“And you felt left out in the cold,” I surmise quietly.
He nods, sighing. “Aye,leannán, and so I did. My cousin was my best mate, and now he had a new one. It seemed like there was no place in his life for me anymore.”
“But youlikePaddy.”
He snickers. “And so I do,leannán. But I like pissing him off more.”
The cheeky grin is back now, and what the hell, I grin conspiratorially back at him.
“Well then, let's hope it riles him wicked good.”
Connor's eyes light up at my words, and he reaches over to take my hand, squeezing it and bringing it to my lips, brushing a kiss over my knuckles.
“That's the spirit,leannán.”
My heart thuds. Okay, maybe the talking it Irish thing isn’t special, but this feels a little special. It will have to do.
Paddy and Lauren only live ten minutes away from Connor’s house, so we arrive in no time. Connor helps me out of the SUV.
I fight the urge to shiver as we walk up the paved path to their stoop because Connor puts his hand on my back to guide me, running his hand lightly up my back from the top of my ass until it rests between my shoulder blades.
CONNOR
Paddy and Lauren answer the doorbell, probably because Paddy is an overprotective bastard and wouldn’t let Lauren answer it alone if her glare at him has anything to do with it.
“Andie!” Lauren shrieks, knocking my hand off the lass’s back as she pulls her into a tight hug.
“Hey, Connor.” Lauren offers me a smile once she has finally released my lass.
“Seamair no cheithre duilleog,” I smirk at her, earning a glare from Paddy.
“Lauren, or silence,” he hisses at me, slapping me upside the head as Andie and I step in through the door.
As Lauren takes Andie’s delicious-smelling baked goods, I see the smirk Andie is trying to hide. Catching her eye, I wink, and she stifles her giggles, though a tiny one slips out.
Andie looks absolutely mouthwatering tonight. When I arrived home, I went straight upstairs to shower and dress since Paddy had told me that I had to come, no matter what, because Lauren was determined to have us over for dinner, and what Paddy’s little lass wants, Paddy’s little lass gets.
When I went searching for Andie, I found her in her bathroom, putting the finishing touches on her makeup. Though I had initially searched for her to see if she was ready to go so we wouldn’t be late, I stood there watching her because she looked so fucking gorgeous.
Paddy hands me a beer and Andie a glass of white wine as Lauren leads us into the formal dining room. I’m sure they’ve never used this room before. When I stayed here with them, we only ever used the kitchen table.
Paddy smiles at Andie, taking a stab at conversation. “You look nice, Andie. Is that a new dress?”
Andie smiles back at him, but Lauren snorts before she can open her mouth to respond.
“She wore it to our wedding, Paddy.” She rolls her eyes.
Andie was at their wedding looking likethis? And I didn’t fucking notice her that night? What a fucking travesty. I must have been drunker than I had thought at that reception. I clearly took the wrong woman home that night.
“I only had eyes for ye at our wedding, lass.” Paddy – the fucking smooth-talking prick –wraps his arms around his wife, murmuring into her ear.
She stops glaring at him immediately, giggling up at him instead. Jesus fuck. They’re a sappy, loved-up pair. Sometimes I forget what it was like to live in the house with them for about a month. It was fucking awkward.
Every time I call Lauren my four-leaf clover while eating dinner, Paddy gets a little more riled up. His eyes are promising me pain before we even finish the main course.
At the same time I have been winding Paddy up, I have also been playing footsie with Andie underneath the table. She moves her feet away and stiffens up each time I call Laurenseamair no cheithre duilleog.
At first, I thought she was anxious that Paddy would retaliate, but now I think it’s because she doesn’t like it any more than Paddy. I’ve spent the last ten minutes trying to figure out what problem the lass would have with it, but I can’t for the life of me think of a reason.