16. Chapter Sixteen #2
While Roísin pays for it, I can’t help but look back at where I left Aidan.
He’s no longer sitting at our table but standing next to it.
His furrowed brow and the unhappy set to his mouth grab my attention, and I look towards the man opposite him.
They are both prime examples of testosterone about to explode, and I tense as they stare hard at each other.
I turn my attention to the man I don’t recognise.
He looks about the same age as Aidan. His dark-brown hair is on the longer side, with the ends curling over the collar of his dark-grey flannel shirt, and it’s difficult to see his lips as they move because of the impressive beard he’s sporting.
His eyes are pulled tight, and when he fists his hands, my back goes taut, and I take a step away from the bar.
I can’t read the man’s lips, but when he shoves his fist on Aidan’s chest, trying to push him back, I don’t hold back.
I put down my drink on the bar and move on instinct.
“I’ll be back, Roísin.”
Without waiting for her reply, I leave her and walk towards the two men.
Aidan crosses his arms over his chest, and there’s a tense set to his jaw as if he’s holding himself back from talking to the other man.
When pain crosses his features, my own breath catches, but I set aside my strange reaction to examine it later.
I pull out my ID card from my back pocket, ready to use it if I have to.
Aidan glances at me when I reach them.
I wedge myself between the two men, my back to Aidan’s front, and give the stranger a well-practiced polite smile.
“Is everything all right here?”
The stranger doesn’t even look at me before he takes a step back. “Just talking.”
“It didn’t look like that to me. When people start pushing other people in a crowded pub, I have no choice but to act.”
“Why the hell are you interfering, woman?”
The hidden insult isn’t lost on me, but I smile sweetly at him and hold my card up in front of him. His eyes flick down, then snap up in surprise.
“It’s my job. I get paid to interfere, and right now, I’m telling you that you either back off and let the rest of us enjoy our evening, or you get to spend a night down at the Garda station.”
Finally, he looks down at me.
“Think you can handle me, lady?”
I take a step closer until we’re toe-to-toe. “I know I can. Are you sure you want to go down that road? Be my guest.”
“Now, easy there,” Aidan mutters behind me.
I shrug off his hand on my shoulder. “I haven’t made an arrest in six months. I’m way overdue one.”
Goosebumps ripple along my skin as his breath brushes the nape of my neck.
“Be that as it may, there’s no need. Niall was on his way home.”
I raise an eyebrow at Niall. “Have a nice evening.”
His eyes flicker over my shoulder, his stare as steady as it is hard, and his jaw is clenched tight, so I don’t ease up.
After the longest five seconds have ticked by, he nods slowly and shuffles another step back before he turns away and saunters out of the pub.
I watch the pub door for a couple of seconds, making sure it stays shut, before I turn back to Aidan and give him a hard stare.
“I know you meant well, but when I use my card, you need to stay in the background.” I take a deep breath and soften my tone. “Okay?”
Aidan’s eyes remain thoughtful, but he nods. “Right.” He visibly relaxes and gives me a crooked smile. “Not that I hope there’ll be a next time, but if there is, I promise I’ll be good.”
“Thank you. Do I need to worry about the two of you?”
He clenches his jaw but shakes his head. “No. Niall’s just hurting right now and felt I was the perfect target this time.”
“Good.” In need of easing the tension, I give him a smile. “I don’t want to have to arrest my new BFF.”
I make to move past him, but his hand on mine makes me stop close to his side.
I blink when the warmth from his touch spears through me, and I meet his gaze.
The laugh lines at the corner of his eyes are on full display, and if I were prone to swooning over a man, this would be the perfect time.
He turns his head, and I lock my suddenly shaking knees in place when the warm puff of air from his mouth fans across my ear.
“Thank you for coming to my rescue even though I didn’t need it, Mae.”
There it is again, that name…Mae. But when spoken to me in his rough and soft tone, it sets off another round of shivers along my skin, warming me.
I’m going to lose my mind if he keeps that up.
“I didn’t want my evening ruined by having to break up a brawl,” I breathe.
My eyes catch Roísin still standing at the bar, eyes wide and mouth agape.
I know I should move away from him, but it’s like I’m spellbound.
It has to be the only explanation as to why I’m still here, limbs and feet frozen on the spot.
I sweep my gaze back to his. He moves his hand around mine, the light touch from the tips of his fingers so gentle despite the calluses on them that another tremble courses through me.
He’s breaking his rule by touching me like this, but at least we’re not alone.
If we were, I’d be at real risk of jumping his bones.
He takes a deep breath and moves his head a fraction, and I blink when his eyes release mine.
I try not to breathe in his citrussy scent, but it’s impossible not to when he’s so close to me.
So close that, with his head bent, his cheek almost touches mine.
I bite my lip when that tug below my abdomen intensifies, turning my insides into heady mush.
I suppress the low moan that wants to escape my lips and squeeze his hand instead.
Aidan’s wicked smile turns into a frown at the surreptitious shake of my head.
“You need to step back,” I whisper. “People are starting to notice.”
He blinks rapidly, as if my words are the reminder he needs that we’re not alone, and with his hand slowly slipping from mine, he does as I ask. As soon as I lose the warmth of his body heat, I can breathe easy, and I turn away to walk back to our table.
But I don’t want to stay in the pub anymore.
I need to get away from him.
I have to process why his invading my space leaves me in such a state of horniness that I honestly can’t remember if I’ve ever felt before.
I remove my jacket from behind my chair and put it on before I grab my newspaper and pen.
As I walk back to Aidan, I do my best to ignore the soft murmurs and curious stares following my every move and hold my head high.
I give a low wave to Roísin as I walk back towards Aidan.
She lifts her hand in the universal phone gesture, silently asking me to ring her later. I nod.
I raise my eyes to Aidan as I walk past him.
“Speak to you later.”
He opens his mouth as if to speak, but I don’t wait for his reply. Instead, I pick up my pace and exit the pub.
The fresh air on my walk home will do me a world of good.
Unfortunately, the soft breeze doesn’t do anything to cool down the heat in my cheeks, and the closer I get to my home, the strangest feeling settles, just so far out of reach that I can’t put my finger on what it is.
It flitters and swims at the periphery of my mind, teasing me.
“What is it?” I murmur.
My phone vibrates in my pocket as I reach the cottage, interrupting my thought process, and I pull it out. I frown and swipe the screen, trying to ignore the butterflies when I see Farmer flashing on the screen.
AIDAN (FARMER): You left me with a mystery on my hands.
Frowning, I unlock the door and put in the code, shutting the door behind me before I text him back.
ME: What mystery?
I hang up my coat and take off my shoes before heading into the kitchen. I don’t have to wait long for his reply.
AIDAN (FARMER): Philematophilia. I Googled it.
I toss the paper on the kitchen island and count the boxes.
“Feck it,” I whisper. “He’s right.”
I grin and pick up the phone again.
ME: Thank you, even though it’s considered cheating to Google it.
Carefully, I place my phone back on the hard marble counter and turn around to get myself a glass of water before I head upstairs to the library. My lips twitch with amusement, and the low tug in my belly spreads farther down.
Then it hits me like a freight train, the glass barely slipping from my fingers.
“Oh, my gosh.”
The answer is so obvious that I should throttle myself for not realising it much sooner.
The only way to get my raging libido in check is to have sex. I’ve been without it for so long that it must be my body’s way of telling me that I need more than my toys can give me.
If I want to get Aidan unstuck from underneath my skin, there’s only one way to do it.