Chapter Twenty
Dáithí
“You should take Elsking with you,” Eoin orders, appearing in my bedroom doorway.
“I’m not planning to use any chemicals with harsh smells or anything, but I’ll be moving stuff around and the noise might…
” He blinks, taking me in fully. “Or if you’re going to wear that, I could clean another day and—”
I laugh and saucily blow him a kiss. “I’ll still be wearing it when I get home and when we go out tonight. Where are we going, again?” I cock a hip, letting the sexy jockstrap highlight some of my best features. Maybe if he’s distracted, he’ll let some of the details slip.
“Hmm.” His heavy-lidded gaze and the little smile on his face as he looks at me make me feel like a god.
“Eoin? Where are we going tonight?” I plant a hand on my hip, letting my fingers frame the good stuff. “Is this dress code appropriate?”
That snaps him out of his lust-induced haze, and his gaze rises to meet mine, brows drawing together. “Not on its own. People drool over you when you’re fully clothed, Dáithí—give my poor jealous brain a tiny break and keep this just for me.”
It always gives me a thrill when he says something like that…
well, as long as he doesn’t phrase it as a demand.
I’ve never liked being bossed around by boyfriends.
Of course, before Eoin and I hooked up, I also didn’t like displays of jealousy or possessiveness, but somehow, from him, it’s… not toxic.
I stroll over to him and loosely drape my arms over his shoulders as his hands lightly grip my hips. “I can do that. You’ll be the only one who knows what’s under my clothes tonight at… Where are we going, again?” Leaning in, I feather kisses along the side of his neck, and his breath catches.
“Nice try.” Firming his hold on my hips, he sets me away from him—but still within arm’s reach. The bulge in his pants is proof of how strong his willpower is. “You’re good, but I’m not spoiling the surprise.”
My eyes shoot back to his face and my heart rate picks up.
“The surprise? As in… the surprise from the list of challenges?” He said that tonight was one of the planned dates, but maybe he’s changed his mind and swapped it with something else?
Or he could have decided to combine two of the tasks into one.
“No.” He shakes his head, then leans over to drop a kiss on my mouth. “Just a regular surprise. I’m saving the surprise for another time.”
My adrenaline begins to settle. I’m not sure why the idea of tonight being the surprise task was such a big deal, but my subconscious clearly has feelings about it.
To cover that up, I heave a giant sigh and turn to walk back to the bed, putting extra sway into every step.
I know what this jockstrap looks like from behind.
The pained sound Eoin makes assures me it was worth every penny of the ridiculously high price tag.
“Well, if you’re not going to tell me anything about tonight, I’m going to get dressed and go out. You really won’t let me stay?” I pick up my jeans and look over my shoulder as I bend to step into them.
Glazed eyes look back at me, and he gives his head a little shake, as if to clear it. “Would you be able to sit back and not try to help while I clean the place from top to bottom? I’m going to need to move your stuff around to do that, you know.”
I open my mouth to say that of course I could, then reconsider. Sitting back and letting other people be in charge isn’t something I’m known for. “Okay, fine. I’ll go out. Jared said he was home alone this morning, and I can go over there.” I zip and button, then reach for my tee.
“Oh. Maybe you shouldn’t take Elsking, then.” He frowns worriedly as he glances back toward the living room. “Jared has a cat.”
“Do cats and rabbits not get along?” I haven’t looked up information like that yet, since I only just let myself get one pet. I need more time before I’m ready for a second one.
He shrugs, but the worry doesn’t fade. “I don’t know, but if they don’t, Elsking shouldn’t have to suffer because of our ignorance.
It might be better if she stayed here. I can move her from room to room to keep the noise from bothering her too much.
It’s still a disruption, but…” He catches sight of my indulgent smile. “What?”
“Nothing. Just…” I scramble for something to say that’s not “you’re earning so many points on the tasks you don’t know about.” “You know I’d never let her get hurt, right?”
“Pft. Of course you wouldn’t. But she still might get scared, and she shouldn’t have to go through that.”
My heart melts. “I’ll call Jared and ask him if his cat likes rabbits.”
“While you’re doing that, I’ll check Google,” he says, and goes in search of his phone.
Jared answers on the second ring. “Hi. If you’re calling to ask if you can come over, yes, the offer’s still open. I went to the farmer’s market this morning and got some amazing cheeses and cake, and my garden is flooded with sun.”
If I hadn’t been planning to go before, I would be now. “That sounds perfect. I have a question, though—Eoin reminded me you have a cat.”
“That’s not a question, but yes, I do. Her name is Marge. You’re not allergic, are you?” Concern filters through the question.
“No, but Eoin thinks his cleaning might be disruptive for Elsking, so I was going to bring her… but I don’t know if cats and rabbits are friend or foe.”
Jared’s chuckle is warm and understanding.
“Mostly friend, but it depends on the cat. We’re in luck, though, because Margie gets along great with the classroom rabbit when I bring her in with me to do classroom chores.
I think they’ll be fine, but if it looks like there might be a problem, I can put Marge inside. ”
“Are you sure?” That doesn’t seem fair.
“Yes. She can have garden time whenever she wants. Elsking deserves a turn too. But I really don’t think there will be a problem.”
“Thank you. In that case, we’ll be there in half an hour or so. Can I bring anything? Bread for the cheese, maybe?”
“I’ve got everything we need,” he assures me. “Just one thing, though—my friend Felix called before and is going to stop by.”
My gossip radar perks up. “Felix the hockey player?” Eoin wouldn’t say much about the meeting the other day, only that he’d given the collaboration a green light. I don’t even know what the meeting was about, exactly, that needed one of the players there, looking like he wanted to vomit.
“That’s him.”
“Great! I can’t wait to meet him.” And not just because I’m nosy.
“See you soon, then.”
I lower my phone as Eoin reappears, staring at his. “This says they usually get along, but sometimes they need time to get to know each other first.”
“Jared said his cat’s been around rabbits before,” I report. “You can stop worrying.”
His relieved smile makes me wonder again if I’m setting myself up for heartbreak. There’s no question in my mind that I love Eoin more than I ever did Alan, no matter how hard I’ve tried not to.
Felix is already at Jared’s house when I arrive, stretched out on the clover lawn with his eyes closed, sunning himself.
It strikes me again that he’s smaller than I’d expected, based on what Jared’s said about him and the fact that he’s a hockey player.
Some people have big personalities, even when they’re absent.
I set Elsking’s travel crate down, and Jared and I watch closely as Marge wanders over to investigate. We agreed that if she seems at all aggressive, we won’t even try introducing them properly.
Marge sniffs around the front of the carrier, and Elsking slowly eases forward, her nose twitching. For a moment, they study each other, separated by the steel grill of the door, and then they touch noses.
“I think it’s okay,” I whisper, not wanting to break the moment of connection. Neither of them seems bothered—no fear, no aggression.
“Yeah.” Jared steps forward and scoops Marge away from the crate. “Let her out, and let’s see.”
Our fears were completely unfounded, and within five minutes, the two animals are curled around each other in a sunny patch of clover, Marge grooming Elsking, whose eyes are half closed as if she’s being pampered at a day spa.
“I foresee many playdates in our future,” Jared says at last, stepping over them to settle himself beside Felix. “Take a seat, Dáithí, and meet Felix.”
I lower myself to the ground and dig my fingers into the clover, the rush of growing energy tingling through me. I love nature. “Hi, again. Felix came into the DEA for a meeting this week,” I explain to Jared.
“I know, but he was too nervous to remember anyone he met.”
“Except that one asshole,” Felix grumbles, and my hackles go up. He better not be talking about Eoin.
“Asshole?” I ask, and the dangerous edge has Felix opening one eye, but he doesn’t back down.
“Yeah. He accused me of assaulting people.”
That doesn’t sound like Eoin, not unless it was true… and I doubt Felix would be so pissed about it if it was.
“Can you describe him?” Jared asks diplomatically. “How many of our people were in that meeting?”
My ire momentarily dips at the completely natural way Jared said “our people.” He’s taking ownership of us now, just like a consort should.
“Two,” I tell him. “Eoin and Ari.” Of the two, Eoin’s the most likely to be an asshole, but that doesn’t mean I’m just going to sit back and let some random felid I don’t know say so.
Felix opens his other eye and sits up. “Which was which? The head guy, the one in charge, he was okay. Professional, at least. It was the other guy who was a dick.”
Jared and I exchange a startled look. “Ari was a dick?” I ask.
“Are you sure?” Jared adds, then shakes his head. “Wow, stupid question. I just mean… Ari was the asshole? Really?”
I want to defend Eoin, but he and Jared had a rocky introduction, and even though they’re good now, Jared totally gets a pass on the whole calling-Eoin-an-asshole thing.
“I don’t know,” Felix says with heavy sarcasm. “Which one is he?”
“Long hair.” That’s probably the easiest way for him to differentiate between them.
“Then yeah, he was the asshole. Is that not normal for him?”
We both shake our heads.
“Great,” he mutters. “Guess I just bring it out in people.”
“You said he accused you of assault? Why? You don’t have to say,” I tack on, even though it hurts to do so. I’m desperately curious.
Felix leans back on his hands. “It’s not a secret. I’m sure people at your office are talking about it.”
Jared laughs. “If Dáithí doesn’t know about it, they’re not talking about it. Eoin’s his boyfriend.”
“He’s not—” I start, but he gives me a “be serious” look, and I subside.
Felix glances between us. “That was the other guy? The nicer one?”
“I’d argue that,” Jared jokes, “but yes. And yes, he’s Dáithí’s boyfriend, even if it is complicated right now.”
“That sounds like an interesting story.” Felix quirks a brow at me, not even trying to be subtle. I like him.
“I’ll trade you, your story for mine. Because Eoin’s annoyingly strict about confidentiality and won’t tell me even if I beg.” Which I won’t. It sets a bad precedent to beg outside of sex.
“Deal.”