Friday I'm In Love (Wild Irish, #5)
Page 2
She’d been given Tristan’s old room on the third floor to sleep in while she was staying with the family, but sleep didn’t seem to be something she was going to be doing much of, especially not after the sexy seed Ewan had just planted.
“In your dreams, kiddo. I don’t play with children,” she said, although she wasn’t all that concerned that he was younger.
For one thing, he didn’t act young, but she supposed that was because he’d been responsible—along with his sister, Keira—for running the restaurant side of his family’s business since graduating from college. Teagan raved about his management abilities and smooth administration. The fun, sexually explicit banter he engaged in with Natalie seemed to be the exception, rather than the norm, and she got the feeling the rest of his family saw him as serious, responsible, staid.
“Thought you weren’t gonna play the age card again?”
“Old habits die hard.”
“You’re quiet today, distant. Why do I get the feeling it’s more than fatigue?”
“I would think you’d be glad I’m quiet. I mean, it’s not as if there’s ever been any love lost between us. You and I are like—”
He looked so genuinely shocked she stopped midsentence, the words oil and water dying on her tongue.
“No love lost? I’m crazy about you, Nat. You must know that?”
She laughed. “You really are going to have to give up this schoolboy crush. I’ve been nothing but a bitch to you since day one.”
He grasped her hand and she looked at him in surprise. “I haven’t been a boy in a long time, babydoll. And I’m more than man enough to deal with you and your so-called bitchiness.”
She wished her body hadn’t heard those words. The second he uttered more than man enough, her nipples went on red alert and she was a bit worried about the sudden dampness in her panties. She tried to tug her hand out of his grip, but he refused to relinquish it. “Listen, hotshot—”
“Save it, Nat. Why are you depressed?”
She panicked at his words. “I’m not depressed. I don’t get depressed. Ever.” Her words came out far too loud and she watched him study her face intently. She bit her lower lip, realizing Ewan Collins was far too observant when it came to her. He was also cutting too close to the core. Honesty seemed her best bet. “I’m thirty-four years old and I have fuck-all to show for my life.”
Ewan frowned. “That’s not true. You own and operate an incredibly successful photography studio in Palm Springs. You’re one of the most talented photographers I’ve ever met. Your pictures are beautiful.”
She was taken aback by his praise, surprised he’d seen enough of her work to judge. “How do you know that?”
“I check out your website on occasion, plus Teagan is always emailing us pictures you’ve taken of her and Sky. You have an amazing eye.”
“Yeah, that’s me. The queen of composition, lighting, shading. Sometimes I feel like I’ve spent my entire life behind the lens of a camera.”
Ewan lightly caressed the skin on the back of her neck and she marveled at how comforting the simple gesture was. “You sound like you’re questioning your career choice.”
“Do I?” she asked. “That’s not my intention. I love my job. But sometimes I feel like that’s all there is to me. I’m defined by a freaking camera.”
“That’s not true. I know Sky and Teagan consider you their friend, not their photographer.”
“I know that. It’s just…” She paused, trying to find a way to express the dark thoughts that had been plaguing her since her birthday. “It’s just…I’m never in any of the pictures.”
His eyebrows creased and she knew he was confused by her comment. She tried to clarify. “I’m not really sure what I have to show for my life. Hell, I’m not sure I’ve lived a life. I stand on the sidelines of every event, snapping picture after picture of other people living, celebrating, doing something. God, doing anything.” Her voice betrayed her frustration and she took a breath, tried to calm down when she noticed Tris Collins glance up at her from the bar.
Ewan rubbed her hand, his other arm still draped around her, and she felt wholly surrounded by his presence. “What did you hope to have achieved by now that you haven’t?”
His question caught her off guard. She’d spent months commiserating over her lost youth, never once thinking about what it was she was grieving. And with one simple question, Ewan had thrown her for a loop…again. “Well, I don’t know exactly. I’ve been to hundreds of weddings, birthday parties, bar mitzvahs, anniversaries. I’ve seen thousands of people celebrating events with loved ones. I’ve never done anything worth celebrating and even if I did, I wouldn’t have anybody to commemorate it with. I know this may come as a surprise to you, but I don’t generally have one of those personalities people flock to.”
“Prickly?” he asked, though she knew his comment wasn’t a question.
“No, not prickly. Strong-willed, self-assured, independent.” She struggled to find those three words.
“Opinionated, arrogant, bitchy. Got it.”
She opened her mouth to lambaste him and then closed it again. He was right. There was no debating the truth.
“Damn,” he muttered. “You are down and out. No snappy comeback, Nat?”
She shook her head.
“I sort of got the impression you were happy on your own. You always say people are an annoyance you don’t have time for.”
She looked around the room briefly, wondering how she always got into these conversations with Ewan. He always made her say too much, tell too many secrets she never intended to reveal. “That’s true. I guess maybe sometimes I think it might be nice to have a friend. Someone normal and not obnoxious. Someone who doesn’t get their feelings easily hurt when I tell them they suck.”
He laughed and she realized her requirements for a friend did sound pretty pathetic. “Isn’t that Sky?” he asked.
“It was—I mean, is. It’s just, he’s got Teagan now and, well…things are different.”
Ewan smiled and she felt a flash of anger spark. Here she was unloading all her misery, confessing things she’d never told another living soul, and he was giving her that stupid, annoying, lopsided grin.
She scowled. “Glad you find this all so funny. Get away from my table.”
He moved closer and she fought to hold on to her annoyance. God, men as handsome as Ewan Collins should be illegal.
“I’m not laughing at you, babydoll. I’m just glad your problem is so easily solved.”
She looked at him, confused. She’d spent months feeling sorry for herself, trying to find a way out of her funk, and nothing had presented itself. Even leaving town for a change of scenery, a change of company hadn’t helped.
She studied Ewan’s confident face and realized that if anyone could solve her problem, it was probably him. Why she felt that way, she couldn’t say. There was simply something deep inside her that said trust him.
“Show me the way.” Her request was softly spoken, but Ewan heard it.
“How long are you staying here?” he asked.
“A week.” It was Saturday afternoon and she had a flight booked to return to Palm Springs early in the morning the following Saturday.
Ewan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Seven days. It’s a little tight, but we can manage.”
“Manage what?”
“I’m going to teach you a lesson a day. Seven lessons you can live by so you never feel this way again. You, Natalie Miller, are about to get a life.”
“Seven lessons? In seven days? And I’m going to learn what, exactly?”
“I’m going to show you all the stuff you’ve been missing out on while hiding behind the camera.”
“I’m not sure this is such a good idea. I mean, I’m sort of here to help Teagan get ready for the wedding.”
“Keira’s already got a million plans for Teagan’s wedding. She’s in good hands, believe me. I’m serious about this, Natalie, but in order for it
to work, you have to promise to follow through with the lessons. All of them. No backing out halfway. Promise?”
She considered his offer. Curiosity at what he had in mind was quickly overcoming common sense. Plus, the idea of spending seven days with Ewan was more appealing than she cared to admit.
Before she could reconsider or think too hard, she said, “Okay, I promise. You have seven days to show me what I’ve been missing.”
“And you won’t back out.” She wondered why he kept stressing that part. What the hell did he have in mind?
“You have my word. I don’t break promises.”
“I believe you. Hey, Riley.” Ewan called his younger sister over.
“What’s up?” Riley asked.
“You going out tonight?”
“Do bees bee? Do bears bear?”
“How about letting me and Nat tag along? She’s only here for a week so I thought we could show her some of the nightlife Baltimore has to offer.”
Natalie could see Riley was shocked by Ewan’s request. “You wanna go out with me?”
Ewan nodded.
Riley considered it. “Sure. Why not? Might be fun. But just so you know, you gotta hang. No bailing early.”
“We won’t bail.”
“And I’m tramping it up,” Riley added.
Ewan groaned as Natalie struggled to understand the conversation. “Tramping it up?”
Ewan looked at her and she could see he was amused by his sister’s comments, though trying hard to look annoyed. “She means she’s gonna go out looking like a hooker.”
“I mean,” Riley interrupted, “we’re leaving by the fire escape.”
“Why would you do that?” Natalie asked.
“Because I don’t want to get a lot of grief from my brothers and Pop about my outfit. It’s easier to just leave the apartment by the fire escape. No hassles, no dirty looks. That shit can really start the night out on a bad note.” Riley studied Natalie’s no-nonsense outfit and ponytail. “Meet me in the bathroom upstairs at eight-fifteen. You’re gonna tramp it up too.”
“Oh, that’s okay. I don’t really think—”
“She’ll be there,” Ewan replied with a mischievous grin. “I mean, we gotta hang, not bail.” He mimicked his sister’s words and Riley pulled his hair to show her annoyance.
“Very funny, shithead. I’ll grab Aaron and see if he wants to come along.”
“In other words, be your DD,” Ewan said.
“Gotta be some perks to having a best friend who’s a cop and overall do-gooder,” Riley giggled before heading toward the bar to talk to Aaron.
“Me tramping it up is your first lesson on life?”
“We’ll discuss what you learned after we go clubbing. Don’t look so worried, Nat. This will be fun.”
Fun. Yeah, right.
Because she was so good at fun. Not.
Chapter Two
Saturday night
Natalie grinned at something Riley said, responding in a voice too quiet for Ewan to hear, but Riley seemed to appreciate the comment as the two women burst into peals of laughter. It had been this way all night, starting with the ladies’ hour-long makeup session in the bathroom.
He was glad to see Natalie relaxing, letting herself go. They’d gone out for a very late dinner before embarking on what Riley called her Saturday Night Special. His sister certainly knew how to have a good time. She’d regaled them with her over-the-top stories most of the evening and Ewan enjoyed seeing the constant smile on Nat’s face.
Natalie pulled a small camera from her purse and started to take a picture, but Ewan confiscated it quickly. “You’re off-duty. Remember?” He pocketed the camera, pleased when she merely rolled her eyes good-naturedly.
“You’re in charge,” she said.
He gazed at her, checking her out yet again and trying not to leer. He’d always considered himself a fan of natural beauty, but a tiny part of him found the “tramped-up” version of Natalie Miller hotter than hell. Her blonde hair, usually tied back in a tight ponytail, was hanging loose and messy in an I-just-had-sex way. Reminded him of the pin-up girls from the dirty magazines he’d hidden under his mattress in middle school. Riley had done something magical to Nat’s light blue eyes, lining them with black and covering the lids with a smoky gray color that made her look like one of those eighties models who lounged on the hood of a car while Whitesnake belted out tunes.
Natalie pushed her hair back as she and Riley talked and he was treated to a non-obstructed view of her breasts once again. She was in a sequined tank top and Riley had loaned her a barely there leather skirt that Ewan could barely keep his eyes off. She was fucking gorgeous and his cock had been locked in mortal combat with his jeans since they’d left the apartment via the fire escape. He wasn’t entirely sure the denim was going to be strong enough to cage the monster for much longer.
This was their third club and a quick glance at his watch confirmed it was nearly two in the morning. His sister sure as hell knew her way around the nightclub scene. He was sure that would bug the shit out of him tomorrow when he wasn’t well on his way to being three sheets to the wind.
He felt another elbow in his back as a drunk stumbled into his chair.
Aaron sent him a sympathetic look. “It’s really crowded tonight.”
“I didn’t realize this many people lived in Baltimore,” Ewan joked, although it did feel as if the entire population of the city was crammed within the four walls of the dingy club.
Aaron chuckled. “I’m a cop. Trust me. This isn’t even one percent of the drunken lunatics who live around here.”
“Okay, everybody ready?” Riley yelled, fighting to be heard over the ear-piercing music. Aaron gestured at Riley with his hand and Ewan laughed. Drunken lunatic was probably an apt description of his pixie of a sister. She passed around limes as she spoke and Ewan marveled that she willingly subjected herself to this torture every Saturday night—all in the name of fun.
“One, two, three!” At Riley’s prompt, he licked the salt off his hand, drained the shot of tequila and popped the lime in his mouth. He grinned as Natalie winced.
“Fuck that burns.” She wiped her mouth off with the back of her hand and shook her head, looking at him. “Tell me again why we’re here?”
He had to fight back the grin at her monotone question. He wasn’t quite sure why he got such a kick out of her sarcastic wit, but one of the reasons he enjoyed her company so much was simply because she made him laugh.
“We’re here to have fun.” He had to practically shout in her ear to make sure she could hear him.
“Ah. Be sure to let me know when that fun shit starts. Okay?”
He laughed. “Liar. You’re having fun and you know it.”
She shrugged noncommittally but her eyes, as always, told him the truth.
“Another round.” Riley placed yet another lime in front of everyone except Aaron—who, as designated driver, was sipping on a Coke. Ewan wondered where his tiny sister was putting it all. This was their fourth shot each since arriving at this particular club. At the others, they’d merely consumed a couple beers each. “Laying a base,” as Riley called it. Ewan had a feeling this wasn’t going to end well. He never drank this much.
At the last minute he remembered the camera and handed it to Aaron, who took it as Riley waved the waitress over to set them up with another round of tequila.
“Last one, Riley,” Aaron said. Riley rolled her eyes, but Ewan suspected that of everyone at the table, Aaron was the only person she’d actually listen to.
They went through the ritual one more time, each of them slamming their glasses down as Aaron snapped a picture.
Natalie looked at Ewan, blinking rapidly. “Should I be worried that I can’t feel my lips anymore?”
Ewan grinned. “They’re still there. Want me to try to kiss some feeling back into them?”
Natalie started to lean forward and Ewan felt like pumping a fist in the air in victory.
Aaron patted him on the back sympathetically. “Welcome to my weekends.”
“How do you do this week in and week out?” Ewan was suddenly eyeing Riley’s friend with a newfound respect.
Aaron shrugged. “I’ve done this so often with Riley, I’m starting to think it’s normal, and God help me, even a little bit fun.”