Hope Restored (Gallagher Brothers Book 3)

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  His phone buzzed, and he looked down at the screen, surprised when he looked at the contact name. “Hey, Hugh, nice to hear from you,” he answered. He hadn’t thought his childhood friend would call him again after their awkward meeting before. It hadn’t honestly bugged him that much at the time since he hadn’t gone into the meeting with any expectations. Just because they had been friends when they were in middle school and when they were teens didn’t mean they would fit together now. But since Hugh was calling, Murphy couldn’t help but wonder if something had changed.

  “Murphy, I just wanted to apologize for how distracted I was when I saw you downtown a few days ago. I had a few things on my mind and a couple things that came out of the blue that I wasn’t prepared for. Because of that, my mind was on other matters and not on being attentive. I came off as an asshole. I’m sorry about that. So, if you were serious about wanting to catch up, I would love to grab a bite to eat with you sometime. It has been a while, and I know we have both changed since we were in our teens. But I’d love to see what you’ve been up to since I hear you’re making a name for yourself in your family business.”

  Murphy smiled. “You know, I was just thinking about driving to a place nearby and getting some bar food and watching a game. I don’t know if that’s something you’d want to do or if you can tonight, but what do you say?”

  “As it happens, I’m free tonight, so just tell me where and when and I’m game.”

  Murphy told Hugh where the place was and said that he’d meet him in an hour. Since he didn’t want to sit at home, worrying about the fact that Tessa would probably be pissed at him when she got back, and he didn’t know where they stood in terms of the relationship, he might as well see what was happening with his old friend.

  If he kept busy enough, then he wouldn’t think about the worries constantly plaguing his mind—and not all of them about Tessa.

  Cancer.

  He had fucking cancer.

  And because this time it was a different series of treatments than the last time and he was treated as an outpatient, sometimes, it didn’t feel real. He worked, he played, and he was slowly falling for his roommate, but he still had cells in his body that shouldn’t be there. Without the chemo he took and the blood transfusions to keep him going, he could die.

  There was no doubt about that, and yet he couldn’t focus on that. He knew he was compartmentalizing to a point where he might break if he weren’t careful, but if he constantly focused on things out of his control, he’d end up in a downward spiral and never heal.

  Murphy slid a hand through his hair and pushed those thoughts to the corner of his mind once again. They were always there—never quiet but not quite screaming every hour of every day—but for now, he would do what he could. He’d live.

  Hugh was waiting for him at one of the high-top tables near a large TV when Murphy got there. Rather than wearing slacks and a pressed shirt like he had been before, the other man wore khakis with a lighter button-down shirt that wasn’t tucked in. Just casual enough to fit in with the bar scene. Murphy wore jeans but a similar button-up shirt not tucked in, so this time, he didn’t feel as underdressed.

  Hugh tilted his head toward him when he saw Murphy, and Murphy made his way to the table. “Glad you could make it out, man. I don’t come here often, but it has a decent setup.”

  “Thanks for inviting me. I haven’t had bar food in ages, and I’m kind of craving wings now.” Hugh grinned, and Murphy saw a bit of the boy he used to know.”

  “Well, we came to the right place then.” The two of them chatted as their waitress came over and they each ordered a couple of iced teas. Murphy wasn’t sure why the other man hadn’t ordered a beer, but he didn’t ask. Murphy himself still couldn’t drink for another couple of weeks, and frankly, he didn’t like to drink even one beer these days and drive. By the time the two of them had devoured a whole plate of nachos and more than their fair share of wings, Murphy was full, a little tired, and enjoying his time with his old friend. The two of them had talked about the past and reminisced about old memories rather than talking about who they were now, but Murphy didn’t mind, he was just having a good night.

  “So, you said you weren’t married, right?” Hugh’s question seemed to come out of nowhere, but since they’d pretty much exhausted all of their other subjects, Murphy went with it.

  “I’m not,” Murphy frowned. “I’m sort of seeing someone. Maybe.”

  Hugh shook his head. “You have to be careful with women, man. These days, they want to try and take control of the relationship, and you just can’t let that happen. They make things so confusing and take over. So you need to be clear on what you want and take that control back.”

  Murphy snorted. “Yeah, I don’t really think that’s the problem here.”

  “Well, considering you’re already living with Tessa, things are bound to get complicated with any woman you date.”

  Murphy tilted his head and stared at the other man. “When did I mention I was rooming with Tessa?”

  Hugh waved him off. “When we were talking about owning a house or something a few minutes ago. But, anyway, you should just be careful with women, man. You never know. They say they want one thing and then they go around yelling at you for another.”

  Maybe he had mentioned he was living with Tessa. They’d been talking about a lot of things, and most of the time, he didn’t even realize when he was talking about her these days—she was always at the forefront of his mind.

  “Actually, the woman I’m talking about is Tessa.”

  Hugh’s eyes narrowed. “You slept with Tessa?”

  “Uh, that wasn’t what I was talking about, but yes, we have. And I hope we’re going to be something more serious.” Murphy was about to say something more, but his phone buzzed at that moment, and he looked down to see Tessa’s image on the screen. It was a photo he’d taken of her a few months ago when they were in Owen’s back yard. She had been hanging upside down from a tree, trying to make Rowan laugh as her hair flowed around her. She’d been laughing so hard, she’d almost fallen, and Murphy had snapped a pic, loving how happy she looked. “Hold on a sec? It’s her.”

  Hugh’s jaw tightened, but he gave a small nod. “No problem.”

  Murphy answered, ignoring Hugh since he had Tessa on the brain. “Hey, you.”

  “Get your ass home right now, Murphy Gallagher.” She clipped out the words. She hadn’t exactly yelled, but she didn’t sound happy.

  He winced. Yep, she knew about the remodel. At least, he hoped that was why she was angry with him. He hadn’t done anything else that he was aware of. “I’ll be home soon.”

  “Sooner than soon, Gallagher.”

  “Leaving right now.” She hung up on him, and he closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I got to go,” he said to the other man at the table.

  “Trouble with the roomie?” Hugh asked, the tension from before no longer in his face.

  “Yeah, I forgot to mention something. Anyway, thanks for hanging out with me tonight. We should do this again sometime.” Murphy wasn’t sure if Hugh was someone he wanted to spend all his time with, but it was nice getting to know the man again. Murphy didn’t have a lot of friends outside of his family as it was thanks to his busy schedule.

  “Sounds good. Be careful,” Hugh warned. “Women can be mean.”

  Murphy shrugged. “I kind of deserve it.” They said their goodbyes, and Murphy headed home, hoping Tessa would be slightly calmer by the time he got there. What he’d done wasn’t too bad, and it hadn’t exactly been his fault, but still.

  He wanted this to work with Tessa. What this was? That was something they would have to talk about, but he wanted her to be part of his life, and he knew she felt the same way, even if he didn’t know exactly what part of her life she wanted him to be in.

  When he walked into the house, Tessa stood in the living room, her arms folded over her chest and a frown on her face.

  “Why didn’t
you tell me?”

  “Your parents told you, then?” he asked, closing the door behind him.

  She raised her brow. “Is there something else you haven’t told me?”

  He shook his head and took a step toward her. She didn’t back away—progress—but she didn’t look receptive to him getting any closer either. “I didn’t mean to keep it from you. I tried to tell you a few times, and we got distracted, or it honestly slipped my mind. I have a few other things going on right now, and sometimes, I don’t remember everything.” He wasn’t trying to use pity to make her forgive him. He was just being honest. His brain was going in a million different directions all the time, and he was tired.

  Her face fell, and she cupped his cheeks. He moved into the soft touch, aching for her. “I’m sorry. I just hate being blindsided like that. My ex…” She sighed. “My ex was really good at that.”

  This wasn’t the time to ask about the man in her past, but he would soon. He wanted to know everything about her and wanted her to know the same of him.

  “I know…I’m sorry I screwed up.”

  “No, I get it. I just...gah. Can you just kiss me and let’s forget everything else for the night?”

  His heart raced, and he took a step closer so they were chest-to-chest. “I can do that, babe, but if I do that, I’m not going to stop kissing you. And in the morning, I’m going to want to drink coffee with you. I’m going to want to know about you, be with you. I’ll want real dates and smiling and holding each other in public. I’m greedy. I want it all.” He hadn’t meant to blurt all of that out, but he’d needed to say it.

  Her eyes widened, and her mouth parted. “I…I’m not really good at being a girlfriend.”

  Girlfriend. Hell, he loved that word when it pertained to her.

  “I’m not good at being a boyfriend. So let’s figure it out together, okay?”

  “And it won’t be too much?” she asked, her voice oh so quiet. “With your treatments and your job? And the fact that we live together? It all just seems like a lot.”

  He kissed her softly, resting his forehead on hers. “It is a lot, but I think we can make it work. Slowly. Just the two of us. I don’t want to lose you from my life, Tessa, but I also don’t want to go back to the way things were. I think that everything we were doing before led up to this moment, don’t you? I’ve been waiting for you,” he breathed. “And I didn’t even know it.”

  “Kiss me,” she repeated.

  So he did.

  She tasted of sweetness and all things Tessa. He craved this woman, and he didn’t know how things had changed so fast. All he knew was that he had to be inside her. Now.

  He stripped her out of her clothes so quickly, he was pretty sure he almost choked her with her bra. Considering that his dick would have permanent zipper marks from how hard he was, they made quite a pair.

  “I need to taste you,” he growled, going to his knees right there in the living room.

  “Murphy!” Her hand tightened in his hair as he slid his tongue between her folds. He lapped at her, sucking her clit between his lips before going back to tease her with his tongue. His fingers dug into her thighs, holding her still so he could eat her out and have her come on his face.

  He loved going down on women. There was nothing better in his world than pussy, and having his mouth on that pussy just made him thirst for more. He took his time when eating a woman out, loving each and every moment of it, and since this was his Tessa, he was even more attentive.

  “I’m going to come,” she gasped above him. Somehow, they’d ended up by the kitchen table since they had shuffled around some. He looked up to see her leaning on the surface, her hands clamped around the edges, and her knuckles white.

  “Then come,” he said before sucking on her clit again. She bucked against his face, and he flicked his tongue against her, wanting her orgasm to last when she finally came. As soon as she calmed down, Murphy stood on shaky legs and stripped off his clothes after taking a condom out of his jeans. “I put a condom in my back pocket just in case, though I think we need boxes hidden around the house.”

  Tessa gave him a look from under hooded eyes and slowly rubbed circles around her clit with her fingers. “Sounds like a plan. Now, fuck me already.”

  How the hell had he gotten this lucky?

  “Turn around and bend over. Press your tits to the top of the table and stick that ass up.”

  She raised a brow but did as he said before looking over her shoulder and wiggling that very bitable butt of hers. “Gonna fuck me in the ass?”

  He gripped the base of his cock and groaned before sliding the condom over his length. With how sexy she looked, he was surprised he hadn’t come right then and there just from the look of her bent over and ready for him.

  “Is that something you want?” He went to her and cupped her ass, giving it a gentle squeeze. She pressed back into him, and he groaned.

  “Not today since I’m not prepped, but one day soon? Totally.”

  He licked his lips and slid his thumb tween her folds. “Yeah? Want my dick in your ass, baby?”

  She rolled her eyes even as she moaned. “I swear, mention my ass once, and suddenly, you’re all growly and alpha.”

  Murphy grinned and used her wetness over his thumb to press against her hole. When she stiffened before pressing back against his touch, he rubbed his thumb against her.

  “A little play, Tessa mine, just for now, and I’m going to fuck you hard when you’re pressed on top of the table, but I need you to fuck me back. Think you can press back into me and keep up?”

  In answer, she reached behind her and gripped his cock, guiding him between her legs. “Fill me up already, Gallagher. I’ll go find Mr. Dildo if I need to.”

  He smacked her ass once, and as she arched her back into him, he filled her. Soon, they were both pumping against one another, her back arching as she met him thrust for thrust. He had one hand on her hip, keeping her steady so he didn’t go too hard, too fast. The other hand was on her ass with his thumb teasing in and out of her hole.

  She felt so fucking good that it was over far too soon. She came again, squeezing his dick like a vice, and he came hard, filling the condom to the brim. Their breaths came in pants, and he was having trouble seeing straight with how good she felt around him. Yet he knew this was only the beginning.

  He’d never had this much fun, this much everything with a woman before.

  Tessa Stone was something else, and Murphy couldn’t wait to figure out exactly what that meant.

  14

  “Like the size of my club?” Murphy asked, wiggling his brows.

  Tessa pinched the bridge of her nose, and he knew she was trying to keep from laughing. Nothing good could come from encouraging him in public—as she would say. Of course, he caught the twitch of her lips and just grinned wider.

  She leaned forward and bit his jaw, sending shivers down his spine. And since they were indeed in public—a miniature golf course of all places—he didn’t wrap his arms around her and kiss her hard. He’d just have to tally that up for later when they were alone.

  “You’re going to get us kicked out of miniature golf, and we will never live that down. You know that.” She rolled her eyes much like Rowan was prone to do, and he just shook his head, still smiling while holding the small, bright blue golf club he’d be using while they did their nine holes. Neither of them had been sure they could do a full eighteen, even if it mostly consisted of windmills and the dreaded clown statue at hole seventeen.

  No one needed to see clowns swallow your balls.

  No one.

  Tessa nudged his side, bringing him out of his weird thoughts. “What on earth are you thinking about? Your face just got all weird.”

  He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose. “Thanks for commenting on my looks. Good to know you’re not here for just my body.”

  “You’re an idiot. It’s a wonder we’ve been friends this long and I haven’t beaten you
.”

  “I’d joke about that but I’m pretty sure you could take me.”

  “Of course, I can. But really, what were you thinking about that made your face all squinty?”

  “Clowns and balls.” He shuddered. “You don’t want to know.”

  Tessa winced. “Hole seventeen? Like, what the heck were they thinking when they made that statue? It’s what nightmares are made of. Oh, and ha ha on the whole ball thing. I think you’re the first person ever to make a ball joke when it comes to miniature golf.” Her tone was so dry he would have missed her laughter if he hadn’t been looking into her eyes.

  He always looked into her eyes these days, he couldn’t help it.

  “I love that you just knew why my mind went there. Well, I love it, and I’m also a little scared.”

  She snorted and took his hand as they started their way to the first hole. “You’re one of my closest friends, and I’ve seen you naked, I’m pretty sure that puts us on a level where we can be dorks together. Plus, my mind is a very dirty place.” She whispered that last part, though there wasn’t anyone around them. It was a weeknight, and there was also a carnival opening that evening just a block away so the miniature golf place was pretty deserted. It gave Murphy more of a chance to accidentally brush against Tessa’s very fine ass as he set up for his shot. He couldn’t help it, he loved that butt. Hell, he loved every curve of her, and Little Murphy was already standing at attention, raring to go—and they hadn’t even done much to get him that hard.