“Something’s wrong, and I’m not moving until you tell me what it is.”
Dragging my hands down my face, I sighed. “I’m pissed, okay?”
“I see that. Want to tell me why?”
Did I tell her the truth or play it off? I wasn’t good at this relationship shit. In the end, I went with truth.
“I’m pissed we got interrupted. I’m pissed you walked away when I was on the phone. I’m pissed Trent was flirting with you, and I’m pissed that I’m fucking pissed about all of that.”
Her brows lifted and she stared for the longest time before turning away from me and climbing into my truck.
“And they say the Irish are short-tempered,” she mumbled.
Shit, this woman made my damn chest flutter. “I’m sorry. I wanted to make love to you, Maebh, and you left.”
Stone-faced, she said, “Then don’t answer the fecking phone next time and don’t be a jealous eejit.”
She stared straight out the truck window. My mouth twitched with the threat of a smile and a part of me was curious as hell what pissing off Maebh O’Sullivan would be like. I had a feeling it would be interesting. Very interesting.
I got in and shut the door.
She was right. It was my own damn fault for not putting her first, especially with where we had been heading. I was a fucking idiot, and I knew it.
Maebh didn’t speak the entire time we drove to the club, and I was starting to think it had been a mistake to even come out. If she was going to give me the silent treatment, this wasn’t going to be a very fun date.
Parking, I turned the truck off and took her hand in mine. “I don’t know why I answered the phone. Maybe I was nervous. Or scared.”
She turned and let her gaze go straight to my eyes. “Of what?”
I brought her hand up to my lips and gently kissed it. “I’ve never felt these feelings before, Maebh. It’s not that I’m afraid of committing. The first time I kissed you, I knew I never wanted to kiss another woman again. Yes, it threw me for a loop, and I honestly wasn’t sure if I was going to be good at…at…well, this thing with us.”
She smiled that smile that I would walk to the moon for, the one she saved only for me. The way it made her green eyes sparkle made my heart flip.
“I feel like once we make love, you will own my heart a hundred percent, and I’ll be honest, that scares the living hell out of me. And worst of all, what if you say something or ask me to do something while we’re making love and I don’t understand with that damn accent of yours?”
Her lips opened slightly, and a tear slipped from her eyes and rolled down her cheek. At the same time, she busted out laughing.
She unbuckled, crawled over, and straddled me. I was quickly learning that this was something she liked to do, and I wanted her to do it as often as she liked.
Her mouth crashed to mine while my hands went to her hips, pulling her pussy into my hardening dick. We kissed like two horny teenagers parked at the local make-out spot. Our teeth hit, we nipped each other’s lips, and when I sucked her tongue into my mouth, she let out a moan that went straight to my cock. I was positive I was about to come in my pants. No one had ever made me feel like this before. It was a high I was sure I’d never come down from, and I loved every minute of it.
“Maebh, if we don’t stop I’m going to have you fuck me right here in the truck.”
“Alright…if we have to,” she gasped between kisses.
She started to grind into me, and I was about to lose control. Grabbing her ass, I squeezed it, and bucked my hips into her.
“I want you,” she whispered.
“I know, baby. I want you, too.”
Both of our hands went to the other’s pants. All rational sense left me, and I was actually going to fuck her in my truck.
No. We need to stop. Now.
My hands froze. “I’m not fucking you for the first time…for your first time…in my truck, Maebh.”
She stopped. It was as if my words got through to her. Her chest was heaving like mine.
“Jesus Christ,” I whispered, leaning my forehead to hers. “You’re like a curse that’s also the cure. How did I ever live without you before?”
“I feel the same way,” she said softly, her eyes looking into mine.
I wasn’t sure if what I was about to say would scare her away, because this shit was all happening so fast, but I didn’t care.
“I think I’m falling in love with you, Maebh.”
Tears filled her eyes and she looked at me like I was the greatest thing on Earth.
She spoke so softly I barely heard her. “I’ve already fallen.”
Today felt like a dream come true. Cord was holding my hand as we made our way across the dance floor to the bar.
“Hey, baby,” a guy said, giving me a creepy-looking wink. I glanced away, making sure not to look him in the eye.
A few women shot me dirty looks after saying hi to Cord. He completely ignored them as he focused on the bar.
It was childish of me, but I wanted to stick me tongue out and declare he was mine.
We got to the bar, and Cord looked to me for what I wanted to drink.
“Whiskey. Irish if they have it.”
He smiled, which made me knees weak. Would I always react this way to him? I was positive I would.
“My girl isn’t afraid to drink.”
I winked and watched his eyes turn dark with lust. Me panties were soaked in an instant.
Damn that Tammy for calling Cord. It hadn’t even been one day, and she was calling him for help. Truth be told, I was more hurt that he’d taken her call than I was angry. Especially after hearing what those two waitresses had said about her. Cord insisted it wasn’t true, but I was still going to keep me eye on her.
Cord handed me a beer and frowned. “No Irish whiskey.”
With a giggle, I took the beer and pressed it to me lips as Cord pulled me against his body while we looked out at the dance floor. The live band had taken a break and the dancers had cleared from the floor.
A song started to play, and Cord leaned down, his mouth moving lightly across me neck before he whispered into me ear, “Dance with me.”
Me body trembled and I lifted me beer for him to take and set on the table next to us.
Leading me to the dance floor, Cord faced me way and smiled. Me chest fluttered when he pulled me into his arms and held me close. Melting into his body, I closed me eyes and listened to the song. It was by one of me new favorite singers, Blake Shelton. Cord sang softly, and I was lost to him completely. I wanted to pinch me arm to make sure this was all real.
“Is this really happening, or am I dreaming?” I asked.
“I keep asking myself the same thing,” Cord replied, pulling me chin up to his.
“That night you ran into me. Do you remember that night?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“You smiled, and I was nearly knocked onto my ass. My brothers always told me when I met the right woman, it was going to do just that. You drove me so crazy after that first night I saw you. I pretended to not like you because you scared the shit out of me. You were this Irish vixen I couldn’t stay away from.”
“Do I still scare you?”
He shook his head while he ran his tongue over his soft lips. “The only thing that scares me now is you not being in my arms.”
We danced slowly and gazed at one another. This was what falling in love felt like. Was it too soon? Could I honestly be in love with him?
Yes. I’d been drawn to Cord for months, and even though we hadn’t dated, he had taken hold of me heart like no other man had before.
“I want to leave,” I whispered.
Cord flashed me a knowing grin and laced his hand in mine. We headed back through the crowd and out into the mild summer night. When we got to his truck, I went to say something when he pressed me against the door, covering his mouth with mine.
Me hands instantly moved up his chest and around his neck. If I could cr
awl inside of this man, I would.
“Maebh,” Cord whispered against me lips while he slipped his hands under me shirt. He groaned while running them over me bare skin. I wanted him to move them to me breasts. “I don’t deserve you.”
His words rattled in me head before I pushed them away. There was no other man I could ever imagine I’d want to be with. This man owned me heart already…he just needed to believe it.
“Yes, you do. Take me home, Cord,” I spoke against his ear.
Cord withdrew his hands and opened the door, helping me up inside. When he smiled, me heart felt like it was about to burst from me chest.
The ride back to his family’s lake house was silent as we listened to the radio, and Cord rubbed his thumb over me hand. The sensation made me tummy tumble with each stroke. I was beginning to wonder if I was imagining it after a while. How could he make me feel this way with the same touch he’d repeated for the last fifteen minutes?
We pulled into the garage, and Cord rushed around the side. Instead of reaching his hand out, he lifted me out of the cab, causing me to laugh. When he bumped me head walking into the house, I let out a yell, making him laugh so hard he almost dropped me.
“I thought you were a stronger lad than this!” I proclaimed as he stumbled up the stairs, nearly losing his balance.
He snorted and then got his balance back. Giving me a wink, he replied, “Be quiet, I’m about to make love to you, and I’m nervous as fuck. I feel like it’s my first damn time.”
Me smile fell. “You’re nervous? Really?”
Cord glanced down to me and went to speak, but tripped over the last step, causing us both to tumble to the ground. Except he tossed me forward, and I made it to the landing, while he fell down the steps. I cried out his name as well as, “Please, God. No! Please!”
“No, you don’t need to come here, Mom. I’m fine.”
Standing off to the side, I tried to hold back me smile as Cord tried to talk his mother out of driving up to the lake house.
“Mom, Maebh is here with me. I don’t have a concussion, and nothing is broken. I don’t see why you would want to come.”
I chewed on me lip. If Cord’s parents came we would for sure not be making love this weekend. That was twice in one day something had stopped us. I was hoping these weren’t warning signs.
He rolled his eyes. “Mom, I’m gonna have to be blunt. I can’t make any moves on Maebh if you’re in the house. I don’t care that you and Dad would be on the other side of the house. She’s a screamer, and this is our first time.”
Me jaw dropped and I stared with a shocked look while I stumbled back into the chair. “Cord!” I gasped.
He laughed and then stopped. “Yes. I’m positive I’m okay, and you don’t need to drive here. We’re enjoying ourselves and getting to know each other—just like you planned, right? Yes, mother, I’ll use extra caution.”
I groaned and dropped into the chair in the hospital room. Never would I be able to show me face to Melanie again.
“I love you, too. Bye.”
Then the bastard started to laugh.
“Shit, it hurts to laugh. You sure I didn’t break any ribs?” the eejit asked as he looked me way.
“How could you say that to your mother?” I asked, a horrified look on me face.
He snorted. “Calm down. She had answered the other line to let Waylynn know I was okay. She wasn’t even on the phone when I said that about you being a screamer. I just wanted to see those cheeks flush.”
Me hand covered me pounding heart. “Oh, thank God!”
He chuckled. “I love it when you say thank. It sounds like tank.”
I rolled me eyes. “So you’ve said before. You may not have anything broken now, but wait till I batter ya! You scared the piss out of me.”
Cord flashed a brilliant smile, then let it falter some. “I’m sorry, baby. Seems like we can’t catch a break.”
I walked up to him and pushed me fingers through his hair. “It will happen when it’s supposed to. How do you feel?”
“Sore all over.”
“The doctor said you should take a hot bath when you get home.”
He wiggled his brows. “Will you take one with me? I know how much you like baths.”
Pulling me lip into me mouth, I felt me cheeks blush. “We’ll see.”
It was all I could say. I knew if we took a bath, things would turn naughty, and Cord had just fallen down a flight of stairs.
“Okay, Mr. Parker. You’re all set to go. Just need you to sign these discharge papers and then you and Mrs. Parker can head on out.”
Me breath hitched in me throat, and I was about to correct the nurse, when Cord replied, “Thank goodness. I’m ready to get my Irish cailin home.”
The nurse flashed me a sweet smile.
“Must be newlyweds. I can always tell.”
Me eyes widened, and I wasn’t sure what to say. The idea of being married to Cord sent a strange thrill through me body.
As if her last comment wasn’t enough to jolt Cord, she went on. “Your wife certainly loves you. It’s obvious when she looks at you, the same when you look at her.”
Me stomach dropped to the floor, and I stood speechless. Cord had been signing his discharge papers when he looked directly at me. I’d thought for sure he’d be running away at the nurse’s words. But he wasn’t, and what he had said next made me entire body warm.
“I’m a hell of a lucky man, that’s for sure.”
He winked, and I grinned like those two silly teenagers I’d met at the store earlier today.
After pulling up me car, I jumped out and ran to the passenger door to help Cord get in.
The nurse was trying her best to help Cord, but he refused. “I’m fine, honestly,” Cord said to the nurse. I had a sneaky feeling she wanted to put her arms around him.
“You kids have fun this weekend. No rushing! You’ll have plenty of time with your wife!” the nurse called out. I groaned and walked back to me side of the car as I heard Cord thank her.
“Thanks, Betty! You know young love! Hopefully she’ll keep her naughty down for a few days.”
The nurse giggled and covered her flushed cheeks.
Cord had informed the older nurse that while we were, in fact, on our honeymoon, I had asked to try something new in the bedroom, and it had caught him off guard when he was carrying me up the stairs. That’s when he tossed me to safety and fell. He had the poor woman eating out of his hand with our made-up honeymoon story. Before that, I swore every nurse who came into his room checked his ribs “just once more” to make sure they hadn’t been broken…as if the X-ray wasn’t good enough.
Once I got into the car and pulled away, I slapped him on the chest.
“Ouch! I’m sore, Maebh! I just fell down a flight of stairs.”
“And you’ll fall down another one if you tell one more person I’m doing naughty things to you!”
He leaned his chair back and closed his eyes. “Well, you did blow me on the lake. I get the feeling you like public sex.”
Rolling me eyes, I drove back to the lake house. It was two in the morning, and I was exhausted. They had given Cord something for the pain at the hospital, along with a prescription if he felt like he needed it.
We had been five minutes away from the hospital when he fell asleep. It took another ten minutes to get him into the house and up the stairs to his room.
Cord reached out his hand and took mine. With a pouting lip, he whispered, “Don’t leave me. Please stay.”
Oh, sweet baby Jesus. How do I say no to that face?
Keeping me shirt and panties on, I crawled into bed and let Cord pull me against his body. I had envisioned this night being totally different, but something about him holding me in his arms felt perfectly right.
Me eyes drifted closed and snapped back open when Cord spoke.
“I’ve never slept with a woman in my bed.”
“Never?” I asked, me heart racing.
&
nbsp; “Mmm…never.”
And just like that, he fell asleep, and I laid there another hour letting his words replay over and over in me head.
My eyes opened, and I smiled. Then panicked.
My heart beat twice the normal beats per minute, and I was positive I was sweating.
Maebh was in my bed.
In my arms.
Sleeping.
And we both had clothes on.
And I fucking loved it.
Jesus H. Christ. What in the hell is wrong with me?
I had never in my life slept next to a woman. Never had a woman in my bed. Not even for a quick fuck. I fucked in their beds, got up and left. I’d rolled around in a few hotel beds—but never stayed the night. I never spooned or cuddled. And I sure as fuck never had my hard-as-a-rock cock pressed into a woman’s panty-covered ass.
I groaned internally. Not because I didn’t love every single second of this. I did. I groaned because I wasn’t the type of guy who liked this shit…until Maebh O’Sullivan entered my world and turned it upside down and inside out.
Nothing about my life had been normal since this Irish beauty ran into me at my bar. I wanted her like I’d never wanted another woman. Hell, I didn’t even want any other woman. The idea of flirting with one of the nurses last night was the last thing on my mind, even if the two young pretty ones kept coming in. Maebh rolled her eyes a time or two, and I found myself wondering if she was jealous. If the roles had been reversed, and it had been male nurses falling all over Maebh, I’d have beaten their asses. Maebh was mine, and I had no problem letting any douchebag who tried to get her attention know that fact.
Fucking hell, I’ve turned into my brothers. I’ve been bitten by the bug.
Maebh wiggled next to me, and I froze. That perfect ass pushed against me some, and I had to fight with all my strength to keep from stripping her down and burying myself into her. We’d tried twice yesterday to make love and each time we were stopped. I was tired of waiting for the right moment.
But first I had to piss. Slowly moving from her, I got out of bed and made my way to the bathroom.
Motherfucker. My entire body was sore from my tumble down the stairs.
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