by Alisa Mullen
I slowly left his room and closed the door with a soft click of the handle. One more roundabout through this lame ass party and I was out of here.
Chapter Three
Aoife
It had been a whirlwind of brisk, rapid meetings and parties since I landed in America three days ago. Between filling out paperwork at my summer internship job in downtown Boston and moving into my own little apartment, Freddie and I had made frequent visits to his colleagues as a way of saying he was “back in town”. I don’t know why he always asked me and only me. Perhaps he knew how sheltered I was back in Wicklow, Ireland. There were eight of us in the group and while many of them were sharing apartments and seeing the city with excitement, he didn’t seem interested in asking them to join us when we went out.
Freddie had also introduced me to many professionals in the marketing field – a solid career I was desperately working towards entering while studying in college. I want to perform marketing activities for financial companies. A guy that lived in my little town of Wicklow got a job as a financial firm marketing advisor and he was now living in the posh area of the Greystones. I wanted that for me and my family more than anything.
Wicklow, a small fishing town south of Dublin, was probably the dullest place in the world. My days back home consisted of a bus ride to and from work, cooking, and cleaning. Hit repeat. A good time for me meant I could soak in a tub with a glass of wine and read a romantic novel on my Kindle. Even those blissful moments were few and far between. I was sheltered and yes, Boston was overwhelming but I told myself on the plane that I would try to enjoy my time here because I knew something like this would never happen again. This was my moment of just being Aoife, without my drunken da and my commitment to care for my family.
Freddie asked me to join him and attend this swanky party at an “old friend’s” place and because of my desire to be more open in America, I agreed. He was, after all, the one who got me this spot in the internship work study program, making more than twice what I was making back in Dublin. Freddie was important to the success of my future and the future of my family. I probably would never turn down an opportunity from Freddie.
From the way Freddie and his “old friend”, Lizzie, had eagerly greeted each other earlier in the evening, I got the impression that their friendship ran a bit more complicated than just a casual acquaintance. Her husband, Nick, also appeared to stiffen up when we walked through the elevator doors to their gorgeous penthouse. I curiously followed Freddie with my eyes as he started to mingle. He was a fascinating guy. It was apparent that he had an unconventional history with this particular group and that automatically made me feel like I was a third wheel. I was exhausted from introductions and meeting new people so tonight I didn’t even try to remember names. Earlier in the week, I thought about buying flashcards so that I wouldn’t forget the important people I had been introduced to. This party, however, was unlike any of the others I had attended. This was truly a place to hang out, party, and forget about life for a while. That was all fine and I certainly didn’t want to seem ungrateful, but I wanted my bed, a book, and a break from people. Instead, I sucked it up and wedged myself in the great room’s corner. I hovered over a small plate of appetizers with a glass of wine and watched the crowd.
I had just taken a large bite out of a baby carrot when the sexiest man I had ever laid eyes on walked off the elevator and into the room. Without hesitation, Lizzie immediately drew him into her arms and I watched him purposely as a mixture of emotions shifted over his face. Was he another man in love with that Lizzie chick? Clearly, they had history, too. Jesus, this party was beyond bizarre. When he pulled away from her, I watched as her husband, Nick approached and Mr. Sex on Legs listened and cheekily smiled at the both of them. It was a bit fixed, like he wanted to be anywhere but standing in front of them.
Watching from the sideline, I finally got a good look at all of the man. He was heavily tattooed. I couldn’t see an inch of skin that hadn’t been marked. It looked like he was into Celtic and Tribal black designs. He sported a green Henley shirt which he had pulled up to his elbows and a tattered Red Sox hat on backwards. The jeans he wore had seen healthier – maybe even cleaner days. That sorry excuse for a belt was fortunately not doing its job since I could see lettering from his black briefs poking out from the jeans. I gradually felt suffocated as each moment passed as my eyes were plastered to the man’s body.
My mouth was salivating and that was before he gave Lizzie his drop dead, sexy smile that made me rub my knees together. He was not only hot, he was adorable, he was Alpha male, and he was perfection. Purr- fection. I suddenly wanted to graze my body against his to feel his skin. And then I caught my lonely, bloody mind from thinking any more dirty thoughts. That was insane. When was the last time I had blatantly checked out a guy? Jesus Christ, Aoife – get your bloody shite together, I thought.
I looked down at my little plate and decided I was not interested in food any longer. I went to put it on the nearest table. When I looked back up to admire the stunning specimen, he was gone. Quickly, I darted my eyes all around the room. He was nowhere. Had he just come and left – just like that? The niggling sensation in my belly deflated into a depressing ball of nothingness. I stood there a little while longer, finally deciding that I needed to find the bathroom.
When I approached Freddie for directions, he continued his conversation with some guy and pointed towards the other side of the room – down a hallway. I rolled my eyes at his lack of specific instructions and made my way down the hall. The first door was open and it looked like a little girl’s room. The second door was closed. I tried the handle to see if it was locked. It wasn’t so I knocked once and went in.
I couldn’t tell if I was excited or embarrassed that I had walked in on sexy ass and a little boy who were talking in hushed tones. What I did know was that this was clearly not the bathroom. I excused myself, which prompted the boy to give me accurate directions to the right location and then I high tailed it out of there. I found the bathroom and threw cold water on my face. I would give this party about thirty more minutes and then I was going back to my apartment.
As I went to walk back to the great room, I realized I hadn’t closed the boy’s door when I had run out. I stood to the side, debating on whether or not to close it at that point. I smacked my forehead. “You bloody stupid girl,” I whispered to myself.
His voice rang out into the hallway. It was urgent, full of complete sincerity, and love. He told the boy that he was always there for him and if he ever needed anything, he was only one phone call away. I could tell that they were hugging at one point. The kid sounded sad and the Sex God sounded strong and resolved that no matter what happened, he would always be there to protect him.
While I knew I was officially an eavesdropping lunatic after the hottest man on the planet, I also knew that I didn’t give a fuck. I wanted to listen to him tell me those things every day, every night – always. He wasn’t just a beautiful face or a sexy ass male. He was a loving and gentle person.
I shook my head at that thought and scurried past the door and back to my corner of the room to resume party watching.
Twenty six minutes to go and I was out of there.
That was my solid plan until the object of my infatuation reentered the party and started to mingle with the many people. Perhaps I would stay and continue to imagine what his skin felt like. That was clearly more of a rich experience than any book ever printed.
Chapter Four
Sean
I headed back into the great room and scoped out the scene. It was always interesting to see who had been invited to Nick and Lizzie’s latest shin-digs. I spotted Brennan and a very large Julia Delaney across the room. Jesus, she was about to pop. On the other side of the room, I saw Johnny spoon feeding something to a girl that had a patch over her eye. He was laughing with her and, wide-eyed, I did a double take at the fact that Julia and Johnny were both in the same room and not killing each ot
her. Both had started the band, Love Sick Ponies, with a guy named Dex. They were engaged to be married but some shit went down and Julia called off the engagement and I guess chose family over the road since she was very pregnant.
Lizzie obviously read my face because I felt her come up to me before she actually spoke. Fucking magnetic. Fucking annoying.
“I was so fucking worried, Sean,” Lizzie said from behind me in a soft tone. “Nick insisted on inviting them both. I didn’t sleep at all last night thinking that those two would be bloodied and taken out on stretchers by the end of the night.”
I nodded and gave a noncommittal grunt. It wasn’t my place to take sides but rock stars will be rock stars and even though some of them I did consider to be friends, I didn’t trust their lifestyle. Always on the road – always coming up with ideas and changing with each sunset they experienced on the highway. I suppose that with their drama, a bloodied body on a stretcher wouldn’t be the worst thing to go down tonight.
“Where is Ethan?” I asked as I looked around the room quickly to see the extremely vivacious new lead singer of Love Sick Ponies. He was actually pretty perfect for the band. He and I got along really well when I met up with them for a show or two. He wasn’t all into himself, like other band members I had met on tour. He was a genuine guy. I was disappointed that he wasn’t in the room.
“His mother is not well so he couldn’t be here,” she twisted her lips with concern. Lizzie was always so caring. She got involved in situations that didn’t have anything to do with her. I thought she was a fixer because of everything that had happened that she couldn’t control.
“What’s up with the girl’s eye patch?” I asked, nodding my head in Johnny’s direction, without turning around.
“An accident, I guess. Johnny doesn’t say much about it because he is wicked protective of her. From what I know, she lost her eyesight for a while but that eye is disfigured so she won’t show it in public. Johnny is so in love with her. Last gossip I heard he was planning on asking her to marry him. Emily is her name.”
“Good for him,” I admitted. Johnny was the definition of man whore on tour.
I spotted Freddie and went still. How does that guy show up all the damn time at these things? How fucking often is he here in the US? Doesn’t he live in Ireland? I would never believe it if he didn’t have the thick accent to go with his curly brown hair.
“What is it?” Lizzie asked concerned.
“Freddie is here, too?” I asked incredulously. Jesus, did she want to fucking tear my heart out and light it on fire now or after dinner?
“Yeah,” she drew out the word. “What’s wrong with that?”
I had to compose myself and quick. Two guys in this room had been inside of my girl and I wasn’t one of them. I suddenly felt like the biggest fucking douche bag. I was an idiot to come.
“Nothing, nothing…I just didn’t know he was in the States again,” I tried to force out in my most calm voice.
“He is heading up the internship and work study program for a college in Dublin. Go figure,” she snorted. “Aoife is with him. She is one of his interns. Nice girl. You see her?”
Lizzie was nothing if she wasn’t a gossip. She pointed her finger to the corner of the great room where a small girl was sitting alone with a plate of appetizers and looking around at all the people. It was her. Green eyes. She was here and as a guest of Freddie’s? I was intrigued to say at the very least.
Her curly, short, dark hair was adorable and her smooth, clear, porcelain skin was apparent to me, even from thirty feet away. She was obviously uncomfortable. Who could blame her? This place reeked of money and status, rockers and high end business people. Freddie was a fucking moron to bring her here. What the hell was he thinking?
“Irish?” I asked. Duh. Sean, seriously. Irish? Fuck me.
“Yup. She lives in some small fishing community south of Dublin. At least I think that is what she said.” Cutting off the conversation, we both heard Sammy start to scream at Nick about her princess dress not being right if it wasn’t put on backwards.
Lizzie instinctively popped up and bolted toward the racket to run interference. She was also a fantastic mom. That thought made me sigh. I would not go there again. Neither kid was mine. Even though I was there when Niall was born and I was the one to change the crap diapers and soothe him to sleep when Lizzie was breathing fire from exhaustion – the kid wasn’t mine. I had to move on and soon. Again, this shit was old. A decade old.
I scanned the food spread and before I started in, I grabbed a beer and downed half of it. I was not going to make it through this shin-dig without some serious back up juice. I put the beer down on the counter and felt eyes on me. How did I forget about her in those few moments? I looked up to see her staring at me. She quickly fumbled with her plate and even from as far away as the food table, I could see her face show her embarrassment. It was my tattoos. They always made women either gawk at the audacity for me to cover both arms in ink or they truly wanted to lick them. I decided the poor Irish girl from the little fishing town hadn’t seen a person like me in a while – especially at a party that Freddie had brought her to. He was a nice guy. Clean cut, business like, squared, geek glasses and it worked for him. Well, it worked for Lizzie.
Fuck. I had to stop and just be. Be here, do my obligatory hello’s here, and then off to meet up with my friends at a bar down in Southie.
I went to the couch and sat down next to Brennan. He hadn’t seen me walk in, so when my large frame started to encroach on him, he turned to face my shit eating grin.
“Hey, buddy, long time,” he called out as he patted my back. I grinned at him and motioned to Jules and her obvious state of pregnancy. I risked a quick glance to Irish and noticed she was still standing there but was now looking at her watch.
“She looks like she is ready to go into labor now,” I murmured to Brennan. It was low enough so Jules couldn’t hear me.
Brennan gave a low whistle and muttered something under his breath how he wished the little thing would come out already. The Irish beauty walked past us to go to the drinks and I got a clear shot of her beautiful backside walking away from me. Her skinny jeans and off the shoulder sweater were adorable, but more than that, her smell that lingered as she passed was intoxicating. I couldn’t help but stare at her. Brennan said something and then laughed. I flashed my eyes to him in confusion.
“That stare,” Brennan addressed my wandering eyes as he shook his head. “I know it all too well.” He chuckled a little more until I punched him with medium force in the arm. He shot me a death look that I smirked at. The guy could take it. Fuck, Jules probably beat him during sex.
Speak of the Devil, it was then that Jules motioned for Brennan to come help her off her seat. I nodded my goodbye, looking back at Irish. She was something very, very intriguing. I started to go make my move towards her but was halted by an abrupt shift on the couch.
Lizzie plopped down and threw her legs over my lap after I threw the plate down on the coffee table.
“Parties are for the birds. Why couldn’t we just have had it someplace nice?” she whined as she took a long sip from her wine.
I smiled over to her and started to absent mindedly rub her feet. We always did this. She and I were so comfortable in our behavior that the stare that I got from Irish as she moved back past me to her corner alerted me to the fact that I was treating Lizzie like she was mine. I quickly removed my hands and then frowned. Why? Why had I taken my hands off the love of my life because of one look from a stranger?
Lizzie didn’t notice and continued to bitch about the catering service and how the nanny was not available to go with them on tour the following weekend. Instead of my normal reverie and desire to hang on to each word, I just hummed and nodded my head with sympathy – all the while, watching Irish.
“What did you say that girl’s name is again?” I asked Lizzie as I tilted my head in her direction.
Lizzie looked over and the
n back at me. A slow smile touched those ridiculous lips of hers and I inwardly groaned.
“Aoife,” she called. And of course – in Lizzie style – she said it a little too loud. Loud enough for the girl in question to look up and widen her eyes at me when I winked at her. Maybe I didn’t fight hard enough for Lizzie but that is all about to change for pursuing Aoife. Wait, what? For that little girl in the corner? What the hell was this?
I needed to know. I needed to know where that thought came from. Damn, I wasn’t expecting that to pop into my head while sitting here with Lizzie.
It was looking like Southie with the guys wasn’t going to happen as soon as I thought.
Chapter Five
Sean
I watched Irish go back to her corner and basically crouch so that no one would show her any attention. That shit was about to change. I nodded slightly and got up to approach her. She immediately saw me stand and as I moved closer to her, her eyes widened so big that she almost looked like a beetle by the time I was in front of her. I used my best sexy smile as I approached her. That smile always worked with the ladies back in Newburyport.
“Jesus, you’re hot,” she sputtered out in the sexiest Irish accent I had ever heard. Yeah, the boys were pretty cool to listen to, but put that mouth on this woman’s body and I nearly fell over in shock. Instead, I laughed. Hard. I noticed that she turned as red as a lobster and I contained my laugh with my hand.
“Fuck, I can’t believe I just said that. My bloody…” she started.
I waved her words off with a slight hand motion. “Thank you, Irish. You are incredibly adorable yourself.” I winked at her and took a pull off my beer.
I looked around at the party and my eyes landed back down on hers.