Page 14 of Power Play with My Brother's Irish Friends

Austin stood on the other side of the pool, his arm around a woman with bright pink hair. He dipped his head and smiled at something she said.

“Samantha Harris.” I recognized her from a few of the games. “She’s nice.” I plucked a strand of hair from Miranda’s shoulder and rubbed it between my thumb and forefinger. “She won’t hurt your brother.”

A perfect eyebrow arched up her forehead. “You’re sure about that? How can you know?”

“Is that jealousy I hear?” I cupped a hand around my ear and ducked my head so we stood eye to eye. “Are you asking a personal question about me and Samantha?”

“No.” The sharpness returned to her eyes, and I accepted the challenge. “I don’t care about your sex life.”

“I didn’t say anything about sex.” I relaxed with my elbow on the bar. “Which means it was on your mind.”

“Was not.” She wrinkled her nose and scoffed.

People crowded in, filling the entire pool area with movement and color. I relished every second of laughter, music, and fun. Any other time, I’d already have found a partner and slipped upstairs. Tonight, I found it difficult to leave Miranda’s side.

Duncan joined us, sliding into an open spot behind Miranda.

“We’re blocking the bar.” She sashayed forward a few steps. “Who wants to dance?”

“Me.” Charlie swept her up into his arms and practically caveman carried her to a single spot of concrete far away from the bar and the pool.

“What the hell?” Duncan rubbed his eyes and squinted. “Did Charlie just take her right out from under us?”

“Yep.” Like Duncan, I narrowed my gaze and concentrated on Charlie’s expression. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say Charlie has it bad for little miss Miranda.”

“There goes Austin.” Duncan drummed his fingertips on his thigh and jerked his head toward the house. “Looks like he’ll be busy for a while.”

Thank fuck. Without Austin hovering, and with Charlie growing more relaxed every second, I had a real chance to spend time with Miranda. “I’m going in.” I grabbed two drinks from the bar as I passed and stormed across the patio, cutting between Charlie and Miranda. “Looks like you need this.”

“Patrick.” Charlie’s low warning vibrated in my ear.

I shrugged him off. “Relax, Charlie.” I handed him the second drink. “Here, take this.” I locked my hands around Miranda’s waist and spun her around. The music shifted into a punk rock beat almost too chaotic for real dancing. I guided us out of the spotlights rimming the pool and into a darkened corner. “I like seeing you enjoy yourself.” It was one hell of a suggestive remark, and I tried to anticipate her reaction.

“Yeah? And how do you know I’m enjoying myself?” Her small hands landed on my shoulders and skimmed my biceps. “Are you assuming that because I’m with you, I’m enjoying myself.”

“Ouch.” I puffed a breath on my hand and waved it at my face. “You really know how to knock a guy down a peg.”

“Yeah, well.” She shrugged. “Comes with the territory.”

“Everything okay, Miranda?” Duncan said her name with a low tenor. He cut in beside me, almost shoving me out of the way.

The noise behind me died down in increments. Like most of Austin’s parties, they came in with a heightened fervor and ended within hours. I glanced over my shoulder in time to see whole groups of partygoers heading out through the gate leading back to the driveway.

A thought zigzagged through my drunken mind. “Why don’t we go somewhere more private? I know where Austin keeps the key to the private pool.”

“Sounds good.” Duncan never hesitated. “I’m not going to bed anytime soon.”

“Me either.” Charlie joined us. The attraction I’d seen in him earlier had turned up a hundred degrees. He’d lost the ability to hide it after a few drinks, and even as I watched, he drank in the sight of Miranda and closed his eyes with a hard groan.

“I have just the thing.” I led the way deep into the foliage behind the pool, to the second, hidden gate locked with a key tucked beneath the flagstones. I unlocked the gate and ushered them through. “Who’s up for a little skinny dipping?”

Miranda’s sharp inhale shot straight to my cock. I dreamed of hearing that sound again while my dick sank into her.

“Let’s go.” Miranda turned and walked backward. Looking from me to Charlie to Duncan and then back to me, she reached around and untied the bikini. It fell to the concrete, and she stopped. I soaked in the sight of her perfect tits. Dark areolas begged to be kissed, and the nipples hardened even as I watched. She bent at the waist, keeping her head up, and slid her bikini bottoms down over her thighs. Her hips wiggled side to side, causing her breasts to jiggle in a delicious way. “Come on. I’m not waiting all night.” With a grin straight out of my playbook, she turned and dove into the pool.

“I’m going to hell for this.” Charlie stared at her, astonishment I felt on my own face showing on his. “Fuck it.” He stripped.

Miranda broke the surface, her head back and skin gleaming with water. She treaded water and licked her upper lip.

Fuck me. I’d never torn off clothes so fast in my life. It took all my willpower not to shove Charlie out of the way as I dove after Miranda.

---