“I could make you very happy.”
“Why?Are you leaving?”
Finn
Never have I ever…
The way Addie came undone.The way she looked, wrapped up in that fucking turquoise lace.I never even got her completely naked.But I have never in my life seen sexier lingerie than Addie’s.Doesn’t even compare to the strappy scrap of black lace that books and movies seem so fond of.
And, as hard as we both came, that evening at her flat was…different for me.It changed something.Shifted it.
Made me think.
Consider.
She made me want the thing I hadn’t allowed myself to even acknowledge since leaving Dublin.Jesus, fine.I’d considered it a million times but only in theory.Just the idea of it, not the reality.Not seeing it through.But, with Addie, things haven’t followed my usual path in any way.
I have more time and energy invested in this thing—whatever it is—with her than with any other girl before, including my fucking Humanities professor.
Addie is a bundle of badass and pushback, but I can’t imagine anyone I’d rather wrestle with.
And her dog, her little sausage.Eric and I bonded like men.Sure, I’d offered to walk him, but the little prick didn’t seem to want to acquiesce and find a suitable place to piss.I had to encourage him, show him the way.We shared a moment behind the Chinese restaurant around the corner from her flat and marked the brick wall together.
Christ, and the way she moaned my name.
* * *
“Hey, love.”I look up as she walks through the doors of the pub.“You’re early.Kieran’s not quite in.”
His hand is finally healed enough for him to work again.
“Hey.How are you?”She’s not shy with her affections, just shy around people in general.
I lean across the bar and push her boundaries a bit.“Give us a kiss, yeah?”I’m practically on my stomach, lying across the bar.But I get contact.Brushing my lips across hers, deepening it, savoring it.
“Remember when we had to kiss Finn for beer?”
“Yeah…it was only a year ago.”
Lis and Gracyn are set up at the end of the bar, smiling at the interchange between Addie and me.
“You must be Adelaide.I’m Lis, Aidan’s girlfriend”—sweet Lisbeth raises her whiskey glass toward Addie—“and this is my friend Gracyn.”
“Hi.Yeah, I work for Aidan.With him really.Um, nice to meet you.”Addie shifts her gaze from the girls to me, narrowing her eyes.“Do you kiss everyone?Like, all the time?”
Lis and Gracyn snort out a laugh, big grins and brows high.I don’t mind them laughing at my shit near as much when Aidan and Francie do it.
Addie leans back, away from the bar, and snarks, “Damn, and I thought I was special.”
“Oh, you are,” Lis offers with Gracyn nodding in agreement.
“You’ve changed Finn—tamed the feral bartender.”
I shake my head and finish stocking the beer cooler, leaving them to their conversation for a moment.
I guess I have changed.Sharing cookie recipes with the sassy seniors.Looking past all the enticing, willing women in the pub.I’ve kissed my share, pleasured more than a few.But the only one I think about now is Addie.
And she might have “tamed” me, but I’ve had some positive effect on her, too.Like tonight.We’re going to see a band play live.If fucking Kieran ever shows up.He’s late to every one of his shifts.Every single one.Does he not consider his coworkers?
