“What are you gonna tell your dearly beloved husband when you get home?” I ask. “Or are you just gonna waltz back into that holding cell like you never left?”
She doesn’t answer, although her walk gets a little more aggressive.
“Just curious,” I continue. “Not trying to tell you what to do or anything. I don’t want to control you.”
“Don’t be an asshole.”
“Can’t help it,” I reply. “Part of the package.”
She groans, but she doesn’t slow down. I’m not worried, though. It’s a long stretch of road with no end in sight. Rory will find us without a problem.
“You realize you don’t have to follow me, right?”
I grin even though she’s not looking at me. “I don’t mind. I like the view from back here.”
She comes to an immediate stop.
“Change of plans?” I ask innocently.
“Cillian O’Sullivan,” she snaps, “I am not your problem.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” I retort.
She frowns. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
She’s so riled up that she doesn’t even hear the sound of the car coming our way. She’s busy trying to remember why she’s staring daggers at me.
And then it rounds the bend and catches her eye.
Immediately, her expression floods with relief. She jumps onto the road and waves her hands frantically to stop the driver.
Not that she needs to. This particular car was always going to stop for us.
I’ll let her figure that out herself.
Her hair swims around her face as though it’s got a life of its own. I just stand back and watch, marveling at the undeniable presence of her.
I can spy Rory in the driver’s seat. He looks mildly amused to see me standing out on the roadside with such a crazed, fiery she-devil.
As Saoirse runs to his window, he rolls it down.
“Hey,” she says breathlessly. “Do you mind giving me a ride back into the city?”
He smiles. “Not at all. Hop in.”
“Thanks,” she says, rushing around the car so she can hop into the passenger seat.
She’s so busy buzzing with relief that she doesn’t notice me clambering into the car from the other side.
Only when our doors slam shut at the same time does she turn around and glare at me.
“This is my ride.”
I smirk. “Is it?” I ask before glancing at Rory. I lie across the backseat and kick my legs up so that my feet are leaning against Saoirse’s headrest. “Thanks for picking us up, man.”
Her eyes go wide with shock as she starts to understand. “Wait… what?”
She glances between Rory and me.