Devon’s voice rang through the room as he pushed open the door. “Hello, lovely. Got any pizza left to share with us?”
“Out!” Megan shrieked tossing a pillow at him.
She barely caught the red flush of Devon’s cheeks as he noticed Megan was only wearing a bra and leggings before he slammed the door shut. Sam and Megan collapsed into a fit of giggles.
“How does he seriously get embarrassed by bras after living with two girls all these years?” Megan asked between laughter.
“I’m not afraid of bras,” Devon called through the door, which only made Megan and Sam laugh harder.
“Watch this,” Sam said, pulling off her bra under her shirt. She cracked the door open and flung her lacey black bra at Devon.
Megan heard Zander’s laughter booming in the hall as Devon swore under his breath.
“Hey, where’s my lingerie?” Zander called through the door.
“Come in here and get it,” Megan taunted.
“Megan!” Sam hissed.
“Oh go back to your room and let me have some fun,” Megan teased. “And show Devon the panties that match that bra to cheer him up,” she said slapping Sam on the ass.
Sam yelped, but grinned devilishly. “Maybe I will.”
Megan pulled on a sweater as Eggsy followed Sam through the adjoining bathroom to her bedroom. When the doors were shut Megan peeked out into the hall. Both boys were standing there. Zander was grinning as Devon pretended to model Sam’s bra. His cheeks turned scarlet when he noticed Megan smirking at him.
“I-I was just messing about,” Devon stuttered dropping the bra.
Megan stifled a laugh. “Sam’s waiting for you in your room.”
“Right.” Devon gave them a salute and ran the short distance to his room.
When Megan and Zander were finally alone, she slipped fully into the hall and grinned at him. Zander looked even more handsome than usual today. He was wearing a gray suit with a navy tie. He hadn’t shaved and the shadow of stubble gave him a rugged edge that made Megan’s toes curl.
“I heard talks of a fashion show and pizza,” Zander said.
“You heard right.”
“Any chance I could get a sneak preview of tonight’s dress?” he asked with a sinful smirk playing on his gorgeous lips.
“And spoil the surprise? Never.”
Zander
Zander couldn’t help himself from flirting with Megan. She looked adorable in her oversized sweater, fuzzy socks and leggings that hugged her curves. “Awe come on. I bought the dress, the least ye could do is model it for me.”
“About that,” Megan said. “I’m going to pay you back for the dress and everything else I bought.”
Zander smiled. “That’s not necessary.”
“Maybe not, but I’m still paying you back. I didn’t come here to be a freeloader.”
Zander arched his eyebrow. “No?”
Megan swatted him. “No!”
“Why did ye come here?” he asked playfully.
“To spend time with you,” she said. All humor had left her sparkling blue eyes as she spoke, blinking up at him with trepidation.
“I was hoping you’d say that,” he whispered.
Zander could no longer resist temptation. He leaned in and kissed Megan, winding his arms around her. She sighed into his mouth and he had to restrain himself from taking her right there in the hallway. Instead, Zander picked Megan up, allowing her to wrap her legs around his hips as he pressed her against the door, kissing her feverishly.
“You’re in a good mood today,” Megan panted between kisses.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“I’m assuming you and Devon patched things up?”
“We did.”
“I knew it,” Megan said wrapping her arms tighter around him.
“It seems yer my lucky charm,” Zander said kissing her.
Megan kissed him back, then spoke against his lips. “I’ll be your lucky charm any day, Mr. O’Leary.”
“Is that so?” he murmured against her.
“It ‘tis,” she teased, in her mocking Irish accent.
“But ye still won’t show me yer dress?”
“Nope, but if you’re lucky, maybe I’ll let you take it off of me later.”
Zander barked a surprised laugh. “Ye always say just what yer thinking, don’t ye?”
“Life’s too short not to.”
“Well here’s to taking advantage of the time we have,” Zander said kissing her again.
Megan
When Megan floated back into her room she grabbed her inhaler and took two deep puffs to steady herself. When her breath finally came easier she slid down against the wall until she was resting on the floor. Zander had nearly kissed her senseless. If his cell phone hadn’t rung she’d probably have caught fire in his arms.
Where the hell had he learned to kiss like that? Was there some secret school that Irish boys went to that taught how to make panties catch fire with just a kiss?
Zander already had the advantage with his looks and adorable accent. It truly wasn’t fair that his lips were magical, too. Megan was defenseless against his charms. But she smiled giddily, realizing she didn’t care.
She was hopelessly smitten with Zander. She’d never felt this way about anyone before, and that was saying something, considering how many book boyfriends she’d had.
Megan looked at her pink party dress hanging on her closet door and grinned. There was no hope of keeping it on all night. Especially if Zander kissed her like that again.
14
Zander
It was finally time for the Cor-Tec gala. The rest of Zander’s day had passed in a blur of chaos as he answered questions for staff and vendors, but the end result was perfection. Megan had been right; hosting the party at the James’ Estate was a brilliant solution.
The ballroom looked spectacular. Zander took his final walk through, signing off on the catering order and leaving the bartenders to finish setting up their stations. Relief swelled inside Zander for the first time in months. Things were going well. He’d pulled off the venue switch, he’d made up with Devon, and things with Megan couldn’t be better.
Last night Zander was torn between whether or not letting things go further with Megan was a good idea. But with today going so well, he found himself hopeful.
Megan
Megan was a ball of excitement when Zander knocked on her bedroom door. He’d texted her earlier and insisted on making a real date out of the gala. He said he’d pick her up at her door and drive her around front so they could make a grand entrance together.
“Coming!” Megan yelled when Zander knocked again. She was just strapping the last buckle of her patent leather Mary Jane’s. They were the tallest heels she owned and she hoped they’d help make up the height difference between her and Zander. Although she certainly didn’t mind when he pulled her off her feet to kiss her.
She glanced quickly in the mirror one last time—her black hair was pinned up, her pink dress pressed, her makeup flawless. She grabbed her little black clutch and trotted over to the door. When she pulled it open she squealed with delight.
“You look like James Bond!” Megan exclaimed taking in Zander wearing a classic tuxedo.
“I’ll take it,” he said giving her a smoldering grin. “Ye look stunning, doll face.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely.”
“I told Sam you’d like my dress.”
“It’s a bold choice,” Zander added. “But that’s how I like my women.” He held out his arm to Megan. “Ready, love?”
“I was born ready!”
“I was serious about making a grand entrance. Ye need a coat.”
“I’d rather you keep me warm,” Megan said cozying up to Zander.
He smirked and wrapped an arm around her. “Have I ever told ye I like the way ye think?”
“Maybe, but I could get used to hearing it.”
Zander led Megan to a
side door, where a limo was waiting for them. The air outside was stunningly cold, but Megan barely felt it with Zander’s hand pressed to her back as he helped her into the car.
The limo joined the processional of cars lined up at the gates to the James’ Estate and Zander uncorked a bottle of champagne. He poured them each a glass and held his up for a toast. “To our first date,” he said, clinking his glass against Megan’s.
How long had she waited to hear those words? Megan was practically glowing as she drank her champagne. The bubbles danced through her chest, doing the tango when they joined the butterflies in her stomach. As Zander pulled her close, the butterflies morphed into bats. He tucked her under his arm and kissed her lightly.
“Maybe we should just stay in here?” Megan teased, wishing she could climb into his lap and kiss him until she was breathless again.
“And miss the party ye planned? I don’t think so.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
Zander snorted. “Don’t get modest on me now, doll face. I never would’ve been able to pull this off without ye standing up to Rita.”
Megan smiled. “She’s a bit of a troll.”
“Ye have no idea. Do ye know this is the first real date I’ve been on in years?”
“Oh poor baby. Pretending to date all those gorgeous women Rita sets you up with must be pure torture.”
“Ye joke, but it really isn’t as fun as it seems.”
Megan crossed her arms. “Zander, you know you lived a charmed life, don’t you?”
“I know, but—”
“But what?”
“Sometimes I wonder what I gave up to have all of this.”
“You mean, like college?”
He shrugged.
“I thought Cor-Tec was what you wanted.”
“It is. But I sort of skipped over the university experience and went straight to the working-yourself-to-death experience.”
“Well you’re not missing much,” Megan said. “It’s mostly studying, with a few drunken parties thrown in for good measure.”
“So high school, then?”
Megan laughed. “Basically. Just less parental supervision.”
“Sounds like high school to me.”
Megan paused hoping Zander would go on. They’d talked about nearly everything in the time they’d been getting to know each other, but Zander always changed the subject whenever his parents came up. All Megan knew was that they weren’t around and his older sister Cara pretty much raised him.
When Zander didn’t offer anything more she shrugged. “If you want a frat party experience all you have to do is ask.”
“Ye go to frat parties, do ye?”
“Have you met me?” Megan asked. “Unless there’s some film nerd frat I don’t know about, that’s not really my scene. But I am ridiculously good at drinking games.”
“Now that’s something I’d like to see.”
Megan stuck her hand out. “You’re on, handsome.”
15
Megan
Megan’s fairytale night continued as she emerged from the limo onto the red carpet with Zander. Flashbulbs erupted as the mob of media snapped photos and shouted Zander’s name. Megan even heard her own name a few times. It made her grin, knowing Rita had done her job. Megan couldn’t wait to read the headlines.
Boston belle on the arm of Ireland’s most eligible bachelor. It had a nice ring to it.
Megan gave her best smile as she struck pose after pose on the red carpet, clinging to Zander’s steady arm. His smile was easier than she’d seen it in days as he answered questions for the press about the fundraising potential of the gala. Megan was enjoying seeing him in his element. For someone who said he didn’t enjoy the spotlight, Zander was certainly made for it. The cameras loved him and he had the press eating out of his hands.
When they’d finally run the media gauntlet, Megan and Zander went to join Sam and Devon inside the ballroom.
Megan’s mouth fell open as she stepped inside the transformed room.
“It looks like the Yule Ball in here,” she exclaimed, taking in the breath-taking room.
Zander laughed. “Then we’d better have a dance.”
Megan felt like she’d stepped from fairytale to Hollywood as Zander led her through the crowded ballroom packed with Ireland’s elite. The room pulsed with a pale blue glow emanating from the dozens of glittering chandeliers. Swathes of white fabric had been draped to each of the massive stone pillars, giving the impression of walking into an elegant Arabian tent. Gargoyles guarded each corner of the vast black and white checkered dance floor, and fairy lights danced with life beneath the sheer fabric adorning the cocktail tables. The room shifted continually between hues of blues and whites, making it feel alive.
Zander pulled Megan close to him on the dance floor and swayed to the barely existent beat of what was most definitely meant to be background music.
Megan giggled. “I had no idea you were such a Casanova.”
“Are ye criticizing my dance moves, doll face?”
“I’d hardly call this dancing.”
Zander pressed his mouth close to Megan’s ear. “Alright, ye caught me,” he replied. “Maybe I just wanted an excuse to be closer to ye.”
“I told you we should’ve stayed in the limo.”
“Remind me to listen to ye more often,” he murmured, sending a delicious tremor through her.
“I will,” Megan whispered against his neck. “Now let’s go get a drink so everyone stops staring,” she said, doubting her bright pink dress for the first time.
Sam had been right, everyone in the room was in full-length dark gowns. Megan felt like a glowing pink gumball in her short poufy dress.
“One more song,” Zander begged, making all of Megan’s doubts vanish.
Zander O’Leary wanted to dance with her—and she didn’t give a damn about anything else.
Zander
Zander gave the DJ a thumbs up and the trance-like house music morphed into a real song. Jose Gonzalez’s haunting melody filled the room and Megan reeled back, blinking up at Zander, here blue eyes aflame with wonder.
“You planned this?” she accused, sounding astonished.
“Maybe.” He gave her a crooked smile, admitting nothing.
“You expect me to believe the DJ just happened to play my favorite song?”
“I was thinking maybe it could be our song?”
The smile that lit Megan’s face had been absolutely worth Zander’s scheming. Her dimples made his heart melt and he had an urge to bite the delicious apples of her cheeks.
“I like the sound of that,” she replied.
Zander pulled Megan to him and danced slowly, savoring the feeling of having her in his arms. The heels she wore made her the perfect height. Her cheek rested against his chest and he never wanted to let her go.
“We should’ve picked a longer song,” Zander complained when the song ended, fading back into typical cocktail party music.
Megan laughed. “Come on, Romeo. Let’s go enjoy the party.”
Zander sighed, knowing the minute he left the dance floor his fun would be over and the work would begin. The ballroom was full of potential investors, clients and VIP’s that he needed to impress. But sadly, all he wanted to do was snog the adorable girl in the pink dress that was beating down his defenses.
16
Megan
“He’s been over there for a while. Do you think I should go rescue him?” Megan asked.
Devon laughed. “He’s a big boy. I think he can handle himself.”
Megan frowned. She hadn’t seen Zander since their dance. The minute they stepped off the dance floor, Zander had been swept away by people in fancy tuxedos and ball gowns, clamoring for a minute of his time.
Luckily, Megan found Sam and Devon, but she was beginning to think maybe Zander was right. Endless events like these could get boring after a while—especially when you couldn’t spend them with who you wanted to.
Megan scanned the room putting together a plan.
“What are you plotting?” Sam asked, eyeing Megan suspiciously.
She grinned at her friends. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Sam, she has that look again,” Devon said, sounding worried. “I hate when Megs gets that look.”
“Just meet me behind the fireplace with four beers in ten minutes,” Megan replied giving her friends a wink.
Megan gathered her champagne flute and her courage as she marched toward Zander and the bushy-eyebrowed old man who’d been chewing his ear for nearly thirty minutes.
When Megan was near enough she feigned a stumble, perfectly timing it to land right in Zander’s arms, spilling her champagne all over him.
“Oh my God! I’m so sorry!” Megan exclaimed. “I’m such a klutz.”
“It’s okay,” Zander replied, looking completely stunned.
“No it’s not! Your poor jacket! I’ve gotten champagne all over it. Let’s get some club soda on it before it sets,” Megan said tugging Zander away from his startled-looking companion. “I’m sorry, sir. I’ll bring him right back.”
Zander waved an apology as Megan pulled him away. They didn’t stop until they were behind the hidden alcove Megan had spotted behind the crackling fireplace.
“Don’t be mad,” Megan protested. “You just looked so bored.”
“Mad!” Zander hissed. “Are ye mental? That was bloody brilliant. Maybe ye should be an actress instead of a director?”
Megan snorted. “I’m much more comfortable behind the camera, but thanks.”
Sam and Devon slipped in behind them, carrying two beers each.
“Perfect timing!” Megan greeted.
“What are we doing back here?” Sam asked.
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