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Chapter Twenty-Seven

Liam

I strode down the corridor, my mouth sour with self-disgust.

Being rude to her ex had been bad enough, but spouting preachy crap to Nancy was even worse. Telling her how to conduct her business. Like I had the right.

Damn. I mouthed the word as I stabbed the elevator button. A blue-haired old lady gave me a nervous look and a wide berth. Good instincts. I was an animal tonight. Totally lacking in social skills.

If I could get through the conference without any fuckups or fistfights, I would be rewarded by four days of solitude with Nancy. The elevator pinged. Almost time for the Mandrake showcase. I headed toward the hall.

“Hey, Liam!”

I turned to see Eoin leaning against the wall, freckles standing out in sharp relief in his pale face. I clasped his hand, which was ice cold. “Nancy told me you would be playing. I’ve been looking forward to it. How’s it going?”

Eoin shrugged. “I don’t know. We’ve only rehearsed three times.”

I slapped him on the back. “You’ll be great. You’re amazing. Don’t worry.”

Eugene and a tall, skinny black guy came charging down the hall, looking excited and self-important. “Come on, man, let’s do it!” Eugene said to Eoin as they surrounded him and bore him swiftly away.

“Break a leg!” I called. Eoin shot a final desperate glance over his shoulder. I gave the kid a thumbs-up.

I went into the crowded hall. No chairs left. Nancy was on the other side of the room, talking to Matt, the big redhead that I’d met at the seisiún at Malloy’s.

She turned, saw me, and gave me a tentative smile.

I smiled back. Her smile became brilliant. God, she was fine, dressed up in one of her sleek, fitted black outfits, hair pulled into a braided bun, earrings dangling to her jaw. She made every other woman in the room look commonplace. That airhead Enid looked insipid in comparison.

The lights dimmed. Mandrake came onstage to tremendous applause.

The lanky black guy laid down a complex, primal rhythm, and Eoin promptly launched into a fiery Irish reel, followed by Matt and Eugene on the guitar and fiddle, and finally a scrawny blond girl who played an endless variety of wind instruments.

They were excellent. I applauded after each piece till my hands stung. The pulsing energy of the music soothed something raw and savage inside me. I was fiercely glad that Eoin had fallen in with this group. They would keep him happy and busy until he found his feet in this country.

After the set finished, I pushed my way through the crush and gave Eoin a quick, hard embrace.

“Great job,” I said. “You kicked ass. No surprise.”

Eoin grinned. “Thanks,” was all he had time to say before he was surrounded by chattering, congratulating people.

Something poked me in the back, and I looked around to find Nancy smiling at me. “Weren’t they fine?”

“Excellent.” I swept her into my arms. “I’m sorry I was a dick,” I whispered.

I offered up a prayer of gratitude as her body softened, went pliant in my arms. I’d gotten through the crisis. This wasn’t the wall. There was still time, still grace.

My arms tightened hungrily around her. “Do you have more to do tonight?”

She looked up at me seductively through her eyelashes. “Theoretically, I could network for hours. But I don’t have any actual appointments until tomorrow.”

I saw Peter scowling at me from across the room. I grinned, baring all my teeth, and nipped Nancy’s ear possessively. “How long has it been since you’ve eaten?”

She looked clouded. “Um ...”

I rolled my eyes. “For God’s sake, Nancy.”

“Don’t scold. Let’s get something. Want to ask Eoin and the others if they?—”

“No. I want to be alone with you. I missed you.” I leaned over, sucked in a whiff of her perfume. “You smell good.”

She lifted up onto her tiptoes and kissed my lips. “I missed you, too.”

Dinner options were scarce at that hour, but we found an all-night pizza place that delivered. It arrived in our room shortly afterward, and I watched with approval as she enthusiastically devoured several slices of pizza.

“Wow.” Nancy licked her fingers. “Yum. Didn’t know how hungry I was.”

“No wonder people take advantage of you,” I chided. “You never eat. It takes energy to put your foot down.”

She gave me a narrow, warning look. “Uh-oh,” she said. “Don’t you dare go off the rails again, Liam. Unless you want to ruin this for us.”

I held up my hands. “I don’t,” I said. “Sorry. So the conference is going well?”

“Excellently.” She was fishing for a clean napkin, so I found some under the pizza box and handed them to her.

“I’ve given out tons of promo packets. We’ll get bookings.

The showcases all went well. I had them all recorded.

Eoin will have a high-quality demo, if he wants to gig outside of Mandrake.

I’m sure he’ll be getting offers right and left. ”

“That’s great,” I said.

She took a sip of her soda, eyeing me over the cup. “I’ve been thinking about our conversation,” she offered. “In some ways, you’re right. But in others?—”

“Let’s let it go,” I offered swiftly. “I was out of line.”

She studied me with those wide, leaf-colored eyes. “Somewhat out of line,” she conceded. She took her cell out of her purse, made a show of turning it off. She got up. “Have to wash off pizza grease,” she murmured, disappearing into the bathroom.

As soon as the door closed, in the spirit of overkill, I pinched the phone jack of the room phone out of its socket. This was a delicate moment, and I didn’t want anyone to interrupt it, from any direction.

I peeled off my shirt to save time and followed her into the bathroom where she was patting her face dry with a towel. Her eyes locked with mine in the mirror, full of longing.

I reached around, trapping her against my body. I plucked off her glasses, pulled her hairpins out, unraveled the coiled braided hair, and smoothed the crimped waves over her shoulders. She was just so damn beautiful.

I wrenched my belt loose, tore off the rest of my clothes. Nancy gave me that secret sorceress smile that drove me wild and glanced down at my huge erection.

She patted it. “Ever ready,” she murmured.

“For you, always,” I said. “I live to serve.”

I tugged the snug black sweater out of her jeans and peeled it off over her head. Her bra was silvery green, a sheer, lacy thing.

“Wow,” I said. “Look at that. Fancy underwear.”

Her eyes glowed. “I was hoping I might get lucky.”

I unhooked the bra and tossed it away, ran my hands over her velvety softness, feeling the muscles moving sinuously beneath it, staring at the translucent perfection of her high, luscious breasts. “I’m the lucky one,” I said. “God. You’re so beautiful.”

She smiled at me, her eyes catching mine in the mirror, and we both laughed.

“See? I’m making progress, aren’t I?” she teased. “I no longer flip out and get all uptight and scared when you say that.”

“I want you to know it in your bones,” he said.

Her gaze slid away, and she blushed. She liked to hear me say it, but she didn’t believe it, not completely. I could see it in her eyes. It made my chest ache. I couldn’t get past that invisible barrier inside her. Her caution ran so deep, it was beyond my reach.

I slid my hand down over her belly to the downy tuft of hair between her legs and eased my finger between her tender folds, stroking against that tight, furled slit. “I wish you could see what I see when I look at you,” I told her.

Nancy twisted in my arms and looked up at him. Her gaze had suddenly become very focused. “We’ll keep at it, then. Things take time. Right?”

We were gripped by tension. “Right,” he said hoarsely.

I sank to my knees and buried my face against the hot fuzz of ringlets crowning her pussy. I pried her legs wider—just wide enough to slide my tongue along her pussy seam, teasing and fluttering her clit, thrusting to taste her hot, rich flavor.

I kept at it until she shivered, arched, and cried out, shuddering with her release.

I picked her up and carried her into the other room. Flung her onto the bed. Touching her, kissing her, spreading her out and loving her again with my lips and tongue, again and again. Making her sigh and sob and clutch at me, begging.

When I finally rolled on top of her, she wrapped her strong, shapely thighs around me, taking me in completely.

I felt licked by flames of pure pleasure, each stroke an agony of delight, each thrust more perfect than the one before.

I clutched her, lost to it, moving with her desperately. My heartbeat clamoring in my ears.

Things took time. Hell yes, they did. All the time she liked. The more time the better.

Forever would suit me fine.