Looking down at him now, I could see me loving more than his spirit. I could see me falling in love with him. Period. End of story. And that scared the hell out of me. I mean, date number one was going to be damn hard to top and it wasn’t even over yet.
I got out of bed, naked as the day I was born, and checked my phone. I had a few problems, the main one being, what I was going to wear today. The weather on my phone said it was to be clear and warmish. I supposed I could just turn my panties inside out and deal with it for today.
I wandered into the shower and marveled at the sleek, modern, yet earthy feel of this place yet again. Turning on the faucet, I let the water steam and billow around me, soothing away all the aches I acquired the night before.
I shrieked when a long arm snaked its way around my waist, tugging me into its delightful erection. Turning around I wound my arms around Nixon’s neck and lightly placed a sopping wet kiss on his lips, trailing down and across his chest, encircling his nipple with my tongue.
“Morning, baby.”
I just grinned, pushed the water and my hair off my face and proceeded to treat him to my own version of a good morning.
WE SPENT THE REST OF the morning exploring the island on the bikes the hotel had for each guest. Nixon had packed an extra pair of boxer briefs and I was currently sporting them, secured to my waist with an elastic band tied at my side.
We biked from one end to the other, stopping to enjoy the packed lunch we had ordered, sitting on a grassy area overlooking Dingle Bay.
I leaned all the way back, my head in Nixon’s lap, wondering how a little over a month ago, I had no idea who this man was. Hell, a little over a few days ago, I didn’t know who he was.
“I guess I’ll let you take me out on a second date, buuut it’s gonna be pretty hard to top this one.”
He leered down at me and I laughed as he pretended to tickle my hips. “Stop moving your head around. The last thing I need is a hard on out here where there is absolutely nowhere for me to relieve the agony.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Perv.”
“You don’t know the half of it.”
“Oh!” I shot up and did a little dance. What are you doing tonight? I know where we can go for our second date!”
He slowly got up, adjusted himself and shook out the blanket. “I’m on a leave of absence. I’m not doing anything for quite some time.”
“Nixon! A leave? Why?”
He wrapped his arms around me, smelling of a heady mixture of spice, the sea and man. I snuggled deeper into his sweater, wishing we never had to leave and wondering why he had taken a leave of absence and not just a vacation.
“I wanted to be with you, you know, like give us a chance to see where we headed. Without the threat of me leaving forcing us to choose.”
My heart beat a little faster. Maybe, just a tiny bit, I could trust him. I had one more challenge for him. He’s succeed on the first date challenge with flying colors, but the next one wasn’t for the faint of heart.
“Okay then, if you’re free, I was thinking we could go visit my family at the pub? Or the farm. Gray and Aiden are down and we could stay with them, or above the pub. Chloe and Ryan have finally moved out! What do you think? Can you brave a full on Murphy attack? Mister fancy-pants CIA agent.”
“I was hoping you’d ask. Challenge, accepted.”
He leaned down and at the same time he full-on kissed me, he pinched me on the ass.
“You are gonna pay for that.” I shrieked and leapt out of the way of his pinching fingers. “Nixon! Stop!”
I hopped on the bike, riding for my life, laughing the whole time. “Catch me if you can!” I hollered back into the shrinking distance between us. To be truthful, I totally hoped he caught me. That was a kind of torture I was eager to experience.
Chapter 22
Nixon
What had I gotten myself into? I had a sister, we were kind of close, but not Murphy close. We had arrived at the pub, and apparently Keeva had texted ahead. Murphys as far as the eye could see, capped off by the mac daddy Murphy, Brennan. I was choosing to steer clear of him for the time being. Better to let him come to me, or shit, maybe I should go to him. I wasn’t good at this dating thing. Maybe Brennan was the alpha and I needed to get my ass over there.
Well, shit. He was headed towards us. It was happening whether I wanted it to or not. I’d had a few “chats” with him already, but this would be the first time we’d just hung out with Keeva’s family.
He sidled up to me and slapped me on the back. “Nixon. This is a surprise.”
“Brennan.” I shook his offered hand and relaxed slightly.
“Oh look,” Keeva turned and clasped her hands together. “You’re making friends, Brennan.”
“Keeva Marie—"
She held up a hand to his face. “Save it, sister. I didn’t come here to be bossed around by you. We came to—"
He threw up his hand in her face, grabbed it by the wrist and twisted her around, holding her with her hand now behind her back.
“Let go of her.” I couldn’t help it. It just launched right out of my mouth. Fuck, I was an idiot.
“Brennan,” Sam, his wife strolled by, baby Max in her arms. “Let her go and take your son. You are in no way getting out of daddy duty tonight.”
He immediately released her arm and took the baby from Sam, holding him high up in the air, making him squeal in delight, yet not once, taking his eyes off of me.
“Pussy.” Keeva coughed out into her sleeve.
“Shut it, Keev. I know where my priorities lie and this little guy is tops. Aren’t ya, buddy?” He swung him up into the air again, smiling like a loon.
“Hi, Nixon.” Sam grabbed a beer from a passing server. Before anyone could claim it, she took a healthy swig. “So, does this mean you’ve finally both come to your senses? I don’t have any more time to spend shuttling Ash back and forth to Galway.”
I wrapped my arms around Keeva from behind, resting my head on her shoulder. Suddenly, Sam was catapulted into us, wrapped in a hug from who I was assuming was Aiden.
“Aiden! What the hell? You’re squishing us. Get off!” Keeva’s ass was plastered to my dick and if he didn’t release her soon, it was going to get kinda obvious I was attracted to his sister. I felt a pair of hands give my rear end a squeeze and I yelped in shock.
“Hands!”
“Oh God. Sorry.” He released us all and the girls tumbled into the bar. Aiden reached out to steady Sam and I grabbed Keeva. “Sorry, you must be Nixon. Great to finally meet you face to face.”
Oh shit. He was a hugger. He man hugged me, we slapped backs for a few to see who had the stronger slap, a time-tested tradition, and all was good as far as I could tell. Keeva had told me Aiden was the most laid back of her three brothers.
Meeting Quinn was going to be the long game. He had apparently been given exile orders courtesy of Brennan many years ago. If you wanted to see him, you had to go to him in New York City, where he was a lawyer in a large firm. Word on the street was that he wasn’t ever coming home to Ireland.
Aiden turned to me with that look in his eyes. Albeit, it was a kinder, gentler look than the one I usually got from his older brother, but it still put me on edge.
“Before you start, know that I’ve recently come to the realization I’m in love with your sister. She doesn’t know it yet. I’m letting her know tonight. I’m gainfully employed by the government, married once to a nightmare, that nightmare still is hanging around but we’re divorced and yes, I know she’s your baby sister.”
“Well, shit, then I guess my work here is done.” He signaled to someone behind me with his hand and a nod of his head. “Brennan sent you over?”
“Got it in one. Listen, Keev’s my little sister, it’s true, but she’s more than capable of running her own life. Gray and she are tight and if she likes you, then I like you. Brennan’s just got control issues that could stretch across the ocean. Well, I guess they kinda do, all
the way into Quinn’s tidy little world.”
I tapped beers with him and smiled. “We’re good then, and you’re right.”
“As per usual, but what would it be about this time?”
“She’s made an amazing life for herself. Great business, fantastic house, financially secure. With all due respect, she’s not a baby anymore. That girl’s on her way.”
I locked eyes with Keeva over in a booth surrounded by her friends and family and it hit me. Deep in my gut. I thought I’d found love before, with Lauren. But in these few short weeks, the real thing had snuck up on me.
“Will you excuse me?” I began to walk towards her, but Aiden grabbed my elbow.
“Welcome to the family, Nixon.”
I ran a hand through my hair, surprised that statement wasn’t making me sweat. I still had no idea how I was going to get from point A to point B, but it was going to happen. I adjusted my glasses and went to smother my girlfriend in front of her family.
Reaching in and grabbing her hand, I smiled at her sister, Gray, Chloe and Samantha. “Ladies. I need to steal her for a minute.”
“The closet is uncomfortable,” Chloe said. “Too many broomsticks. Bad memories.”
“Oh, and Brennan’s office has paper thin walls. Awwwkward.”
“Thanks for that, Sam.” I looked at Keeva’s best friend. “Gray? Got any helpful tips?”
“Condoms break. The end.”
They all burst out laughing and I had no clue what they were nattering on about, so just pulled Keeva from the booth and went in search of a quiet place.
“Nixon, is everything okay?”
“Why?”
“Well, for starters, I’m at least a foot shorter than you are and I’m struggling here. I know you’re just being you, but Bren is currently glaring at you from the bar. Ryan will only be able to contain him for so long.”
“Shit. Sorry, it’s just I want to find somewhere private to talk.”
She held up a set of keys and dangled them from her index finger. “Maybe these will help?”
“Lead on, Ms. Murphy.”
I let her guide us through the pub, out the side door and up a set of iron stairs flanking the side of the building.
“This is the flat I was telling you about. Bren’s reno’d it and rented it out first to Sam, then to Ryan and Chloe. Now, its empty for the time being.” She turned and grinned at me. “But not for tonight. It’s ours for the night.”
She pushed through the door and I followed, shutting and locking the door behind me. I rushed her from behind, picked her up and swung her around, backing her against the door. He legs automatically flew around my hips and I held her steady while I kissed the hell out of her lips.
“I love you. That’s what I wanted to tell you. And I don’t care if we’ve only really been on one official date. I fucking know. And if you don’t, that’s okay. I’m spending the next little while convincing you that you do.”
She froze and my stomach dropped. “Oh, Nixon.”
“That doesn’t sound like a good lead in to, ‘oh baby, you’re the best.’”
She laughed and I felt her energy to the tips of my toes. She cradled her hands to my cheeks and lightly kissed me. “Stop, you nut.” Raising my glasses, she removed them, folded them up and tucked them into her shirt. Resting her forehead to mine, she angled her face so she could whisper in my ear, “I think this is date number two, and yeah, you’re right. I’m in love with you too, you big jerk. I should make you work way harder to get those words, but I’m not one to hold onto important shit. I super love you.”
“Hmm, that sounds intriguing. Shall we take this discussion to the bedroom?” She crossed her legs behind me and I carried her through the living room, past the bay windows looking out at the ocean below, past the old brick fireplace, past the sleek and modern kitchen, right back into the bedroom that we were calling ours for the next few nights at least.
I WAS WRAPPED UP IN her and the sheets later that night when my phone lit up like the fourth of July. Grabbing it and swiping it open, I let a few choice words free. Fucking hell. Not wanting to wake her, I threw on my boxers and took the call in the living room.
“Nixon.”
“Nixon? It’s me.”
“I know it’s you. What do you want? I’m pretty sure I made myself clear the last time we spoke.”
“Yes, yes you did, except, things have changed.”
“Changed? In the past forty-eight hours? How so?”
“I know you’re on leave, but...It’s Hawk. He’s in trouble and we need you to go get him out.”
“Son of a bitch. What happened?”
I tiptoed back to the bedroom to grab my jeans and slide them on, shuffling into the bathroom to finish getting dressed.
“We’ll fill you in on your way to the airport. Where are you and how long until you can be airborne?”
“I’m in Kerry and a few hours. Lauren, what are we looking at?”
“It’s critical you get on the move. We’ll pick you up at Shannon.”
“Fine.” Frustrated she wouldn’t give me more info I sat down beside Keeva and gently nudged her awake. I was going to either need her car or need her to drive me to the airport.
“Baby. Wake up. Keeva? I need your help honey.”
“Nixon?” God she looked so hot just waking up. My dick stirred and I cursed the day I joined the CIA.
“It’s Hawk. He’s in trouble and I need to get to him. I’m telling you, that’s all I know. But, I’ve got to get moving. Can you drive me? Or can someone drive you back if I take your car?”
She hopped up, smoothed down her hair and hopped into her clothes that were now going on a couple of days. Poor thing. I should have packed her some extra panties at the very least. That seemed like an appealing thought and for a minute, I was completely distracted.
“Let’s go, Nix. You drive like an old lady. I’m driving. Hand over the keys.”
I could get some intel while she drove so, I chose to let her think I was a cautious driver. I only drove that way to keep her quiet. I didn’t need her griping about my lead foot in the mountains of Ireland.
Chapter 23
Keeva
Eleven days. It had been eleven days since I had last seen him and I was going squirrely waiting for him to return home.
I had taken on a few new clients and at this very moment in time, was looking to outsource the web design portion of my business. I had some very promising candidates in my area which surprised me, but really shouldn’t have. Galway was swiftly becoming a tech hotspot with lots of young visionaries moving here every month.
It was Saturday and I was back at Murph’s. I was going stir crazy at home waiting for some sort of communication every day. He would occasionally text me mysterious messages, but I knew shit all about what he was up to.
I guess this would be my introductory lesson into loving an undercover agent. Was I going to be able to handle this? I was taking it day by day, but I was poor company for anyone looking to hang out. Thankfully, the only people I was hanging out with were family at this point.
I walked down the stairs to the pub, ready to dig in and keep myself busy. The busy season was still going strong and we were occasionally swamped. I had never been much of a barmaid, but found that it was kind of fun and being close to my family’s business was giving me a sense of belonging I didn’t know I was missing.
“Hey, Ry.”
He looked up at me with a confused look on his face. “Keeva, what are you doing here today? I thought you were up north?”
“I know, but my mind was busy heading in the wrong direction and I thought pouring some beer for people who were worse off than me would do me some good.”
“True, that. But, we’re good here. You should head off to the farm or something.”
“I don’t want to head off, Ry. I’ll just go see if they need help in the kitchen. Something always needs peeling, or chopping.”
He had his back to me so
I didn’t bother to wait for a response, just wandered into the kitchen and tried to find a chore that would ease my mind.
Before long, I was peeling and chopping carrots and potatoes like nobody’s business and was surprised to see that a couple of hours had flown by while I was helping out. New Keeva had another skill she could add to her life skills page. Chef. I laughed out loud at myself and decided a break was in order before I started trying to change up the menu. Brennan would never let me inside the kitchen again if that ever happened.
I wiped my hands on my apron, untied it and swung open the doors to the pub area and froze. The pub was empty. Mind you, it was only three in the afternoon and the lull between lunch and dinner was in full force, but this was different. There was nobody around. Not Ryan, not the servers, no one.
“What the hell?” I whispered to myself. “Where did everyone go?”
I walked fully out of the kitchen hallway and saw him. He was standing with his back to me, admiring the view of Brandon Bay out the front windows. I would recognize that ass anywhere.
“Nixon!”
He turned and I ran. Literally ran to him, launching myself into his arms, just like a classic, cheesy romance movie heroine Ash and I loved to mock. My legs went around his middle and I squeezed his neck until he started wheezing.
He backed me up against a brick wall and brought his lips to mine with a hunger that I could easily match.
“Oh God, I missed you,” I muttered against his lips. “I was going crazy. Hey!” I slapped him alongside his head. “Why didn’t you tell me you were home?”
“Ow that hurt. Have you been working out?” He rubbed his head with his free hand. “I wanted to surprise you. So—" he smirked, “—are you surprised?”
I rested my head on his shoulders. “I love you.
“Say it again.”
“I love you Nixon Rivers. Now kiss me and then tell me why there isn’t anyone here and why no one came and got me to tell me you were here? I’m a mess. I don’t even think I showered today.”
Hacked Page 17