's made of.""Yeah, good stock, good breeding, a hard head and a hunger to win." She flashed him a smile as they approached the kitchen door. "I've been told that describes me. I'm half Irish, Brian, I was born stubborn.""No arguing with that. A person might make the world a calmer place for others by being passive, but you don't get very far in it yourself, do you?""Look at that. We have a foundation of agreement. Now tell me you like spaghetti and meatballs.""It happens to be a favorite of mine.""That's handy. Mine, too. And I heard a rumor that's what's for dinner." She reached for the doorknob, then caught him off guard by brushing a light kiss over his lips. "And since we'll be joining my parents, it would probably be best if you didn't imagine me naked for the next couple of hours."She sailed in ahead of him, leaving Brian helplessly and utterly aroused.”

“He needs to be talked to.""This is funny, but I know how to talk, too."Brian swore under his breath. "He prefers singing.""Excuse me?""I said,he prefers singing.""Oh." Keeley tucked her tongue in her cheek. "Any particular tune? Wait, let me guess. Finnegan's Wake?" Brian''s steely-eyed stare had her laughing until she had to lean weakly against the gelding.The horse responded by twisting his head and trying to sniff her pockets for apples."It's a quick tune," Brian said coolly, "and he likes hearing his name.""I know the chorus." Gamely Keeley struggled to swallow another giggle. "But I'm not sure I know all the words.There are several verses as I recall.""Do the best you can," he muttered and strode off.His lips twitched as he heard her launch into the song about the Dubliner who had a tippling way.When he reached Betty's box, he shook his head. "I should've known. If there's not a Grant one place, there's a Grant in another until you're tripping over them."Travis gave Betty a last pat on the shoulder. "Is that Keeley I hear singing?""She's being sarcastic, but as long as the job's done. She's dug in her heels about grooming Finnegan.""She comes by it naturally.The hard head as well as the skill.""Never had so many owners breathing down my neck.We don't need them, do we, darling?" Brian laid his hands on Beetty's cheek, and she shook her head, then nibbled his hair."Damn horse has a crush on you.""She may be your lady, sir, but she's my own true love.Aren't you beautiful, my heart?" He stroked, sliding into the Gaelic that had Betty's ears pricked and her body shifting restlessly."She likes being excited before a race," Brian murmured. "What do you call it-pumped up like your American football players.Which is a sport that eludes me altogether as they're gathered into circles discussing things most of the time instead of getting on with it.""I heard you won the pool on last Monday nights game," Travis commented."Betting's the only thing about your football I do understand." Brian gathered her reins. "I'll walk her around a bit before we take her down. She likes to parade.You and your missus will want to stay close to the winner's circle."Travis grinned at him. "We'll be watching from the rail.""Let's go show off." Brian led Betty out.”

“You should be up celebrating.""This is part of it." She ran her hands carefully up the gelding's leg before pinning the wrapping to the line. "Finnegan and I are going to congratulate each other while I clean him up.But you could do me a favor." She pulled her ticket out of her pocket. "Cash in my winnings."Brian shook his head. "At the moment I'm too pleased to be annoyed with you for betting my money." With one hand on the horse he leaned over to kiss her. "But I'm not taking half the horse."Keeley hooked an arm around Finnegan's neck. "You hear that? He doesn't want you.""Don't say things like that to him."She laid her cheek against the gelding's. "You're the one hurting his feelings."As two pairs of eyes studied him, Brian hissed out a breath. "We'll discuss this privately at some other time.""He needs you.We both do."The muscles n his belly twisted. "That's unfair.""That's fact.”

“And I'll tell you another thing, Patrick Michael Thomas Cunnane, if you think you can come and go at all hours as you damn please just because you're going off to college, you'd best get that thick head of yours examined in a hurry. I'll be happy to do it myself, with the skillet I have in my hand, just as soon as I'm done with it.""Yes,ma'am." At the table Patrick say with his shoulders hunched, wincing at this mother's back. "But since you're using it, maybe I could have some more French toast.Nobody makes it like you do.""You won't get around me that way.""Maybe I will."She shot a look over her shoulder that Brian recognized as one only a mother could conjure to wither a child."And maybe I won't," Patrick muttered, then brightened when he saw Brian at the door. "Ma,we've got company. Have a seat,Brian. Had breakfast? My mother makes world-famous French toast.""Witnessess won't save you," Adelia said mildly, but turned to smile at Brian.”

“Ribs hurting?" When he only shrugged, she shook her head. "Let me take a look.""She barely caught me.""Oh,for heaven's sake." Impatient, Keeley did what she would have done with one of her brothers: She tugged Brian's T-shirt out of his jeans."Well,darling,if I'd known you were so anxious to get me undressed,I'd have cooperated fully,and in private.""Shut up.God, Brian, you said it was nothing.""It's not much."His definition of not much was a softball-size bruise the ribs in a burst of ugly red and black. "Macho is tedious, so just shut up."He started to grin,then yelped when she pressed her fingers to the bruise. "Hell, woman,if that's your idea of tender mercies, keep them.""You could have a cracked rib. You need an X ray.""I don't need a damned-ouch! Bollocks and bloody hell, stop poking." He tried to pull his shirt down, but she simply yanked it up again."Stand still,and don't be a baby.""A minute ago it was don't be macho, now it's don't be a baby. What do you want?""For you to behave sensibly.""It's difficult for a man to behave sensibly when a woman's taking his clothes off in broad daylight. If you're going to kiss it and make it better, I've several other bruises. I've a dandy one on my ass as it happens.""I'm sure that's terribly amusing.One of the men can drive you to the emergency room""No one's driving me anywhere. I'd know if my ribs are cracked as I've had a few in my time.It's a bruise, and it's throbbing like a bitch now that you've been playing with it."She spotted another, riding high on his hip,and gave that a poke. This time he groaned."Keeley,you're torturing me here.""Im just trying..." She trailed off as she lifted her head and saw his eyes. It wasn't pain or annoyance in them now. It was heat,and it was frustration. And it was surprisingly gratifying. "Really?"It was wrong,and it was foolish, but a sip of power was a heady thing.She trailed her fingers along his hip, up his ribs and down again, and felt his mucles quiver. "Why don't you stop me?"His throat hurt. "You make my head swim. And you know it.""Maybe I do.Now.Maybe I like it." She'd never been deliberately provocative before. Had never wanted to be. And she'd never known the thrill of having a strong man turn to putty under her hands. "Maybe I've thought about you, Brian,the way you said I would.""You pick a fine time to tell me when there's people everywhere, and your father one of them.”