Page 7 of Built to Last

chapterfour

FINNEGAN

Sadie insisted that we meet at the bar instead of letting me pick her up. I’m already here when she arrives. She looks just as she did at the lab, except she’s missing her white coat. Her thick, wavy hair is still piled on top of her head in a messy bun. She pushes her glasses further up her nose, then she sees me leaning against the bar.

I shove off the wood and close the distance between us. I cup one side of her face while I lean down and press a kiss to her lips. It’s not how I want to kiss her, but for now a gentle meeting of our mouths is all that’s necessary.

After standing back upright, I smile down at her. I thread our fingers together, pulling her closer to my side.

“What do you want to drink?”

“Gin and tonic would be nice,” she says.

My dick is already awake and paying attention, stirring against my thigh. It doesn’t take much to turn me on when it comes to Sadie. If I ever do get her naked, I’ll probably come all over myself like a damned virgin before I even get inside her wet heat.

I order our drinks, then steer her towards the large booth in the far right corner. This bar is an older one that’s recently gone through a remodel to mimic an old speakeasy. So it’s dark and has plenty of seating with plush velvet-like fabric. This is one of my favorite recent projects that Declan and I worked on.

The faces of Sadie’s co-workers lock onto us as we make our way to the table.

“Dr. McCall,” Tina says, her tone full of disbelief.

“Hello everyone,” Sadie says.

I let her scoot into the booth, then sit right next to her, completely ignoring the pleading glance Tina is shooting me.

Sadie’s nose wrinkles. “It’s so nice to see everyone outside of the lab.”

I cover my snort by putting my arm around the back of the booth, behind Sadie and wrap my fingers around her hip. That little, adorable nose wrinkle, that’s totally her tell. She’s a shit liar and she obviously is not so happy to see everyone.

This woman.

The science fucker that Sadie thinks she wants isn’t seated over here, but if this week is anything like last, he’ll be making his rounds through the women in the bar.

Sadie takes a swallow of her gin and tonic, then her pink tongue darts out to lick her lips. How does she not know how damn sexy she is? All she’d likely have to do is proposition Chet and he’d be in to her. Still, he’s wrong for my girl. I know that deep in my bones.

My phone buzzes in my pocket. I slip it out to make sure it’s not a family emergency. My two siblings and I and my nephew are all that’s left of our O’Malley family. So we’re very close. I suppose I should start including Jillian’s husband in with that but haven’t rearranged my thinking in that direction.

My phone already has a handful of messages on the screen.

JILLY-BEAN: Finnegan! I know what you’re doing.

DECLAN: What’s he doing?

JILLY-BEAN: He’s “fake dating” Sadie tonight so she can get the attention of a fellow scientist.

DECLAN: Oh, say it ain’t so, bro.

JILLY-BEAN: Obviously you’ve already started drinking, Dec.

DECLAN: Maybe I just naturally rhyme. Maybe I think it’s sublime.

I roll my eyes. The weird rhyming thing only starts with my older brother when he’s drinking Scotch. I’ve never understood it, but it happens every time.

ME: What do y’all want?

JILLY-BEAN: Are you planning to tell her the truth?

DECLAN: Oh, she’s got you there, baby bear.

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