Page 33 of An Enchanted Spring

“Not yet,” Aidan replied, shrugging out of his coat and tossing it onto the couch. “I’ve been waiting to see him in person.” He embraced Colin. “Remember your place, O’Rourke. It hasn’t been all that long since I trounced you in a wrestling match.”

“No need for a pissing contest,” Colin replied agreeably, slapping him on the back. “So she works for you?”

“Indeed she does. She’s exceptionally good at her job.”

Colin slid a glance to Emma, then replied lightly, “That’s good news.”

“I’m sorry for barging in on you like this. I insisted we stay at a hotel, but Aidan refused.”

Colin flashed his thousand-megawatt smile at her (she wasn’t immune—her stomach turned to jelly) and shook his head. “I would be insulted. I have plenty of room here. It’s a four-bedroom brownstone, and I only use one of them. Well, actually, I have another houseguest, but there’s still plenty of room even with him here.”

“Not O’Malley,” Aidan groaned.

Colin frowned. “Donotruin any of my furniture. If Bri ever found out you destroyed something valuable, you’d be toast.”

Aidan’s face changed to suspicion. “First, if that means what I think it means, we will indeed be staying somewhere else. And second, I doubt I’ll see Bri, as you won’t take me to her.”

Bri? Who’s Bri?

“You know it’s not that easy,” Colin protested mildly. “And if you need my help, as you mentioned last night, I think staying here is the safest bet, right?”

Aidan glanced at Emma, who was desperately trying to pretend she wasn’t interested in what they were saying, then asked Colin, “Where is he, then?”

“He’ll be down momentarily. Emma, let me take your coat. Would you like something to drink?”

“No, thank you,” she replied. “Um, where’s Cian going to stay?”

“With Aidan,” Colin replied, as though it were obvious. “I’ll put you in the adjoining room.”

“There’s no need to go to all this trouble,” she insisted. “Cian didn’t think we were followed. I don’t mind a hotel and Aidan can stay here—”

“Methinks the lady doth protest too much,” a deep, lilting, Irish-accented voice behind her said. Emma let out a small scream and whirled around, and, for the umpteenth time that day, her heart nearly stopped.

The man before her was tall—taller than either Colin or Aidan—and all she saw at first were impossibly large arms, crossed over an equally large chest. Her eyes traveled up to a face that would stop traffic—a chiseled jaw, covered with a day’s worth of dark stubble; a small cleft in his chin; smooth lips; a strong, patrician nose. Hard planes, cheekbones to die for, almost jet-black hair, and eyelashes that should’ve been illegal on a man. They framed the most beautiful set of hazel eyes Emma had ever seen.

Her mouth dried.

“O’Malley,” Aidan said tensely.

“MacWilliam,” he replied jovially. He stepped off the stair and held out his hand to Emma. “Reilly O’Malley. Call me Ry.”

“Emma, uh…Emma…”

“Perkins,” Aidan growled between his teeth.

“Right. Perkins,” she echoed as Reilly brought her hand to his lips. “Are you another cousin?”

Reilly met Aidan’s eyes, and his smile widened. “Aye.”

Did all the gorgeous man genes in the world fall to your family, Aidan?she wondered, slightly dazed.

“Probably not all of them,” Colin replied, not bothering to hide the smile in his voice.

Emma clapped her free hand over her mouth and felt the blush creep up her neck. “I didn’t say that aloud, did I?” she asked, horrified.

“Think nothing of it,” Reilly said easily, not letting go of her other hand. “The only one here whose head would get bigger is your friend Aidan’s, and he doesn’t seem to be paying any attention.”

“Emma, I’ll show you to your room,” Aidan spit out,taking her hand from Reilly’s and tucking it protectively into his arm. He shot Reilly a look and only glowered harder when Reilly laughed at him.

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