Page 37 of Ireland

“No. Now I need time.” He pivoted and walked away, speaking to her curtly over his shoulder. “I’ll be in my office. Let me know when you’re ready to leave.”

Her eyes stung as she watched him depart. There was so much she wanted and needed to say, but she didn’t trust herself not to fuck it up further.

It took a heroic effort for Ireland to finish winging her eyeliner before answering her phone. The fact that Ronan’s face was on the screen made it even harder. She briefly considered letting the call go to voicemail, but that was the type of game she didn’t have time or inclination to play.

“Hello, handsome,” she greeted him coolly.

“Good morning,cher. Did you enjoy your time with Alina?”

“I did. I would’ve told you so last night if I could’ve.”

“And I would’ve been delighted to hear about it if I could have.”

Her gaze narrowed as she studied the symmetry of her eye makeup in the mirror. Wearing eyeliner on a workday wasn’t usual for her, but then she’d been holding out hope that Ronan was still planning on seeing her. “Really? What tied you up? Or, more to the point,whotied you up?”

His voice came low and amused. “Your jealousy is unwarranted. You’ve ruined me for other women. I don’t even see them anymore; I’m so blinded by you.”

Her huffed laugh was wry. “One: I’m only possessive of things that are mine. Two: You’re the most outrageous flirt. I can’t take you seriously.”

“You’re a weakness,” he said artlessly. “I’ve mastered self-denial, and I have no vices aside from a fondness for sex, butI can’t seem to resist you. And I know you, tigress. You’d set your mind to changing mine, and it was necessary to avoid the temptation.”

Ireland watched her reflection alter, her eyes and expression softening. She made a frustrated sound. “Okay, that’s a pretty good excuse as far as excuses go,” she admitted. “So, what did you do?”

“I blew up all my best-laid plans,” he told her cheerfully. “Claudette is enjoying it all immensely, but Jules is less entertained. He’s used to me doing what he expects me to. It’s probably good to shake him up a bit. He’s too easily bored, and then he gets into trouble.”

“Can’t have two mischief-makers.” She began to put on her mascara. Thankfully, ECRA+’s Out All Night line of makeup had insane staying power because it sounded like she might be having an all-nighter with the golden god, after all. The thought alone made her so excited her feet began to tap. “Although someone once told me that being bad is much more fun than being safe.”

“Sounds like a bad influence.”

“Oh, I hope so!” Her smile was so wide the sight of it embarrassed her.

Ronan’s laugh swept over her like a heated caress. “What time will you be free for lunch?”

“That depends.”

“On?”

“If we’re also having dinner together. If so, then I’m free any time after eleven-thirty. If not, then any time after five works better.”

The sound of his amusement was as much music to her ears as his drawl. “Anywhere in particular you’d like to eat?”

“Let me think about it. I’ll text you some ideas.”

“C’est bon.”

Ireland held her tongue until she couldn’t any longer. “I missed you last night. That’s stupid, I know. But it sucked. I didn’t like it.”

The other end of the line was silent for a long moment. Then she heard him sigh. “A better man would apologize, but I won’t because I’m glad I didn’t suffer alone. See what kind of man I am?”

“An honest one? At least, I hope you aren’t stringing me along. It wouldn’t be necessary, considering how obvious I’ve been about wanting to have sex with you. It’d be cruel.”

“Cher…” He exhaled harshly. “I’ll be waiting for your text. Waiting for you.”

They said good-bye, and Ireland sat on her vanity stool for too long, staring at where Blizzard was sprawled diagonally across her king-sized bed. Her thoughts twisted and wandered, constantly circling back to Ronan. “He can’t be the real deal. It’s impossible to just stumble across sex on legs with a heart of gold. For one, such a man doesn’t exist. And two, you’re the only truly perfect male, right, Bliz?”

Blizzard rumbled and stretched to his full incredible length.

Glancing at the clock on her bedside table, Ireland jumped to her feet in alarm. “Oh, hell. I’m late. Gotta run.”

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