Page 46 of Her Irish Boss

Cathal's voice behind her made her jump. “I need to put in a lunch order.” He didn't flirt or wink. “And you need to bring it in when it's ready. I don't want to deal with anyone else at the moment.” He shook his head. “Whatever happened earlier put Brogan in a massively shitty mood.”

She pursed her lips for a moment before pulling a pad of paper from her back pocket to take his order. “He's my boss. I get that. But he's going to have to trust that I'm not going to run my mouth.”

“You should tell him that. But not right now. We havesome planning to do and need nourishment. Three fish and chips. Three Guinness.”

“Three?”

“Believe me. Between you and the bank shit, Brogan needs one or else we really will kick him out of the O'Keeley's this time.”

She smiled.

“Ah. I can see that it makes you happy.”

“No.” Not happy. A little pleased that he had reacted to her. He flipped so quickly between being the boss in the Armani suit without a heart, to the man that brought wine to her to cheer her up and seduced her in supply closets. “I'm not happy he's upset.”

Cathal set his hand on her shoulder. “Despite him being an arse most of the time, he is a good man.”

“I know that, too.” She looked up and met Cathal’s gaze. “We're just trying to figure it all out, I suppose. He thinks this is one-sided. I'm flat out lying to one of my best friends. It sucks all around.”

Cathal nodded. “Right. I get it.” He tapped her pad with their orders. “One thing at a time,mavourneen.” He walked back to the office, leaving her wondering what he'd just called her.

She scooted around behind the bar to put in the orders and pour the drinks. If Cathal thought it was one-sided, Brogan probably did, too.

She hated to do this, but if he wanted it to remain a secret, then she had no choice but to go out with Katie. She'd go to a bar. Have fun. Not flirt and not go home with anyone. Easy.

But he couldn't get mad. Like he'd done with Jacob. She wouldn't expect him to just stay locked inside if the situation was reversed and he had to appear as though hewas still single. Besides, as she told him before, a title like VP of Advertising didn't earn him exclusivity rights over her.

Jacob had hidden her away before. And she'd let him. Brogan would never have that power over her.

She took the tray of food and drinks to the door of the office. She knocked twice and waited.

Brogan opened the door. His serious face faltered a moment when his eyes locked with hers. Yes. She threw a massive wrench into his perfect life.

“Come in,” he said, stepping back. After a half-second hesitation, if that, maybe only a breath of a moment, he took the heavy tray.

She stood there, empty arms, as he carried it across the room and sat it on the coffee table.

As soon as Brogan's back was turned, Cathal grinned and gave her two thumbs up. Rian shook his head and snagged a fry off of a plate.

“I need to talk to you,” he said and motioned toward the bathroom in the back she'd never been in before—the one he used to clean up after his workout each morning.

She turned on her heel and walked into the room, hearing the door shut behind them. It wasn't large. About the size of her bathroom in her small apartment. Clean. Nothing on the counter. One drawer on the side. Absolutely the opposite of the current state of her own bathroom with her blow dryer sitting in the sink and makeup everywhere.

The air smelled fresh with the hint of the aftershave she'd learned he used.

“Selena—”

“No.” She held up her hand. She didn't want to fight. Not with him. Not over this. “I told you the truth. Katie has always teased me about you.” Facing him, she was a little shocked to see the aggravated look on his face. “You're hot. Ididn't just form that opinion about you in the last forty-eight hours since we kissed. You see the way she acts about Cathal. She always jokes about it.”

He slipped his hands in his pockets.

“And it's put me in a crappy situation. I'm lying to her, swearing we aren't whatever the hell we are or aren't, and then hoping you believe me.”

“I believe you.”

“Great. Then?” she asked, pausing a moment and holding her hands out. Why had he wanted her in here?

He stalked toward her. She held her ground until he pushed the back of her thighs against the edge of the counter next to the sink. “I thought, when I first walked up, that you'd told her.”

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