Chapter Thirty-Eight

Norah

"You can't get married!" Myra cries, slapping a hand on the table.

I'm sitting at our usual table at Paddy's with all of the girls and just finished telling them about making up with Eamon and his proposal, flashing my ring as proof.

"Myra," Amelia chides. "What the hell are you talking about? She's a grown-ass woman."

Myra growls in frustration. "Sorry, that's not what I meant. Of course you can get married, but you can't get married until after the baby gets here and I've lost the baby weight! I refuse to wear a bridesmaid's dress until I' m back to normal."

I roll my eyes at her. "What if I told you we're going to Ireland to elope?"

"What?" they all screech in unison. It's comical really.

"Norie, you have to have a wedding! A big one!" Myra continues to whine. "This is like a fairy-tale love story. You need the princess dress to go with your Prince Charming."

"Are you really thinking about eloping?" Charlie asks.

I shrug in response. "Kind of. We both love the idea of getting married and honeymooning in Ireland then having a small reception here at O'Nelly's after. But…"

"But what?" Layla asks, tilting her head to the side.

"Well, we'd like for you all to come with us."

Myra gasps loudly. "Well, now you really can't get married until this baby is born!"

"Wait, are you being serious? You want us to come to Ireland for your wedding?" Amelia asks disbelievingly.

"I know that's asking a lot of you all, so there's no pressure, but yeah, we would love that," I confess. "We're also thinking of his sister. With her recovery, travel may not be an option for her, which means his Mom may not be able to come either. After everything they've been through, I know how important it is for Eamon to share this with his family."

"Fine," Myra pouts dramatically. "I guess you can get married whenever you want. But I want to be able to drink at the reception."

We all agree that it's a fair compromise before diving into wedding and reception details. I may not have biological sisters, but these girls are my sisters in the only way that matters. If there was ever a group of friends that loved so completely, it's this group. They've been with me through the highs and the lows, showing up day in and day out.

"Where is your fiance tonight?" Charlie asks, emphasizing his new title. I like it.

"He's with Ro and Teagan, I think. Is that right, Layla?" I wink at her from across the table.

The others turn to her and she glares at me. I just smile in response.

"Yes," she says slowly. "They're all together. I think Teagan said there was a pick-up game tonight."

Myra and Amelia pounce, spouting off question after question without waiting for a response.

"Wait, are you two together now? When did this happen? What's he like… you know? "

Layla groans and starts fidgeting with her hair. She's spunky, but reserved, so all of this attention is probably the last thing she wants. I should feel bad, but I don't. If Teagan is half as amazing as Eamon is, then she's going to be a very happy girl.

* * *

Weeks after Eamon's return, we're back into the throes of school. This new semester has started with a vengeance. On top of classes, Eamon's busy student teaching, while I'm completely engulfed in plans for the Spring play. I'm having a blast designing the costumes though. Especially since Eamon, Ro, and Teagan lost a bet and are now my own personal mannequins for fittings.

We had all been together, celebrating our engagement at Paddy's when Ro suggested a drinking game. I swore I'd never do that again, but I was blissfully happy and up for anything. After a few rounds, we were all well and truly drunk. During one turn, Teagan and I were facing off, and I was determined to win.

"Alright O'Brien," I slurred. "I challenge you to a tequila shot contest."

He groaned loudly. "Ach, tequila? I fucking hate tequila."

"Well, if you don't take the challenge, you automatically lose."

"What happens if I lose, Grady?" he smirked.

Grinning mischievously, I said, "If you lose, or don't accept the challenge, you, Eamon, and Ro have to be my models for costume fittings for the Drag show."

Eamon cursed under his breath. "Don't do it, mate."

"What kind of costumes?" Ro asked with a raised brow.

At that, I burst into a fit of giggles. "Wellllll…" I sang. "It is a drag show. And I am the costume designer, so you do the math."

"No fucking way, Grady!" Teagan roared.

"You must really think I'll beat you then." I teased.

He glared at me for a moment then gave a terse nod. "Alright. If you outdrink me, then we'll agree to play dress-up."

Eamon and Ro gawked at him in disbelief.

"But," he began. "If I outdrink you , then you and Layla have to come up with and perform a cheer at our next match. In front of the whole crowd."

My face paled at the idea of doing anything in front of a crowd. I glanced at Layla who was shooting daggers at her.

"Absolutely no fucking way, Teagan," Layla sneered.

He grinned at her in response, threw an arm around her shoulders, and kissed her on the cheek.

"What's the matter, Norah?" he crooned. "You look a little scared. Afraid I'll beat you?"

"Norah, don't you dare agree to this," Layla threatened.

After a tense moment of glaring at Teagan, I nodded. "Alright. Deal."

"What?" Layla yelled. "Shit. You better win or we're not friends anymore."

We made our way to the bar where Amelia informed Alicia of the contest. She smirked knowingly and started lining up shot glasses and filling them. The only reason we were getting away with this was because Paddy had taken the night off.

Eamon wrapped an arm around my waist, drawing me back to his chest, and whispered in my ear, "Acushla, if he loses, you're going to get it when we get home."

I shivered in anticipation. I failed to inform them that before I became a Guinness girl, tequila was my drink of choice. I turned to face Eamon, pressing my mouth to his, and muttered, "I look forward to my punishment then."

Ro was rubbing Teagan's shoulders like a boxer getting ready to enter the ring.

"Alright, Teags. Our fate is in your hands. Don't fuck this up."

I laughed loudly. "Oh Ro. I have a denim thong with your name on it. "

When Alicia broke into a fit of giggles, he actually growled at her. "That will be enough out of you, lass. I bet you'd enjoy seeing me in that, wouldn't you?"

She snorted. "I'd pluck my eyes out with these bar tongs if I saw your ass in a denim thong."

"Let's do this, Grady," Teagan interrupted. "I hope you and Layla enjoy coming up with your cheer."

I saluted him and said, "Bring it, Irish."

Twenty minutes later, I was roaring my victory while Teagan was curled up in the fetal position on the floor. Eamon and Ro were groaning loudly and calling their friend every name in the book and some that weren't found in any book at all. My friends were surrounding me, singing a drunken version of "We Are The Champions". I squatted down and patted Teagan on the head, who lifted his eyes to glare at me.

"Don't worry, O'Brien. I'll make sure your costume is a flattering color. With a matching boa."

"Fuck me," he moaned. "How are you even standing? This whole pub is spinning right now."

I giggled at him. "It's okay, Teag. There's no shame in being a lightweight. Some of us can just hold our liquor better than others."

When I stood up, strong arms wrapped around me from behind. Turning my head, I met Eamon's heated eyes and couldn't help but tease him as well. "I'll let you wear your costume while you punish me."

He rolled his eyes at me and said, "Neither one of you will remember this in the morning. I think we're safe from playing dress up."

"We'll see," I smirked.

When the next morning rolled around, I was certainly hungover, but I remembered every part of the bet I'd won. Once I had a few cups of coffee in me, I got to work on designing the costumes for the Irish trio. I flipped back to the sketch I had done earlier in the year of Eamon dressed in drag and he, of course, chose that moment to look over my shoulder at the sketches.

"Is that me? What the fuck am I wearing?" he demanded.

I broke into a fit of laughter and tried to close the notebook. He easily plucked it from my hands and turned back to the offending page.

Attempting to calm my giggles, I shrugged and said, "I told you I was going to design costumes for you and the boys."

He narrowed his eyes at me. "You dated this picture, love. It's before we even started really talking. Try again."

"Damn. You weren't supposed to look that close," I grinned up at him.

"Not that close? You've drawn me in a fecking wet suit and cat ears. Is this a secret fantasy of yours, Grady?"

I threw my head back and laughed so hard that tears streamed down my face. "Oh my god, Eamon, stop. I can't even with you. No, I don't fantasize about you in drag. I was a little obsessed with you then and started sketching you from memory. I was fantasizing about you on the soccer field, running around all sweaty and gorgeous, then I started picturing the entire team, and next thing I knew, you're all in drag."

"First, I'd like to address the fact that you said you were a little obsessed with me then. Are you saying you're no longer obsessed with me?" he teased.

I rolled my eyes. "Hush. I said I was a little obsessed with you then. Now I'm really obsessed with you."

"I will allow it. Now, let's discuss how you just used the word soccer when referring to football. Then we can talk more about how gorgeous you think I am," he said with a wink.

I snorted in amusement. "Soccer, football, same difference. And I meant to say sweaty and smelly. Not gorgeous."

"Liar," he growled, tossing the sketchbook on the floor. "Liars get punished."

"Promises, promises, Kennedy. You said you were going to punish me last night too and that didn't happen," I goaded, eyeing him appreciatively.

His eyes darkened and he caged me in with a hand on each armrest. Leaning in, he whispered against the shell of my ear, "You keep saying things like that and I'll have to bend you over my knee, love."

I shivered violently. "Don't tease me, handsome."

Eamon nipped my earlobe before kissing the sensitive spot under it. "Oh, I'm not teasing. "

I turned my face towards his, our lips barely a whisper apart, and breathed out, "Prove it".

His mouth crashed into mine, tongue plunging in and laying claim to me. A surprised squeak escaped me as I knotted my fingers in his hair and held on for dear life. Eamon scooped me up from the chair and stalked toward the bedroom. Kicking the door closed behind him, he let my feet hit the ground before turning me around and walking us to the foot of the bed. When my knees hit the edge, he placed a hand on my upper back, gently bending me forward.

"Place your hands flat on the bed and don't move. Understand?" he growled.

My heart was thundering, my arousal at an all-time high. This wasn't an area I ever thought I wanted to experience, but the anticipation was killing me. I nodded.

"Say it, Acushla."

"I understand," I breathed, flattening my hands against the mattress.

"Good lass," he praised me, officially unlocking a kink I didn't know I had . His hands slid lazily down my back and over my hips before making the trail back up to push my shirt up and over my head. I felt his fingers lightly brush down my spine, followed by his lips. Goosebumps covered my skin while heat coiled in my core. His hands migrated back to my hips where he started pulling my leggings and underwear down slowly. He left them pooled around my ankles as he ran his tongue up the back of my right thigh, switching to the left to give it the same attention. I couldn't stop the moan that spilled from my mouth.

"You're so beautiful like this," he murmured when he rose to his feet again. He ran his hands over my ass, kneading his fingers into my skin. I felt a hand leave my body and return half a moment later as he spanked me hard enough to make me cry out.

"You actually spanked me," I panted, words laced with shock and a hint of arousal.

"I told you I wasn't teasing," he reminded me as he rubbed away the sting of his punishment .

In the same breath, he lifted his other hand to deliver the same treatment to my other side. This time when I cried out, it wasn't in shock. My body was vibrating with need.

"Have you learned your lesson, Acushla?" he murmured.

I looked at him over my shoulder and said defiantly, "No."

His eyebrows rose in surprise before he grinned devilishly at me. "Thought not, fire sprite," he said, then proceeded to spank me twice more, soothing the pain away each time.

"Eamon, I need you. Now." I demanded.

"Aye," he said simply.

The sound of his sweatpants dropping to the floor only intensified the pulsing heat between my legs. He kicked them off and placed a hand flat on my lower back then rubbed the tip of his cock along my entrance, teasing me.

"Please," I managed to whimper just as he drove into me. We both moaned loudly, stilling once he was fully seated inside. My leggings were still wrapped around my ankles, binding my legs together and creating more friction.

"I don't think I can be gentle right now, Norah," Eamon confessed in a strained voice.

"I don't want you to be."

"Thank fuck," he bit out before pulling out and slamming back into me. His hands dug into my hips with a bruising grip, holding me in place while he thrust hard and deep, over and over. He was relentless, and I loved every second of it. When my release came, he followed close behind, growling my name.