Page 19 of An Irish Kiss
“Nope, she’s not.She’s one hundred percent available, aren’t you Rory?”Aisling insisted.
“Hey, it’s fine.I don’t want you to feel like you’ve been put on the spot like this,” Aidan assured.
She withheld a sigh.Shot her sister a micro-glare, then glanced back at their guest.“It’s no trouble at all.I’d be happy to take you.”Because she’d then perhaps find out more about this man and what he was doing here.Even if she’d have to guard her heart—and face—from getting carried away.
“Really?”His voice was soft.Then, as she nodded, he smiled.“That would be great.”
No, she thought as she watched him hurry up the stairs to change his muddied clothes, what would be great would be surviving tonight with her heart intact.
“You can now thank me,” Aisling said.
Rory spun to face her.“What was that?You might as well have picked me up and flung me at his head.”
“Oh, come on.Don’t tell me you don’t like the man.”
“I don’t like the man,” she snapped, hoping her voice wouldn’t echo off the walls and bounce up the stairs.
“Yes you do.I can see it.You’ve got the same look as Colin did when he first told us about Kara.”
Oh, she wished she didn’t have a face that gave away her heart like this!
“Okay, fine.I think he’s nice.”
“And very handsome.”Aisling fanned herself.
“And very handsome,” she mumbled.“But he’s a guest.He lives in Australia.So already I can see a lot of problems there.”
“Why, because he lives in Australia?I have to say I don’t see too many problems with that.Imagine all that sunshine, and seeing kangaroos and koalas, and those beaches, and—”
“Well maybe you should be the one throwing yourself at him then,” she snipped.
“Ah, but I could never live with myself, knowing you had first dibs.”
“He’s not the front seat of a car.He’s a man.”
“He certainly is,” Aisling purred.
Ugh.“I’m getting changed.You need to behave.”
“No promises.”Aisling’s words chased her up the stairs.
* * *
For a womanwho’d said she didn’t like him, Rory Fairall was doing a good job at hiding it.He guessed he was who she’d meant, when he’d heard her “I don’t like the man” comment float up the stairs behind him.And to be fair, he suspected the sister might’ve goaded a little too far, so he couldn’t blame her.But he wasn’t above making the most of Miss Aurora’s attempts to show that she hadn’t meant what she said before.Such as when they’d returned to the foyer, and she’d tossed her sister a look then told him she’d be happy to drive him.
“Are you sure?I don’t want you to feel obliged to spend time with someone you don’t like.”
Her head had whipped around to face him, her eyes stricken.“You heard that?”
He felt bad for a moment, having meant that as tease, and was about to answer when she touched his arm.
“I’m sorry.I open my mouth sometimes and it’s like both feet go in.My sister was provoking—”
“Hey!”Aisling called.
“Come on.”Rory hurried outside, and he followed, catching Aisling’s wink.
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” she teased.“Or maybe don’t do anything I would!”
