Page 50 of Naughty Irish Liar

“Christ, quit humping my ass and go to sleep,acushla, you can have more dick in the morning.”

I grinned in the dark and kissed his shoulder. “Yes, batman.”

CHAPTER 14

Ronan

I wish I wasn’t such a bastard at times.

Lying to Catherine, a prime example of my regret.

I watched her for days flitting around the bar and restaurant, making herself useful, being available for whoever needed a hand and the first to volunteer. She was a hard worker and never complained when she was on her feet for eight hours straight even after being at school most of the morning. On her break she’d sit in my office and work on assignments like the good girl she was, curled up on the couch, laptop on her knees, glasses on her nose, looking too young to deliver on all the filthy animal thoughts I had swimming in my head.

Christ though, the urge to fuck the good girl on the floor became stronger each day.

Not just that. If only it was just sex I could have coped a whole lot better than I was. Because even now it was nearing midnight and I’d watched her for an hour from the vantage point sitting at the bar, her reflection in the mirror in front of me and I wasn’t thinking about sex. I pondered if her feet hurt and was she thirsty, did her contacts hurt her eyes and did she want me to get her glasses? It was so far from sex I didn’t know what to make of it other than sit there, nursing my one drink I hadn’t touched and watch her cleaning away tables in her little skirt and white shirt, with all her ginger hair tamed back in a thick roped braid.

We talked. A lot. In bed. Out of bed. In my car. We’d been back to that dive of a sandwich shop three times and we talked there too while she tried everything on the menu and I drank bad coffee.

Her laugh was infectious.

Had I noticed that back then? Yeah, I had. It was soft and snorty, and she laughed with her whole body.

She was friendly to everyone she served, smiling and greeting them like old friends.

Too friendly sometimes if my constricted, jealous gut was a gauge. That one guy over on table twelve didn’t know how close he came to being thrown out of the top floor window for leering at her in that way I knew he only had sex on the brain. That fucker.

I wanted to monopolize every second of her life.

“You look like you want to fight someone,” Ash said at my right. Did I mention I had company I’d basically ignored for an hour? I don’t suppose he minded since he’d spent the time hammering away on his laptop.

“You volunteering?” I asked taking my first drink while my eyes ate up Catherine’s steps as she neared. She met my gaze in the mirrored wall and when she smiled my whole fucking body felt it.

He chuckled closing the notebook before placing it in a black satchel case. “Maybe another time. Change your face, my man. You look violent and the girl you’ve been staring at is heading this way.”

I knew that since I was basically stalking her through glass. I didn’t turn on the stool when she approached. My body felt her though in hot zips of electricity.

She’d woken something inside me these past couple of weeks … though that was another lie. She’d been sixteen when she’d woke me the fuck up, made me think like a man and not an arrogant punk who assumed the world owed me and the chip on my shoulder a favor.

Now I didn’t know what to think or feel other than losing myself in her slim body and octopus arms she wrapped around me at any time day or night.

The carroty haired girl was tactile as fuck and though I complained, I didn’t mind, maybe.

Case in point her palm rested on the base of my back and I could swear on a stack of ma’s bibles it burned where she touched. “Hey, I’m about finished, do you need another drink?”

“No, I’m good.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” she giggled and then I watched her notice Ash.

I suppose he was good looking if you liked that sort of guy. Me being this new possessive bastard, I watched them eyeing each other.

There was no interest on either side.

Just as well. It would be a shame to smash up a pub I owned.

“Since the boss here isn’t polite enough to do introductions,” she said leaning into my arm she held out her hand to Ash. “I’m Catie. Is there something I can get you?”

“I’m good with my drink, thanks. Nice to meet you, Catie. I’m Ash.” I didn’t like how long that Romeo held her hand for. My back teeth ground together.

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