Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 98697 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98697 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
I laugh and take the escape he’s offering. “Yeah, sure. I’ve got ya.”
I turn and head over to the stereo. I pull the CD I’m looking for and pop it in. A smile comes to my lips as people get up and begin to dance together.
I’m grateful when I see Boyle heading my way, but Clodagh Murray stops him to dance with her. I move over to the fire and stare into the flames as I try to sort out my feelings. Nothing can ever happen between me and Cole.
He lives in America, and I live here in Ireland. I’m going into the league to play softball. I probably won’t have time for guys at all. Cole, Boyle, it doesn’t matter; I won’t have time for either.
Suddenly, heat engulfs my back, and I’m locked in a one-arm headlock. If I didn’t smell his cologne through the alcohol, I would still know it’s Cole. I sigh and melt into him.
“Are ya having a good time?” he asks and kisses the top of my head.
“I guess so.”
“It took me five stores to find this album for ya,” he chuckles.
I tune into the music and listen to see which one he’s talking about. Sisqó’s “Addicted” is playing. Cole begins to sway and step from side to side as he keeps his hold on me.
I rock with him as my belly does a dance of its own. I can’t help basking in the feel of his huge bicep and forearm cradling my head.
“Thanks for all the CDs.”
“Anything for ya, DJ. Ya know I can’t call ya that if yer not my personal disc jockey.”
“Ya mean it doesn’t stand for Dirty Jaw anymore?” I tease.
He bursts into laughter. “I felt bad for weeks after that, ya know? The prank wasn’t meant for ya. Besides, I’ve always called ya DJ because of the music. Logan and Jamie started that Dirty Jaw shit.”
One summer when his cousins were here, they had all been playing pranks on each other. I got ahold of a dirt cupcake that wasn’t meant for me. I bit right into it before Cole could stop me.
Everyone had a good laugh at my expense. I was so mad. Kate helped me get them all back.
“That was one of the best summers ever,” I laugh.
“Not for me. The last time I was here was the best summer I’ve had here.”
“Really? Why is that?”
“There was this cute little fifteen-year-old. She saw me when no one else did. I was going through a ton of shit, and she gave me words I now live by.”
My heart begins to race along with my mind. He’s talking about me. Brothers call their little sisters cute all the time, right? No big deal.
“What could wee fifteen-year-old me have told a big nineteen-year-old lad like ya that would have stuck with ya?”
“Ya told me no matter what I decided, I needed to stick to my truth. Then ya told me to be who I wanted to be and give it my all,” he says right next to my ear.
“Aye, sage advice. Sounds like me,” I snicker.
“Ach, it was. Now it’s time for me to return the favor. None of those melters is worth yer time. Yer too pretty, too smart, too mine to give them the time of day. I’ll tell ya one of me secrets, DJ.
“I’m addicted to ya. Ya’ve always belonged to me,” he breathes.
I snap my head up to look at him. He looks me right in the eyes, then moves his gaze to my lips. He drops his arm from around my neck to wrap around my waist.
It would only take a breath to bring our lips together. He leans a bit closer and our noses touch. I start to freak out because he’s really going to kiss me.
“Cole,” Logan growls as he comes and grabs Cole by the arm, pulling him away from me.
I let the breath I’m holding swoosh from my lips. I don’t know whether to be frustrated or relieved that the kiss didn’t happen. I’m a little confused.
Cole
“Have you lost your mind?” Logan hisses.
“No, we were just talking.”
“With that bastard’s spies right in your face. Bro, Granda was right. I mean, I’ve always known. Fuck,” Logan growls and pushes a hand into the front of his hair.
“Known what?”
“You’re drunk, Cole. You should call it a night.”
“And leave her here with these eejits drooling over her?” I slur as I frown.
“That’s better than it getting back to him that you can’t stay away from her. You’ve been in love with Deja for years, Cole. You’re not fooling anyone but yourself.
“I know it, Granda knew it, Uncle Finlay knows it, and it looks like Oland knows it as well. We have our answers. Everything McTavish says is true.”
“They can’t take her from me. Oland is fucking with the right one. We should just leave now and take her and Kate with us.”