Page 5 of Stay, Swear.

Her body trembles against me. Refusing to second guess myself, I’m scooping her up into my arms before my brain catches up to my movements. She doesn’t fight me like I anticipated. Actually her face turns into my shoulder, and she cuddles in for the journey to the car. I’m pretty sure she’s borderline drunk, definitely very tipsy at the least. The cool night air hits us as we step outside. As soon as the first chill wracks her body a small whimper escapes her lips. Looking down it doesn’t take long to realize she’s crying. My lips meet the crown of her head while breathing her in and whispering reassuringly to her. She smells like a tropical island, coconut, and a hint of something entirely her.

Stopping half a parking lot away I finally ask, “Did he hurt you?”

She sniffles before answering, “He scared me more than anything. I’m okay, just ready to go back to your house and crash in the guest room.”

“Oh yeah?” Trying to lighten the mood, I give her my most charming smile. “The guest room is across the hall from my room, I’ll gladly show you the way.”

Heat flashes in her eyes and her fingertips trail down my chest. “You look like you could show me a lot, Kieran. Maybe I can show you some things too.”

My dick stirs to life in my jeans and I shoot up a prayer to whoever is listening that she isn’t messing with me. “Well,let’s get home and see if you’re all talk, Brave Girl.”

Her lips come up and nip at the underside of my jaw, “After you, Mystery Man.”

I’m smirking at her and staring into her steel gray eyes when the back passenger door is flung open from inside as Clara’s panicked voice kills the sexual tension in the air, “Oh my gosh, are you okay? Why is he carrying you? Are you hurt?”

Gently placing Brittany on her feet, my eyes roll on their own accord. Brittany plasters on a smile that I can instantly tell is fake, “I’m okay. It was crowded so he carried me out, and my hips are sore, but I’m fine. I just want to go back to your house and crash in your spare room.” She moves into the back seat, while letting her fingertips graze my lower stomach inconspicuously. Doing my best to hide my smirk, I shut the door then slide in the passenger seat as Killian pulls out to get us home.

* * *

Opening the door for the girls, Clara barely sets her foot on the ground before Rowan rushes outside and throws her over his shoulder, “Rowan! Put me down, you big caveman.”

He lets out a playful growl, “I’ll show you caveman when I’m edging you until you cry for making me wait hours to peel this dress off with my teeth.”

She lets out a squeal then a full belly laugh, “Wait! We need to make sure Brittany gets settled in the spare room.”

Rowan turns his wild eyes on me, “Get her to the spare room, we’ll be busy until Rhett wakes up, and I’m praying he wakesyouup so I can sleep in with my wife.”

Suppressing my laugh to the best of my ability, my headshakes at him, “Yeah, Boss. I got it.” He takes off into the house with his wife and I’ve never been more thankful to live on a different floor than him.

Turning to Brittany my hand settles on her lower back, my pinky flirting with the curve of her ass, “You ready, Brave Girl?”

She smiles, but looks a little unsure, “Yeah Mystery Man, show me the way.”

I lead her the whole way up to the third story where my room is on the right of the stairs and Mac’s is on the left. With spare rooms directly across each of our rooms. Our rooms are the size of apartments, it’s probably why we all still live here instead of moving out. Well that and there’s more than enough room for all of us plus a few kids, and we have an unhealthy codependency with each other.

It only takes us a few minutes to arrive at her door. “Well, this is you. I’m just across the hall. So just yell if you need something. If you’re lonely, I’m always down to snuggle, but be warned, I sleep naked.”

Confusion clouds her features, “I thought you had some things to show me?”

Shooting her a sad smile while shaking my her, “I would love nothing more than to press your sexy ass body up against this door and worship every inch of it. To take you into your room and fuck you on every surface in it.” My hands cup her face as gently as I can. “I’m a lot of things Brittany, but I’m not going to take advantage of a drunk girl. So if you find yourself awake after sleeping off the alcohol and want to come to my bed, the doors unlocked. You just have to come in but baby, you’re going to be sober when I fuck you until you pass out.”

She sighs and locks her gorgeous gray eyes onto mine, “Damn you for being a good guy, Kieran Byrne.”

Kissing her forehead I can’t help but laugh, “Oh, I’ll show you just how bad I can be. When you’re sober. Goodnight Brittany.”

“Goodnight Kieran.”

I wait until she’s in her room before I turn and head into mine to try to sleep and pray that she makes her way into my bed tonight.

4

Chapter Four

Brittany

Ishoot straight up in bed, panting like I just ran a marathon. My eyes search the room looking for him. It’s empty, everything’s fine, it was just a dream. Taking a few minutes to try to control my breathing my fingers come up to graze my neck. Not tender, I’m fine. Before I can second guess myself my feet hit the soft, plush carpet and start towards the sexy as sin man across the hall. It’s stupid, but I just need to be held right now. He offered, I’m sober and I just need something to take away the memories of me as a child growing up in the seventh circle of hell.

I’m not even a full toe into his room when his gruff voice scares me half to death, “Get lonely, Brave Girl?”

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