by Harper West
After ringing his doorbell and waiting a few minutes for him to answer, I pressed it again.
“He’s probably sleeping,” I said to myself.
Just then, he opened the door, completely naked, and with a massive smile on his face.
“Top o’the morning to you,” he jubilantly bellowed as water dripped from his body and onto the floor.
“Well, at least you’re clean.”
He laughed and shut the door behind me. Seeing him naked was nothing new to me.
He walked over to the coffee machine and turned it on, then stood in front of his stainless steel stove. I sat on the stool across from him, on the other side of the kitchen island, giving his manhood and buttocks some much-needed privacy.
“Ronan, you’ll never believe the woman I hooked up with last night.”
Liam was no stranger to one-night stands. During our college years, I often overheard him asking a woman her name while they were having sex.
“I’ll be impressed if you can remember her name.”
“Not only do I know her name,” he said, “but she’s still here.”
I just about fell off of my stool. Liam was a good guy, but like so many men, he rarely let women spend the night.
“A woman you slept with actually spent the night? Jesus, man. You’re growing up right before my eyes. So, what’s her name?”
“Alexia. Isn’t that a beautiful name, Ronan? It just rolls off of your tongue, doesn’t it?” He said the words, but his demeanor was the same ol' Liam.
“Yes, yes, it does. Where did you meet her?” I knew the answer before he even gave it to me.
If Ronan wasn’t schmoozing one of our clients or pulling a publicity stunt for our company, then he was out at a bar.
He told me about the incident, her grabbing his hand out of nowhere, and him being some knight in Gucci armor. “Turns out, she was just looking for a guy to pretend to be her boyfriend. Some creepy old man wants her, and she needed to scare him off.”
“Sounds like it worked, seeing as how she ended up in bed with you instead of him.”
“It wasn’t just sex, though,” he said, reaching for some coffee mugs and exposing his shaft to me yet again.
I laughed and shook my head, realizing that we were about as close as blood brothers.
He put the mug down on the table and turned toward me, looking off into the distance. “Have you ever had a long conversation with someone, and somehow it just clicked?”
I thought about my ex and how she was the only woman I knew who could hold a conversation. Every other woman I’d dated just wanted to know one thing about me.
My income.
Seeing the look on my face, he realized what I was thinking about. “I’m sorry, man. I didn’t mean to…"
I held up my hand. “It’s okay, please. Carry on and tell me all about her.”
“Anyway, you’re gonna love her, man. In fact, I’m thinking about asking her to hang out today. I’d love it if you’d join us.”
My mouth fell open as my eyes bugged out.
He lifted a brow. “What’s that look for?”
“I’ve just never known you to want to spend time with a one-night stand,” I said.
He shrugged. “I really like her. So, what do you say? You wanna hang out with us today?”
Maybe Liam was finally maturing. I didn’t have anything planned that day either, and I wanted to see what kind of woman got him to act that way.
“Why not,” I said.
All of a sudden, we heard a loud noise upstairs in the loft. We looked at each other and tilted our heads.
“Is that her, or is there something else you need to tell me about?”
Following his gaze, I turned around just in time to see a beautiful woman slip down a few stairs. Her long, auburn hair was pulled up in a bun, with a few locks dangling over her eyes. She had a gentle face with stunning good looks, despite obviously being a bit hungover.
“Good morning, beautiful.” Liam grinned at her.
She nodded at Liam and then looked at me, clearly a bit embarrassed from tumbling down the stairs.
“Hello,” I said. “I’m Ronan.”
She walked over to me and held out her hand. It was velvety smooth with delicate fingers.
“Alexia, nice to meet you.”
Even though she’d only said five words, I could immediately tell that she was more down to earth than any woman I’d ever dated.
Even Erin, the so-called love of my life.
“How do we all feel about pancakes and sausage,” Liam asked.
“Just as long as it’s not the sausage between your legs,” I said, to which Alexia burst out laughing.
She looked a bit embarrassed about Liam being naked while talking to me. I waved it off, trying to ease her anxiety. “It’s okay, he and I go way back. I mean, not in that way.”
All three of us sat down to breakfast, once the food was ready, and Liam put on a robe. I suspected he only did that for my benefit, though, as if to reassure me that his bare junk didn’t touch any surfaces.
I knew better, though.
“So, you two seem to be very close,” she said.
I watched her eat. She was so feminine and delicate. I could see why Liam was drawn to her.
“Yes, we’re like brothers,” I said.
“I’m the funnier one, though,” Liam added, winking at Alexia.
“Not all of your jokes are funny,” I replied, giving him a stern look.
I wasn’t about to mention all of his publicity stunts that almost sabotaged our company, though. Alexia looked at Liam quizzically.
“Let’s just say that I know how to get people’s attention.” Before she could inquire any further, I quickly changed the subject.
Alexia was clearly a classy woman, and she might not respond well to all of Liam’s jokes.
“Speaking of getting people’s attention,” I said while sipping my coffee, “tell us a little more about yourself and how you two ended up in bed together.”
She turned every shade of red, but then quickly composed herself after I gave her a wink. I liked to bust Liam's balls, but even more so, I liked to watch her human reactions. It wasn't very often I was around people that didn't keep their composure no matter what was thrown at them. It was refreshing.
“Well, I’m originally from the United States. My grandfather left me his bookstore in his will. I was telling Liam about it last night, actually.”
“O’Sullivan Books,” Liam replied with a mouth full.
“Hey, you love the pastrami sandwiches right next door to that place.” I pointed at Liam and wiggled my brow.
She chuckled. “Yeah, he was telling me, and I’ll have to check it out sometime. So, that’s what brought me to Ireland. My grandfather and I were very close, and the thought of selling it just wasn’t an option, you know?”
The sincerity in her voice struck a chord with me. Many people would have just sold it and cashed in, but someone who actually relocated to run it told me that she was a woman of quality. In other words, not a gold digger.
She piqued my interest.
“Absolutely. I think that’s very noble of you, especially since it required you to move halfway around the world.” Our eyes met for a few minutes, and she looked down, blushing as she cut into her pancakes.
“I told him about that creep and how I was your boyfriend for the evenin’,” Liam said with a grin.
I half smiled at Liam and turned back to Alexia. “Yeah, what’s the deal with that guy?”
Alexia waved it off, and I could tell that she didn't want to go into any specifics.
“Some guys just don’t know how to take a hint,” she said.
As she took a sip of her coffee, the steam floated above her face and briefly masked her beautiful emerald eyes.
After breakfast, all three of us sat in the living room, drinking coffee.
“So Alexia,” Liam said with an exhale, sitting across from her. “Me and Ronan w
ould love it if you accompanied us into the city today. Since you’ll be living here now, you should get acquainted with it. You know, learn the ropes and where to go for stuff. There are even a few landmarks that I think you’d enjoy.”
She put her mug on the table before responding. “While that does sound like fun, I have some cleaning up to do. As you can see, I need a good shower and some fresh clothes.”
“No need for that love,” Liam said. “I’ll send someone out to fetch you some clothes, and there’s plenty of hot water left in my shower for you to use. I’ll even give you a nice, big, comfy, fresh towel to wrap yourself in when you get out. Which’ll be toasty, of course, since I have a towel warmer.”
I rolled my eyes at his over-the-top flirting, then let out a little chuckle.
“Listen to him trying to woo you with his fancy hot water,” I said.
Alexia laughed, and Liam sat back with a massive grin on his face.
“Eh now,” he said. “I must be doin’ something right if she came home with me last night.” He turned his gaze back to her. “So, what do ya say, love?”
Alexia seemed a bit hesitant as she thought about it, but after catching my eyes, she nodded in agreement.
“That sounds like fun,” she said. “Could you, uh, point me toward your shower?”
After she went upstairs to wash up and Liam sent someone to get her some clothes, I commended him.
“You lucked out, man. She’s gorgeous, seems down to earth, and a smart woman.”
Liam nodded and smiled. “I told you she’s a keeper.”
Chapter 8
Alexia
The guys and I spent the whole day exploring my new hometown. It was very different than back home in the states but in a good way. They pointed out which restaurants to eat at and the ones I should avoid. In addition to the local eateries, they also told me about several entertainment venues that I might enjoy.
“The local opera house is quite popular,” Ronan said as we walked by it.
We stopped and looked up at the building, with its intricate detail. Posters on the windows advertised upcoming shows.
“I absolutely love going to the opera. My grandfather used to take me to them all the time when I was a little girl.” I went and got a closer look at the posters, to see which ones they’d be performing.
“Maybe Liam can take you to one sometime,” Ronan said.
I turned around, and they were just looking at me, both of them smiling from ear to ear.
“So,” I said while continuing our walk. “How did you two exactly meet?”
I listened as Ronan told me about their college days, how he walked into his dorm for the first time, and found Liam completely naked, putting away his clothes. From there on out, they became good friends, to the point where they even attended each others’ family gatherings.
“In my defense,” Liam said, “I’d just spilled coffee all over my shirt and pants. It’s not as though I’m always naked.”
I smiled at him, letting him know that I wouldn’t mind it if he never wore clothes again.
They seemed very close indeed, almost inseparable. “Do you guys work together, too?”
“Yes,” Ronan said. “We’re in media and production.”
I had a hard time believing that Liam could be serious enough for such a job. Ronan, on the other hand, seemed to have it all together. He appeared to be the kind of guy who was career-oriented, and never let things get in the way of work.
I wanted to ask which company they worked for and precisely what their jobs entailed, but something told me not to. I kind of liked the mystery aspect of them. And it really didn't matter anyway.
We walked by an ice cream shop, and Ronan offered to buy all of us a sundae. It was my first time having ice cream with Irish Bailey’s cream in it.
“I could eat this every day,” I said with a mouth full.
They both laughed loudly. Liam put his arm over my shoulder as we walked and ate. "You seem very easy to please."
I gave him a knowing glance and tried to hide the smirk on my lips.
From there, we made our way to a local cemetery, where we took a brief tour, and they told me about famous locals who were buried in it.
“This gravestone right here,” Ronan said, “is for Mrs. McClennon. She was supposedly a modern-day witch who put curses on the local schoolchildren.”
“You know that was just a rumor,” Liam said, laughing it off.
Ronan shook his head thoughtfully. “I believe it. That woman was mean to the bone. Every kid who walked in front of her house ended up in the hospital with pneumonia within a week.”
I gasped. “That’s horrible. Those poor children!”
Ronan waved his hand.
“None of them died,” he assured me. “Plus, her ex-husband put her through emotional hell. Cursing little children aside, I felt bad for her.”
I appreciated Ronan’s sympathy for the woman and wondered what he’d think of Conner. Aside from breaking my heart by cheating on me, he was a narcissistic abuser who put me through the same kind of emotional hell that Ronan was referencing.
“Well, that’s good,” I said as we made our way to the exit. “All of those gravestones reminded me of my father.”
I didn’t want to ruin our day, but it was hard not to become a little depressed by so many dead people. It made me want to fly back to the states and fall asleep by his grave, just like I used to.
“Did you lose your father,” Liam asked me.
I nodded, and all three of us sat down on an outside bench. I told them about how he died in the war, and then how my grandfather had to fly back home to help raise me.
“That must have been so hard on you,” Ronan said, looking at me with genuine concern.
I nodded and fought back the tears. “Yes, and losing my grandfather was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to go through. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep his little bookstore running. It’s all I have left of him.”
I was surprised that Liam wasn’t getting jealous by all of the attention that I was giving Ronan. Other men would have said something by that point, or at least used their bodies as a physical barrier between the two of us. Not Liam, though. Everything felt so natural, all three of us just walking about town and getting to know each other. Nothing that we had done or said felt forced.
It was so refreshing.
As the day went on and they showed me some historical landmarks, I felt my stomach grumbling but didn’t want to say anything. I figured I would have to go home, and consequently say goodbye to Ronan and Liam. Ronan’s hearing was just as good as Baron’s, though.
“I think someone needs a bite to eat,” he said, smiling at me.
I put my hand over my stomach and shrugged. “Sorry. Guess I burned off those pancakes, sausage, and ice cream by walking around all day.”
“Never apologize for needing fuel,” Liam said, looking down at me.
He was on my left, and Ronan was on my right.
“How about we take her to Karnigan’s down by the river?” Ronan glanced across me at Liam.
Liam nodded at Ronan and then hailed a cab for us.
“Is it too far to walk? Because I don’t mind the exercise,” I said.
Both of them shook their head as a cab pulled up, then opened the door for me to get inside.
Liam grinned as I ducked inside the cab. “It is when your stomach is grumbling that loudly, my dear.”
Karnigan’s was breathtakingly beautiful on the outside, and I suddenly wondered if I was dressed appropriately. The clothes that Liam had fetched for me were a pair of dark denim jeans and a loose, pink floral top. He also had whoever did the fetching get me a pair of black flats, which I was thankful.
No way could I have done all of that walking in high heels.
The host immediately recognized Liam and Ronan and then walked us back to a private dining room.
We sat down at a large table with Victorian-like chairs, the kind you�
�d see in Buckingham Palace. The menu was quite extensive, and I felt overwhelmed, not understanding the names of some of the dishes.
“You look confused,” Ronan said as the waiter brought us two bottles of wine.
“Red or white?”
I looked up at the waiter and realized he was talking to me. “Oh, um, red. Thank you.”
As he poured me a glass of wine, Ronan started explaining some of the dishes to me.
“Since you’re not a fan of seafood,” he said, “then I think you’ll do well with one of their chicken dishes.”
“On the other hand,” Liam said, “I’m going with the lobster and clam bake.”
Ronan shook his head. “Where does it go on you, man? You eat like a cow but have the body of…"
“A Greek god,” I said, immediately regretting my decision to say that out loud.
Luckily both of them laughed it off.
“I work out a lot,” Liam said. “Which is more than Ronan can say, although he does have some muscles on him. Still, he could stand to go to the gym a bit more often.”
“Maybe that’s because I’m always working,” Ronan rebutted.
I shot Liam a look, wondering what that comment meant.
“I put in just as much work as you do,” he replied with a smirk.
I was waiting for Ronan to explain what all of that meant, but he didn’t say anything, and I didn’t press further.
We spent dinner talking and getting to know each other even more. Ronan and Liam were like Yin and Yang, and I was enjoying both of their company equally. The food was delicious and filling, yet somehow we all saved room for dessert.
“It’s a crime to leave here without having a piece o’ their strawberry shortcake,” Liam said as the waiter brought three pieces to us.
They were huge, and I suddenly wondered if I’d be able to keep my jeans zipped.
After the restaurant, the three of us walked to a local nightclub. I couldn’t even tell that it was a club from outside since it looked just like a regular building. Ronan and Liam had to show their identification for us to get in, meaning it was an exclusive club.
In other words, they had money.