Page 107 of Lorcan's Obsession

Lorcan simply tossed me on his shoulder and strode back to the bedroom. Truly, sex was the best way to work off those carbs.

37

DOUBLE TROUBLE

Iwas king of the world. I saved the company, won my dad’s respect, and got forgiveness from the woman of my dreams. To top it off, the night had been transformative for our relationship too. It was my first time making love to a woman. And I was thrilled that that woman was Tristen.

In that session, that joining of our bodies and hearts, Tristen had bared her soul to me, admitting how complete I made her feel. She hadn't said the words "I love you" yet, but it was sure as fuck implied and I knew it was the beginning of something beautiful between us. A night I would forever cherish.

After our exciting and adventurous breakfast this morning (I am still in awe at how fast she ate those waffles), we finally settled down on the couch. Tris’s head was resting on my thighs. I ran my fingers through her silky brown curls as we watched a soppy movie. Neither of us knew what it was really. It didn’t matter. What mattered was the moment between us, just existing in our union.

The day couldn’t be more perfect.

The apartment buzzer sounded through the condo, rousing us from our peaceful bliss.

I mumbled, “I wasn’t expecting anyone today. Are you?”

“Let me take a look,” she said, pulling up the screen cam. A gawky man carrying a package stared through a pair of large glasses.

“Uh, hello. Is this the address of Lorcan Greene?”

“Eek, that’s Jeeves!” Tris squealed, jumping up from the couch. “He must have your gift!”

“Huh?”

“Jeeves, I’ll buzz you in right now,” she called.

“Who’s Jeeves?”

Tris simply rushed past me and threw open the door. With another squeal, she threw her arms around the geekiest guy I’d ever met. He smiled politely but couldn’t return the hug because his hands were full with the large package.

“Lorcan, meet Jeeves. We work together. Jeeves, this is my boyfriend, Lorcan.”

Why did the term "boyfriend" suddenly feel inadequate?

“Tristen, where do you want me to assemble this?” Jeeves asked, shifting the dense package in his arms.

“Over there at the wet bar should be perfect.” She pointed toward the counter. With a nod, the man hustled off.

“Babe, I have no idea what’s going on in my own place,” I said. “What’s this surprise all about?”

She looked up at me with a dazzling smile and wrapped her hands around me.

“Well, I was thinking. That Macallan whiskey bottle you have stored away deserves a more beautiful space than the closet. Since it was your mom’s final gift to you, I got you an unbreakable display box, and Jeeves is setting it up over there.”

“A display in the open? What if it gets knocked over? Sure, the package can withstand breaking but what if the bottle tumbles inside it? I don’t want—”

“Relax, Lor.” Tris silenced me with a playful kiss. “It’s a state-of-the-art patented packaging with motion detectors and whatnot. In case of any accident, the bottle will be safe in its base cradle.”

I nodded, hesitantly convinced. Not that I didn’t trust Tristen, I just cared deeply for my mother’s souvenir. Jeeves approached me, holding out something resembling a portable scanner.

“Hey, Lorcan, I’ll need your handprints to set up biometrics.” As he registered my fingerprints, he continued, “The case and its contents are insured by a security firm in London. It’s infused with titanium at the molecular level, so the glass is practically indestructible. It also comes with an active GPS signal and light sensors to activate an atmospheric glow at night. I'll email you all the additional details, but if you have urgent questions, Tris can answer them.”

Damn, I didn’t know my girl had that kind of technical know-how. I’d have to ask her about it sometime. I saw her walking from our bedroom carrying the collectible Macallan bottle.

“Ready to do the honors?” she chirped, handing it to me.

I held the bottle. My mother’s bottle.

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