Page 49 of Dare to Love Again

Aside from his gorgeous face, his body was divine. He’d seen her in the altogether, but she’d yet to have a peek. She didn’t know if his chest had a smattering of hair, a thick pelt, or was satiny smooth. And she hadn’t seen him from behind, but she imagined the view of him in his snug black pants was as tantalizing from the back as the front. The same went for his upper body, which rippled and bunched beneath his tight T-shirt when he moved, though it just wasn’t the same as seeing him bare. But maybe it was for the best, since she was already having a hard time concentrating with him fully dressed.

A waitress appeared as though summoned, though she hadn’t seen him give any signal.

“Did you want something from the bar, Master K?”

“One piña colada, Arlene, with two straws. And a shot of Teeling, no ice.”

“Yes, sir.”

When she hurried away, Esme studied the utterly charming dom, who in her mind would always be Master Finn. “I thought you wanted to taste coconut.”

Raising her hand to his lips again, he inhaled then kissed her fingers just below her knuckles, his tongue slipping out to lick ever so lightly. “Mmm...just the taste I was craving.”

Distracted with his persistent touching and uncomfortable with the topic, she tried to steer him onto a different path.

“Keiran is an unusual name.”

“Not where I’m from, although not as common as Sean or Michael.”

“I could tell from your accent you’re not from LA.”

“It’s the curse of being a southern gentleman, your drawl always gives you away.”

“You’re joking, aren’t you, sir?”

“Nope, I was born in Columbus, Georgia.” He chuckled, seeing her frown. “But I tease you, lass. I’m a hybrid with dual citizenship. My mother is a southern gal, but she fell in love with an Army Ranger one summer and along I came nine months later. She moved to Belfast while I was an infant, which is where I grew up.”

“But I thought one of your parents would have to be Irish to have citizenship in both countries.”

“This is true. I meant the Sciathán Fiannóglach an Airm, which literally translated is the Army Ranger Wing. It’s Ireland’s version of Special Forces. As a young officer, my father was one of the first to train with the U.S. Army Rangers at Ft. Benning, Georgia. He met a girl, fell in love, and the rest, as they say, is history.”

She had to speak up to be heard over the band as they started another set. “What a romantic story.”

“Aye, except to hear them tell the tale, it’s steamy.” He forced a smile, but it looked more like an uncomfortable grimace. “They add details a son doesn’t want to hear about his parents.”

Esme actually laughed, captivated by him and this easy give-and-take. “I bet.”

“With family here and there, I’ve been back and forth all my life. I attended USC then followed in my father’s footsteps and served my country. I was in the ARW for most of my ten-year stint. When I got out, I took a job in security in San Antonio, and when the opportunity arose, returned to Southern California. I now call LA my home.”

“And your parents?”

“Still here and there, though mostly there. I try to get home at least once a year.”

“I’ve always wanted to go to Ireland. I hear it’s lovely.”

“It is, but perfect weather year-round, no snow, and the Pacific Ocean are nothing to sneeze at.”

“True. I bet you can’t swim in your ocean, either.”

“A swim near the pier in Santa Monica is like sinking into a nice warm tub by comparison.”

She shuddered. “I dip my toes in during August, that’s it. Which means, if I ever get the chance to see your home country, I’ll remain a confirmed landlubber.”

“With your coloring, you’d fit in well there, and Esme sounds Irish. It’s beautiful.” In his low, rumbling burr, he made it sound beautiful. “We were distracted with other things the other night. Now we have time. You said your mother lost a bet over your name. How so?”

She almost groaned. He had to ask. It was a long story and one she never escaped.

His head tilted to the side as he studied her. “I understand when things are new with a dom, there is a testing period. I’m fairly laid-back, but this tendency to stall you have could get you in trouble. When I ask a question, I expect a response. How bad can your name be?”

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