Page 66 of A Merry Irish Christmas
‘Well, I’m not on my own here, as it turns out.’
‘You’re not?’
‘No.’ He filled Josh in briefly on the mix-up between Mary and her family.
‘Well, I’m glad you’ve got company. And you’re getting on okay with her?’
‘Yeah, she’s cool. We’re getting on really well.’ He wasn’t about to tell Josh just how well, his mind straying to today’s activities.
‘Look, I’ve got to go. Sorry. I’m picking Amy and Oscar up from her mom’s. But I’ll see you on New Year’s Eve, yeah?’
‘Yeah.’ Evan traditionally threw a party in his place on New Year’s Eve.
‘Unless we decide you don’t really want us there and we have to book a trip to Mexico or something.’
‘Very funny.’ Evan grinned. ‘I’ll see you on New Year’s Eve, Josh.’
22
Mary slept late the next morning. She felt a little shy about facing Evan after their make-out session last night, but when she finally got up, she was surprised to find the house empty.
She’d showered, dressed and was just finishing a breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast when the door opened and Evan came in, bringing a blast of cold air with him. He was dressed in jogging gear and trainers, and looked bright-eyed and fresh-faced.
‘Where have you been?’ she asked him.
‘I went out for a run,’ he said, a little out of breath. ‘Along the beach. It’s a beautiful day.’
‘Yeah, it is,’ Mary said, glancing towards the window where sun was streaming in, glinting off the sea. ‘But I’m happy to admire it from here.’
He smiled. ‘Well, I’m going to hit the shower.’
When she’d cleared away the breakfast things and stacked the dishwasher, she went upstairs to brush her teeth. She’d just reached the landing when the bathroom door opened and Evan emerged in a cloud of warm, steamy air, wearing only a towelwrapped around his waist. Water dripped from his hair and glistened on his bare chest.
‘Oh! Hi.’ Mary froze on the spot, her eyes travelling over the muscles of his chest and the hard planes of his stomach. Wow! He had an amazing body.
‘Would you like a picture?’
‘Uh… what?’ She blinked.
‘You’re ogling me.’ He grinned. He didn’t seem pissed off about it – quite the opposite, in fact.
‘I’m not ogling you.’
‘Hey, I’m not complaining. But you totally are. You have a bit of drool here.’ He pointed to the corner of his mouth. ‘You’ve been checking me out since the minute I turned up – even when you thought I was here to rob the place.’
‘I was just taking it all in so I could describe you to the police.’
‘Sure you were. How would that have gone?’
‘Tall. Ridiculous hair. Crazy-sexy jawline. Lips you want to sink your teeth into…’
He laughed. ‘That would have made for an interesting session with the police artist.’
He stepped closer, and Mary could feel the heat of his body. ‘You said you wouldn’t try to lick me, remember?’
‘And I haven’t.’
‘But you’re looking at me right now like you want to.’
