Plush, comfortable seats are scattered throughout the huge lavish space. The place is full of famous faces and wannabe celebrities.
The bar is packed, obviously. Saturday nights in Dublin are always thronged. My brother is propping up the bar, flanked by Shane and Nick, brothers from the same village where we grew up. Not that I saw much of them. Even as a kid, I had a rigorous training schedule.
Richard spots me and raises a hand in greeting. Where I’m fair-haired and athletic, he’s dark-haired and academic. He started referring to himself as Dr Rivers when he graduated with a PhD. in economics from Trinity.
To me, he’ll always be Dr Dick. Not because of his PhD, but what he thinks with. Savannah calls me a manwhore but Richard is twice as bad.
I nudge through the jostling bodies towards him.
‘Hey, aren’t you that hot swimmer?’ A curvy blonde in awhite dress drops a hand on my chest, halting my progress. A week ago, I might have entertained her advances, but since spending time with Savannah in the pool on Sunday, my obsession with her has only grown.
‘I’m the swimmer,’ I confirm, ignoring the hot bit.
Despite what Savannah thinks, I don’t have a huge head or an overinflated ego. I’m not bad looking by most standards, I suppose, but I’m not stupid enough to think that’s the reason women flock to me.
Everyone these days wants their five minutes of fame.
Everyone except me.
I’ve had mine. Well, I would have, if the paps would stop photographing me with my conquests and plastering them on sleazy blog sites. I fucking detest cameras. Worst invention ever. I do everything and anything to avoid being caught on them.
‘Did I do well to recognise you with your clothes on?’ she slurs. Someone started on the cocktails early.
I must have heard that line a hundred times before. I exhale a weary sigh and keep moving.
‘I see you’ve made a friend already.’ Richard slaps my back as I reach the bar. He nods towards the blonde, inching closer, stalking me like I’m her next meal.
‘It would seem that way.’ I turn my back to her and shake hands with Shane and Nick before ordering a Diet Coke from the barman.
‘Coke?’ Richard splutters. ‘What’s up? You pregnant?’
‘Funny.’ I motion to the barman to get another round for the boys. ‘I’m working tomorrow.’
‘But it’s Sunday.’ Richard’s dark eyebrows crease together in disbelief.
As usual, we’re due at Mam’s for a huge roast.
‘It’s a one-to-one lesson.’ I shrug, playing it down. ‘I’ll see you up at Mam’s afterwards.’
‘Who’s the client?’ Richard nudges me with his elbow. ‘Someone special?’
‘No one you know,’ I lie. Everyone knows Sassy Sav. She has a million followers on Instagram and even though a lot of them are single women, like her, I’m pretty sure there are a lot of single men following her too, just for very different reasons.
‘Incoming.’ Richard raises his pint glass to his lips, eyeing the front door.
Instinctively, I turn to see who his beady eyes have landed on.
A familiar, stunning, five-foot-seven blonde struts into the bar and my stomach somersaults. However good Savannah looked in that maxi dress earlier has nothing on what she’s wearing tonight. A sculpted black jumpsuit caresses every decadent curve before dipping into a V that plunges almost to her navel, exposing inch after satiny inch of her smooth torso.
Holy fuck.
She’s an absolute knockout.
‘Fucking hell.’ Richard’s eyes look like they’re about to pop out of his head. ‘How is she still single?’
My sentiments exactly, but that doesn’t stop the irritation coursing through my veins at the way my brother is leering at the woman I want. A screw tightens in my chest.
Even to have her just once .
