Lauren disappears into the kitchen to fetch dessert, taking our plates with her.
“Where’s the bathroom, Paddy?” Andie asks, placing her napkin on the table.
“Down the hall to the left, lass,” Paddy replies, gesturing as she stands.
“Thanks. I’ll be right back.” She smiles over the table, placing her hand on his arm.
Suddenly it clicks. I fucking get it. Andie doesn’t like it when I call Lauren a nickname in Irish for the same reason I don’t like it when she touches Paddy.
Lauren returns before Andie does, carrying a tray of jelly donuts. Paddy blinks in surprise, doing a double-take as his eyes land on the plate.
“I thought that you made a pie for dessert?”
Lauren laughs. “I did, but no one can hold a candle to Andie’s baked goods.Trustme.”
I smirk at Paddy, who glares back at me. He still wants to cause me pain for my jibes all night.
Andie returns at that moment, the back of her hand brushing against Paddy’s arm as she moves past him. It’s accidental and innocent and has me seeing fucking red.
As soon as she sits down, I rest my arm along the back of her chair, my fingers stroking the back of her neck. She stiffens under my hand, surprise radiating off her.
This is the first open sign I’ve given all night that we’re together. Paddy and Lauren’s eyes dart to my fingers. Lauren swallows a knowing smile while Paddy stares in shock.
Andie is distracted by the sight of her donuts in the middle of the table.
“Oh, Low. You didn’t have to serve them up!”
Lauren laughs, rolling her eyes as she serves a jelly donut onto each plate.
“Yes, I did. Anything I made will seem sad in comparison.”
Paddy tries to argue, but Lauren snatches up one of the donuts and shoves it in his mouth, which has him shutting up quickly. He swallows down the mouthful, grinning and placing another donut on his plate, the first one still in his mouth.
“They’re good, lass.”
Andie bites back a smile, picking up her own donut. I keep my fingers stroking her neck as I eat my donut, smiling smugly as Andie’s hand tentatively brushes over my thigh, disappearing quickly into her lap. It’s a start.
Andie and Lauren share a long hug when we leave. Paddy and I nod stiffly at each other. He still hasn’t had a chance to take a swing at me. I might cop it tomorrow.
Paddy and Lauren disappear back inside as I guide Andie back to the car. Christ. I have a point to make before we get home.
Andie is surprised when I open the back door for her instead of the front. Still, she obligingly slides in, staring as I climb in after her, closing the door as the overhead lights turn off, plunging us into darkness.
“Why are we sitting in the backseat of your car, Connor?” Andie whispers. But we’re not in here to talk.
I growl at Andie, tugging her until she’s seated astride me, tilting my head back, and pulling her face down to mine, kissing her deeply.
“Ye didn’t like it when I called Laurenseamair no cheithre duilleog, did yeleannán?” I murmur against her lips.
“That’s not -,” she starts to protest.
“Don’t ye ever lie to me, lass,” I growl. Andie falls silent for a moment.
“I didn’t like it,” she admits in a whisper. “It felt too intimate.”
I know exactly what she means. I slide my fingers into her hair, holding her head close enough to see her eyes in the darkness.
“I didn’t like it when ye touched Paddy,” I whisper back, rewarded with a sharp intake of breath from Andie.