Chapter Seventeen

Norah

Two hours later, Eamon, Ro, and Teagan have been persuaded to perform a few pub songs, much to everyone's delight. Except for Mac's. He complained for a few minutes but didn't seem too upset as he let Myra slide her hand up his chest and whisper in his ear. The Irishmen were barely into the second song when the two of them snuck out the side door. I roll my eyes and nurse my third glass of wine while watching Eamon on stage.

The longer I watch him, the more turned on I get. God, he's sexy. The muscles in his forearms flex as he strums the guitar, and his low, clear voice sends a shiver down my spine and heat straight to my core. I wonder what it would be like to kiss that mouth and rake my fingers through his dark hair. Or to run my hands up his chest and wrap my arms around his neck. Taking another sip of wine, I let my eyes roam over his muscular body. When I glance back to his face, I find his eyes watching me ogle him. I'm embarrassed for about half a second until I realize the heated gaze he's returning. Suddenly flushed and dying of thirst, I slip from the booth as the last song finishes and make my way to the bar for a glass of water and to say hello to Paddy and Alicia. It's finally calmed down enough for them to take a breather. They've been running all night.

"Norah, lass! It's about time you came to say hello. I was beginning to think you were too good for us poor bar folk!" Paddy chuckles.

"Never!" I exclaim, sliding onto a bar stool. "It's a packed house tonight. How are you holding up?"

"Aye, right as rain. Isn't that so, Alicia?" the pub owner yells over his shoulder.

Alicia is wiping down the bottles behind the bar and filling the condiment containers. "Sure thing, Pat," she grumbles, rolling her eyes. "I must have been the only one busting my ass."

Laughing loudly, Paddy turns back to me. "So I noticed you sticking close to Eamon tonight. Is there something I should know about?"

Alicia mutters something under her breath that sounds an awful lot like, "As if you didn't plan it."

I tuck my hair behind an ear and start to tell Paddy that we're just friends, but decide to just be honest. This is definitely more than friendship, even if we haven't put a label on it yet. "Well, we have been seeing each other outside of dish duty, so…"

Paddy's grin stretches from ear to ear. "Ach, nothing would make me happier than to see the two of you become an item! You'd be good for the lad. Help him get over his broken…"

"I think we can stop right there. Thanks, Pat," Eamon says cooly, stepping behind me and placing a hand on my waist.

"Right. Sorry, lad. Not my place. Anyway, can I get you two another drink?" Paddy asks quickly.

Pat's round cheeks are stained with color and there's clear remorse in his eyes. It's obvious he was about to share something Eamon didn't want shared and my heart sinks a little at the thought of him keeping secrets, but then I chastise myself. Everyone is entitled to their secrets and isn't obligated to share anything they're not comfortable with. I just lashed out at Myra for the same thing. When, and if, he's ready to tell me, he will.

In the meantime, I'm hyper-aware of his hand on my waist, touch searing through my sweater. I'm tempted to lean back and snuggle into his chest.

"No, I think we're good. I'll just pay my tab, and we'll be off. Is that okay with you, lass?" Eamon asks, his fingers flexing against me.

Nodding, I turn my head to look up at him. His jaw is clenched, and his eyes are ablaze with an emotion I can't place. Wanting to ease some of the tension, I angle my body towards him and place a hand on his broad chest. Watching him is one thing, but touching him is a different experience altogether. The hard muscle beneath his shirt tenses at my touch, but when he glances down at me, his eyes soften and he pulls me closer to him. I don't resist.

Eamon hands some cash to Paddy. "No change, Pat. Thanks."

"Aye. We good, son?" Paddy asks hesitantly, brow furrowed.

Reaching across the bar, he grips Pat's shoulder. "‘Course we are. Nothing could change that."

Pat clears his throat and harrumphs before waving a hand at us to go on. I say my goodbyes as Eamon turns us towards the door, his arm still around my waist. Once we're outside, I turn to face him.

"Are you okay?" I ask. "I don't want to poke my nose where it doesn't belong, but someone would have to be deaf and blind to miss that exchange with Pat."

Eamon scrubs his free hand over his face, then runs it down my right arm until he reaches my hand. Intertwining our fingers, his expression changes from uncertainty to determination in a blink.

"There's a reason I left Ireland other than for university," he says slowly. "Can we walk while I tell you?"

"Eamon, you don't have to tell me anything you're not comfortable with. I just want to make sure that you are okay," I tell him earnestly. As curious as I am, I don't want him to say or do anything he'll regret later .

He lets go of my hand and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. "You're a rare gem, Norah Grady. I find myself wanting to tell you everything about me, even the parts I've locked away for the last few years."

"Thank you," I say. "I'm honored you feel that way."

"Come on. I'll tell you on the way to your house."

We set off walking. The air has a slight chill to it, enough to signal that fall is well on its way, but I don't feel cold at all with Eamon's hand gripping mine.

"I left Ireland with no intention of ever going back. I was engaged. To Rhiannan," he pauses, glancing sideways at me.

My heart sinks, and try as I might, I can't wipe the look of shock from my face. I also can't shake the surge of jealousy I'm feeling. He must sense it because he starts rubbing comforting circles on the back of my hand with his thumb.

"We grew up together," he continues. "Our parents always teased that they arranged our marriage at birth, and we had no reason to believe otherwise. Rhi was the life of every party. She thrived on attention and was always close with my mates. It seemed perfect at the time. Who wouldn't want a girl that enjoyed spending time with the fellas? After school, I proposed, and she obviously said yes. We planned on marrying within the year. No reason to delay what everyone already knew was going to happen. About three months before the wedding, I could tell something was going on with her but figured she was just stressed from all the planning. She wouldn't answer when I called or made up reasons not to stay over. We had a planned date that she canceled. Claimed she was sick. I decided to surprise her with soup and a movie. Since she couldn't go out, I'd go to her. As I pulled into her driveway, I noticed a familiar motorcycle parked outside. My mate, Declan, owned this bike. I figured he was looking for me, so I didn't think much of it. I let myself in and headed for her room. She definitely wasn't sick, and Declan wasn't looking for me."

He pauses to inhale deeply before saying, "They had been sleeping together for over a year. My girl and best mate."

"Oh my god, Eamon. How horrible. I'm so sorry," I tell him sincerely while cursing Rhiannon for what she did to him. "Nobody deserves that, least of all you."

"Thanks, lass. I'm not proud of how I reacted," he says sheepishly while rubbing the back of his neck.

"What did you do?"

"I uh…I threw the soup at the wall, and it splattered all over them. Declan jumped off the bed, trying to cover himself, telling me to just calm down. That was the wrong thing to say. I beat the shite out of him that night and never talked to Rhi again. Less than a year later, I was flying to the States," he concludes.

I'm not a violent person, but I can't seem to find an ounce of sympathy for Declan.

"What about your Mom?" I ask.

"I miss her terribly, but I just couldn't stay. Ireland isn't that big, so there was nowhere I could go that was far enough away from them. Especially when I found out she was pregnant with his kid a couple of months after I caught them. My Mam understands, but she keeps hoping I'll come back after graduation."

"You won't even go to visit?" I can't blame him for wanting to leave, but surely, he wants to see his Mom and sister.

"I know I should, but Rhi and Declan are living in her parent's house. Next door to Mam," he explains.

"Ah. Makes sense. I wouldn't be able to handle being that close to…Ashton." I shudder at the thought, and Eamon releases my hand to slide his arm around my shoulders, tucking me in close to him.

"I can assure you that I will never let that fucker near you again. And if I'm ever within range, he'll receive the same attention Declan did."

He sounds like he plans to be around for a while and I think I like the sound of that.

Reaching my house, we walk up the front steps and stop in front of the door. I turn and place my hand on Eamon's chest again before looking into his eyes.

"Thank you for sharing that with me," I tell him. "I imagine that was really difficult to relive, and I hate that the two people you cared for most did something so horrible to you. You deserve so much better."

His brows furrow and his gaze moves to my mouth, then back to my eyes. I feel his hand slowly move up my arm to my neck before cupping my cheek.

"I think I've found it, lass," he breathes, then shocks me by asking, "Can I kiss you, Norah?"

I freeze, not from fear but anticipation. Tingles spread from my head to my toes, lingering in my belly. He feels me tense up, but misinterprets it and starts to take a step back.

"Shite. I'm sorry. Too soon. I should have…"

"Eamon," I whisper, wrapping my hand around his wrist. "Yes. Kiss me."

His eyes widen in surprise but quickly blaze with a heat so strong, I can feel it radiating from him. Threading his fingers through my hair, he slowly lowers his mouth to mine, pausing briefly before his lips brush mine softly, tentatively. Eamon kisses me like I'm something precious. I've never been kissed like this. Every kiss I've ever experienced has been the other person taking what they wanted.

Eamon touches the seam of my lips with his tongue, silently asking permission for more. Without a shred of hesitation, I open for him, granting him access. A small grunt of surprise sounds in his throat that sets me on fire and emboldens me. I press myself into him, deepening the kiss. I explore his mouth with my tongue before it sets into perfect rhythm with his. He untangles the fingers of one hand from my hair and snakes it around my waist, crushing me to him. A moan escapes me as I dig my fingers into his hair. I'm losing my mind; my body is burning with need. I'm about to climb this man like a tree.

All too soon, Eamon slows, kissing me softly—once, twice, a third time—before leaning his forehead against mine. He chuckles. "Easy, lass. As much as I'd love to see where this goes, I told you I'm not rushing anything with you."

I blush violently, realizing just how close I was to rushing things significantly .

"I…wow…I can't believe I just did that! I'm sorry!" I blurt out, averting my eyes.

Gently grasping my chin between his finger and thumb, he lifts my face to his. "Absolutely do not apologize for the best kiss of my life."

I blink at him in surprise. "Really?"

"Without a doubt." He nods, and I bite my bottom lip to keep from beaming.

"Not to go digging for compliments," he smirks, "but you seemed to enjoy that yourself."

Letting out a bark of laughter, I say, "Understatement of the year. The century. I've never been kissed like that."

Eamon raises a brow, "Kissed like what, exactly?"

"Like you wanted to give as much as you wanted to take. I didn't feel like an object or a conquest," I confess.

"Ach, Norah love," he says, pressing a kiss to my forehead, "I could murder the bastards that made you feel that way. A kiss should never be one-sided."

He pulls me into him and wraps his strong arms around me. I settle in and rest my head on his chest, the sound of his rapid heartbeat mirroring mine and beginning to heal the broken parts of me I never thought could be mended.