Page 11 of Highballs & Hexes

Her head came round, and she stared at him in astonishment. “You’re a feckin’ eejit, Noah Riley! If a woman’s in love with ya and you’ve dated for a time,andshe starts workin’ for you, then you’re not taking advantage.” She jumped up andthumped him on the forehead. “Yeah, and that’s closing the stall door after the fucking horse has gone!Eejit!”

With a deep laugh Fi felt to her toes, he pulled her down onto his lap. Her heart spasmed in her chest as she gazed into his merry eyes. Would these involuntary feelings always happen when she looked at him? She’d believed they would until the kiss with Patrick.

“Let me up, you tool.”

All teasing died away, and his look was pure longing. “Will you love me forever, Fionola Bohannon?”

The desire to say yes was strong, but she held her tongue and shifted her face away to hide her weakness. Because that’s what it felt like to love him. Weakness.

Standing inside the door, with his arms folded and a scowl firmly entrenched on his visage, was Patrick O’Malley. Fi’s stomach flipped, and she jumped up. Why should she feel guilty? It wasn’t as if he’d followed up on their earth-shattering kiss. But oh, she’d wanted him to!

“I’ve news,” he said without preamble. “You want I should tell ya now, or wait until tomorrow when your mam and da can be present.”

“Now,” she croaked.

“I’ll walk you home and fill you in on what I know.”

“I usually drive Fi home,” Noah stated.

Of course, his was a bald-faced lie. Never once had he driven her home, because they both knew damn well she teleported to save time when she was tired.

“Do ya, now?” Patrick seemed more amused than annoyed, and Fi was left to wonder if it wasn’t because he recognized Noah’s ploy for what it was.

“I can see myself home,” she said, raising her chin in a haughty manner to show she meant business. If these twothought she’d be the rope in their ridiculous tug-of-war, they were cracked in the head.

Respect was reflected back at her from Patrick’s eyes, causing Fi to release a pent-up breath.

“Unless you were raised in a barn, shut the door,” Noah ordered as he rose and sauntered toward the bar. He set up three glasses for a pour and nodded toward the table. “I’d like to know what you found out, so we can discuss it here if it works for both of you.”

Patrick held Fi’s chair and scooted it forward as she sat down.

“Or maybe he’s after keepin’ an eye on the competition, yeah?” he murmured.

“Are you? The competition?” She met his steady gaze.

“Do you want me to be?”

Half of her did. The other half, the one still in love with Noah, wasn’t sure she was ready for another heartbreak. Eventually, Patrick would leave. In her experience, that’s what men did. She didn’t have what it took to tempt a man to stay forever.

His smile was wry when he said, “I distinctly remember you saying you weren’t interested.”

“That was before our kiss,” she retorted.

“So you’ve changed your mind?” The intensity in his eyes ramped up, as if he was once again a falcon watching its prey.

Noah slapped the mugs on the table with a harrumph and rescued Fi from the tractor beam caused by Patrick’s hypnotic stare.

“What did you discover?” she asked after everyone was seated. “Is Tadhg all right, then?”

“I can’t say with any certainty, but he was seen in Dublin just yesterday.”

“Are you positive it was him?” She shared a confused look with Noah. Her brother hated the city and avoided it at all costs.

Irritation came and went across Patrick’s countenance, and his mouth firmed into a thin line. “No less than three people confirmed it, but if you want to go yourself, I’ll give ya the addresses of those I spoke with.”

“How did you verify it was him they saw?” Noah watched him with a thoughtful expression, as if weighing everything the man said for the truth.

“The pictures given to me.” Patrick’s gaze darted between the two of them before settling on her. “This is what I’ve been tasked to do by Anu, Fionola. If you don’t trust me, then fair enough, but I’ll still be on the hunt for Tadhg, all the same.”

---