Page 27 of Tempting Irish
The ease in which they interact slowly pulls down some of my walls, but no matter how hard I try, I can’t help the disconnect I feel from the people I once thought were my friends –myfamily.
Coffee is poured and orders are taken. I keep glancing over my shoulder, expecting Owen to show up at any moment, not sure what the hell I’m going to say when hedoes.
“If ye’re still going to be in Dublin next week, ye have to come to my wedding,” Emer says, breaking through mythoughts.
“Your wedding?” I look between her and Aiden, confusion pulling down my brows. “I thought…I mean, Iassumed…”
“We are.” Emer says with a chuckle, rubbing her belly. “By Vegasstandards.”
“Just not by Agnus Hayes standards,” Shanesays.
“Have to make an honest woman of yer cousin before yer aunt has me castrated.” Aiden winks atme.
Emer rolls her eyes. “I’m already yer wife. If ye’d just have told her no, I’d be home right now with my feet up, relaxing. I swear ye’re more scared of my mum than ye are ofme.”
Aiden cups her chin, his eyes twinkling. “Trust me, there’s only one woman more stubborn than ye, and that’s yer mother. So, excuse me for wanting to keep my ballsintact.”
Emer shakes her head, the banter obviously one that’s been going on for sometime.
My heart skips a beat when I see Owen’s tall, muscular form walking towards us. My body reacts instantly, the delicious ache between my thighs returning, despite how much trouble I know I’m going to be in if I don’t excuse myself right at thismoment.
Owen’s face is pulled tight in a look of frustration, even though I’m pretty sure he hasn’t seen meyet.
“I should go.” I push my chair back, a little too quickly, causing a few liftedbrows.
“Don’t leave yet,” Emer begs. “Ye still haven’t seen Owen. Remember how ye used to follow him around like one of Mr. Murphy’s littlelambs?”
“I-”
“Shit,” Shane says, stretching, and giving a lazy grin. “I rememberthat.”
I know I’ve lost my window of escape, and even though I keep my gaze settled on Emer, I feel the moment Owen’s eyes land onme.
Little prickles skate across my flesh inwarning.
Damn, damn,damn.
“What’s going on?” Owen says harshly, and even though I still don’t look over at him, I know the words are directed atme.
Emer frowns at him, before saying, “Ye rememberBeatrice?”
“Beatrice?” I hear the confusion in hisvoice.
“Mycousin.”
I chance a look, and when I meet his gaze, I immediately wish I hadn’t. His eyes narrow on me, but his expression remainsdeadpan.
“Yercousin?”
I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comesout.
“Baby Bee,” Owen mutters past a snort, his eyes turning cold, hard, and filled with suspicion and betrayal. “Yeah, I rememberBeatrice.”
“I go by Bree now,” I mutter, physically shrinking at the look he givesme.
The table grows awkwardlysilent.
Owen pulls out the chair beside Aiden, sits down, and grabs the half empty coffee cup in front of him, downingit.
