Page 17 of Wine & Warlocks

“Gladly. But then you’re off to bed,by yourself, to get sleep. Tomorrow we’ll both need to be alert for what’s to come.”

“Sure, and that’s fair enough.” Digging her fingers through his thick, platinum-blond hair, she tilted his head back even more and cast him a wicked grin. “Unless I can convince ya otherwise.”

“You don’t play nice, Dove.”

“Aye, and I never will.”

CHAPTER8

Ten minutes later, Ronan was back in his room, suffering from a raging hard-on. Dubheasa had kissed him to within an inch of his life—multiple times—and touched him in all the ways his body was eager to remember from their single night together in New York.

He could’ve given in to her resistance-melting overtures and made love with her, but he wanted more than to scratch an itch, hers or his. He wanted her to submit to him completely. Accept what was meant to be and the position of his forever mate. But chances were she wouldn’t.

He caught his reflection in the mirror over the dresser. “You’re a fecking fool, Ronan Fucking O’Connor!”

“I doubt anyone would argue—”

Ronan instinctively struck out with a roundhouse kick and connected with Trevor Blane’s jaw before he could register the man wasn’t a threat. The impact sent Trevor crashing through the armoire door.

Ronan winced. Not on the guy’s behalf, no. But on his own! Bridget O’Malley was going to have Ronan’s arse for breaking an antique if he didn’t get it repaired before she saw it again.

“Fucking hell, O’Connor!”

Reaching out a hand, he hauled Trevor out of the cupboard and onto his feet. “Sorry, man. Damian should’ve warned ya to never sneak up on me.”

“He did.” Trevor’s irritated expression shifted to sheepish. “I forgot and got within range of those freakishly long legs of yours.”

With a laugh, Ronan gestured to a nearby chair. “Why don’t ya have a seat, and I’ll conjure ice for your jaw. Then you can tell me the reason for this impromptu visit.”

Trevor touched the ice pack to his cheek an instant before Dubheasa rushed through the door, a flaming ball balanced in the palm of her hand. Her troubled eyes were wide as she summed up the situation, and with a heavy expulsion of breath, she shook her hand to disperse the flame.

“Were you going to save me, then, Dove?” Ronan asked with a proud grin. Over the week they were at the Sullivan estate, he’d made her practice creating flame after flame until she was thoroughly irate and promised to fry his arse. That it had become second nature to her was promising for any future conflict she encountered.

“Saving you would’ve been a side effect.” Hands firmly on her hips and brows raised in challenge, she gave him a back-the-hell-off look. “My main goal was to maim anyone who was out to cause trouble.”

Taking his life in his hands, he approached her and ran his knuckles along her jawline. “Admit it, love. You were here to play the hero.For me.”

“Feck off, O’Connor. I was not.” But like a cat, she leaned into his hand, belying her words. Seeming to catch herself, she stepped back and bounced a glare between him and Trevor. “Are you fighting, then?”

“Not in the least,” Trevor said with a warm smile.

Irritation prickled Ronan’s skin. He hated the man his easy charm.

“Then why are you here at this hour?” she asked, suspicion heavy in her voice.

“Merely to tell Ronan I was deliberating over the problem of his father and I think you should sit this one out.”

She drew back in shock. “And why would I be doing that?”

“Because you’re a novice, Dubheasa, and I don’t think Ronan will be able to concentrate if you’re in the middle of the fray.”

“Do you believe this eejit?”

Her outraged question echoed in Ronan’s head and made him wince. “Ouch, love. You’ll need to dial it down a bit if you’re going to be calling Blane names, yeah?”

After an elbow to the ribs, which prompted Ronan’s chuckle, Dubheasa faced Trevor. “Look, and he wasn’t supposed to rat me out that way. And I only said you were an eejit, truth be told. That’s practically an endearment inÉire.”

Ronan laughed harder and dodged Dubheasa’s foot when she tried to donkey kick him.

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