Page 20 of Wine & Warlocks

An obnoxious ringing bell woke Dubheasa from dreams of making love with Ronan. And it annoyed her to feel so unfulfilled over a meaningless fantasy. After swiping the alarm app off her screen, she sat up and stretched, frowning as she noticed a tray on the dresser that hadn’t been there when she went to bed. She threw back the covers and went to investigate.

On a white bread plate was a warm croissant, with a small ramekin of jam and another with butter. In a shallow bowl next to the plate, her favorite fruits were sectioned by color. There was a carafe of strong coffee and an oversized twenty-ounce mug to pour it into. And finally, a single, short-stemmed daisy, bright and cheerful, sat in a tiny glass jar filled with water.

Ronan.

The morning after their one-night stand, this exact meal was sitting on her dresser, organized the same way. She’d adored him for his thoughtfulness. That was until he never called or contacted her again and she was fired from a job she loved.

However, if she had it to do all over again, knowing what she did, she probably would’ve made the same choice. Ronan had burrowed under her skin and into her mind so deeply that she feared she’d never get him out. It had gotten to the point she wasn’t sure she wanted to.

With startling clarity, she could recall how he’d first appeared at Lamda. He’d strolled into her office with cool confidence and the claim that he was a consultant hired by her boss, Nick, to find a leak. The lie was smooth and convincing, and Dubheasa had readily agreed to help him delve into the possible breach, not bothering to check his credentials. She’d only learned after the fact that he had the ability to influence another’s mind, and after a long talk with her sister-in-law Roisin, Dubheasa was certain he’d manipulated her along with everyone else he came into contact with at her office.

“Oh, Ronan,” she whispered with a shake of her head as she poured herself a cup of coffee. “You were such a beguiling devil that day.”

Taking a sip and savoring the rich flavor, she smiled and dove back into the memory.

After hours of working on their respective sides of her desk and sneaking glances at each other, they’d finally called it a day. When Ronan had asked her if she knew a good place to grab a meal, she offered to show him since it was on the way to her apartment. He’d used his roguish charm and her longing for a taste of home to convince her to dine with him, and from the moment she’d sat down across that table, she was a goner. He’d made his desire obvious, and she’d been unable to drum up any objection.

Of course at that time, she’d believed he was Connor O’Rourke—the name he gave when he conned his way into Lamda.

With a grimace, Dubheasa took another sip of her coffee, then broke off a piece of the croissant to pop into her mouth. Feck all if it wasn’t the best tasting pastry she’d ever tasted.

“You smooth bastard,” she murmured. “You conned me then, and you’re about to con me again. The damned crux of it is that I know what you’re up to this time. I’m watching the fecking high-speed train come at me, and I’m doing nothing to get off the tracks.”

Did he truly love her? She suspected he did. No one could fake interest to the degree he had, right? His every look, softly spoken word, tender touch, they all counted for something, didn’t they?

Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the low buzzing at the back of her mind.

“Are you there, Ronan?”

“Aye.”

“Thank you for breakfast. Now, as then.”

It should’ve been impossible, and yet she felt his smile through their connection.

“You’re welcome, love.”

“Have the others arrived?”

“A few of them. You have about ten more minutes to get your lovely arse down here before the talk turns serious.”

She debated having him meet her for a quick shag, but rejected it as swiftly. A rushed joining was the farthest thing from what she wanted.

“Aye, Dove. When I make love to ya again, we’ll be taking our time.”His tone sounded growly and promising in her mind, and she shivered from the anticipation.

“Yeah,”she replied.“I’ll be down in ten.”

“Do you need more coffee?”

She laughed, loving that he remembered her addiction.“I’m grand, Ronan. Thank you.”

Would he be this thoughtful always? She could definitely get used to it.

Finishing what was in her mug, she poured another, then headed for the shower, silently toasting Ronan for providing her with what she needed when she needed it most.

* * *

Exactly nine minutes later,Dubheasa strolled into the kitchen, and the tension in Ronan’s shoulders released. Her smile encompassed everyone, and yet when her bright eyes met his and it widened, he felt like they shared something intimate.

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