Page 3 of Cocktails & Cauldrons

His gaze sharpened on her, and Brenna almost swallowed her tongue.

“Say it again,” he commanded in a low, urgent tone.

Was it wrong to grow aroused when he got all growly and demanding?

The corners of his eyes crinkled as if he guessed her thoughts and was entertained by them. He shifted closer, and his dark brows lifted in challenge. The musky scent of his woodsy cologne short-circuited her brain. “Say my name again, love.”

“Eoin,” she gushed.

His gaze grew hot and dropped to her mouth.

Her throat went bone dry, sending all the moisture to her candy land, and she licked her lips in an attempt to lubricate them for speech. She thought she heard him laugh softly. A laughing groan, really.

“Say you’ll come home with me.”

“Yeah. Okay. Sure. All right. I suppose I can do that.”Crud! What she wouldn’t give for a little duct tape to slap over her mouth!

“Excellent. I leave in three days’ time. Do you have a passport?”

Didshe have a passport? The reality of what he was asking sank in. Odessa wouldn’t let her go. “Three days?I can’t. Three days?”

“I ask again, do you have a passport, Brenna?”

She frowned as she gave his question more thought.Did she?Surely she’d gotten one at some point. “I don’t know. I can’t seem to remember. I—”

“Eoin O’Malley, you talented devil! YourHeaven’s Endpiece is incredible.”

Speaking of breathing, Brenna wanted to kiss the newcomer for distracting Eoin and shifting his hawk-like stare. The entire time he was focused on her, she hadn’t been able to take a fortifying inhale. The arrival of the blonde bombshell was both a godsend and a curse.

“GiGi!” Eoin’s wide, happy grin was a fist to Brenna’s gut.

She studied the other woman a little closer. GiGi was tall, but then again, everyone was taller than Brenna’s own five-feet. Shealso had a lion’s mane of hair in varying shades of blonde, and it appeared to have a life of its own as it flowed down her back.

Brenna had serious hair envy. And as she watched, Eoin wrapped GiGi in a bear hug and followed it with a full-mouth kiss. They made a stunning couple—him, dark and mysterious with his artistic vibe pulsing strong, and her, a goddess in an elegant, form-fitting dress that outlined every luscious curve.

“You’re a sight for me sore eyes, me darlin’ GiGi. Promise you’re here to run away with me.” Although the hint of an accent was always there, Eoin went all out with his Irish brogue to charm his lady friend.

Brenna wanted to throw up the half glass of wine she’d consumed.

“Don’t worry, she has that effect on everyone,” said a deep and somewhat thrilling voice next to her. “She’s very much in love with her husband.”

She looked up into twinkling sapphire eyes. The arrival and attention of this second sexy male was an overload of Brenna’s senses. If anything, he was hotter than Eoin, and for her, that was saying something because she’d been obsessed with Eoin since the moment they’d first met four years ago. All she could do was gape at this newcomer, her brain having gone south for vacation.

The blond man tilted his head to the side to study her, and a small smirk played about his full lips.

She had the distinct impression he could see to the farthest reaches of her soul. “She’s beautiful,” Brenna blurted.

His smile widened.

She felt scorched by the warmth.

“My sister, GiGi? Yes, she is, indeed.” He held out a hand. “Alastair Thorne.”

“Brenna Sullivan.” She placed her palm in his and jumped when a small current of electricity sparked between them. “Oh!I’m sorry. It must be static. I…” What could she say? And why the hell was she apologizing for something she couldn’t control?

“Sullivan?” Alastair glanced over his shoulder to see Odessa bearing down on them. “A relation, I’m betting.”

“My grandaunt. And I’m going to apologize in advance for whatever you’re about to witness.” Brenna’s eyes flew wide, and she clapped a hand over her mouth. Never before had she been so open with a stranger!

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