Page 33

Layla

My nerves are frayed, which is ridiculous because this is just a practice run. All I’m doing is putting stage makeup on the Irish trio—transforming them into a black cat woman, denim cowgirl, and a red devil. No big deal. Except that I really want the department head to like my work enough to offer me a job. Not only would it be something I’d love, but the pay and benefits will be better as an official employee of UNCW than as a grocery store clerk. The position requires experience, and preferably a degree in theater, but having your best friend as one of the most beneficial members of the department holds a lot of weight.

Norah’s designs for the guys are brilliant, tailored perfectly to their personalities. Eamon is more mysterious—keeping out of the light, while Rowan is flashy and loud. Teagan may not appear so devilish to the outside world but behind closed doors? He’s deliciously wicked. And if I’m being honest, the idea of seeing him in his costume has me more than a little excited.

“You’re going to do great,” Norah assures me, gripping my shoulders and forcing eye contact. “Promise. Dr. Andrews is going to love your work.”

Blowing out a breath, I nod. “Okay. I can do this.”

“Hell yeah, you can. Now, who’s your first victim?”

That gets a laugh out of me as I contemplate which of the guys I want to work on first. I’m inclined to choose Teagan, but he’s more nervous than I am. He tossed and turned all night last night. Even after my attempts to distract him and tire him out with my body, he still remained restless. I would have slept like the dead if not for all of his movement.

At around four o’clock this morning, I gave up on sleep and rolled to face him. He was wide awake, staring at the ceiling.

“Hey, Papí,” I whispered, knowing that name would get his attention the quickest.

“Hey,” Teagan murmured, rolling to his side. “Did I wake you?”

I nodded, reaching out to brush his hair from his forehead.

“Fuck. I’m sorry, Cailín.” He slid his arm around my waist, pulling me flush against him, and tucking my head under his chin. “Go back to sleep.”

“I can’t.” Even though the feel of his fingers gliding up and down my spine had my eyes drifting close. “Not when I know you’re freaking out. Want to talk about it?”

He released a heavy sigh. “I’m not sure there’s anything to talk about. I’m nervous as fuck and feel like a right eejit over it.”

I pulled back to meet his gaze. “Walk me through it. I understand stage fright, because if you’d won the bet, I probably would have moved back to Texas to avoid cheering in front of a crowd. But you play on the field regularly and perform at Paddy’s often. What, specifically, scares you about this?”

“You mean other than being half naked, on a huge stage, with all the lights and actual drag queens watching me? Sure, there’s nothing remotely terrifying about that. Nothing frightening at all about feeling like an imposter who will, at anytime, do something that offends them.”

I pressed my lips together, attempting to stifle the laugh that’s trying to break free.

“Would it help to know that Norah talked to them beforehand to make sure they were okay with the fitting?”

Teagan’s eyes widened a fraction, but he shrugged his shoulders. “Aye, a little.”

“And you won’t be up there long at all,” I promised him. “It will take longer for me to do your makeup and get you dressed than it will to model it.”

Groaning, he rolled to his back, eyes going to the ceiling once more.

“Do you need me to help you sleep again?” I purred, running my hand down his bare chest and the planes of his stomach until I palmed his cock through his briefs.

His hips jerked at my touch and I could feel him harden under my hand. When I met his eyes, I slipped under the fabric to cup his balls. His head fell back into the pillow, exposing the column of his throat. He swallowed thickly as I began pumping my hand along his length.

“Bloody hell, you do things to me, Layla,” he bit out through clenched teeth.

“I’m about to,” I countered, raising myself with my other arm to flick my tongue over his nipple.

Suddenly I felt his fingers knot into the hair at the nape of my neck and yank my head back before his mouth crashed to mine, tongues twining and fighting for dominance. When his free hand slid into the front of my panties and a finger pressed my clit, I moaned into his mouth, but pulled away quickly.

“No,” I told him sternly, moving to the lower end of the bed, and straddling his legs. “I’m taking care of you, Papí, so be a good boy and let me.”

Teagan’s eyes darkened and his nostrils flared as he watched me bend to run my tongue along one side of his Adonis belt, and then the other. “Go on then, Cailín.”

In answer, I rolled the band of his briefs down before lowering my mouth to just above his cock. Brushing my lips over his warm skin, I lifted my eyes, peering at him through my lashes to make sure he watched as I sucked the skin roughly into my mouth, grazing it with my teeth, intent on marking him. A strangled sound fell from his lips, hips bucking against me.

“Layla,” Teagan gasped, hands fisting the sheets at his sides. “I need to touch you. Please let me touch you.”

“No,” I answered simply, undressing him fully. “You can touch me after I make you come. ”

“Fuck, this is so hot.”

“Close your eyes and don’t open them until I tell you to.” I’d never done this before, not once been the one to give orders in bed. It was exhilarating.

I teased him with my hands, my tongue, my lips, the tip of my nose, but waited to take him fully into my mouth until he was panting and begging to come. The moment my lips closed around him, a string of curses filled the air around us, getting louder the more of him I consumed. With hollowed cheeks, I withdrew slowly, making sure to flick the underside of the head of his cock with my tongue.

“Baby, please. Please let me come. I need to come.”

I lowered my mouth again, gaining speed, and wrapping my hand around his girth. His groans grew louder, my name mixed in. Finally, I cupped his balls with my other hand and applied slight pressure at the same time the tip of my tongue ran across that sensitive line under the head.

“Fuck!” Teagan yelled as he spilled his release down my throat.

He slept soundly after that.

“Layla, yoohoo!” Norah’s voice pulls me back to the present.

“Sorry, spaced out there for a minute.” I’m sure she notices the way my cheeks flush, but doesn’t mention it. “Um, let’s start with Eamon. I feel like he’ll be more forgiving of my nerves than Ro.”

“Good call. I’ll go get him.”

While Norah seeks out her fiance, I arrange all of the makeup and brushes along the vanity in the order I’ll need them. Eamon’s look will be a little easier because I’m essentially painting a black eye mask and red lips on him. Simple enough.

“Hiya, Layla,” Eamon’s deep voice greets me. I wouldn’t classify him as broody, but he’s definitely less inclined to start up a conversation than his Irish counterparts.

“Hey, you ready for this?” I motion for him to sit in the chair opposite me, only slightly worried that his larger form won’t fit. He’s not big and bulky, but the guy is tall, lean, and muscular.

“Not in the least, but here we are.”

“You’re a good sport,” I tell him while I search through the tubes of foundation to find one that best matches his skin tone .

A low chuckle sounds before he says, “It makes her happy, so of course I’ll do it.”

Norah really could not have found a better match.

“I don’t think I ever really thanked you,” he says, startling me.

“For what?”

“For sticking by Norah while I was being a proper arsehole. And for being so good for Teag. I realize neither of those things were done specifically for me, but I appreciate them all the same.”

Tilting my head to the side, I tell him, “You’re right. I don’t do either of those for you, but you’re important to two of the people I love most. That means you’re important to me too, Eamon. I understand why you sent Norah away. It absolutely was not the right decision, but I get it. You were trying to put her first, and I admire that.”

Eamon looks down at his lap and clears his throat. “Thanks, Layla. That means a lot. You’re uh, you’re important to me too.”

It’s a sweet, but awkward moment for us, so I clap my hands together and reach for a brush. “Let’s get started. I only have so much time to transform you three.”

* * *

“All done, Ro. Are those lashes bugging you?”

“No, love, they’re okay. I think. A little heavy, but nothin’ is poking my eyes out. When can I look?” Rowan cranes his neck in an attempt to peek in the mirror.

“Wait!” I order. “Let’s at least get the wig on.”

“Ach, I forgot about the bleedin’ wig.” He rolls his heavily lashed eyes, the overhead lights catching the sparkles in the shimmery fibers.

“Hey, you’ve done so great today. Don’t start whining now.”

Rowan has been an absolute delight. He’s cracked jokes and followed instructions perfectly. Unlike the other two.

“Have you seen it, lass? It’s godawful! It doesn’t even look real!” He’s so indignant I can’t help but laugh.

“That’s the point, Ro,” Norah sing-songs from across the room. “Now come here so we can get your chaps on.”

“Right-o, fire sprite!” The tall, redhead springs from the chair and sashays toward Norah as if he’s on a runway, the sparkly, denim boy shorts barely covering his ass. He is, without a doubt, the biggest diva I’ve ever met.

Now that the three of them have their makeup and hair done, I start packing up the items I brought with me and organizing the department’s products. Glancing in the mirror, I catch Teagan’s reflection. He’s perched on the edge of a chair, and even with the thick layer of makeup, I can tell he’s pale. Sweat beads on his brow as he breathes deeply, inhaling through his nose and exhaling through his mouth.

“You okay over there?” I ask cautiously.

“No,” he groans as his blonde, wig-clad head drops between his shoulders over the small trashcan between his knees that I didn’t notice earlier.

“Fecking hell, Norah. These chaps are heavy!” Rowan blurts out.

“You look great, Ro. And you’re a good sport,” Norah assures him. “You’ve complained the least out of the three of you.”

“Ach, well if we have to do this, we might as well give it our all! Plus,” he declares, turning his backside to the mirror, “these knickers really make my arse look good.”

A snort escapes me just as Teagan says, “I’m going to hurl.”