Far too young to have preferences on men’s fashion.
But hot damn if it didn’t make my stomach clench when the blond-haired, blue-eyed man leading the pack hooked his thumbs in his suspenders and sauntered toward the bar.
Laughter came easy to this man. It showed in the lines framing his mouth and eyes, and the casual way he threw his head back and laughed with his entire body.
One of the men behind him said something, and he turned, slapping the man into a quick bro hug. It ended a second later, and he swiveled toward me.
I’d never had one of those movie worthy moments where everything happened in slow motion, but it happened now.
Every muscle moved together, bringing his gorgeous profile into view, then his full face. He blinked, eyes scanning the bar.
Then his gaze landed on me and he smiled.
2
FINN
Hello, beautiful. My smile widened to the point of pinching my cheeks as the woman sitting at the bar eyed me.
All the noise from my fellows faded into nothingness.
She was the only thing that mattered. With her bright eyes and delicious curves, I had about as much chance of ignoring her as a bee could stop making honey.
I walked right up into her space. Who the hell cared that we were the only ones in the pub. I needed to be close to her.
She smelled soft and fragrant, like sunshine on a fresh, snowy day. “Hello there. When did you roll into town?” I took the seat beside her, making sure my knee brushed hers to test her openness.
She didn’t pull away but also didn’t lean in or return the pressure.
Not my warmest welcome but also not a rejection. I could work with that.
She turned the mug in her palms, gaze flicking from me to Declan and then to the door off to my right. “Just now.”
“Oh?” I wiggled my fingers at Declan. He knew my order by now. Didn’t take much to please my burned out palette.
Only thing I’d ever been picky about was women, and this one checkedallmy boxes. “How long you staying? Hope it’s a good long while.” I put a bit of emphasis on the words, just enough to make them sexual but not enough to be predatory. The age difference bothered some women, and I didn’t want her to think I was that kind of man.
A blush colored her cheeks and holy shit did it go straight to my groin. I hadn’t thought she could get more beautiful, but that proved me wrong and gave me all sorts of naughty ideas.
Declan leaned across the bar, handing over my Guinness. “Finn, this BreeSullivan.” I arched a brow, sure he was trying to tell me something. He proved me right when he sighed. “You know, Shayla’s little girl.”
Well fuck. I’d never been hit with a ton of bricks before, but I imagined this was what it felt like. My entire body crumpled inside. This bombshell was the daughter of my late childhood friend. “Not so little anymore.”
Bree tensed and shifted her body away from me. Her hands fell off her drink and into her lap, her face turning crimson.
Declan backhanded my shoulder.
“Ow. What?” I met Declan’s furious gaze. He smacked me again and jerked his chin toward Bree. What did I do?
She fiddled with her fingers in her lap, turning her body at an angle and then tugging on the dress where it revealed a delicious swath of skin above her boobs.
Oh shit! No. Fuck. “That’s not what I meant.” I weighed the risk of touching her, decided it couldn’t hurt, and used one finger beneath her chin to lift her head. “I only meant you’re a woman now, not the little girl I remember. You’re even more beautiful than your mother.”
The stiff lines of her shoulders eased.
Her lips parted, and it an inordinate amount of control not to slide my thumb along the soft contours.
She had perfect lips.
