Chapter 7
seven
PRESENT—FLIGHT TO COLORADO
GRAY
Stop looking at him, you idiot. No matter how many times Gray berated herself, her eyes kept finding Ciar’s over and over.
She had every right to put him in his place the night before and refused to feel guilty. Over breakfast with the O’Faolains that morning, she spoke to Ciar as she always had, as friends and now as a client.
While the group chatted, waiting for Dagr’s father, Ulf, to arrive, Gray approached Ciar and went over some of the details she hoped they could finalize for his high-end pub while they were in Colorado.
He hadn’t liked her no-nonsense, we’re back to being friends, approach. When he responded, it was low enough that no one could overhear. “Cut the shit, Gray. Don’t treat me like you haven’t had my hard dick rubbing between your legs, and my tongue as deep in your throat as it could go.”
She’d felt her face flush in embarrassment. Her body, on the other hand, had warmed for a wholly different reason.
She couldn’t let him break the carefully constructed act she’d decided to play. “Let it go, Ciar. I have. Have you ever heard any stories about me sleeping around?” He shook his head negatively. “One-night stands?” Again, no. “Because I don’t.
“Seeing you with that woman all over you helped me remember that I don’t want to be just another number to you. I’m trying to save us both regrets.” Blair caught her eye. She quickly signed that they were going to draw attention. Gray nodded once and stepped away from Ciar.
He clasped her arm, stopping her long enough to growl, “You aren’t a one-time anything to me, Gray. I would never—”
Jonathan cut off whatever he was about to say. “Save business talk for later, you two. My long-lost uncle might be about to walk through the door,” Jonathan joked, thankfully not catching on that she and Ciar were fighting.
Gray laughed as she was meant to and, without glancing at Ciar, moved to stand next to Blair and Mags.
Now, Gray was on a beautifully appointed jet and instead of enjoying her celebratory shot of Glenmorangie—she may currently live in Ireland, but her dad would never forgive her for drinking anything but good, Scottish whisky—her whole body was attuned to Ciar.
Aside from their earlier argument, she couldn’t help but notice that Ciar was brooding about something. He had gotten a message or email before they took off and had been silent ever since. And even though they had Wi-Fi, he hadn’t done anything but glare at his phone. Stop, Gray!
While trying to get back into the conversation with her friends, she noticed that Bébhinn was wearing new jewelry. “That’s a gorgeous locket, Bébhinn. It looks antique. Did you recently buy it?”
Bébhinn clasped the piece, briefly glancing at Dagr, who nodded encouragement, which was all kinds of odd. She glanced at Mags, who shrugged and shook her head.
“Dad left me some things with our solicitor. I just opened it a few days ago. Here,” she said, scooting forward in her seat and flipping the clasp to open the locket, “he commissioned Fiona, Mirren’s sister-in-law, to paint a miniature of him and Mom on their wedding day.”
She swallowed deeply before continuing. The others on the plane were silent. “Dad left a note that said the other side was for my husband and me.” Closing the piece, she shook her head, attempting to dispel the tears that wanted to fall.
“He also left a bunch of his mother’s jewelry to me. I treasure them all because I saw Gran wearing them on occasion when I was little, or in pictures. Dagr put them in a safe at the bank until our place is ready and we’re settled.”
“It’s stunning, Bébhinn, and unsurprisingly so thoughtful. Hugh loved your mom something fierce. I love that he gifted you with something that you can always carry with you and remember them together.”
Blair touched Bébhinn’s leg to get her attention. “It’s beautiful.”
“I mean, seriously, how will Blair, Gray, and I ever find a man who loves his wife and children even half so much as Hugh O’Faolain.
Talk about standards. You don’t have to worry now that you’ve found your version of Hugh, or rather your brothers, as the case may be,” Mags laughed and gently elbowed Bébhinn in the side, “but we still have to.”
Mags could always be counted on to lighten a mood, and it worked because Bébhinn laughed and looked over her shoulder at Dagr. “I did, didn’t I?”
As if she had no will of her own, Gray’s eyes found Ciar.
He was gazing off at nothing, tapping his fingers repetitively over his knee.
She was getting worried that something besides their own squabbles was stressing him.
Could it be his father? Surely, he would have said.
Their friend group all loved Ciaran Murphy.
She sipped her whisky while casually pulling her messages up.
Gray: You seem stressed. Is everything okay?
She pushed send, and ten seconds later, his phone pinged. He flipped his phone over, and as soon as he saw it was her name, his gaze flicked to her. Looking back at his phone, he opened the message and started typing, a deep frown pulling at his eyes and mouth.
Ciar: It’s nothing.
After all that time typing, and two words come through. He was lying.
Gray: You’re lying to me again.
Low blow, but needs must. Gray watched his shoulders stiffen.
Ciar: My boss messaged me. He needs to see me as soon as I’m back from this trip.
Gray: Why does that bother you?
Ciar: It’s strange. He didn’t tell me what it’s about.
Gray: Either let it go for a week or call him when we get to Dagr’s.
Ciar took a deep breath as he read her last message. He put his phone down and looked at her, giving her the barest nod. She didn’t know what option he would choose, if either, but she hoped he would relax and enjoy the time off work.
Gray might be disappointed in Ciar’s behavior lately, but he was still a close friend, and seeing one of her friends stressed wasn’t something she could easily allow without trying to help.
Forcing herself to once again focus on something besides Ciar, she joined Mags in making a list of Colorado activities that everyone might be interested in.
After two hours chatting with her friends, she yawned and stretched, ready for a nap. She signed to Blair that she was going to use the restroom. Mags and Bébhinn just got back. Blair nodded and followed her to the back of the plane.
There was only one enclosed toilet, and Gray told Blair to go first, as she splashed water on her face and fluffed her waves. Blair came out and washed her hands. Gray signed in the mirror.
“I’m so ready to get there.”
“Me too. How are you and Ciar?”
Gray’s face was instantly on fire. She couldn’t believe her friend figured out the man she was exchanging nudes with was Ciar.
“We’re friends. Nothing more. I’m going to try and forget my lapse.”
Blair only raised her brows and made a humming noise, a sound completely unique to her, before giving her a wink and leaving the restroom.
Gray finished going to the bathroom and was washing her hands when the door opened. “What the hell, Ciar. You could have waited.”
He came closer until they stood inches apart. “I want you to tell me that you’ll give me a second chance.” He took her hands that were hanging limply by her sides and placed them on his chest, crowding her between his big body and the sink at her back.
“I care about you. You know that,” he demanded, leaning closer to her mouth. “You have to care about me even a little. You proved it out there by asking after me.”
She should be shoving him away, but when his hands smoothed up the sides of her ribs, and his thumbs lightly massaged under her breasts, she was helpless to do anything but whimper.
“Ciar, I do care. You’re my friend. Of course, I care, but that isn’t enough for me to take that chance. You haven’t even told me how you feel.”
He cut off anything else she wanted to say when he slowly licked into her mouth. They both moaned. She was thankful he kept it slow and soft. Her poor mind would click offline if he kissed her like he had that one night in his kitchen.
“Why do we have to talk about feelings? This feels good. What else matters?”
He might as well have dumped ice-cold water over her head. This feels good. What else matters?
With her hands on his chest, she pushed him away. He looked surprised but complied. “You just solidified my fears.” She walked past him to the door, and before she turned the handle, she added, “Leave me alone, Ciar. Keep having meaningless relationships if you want, but I won’t be one of them.”