His Wicked Celtic Kiss (4 page)

Julie remained unconvinced.
Blonde? Me?

Ronnie sat in the nearby chair. “Okay, Julie. Spill. Lorcan told Nick he's taking you out to dinner this Saturday night. You never said a word to me. I should be pissed at you!”

“It's nothing. He tossed out the offer a few weeks back. A polite dinner—not a date.”

Ronnie snorted. “He actually said that, ‘not a date'?”

Julie absently looked at her nails. “Well—no. I called it a date. He said okay.”

Ronnie crossed her arms. “Are you going to start this again, thinking you're not good enough for him? Because I'll leave right now and let you rinse that gunk out of your hair all alone.”

How to explain how she felt? The emotions were like a seesaw, always moving up and down, especially in Lorcan's presence. No logic whatsoever to the situation, but there it is. “He affects me. But being near him brings up old hurts and memories which have nothing at all to do with him. Makes no sense, but I feel—inadequate. I haven't experienced those feelings in years. I don't like it. The only way not to have those emotions is to avoid him at all costs. But ... ” her voice softened. “I don't want to. I'm in a real pickle.”

Ronnie gave her a compassionate look. “You think because Lorcan is so good-looking, he doesn't want anyone who doesn't stand on the same pedestal as him? Even Nick, as gorgeous as he is, isn't as handsome as Lorcan. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone who is!”

Julie groaned. “Oh, thanks. That really helped. Now, I'm a pity date!”

“Julie, I haven't known Lorcan very long, but I give him credit to see deeper than the exterior. I mean, you're attracted to him for more than his stunning looks, right?” Ronnie asked.

Julie remained silent.

Ronnie laughed. “Okay then, maybe not.”

“I don't
know
him. Yes, damn it, his looks caught my attention. So flip that coin over, what in hell does he see in me, if anything?” Julie waved her arms in agitation.

The buzzer dinged.

“Cake's done!” Ronnie called out. She pulled Julie from her stool and dragged her toward the bathroom. “That's why you're going out to dinner with him, to find out. You'll be able to tell if he's attracted to you, believe me.” Ronnie pushed Julie to her knees by the side of the tub and reached for the shower hose. Turning on the taps, she held her hand under the water to gauge the temperature. Speaking more loudly, she said, “It's like it says in that old song—it's in his kiss. You'll be able to tell. And he'll kiss you, I know it.”

“He's already kissed me,” Julie mumbled.

“What?” Ronnie yelled. “When? Where?”

“Don't go batshit, Ronnie. Only my hand.”

Ronnie rinsed Julie's hair, and then rubbed conditioner through the strands coating the ends. “How chivalrous, how—white knight-ish. How did it feel?”

“Like he shoved my hand into a roaring fireplace,” Julie replied.

Ronnie laughed. “Well, there's no mistaking how you feel about his touch. And hey, I saw the way he stared at you at the White Owl. He's intrigued.”

No way. Really?
She gazed up at Ronnie in disbelief. How could he be intrigued? She had acted like a nervous Nellie on the double date, one who had no control over her emotions. They ran rampant. Kinda like now. She swallowed deeply.

“Look, Julie, be yourself. He's just a man with all his own faults and baggage. And this dinner will tell you if you want to be his baggage handler.” She gave Julie's hair a last squeeze and turned the water off. “Three minutes for the conditioner.”

Julie straightened, then sputtered as water ran into her mouth. She sat on the edge of the tub. “He's not the only one with baggage—wait, how do you know he has ‘baggage'?” Julie made little air quotes with her fingers.

“Everyone does. Nick had a luggage carousel full. But it turns out we share the load. Anyway, my point is—be yourself. You're funny and sweet. You could be just what he's looking for.”

Ronnie glanced at her watch and pulled Julie to her knees again. Her friend could never work in a beauty salon; too used to handling dough, her touch was not gentle. As her head went under the hose again, Julie reflected on Ronnie's sage advice.
Be yourself.

Easier said than done.

Lorcan drove toward Waterloo Street in the car of his dreams, and thought the night couldn't be more perfect. A Mercedes dealer in Baltimore had happened to have an AMG S65 on the lot, the exact color and features he desired.
Feckin' karma.
How long had he yearned for this automobile? Part sports car and part limousine, the vehicle brought luxury and blinding speed together in a seductive package. The engine purred at idle and snarled at a slight push of the accelerator petal. The auto cornered, moved, and braked like a dream. He couldn't help but smile.

So he was in a good mood when he pulled into the parking lot of Titus Bakery. Julie stood in the window glancing up the street. He put the car in park and turned off the engine. The look on her face was almost expectant and maybe a little nervous. How adorable. A thought struck him. She'd be looking for the Lincoln Navigator. A slow smile curved his mouth. In fact, she looked ready to bolt the moment she saw the Navigator, he'd bet money on it.

He'd barely had time to think about the date since he'd been so busy all week, preoccupied with purchasing the car and … other things. A new iPhone sat in his pocket, but only Vinnie and Liam had the number. He glanced at the glove compartment. Procuring the hand gun hadn't been easy, but as soon as he mentioned it to Liam, the request for a Sig Sauer P229 pistol had been filled with little effort. The gun was locked away in a drop-down shelf in the glove compartment.
Feckin' James Bond.
Still, it's not like he was inexperienced. Acting as driver and bodyguard to a mobster couldn't be much different than it was with a member of the Saudi Royal family or an oil baron in Dubai.

But he hoped neither De Luca called him tonight. Lorcan really did want to spend time with Julie. There was something about her that fascinated him, and even though he wasn't looking for anything long-term, a dinner date wouldn't hurt. Or maybe even a date or two beyond tonight, who knows? She was the first woman in years to spark his interest. That fact alone was worth investigating. To a point. He removed his sunglasses and tossed them on the dash.

He opened the door and stood. Julie's eyes widened as she disappeared from the window. Lorcan shook his head and headed toward the front entrance. He found her bashful reaction enchanting and refreshing. The fact that she didn't hide her emotions might be the reason he was so intrigued by her.

The bell tingled above the door as he strode in. Julie perched nonchalantly on the stool behind the counter. Lorcan stopped dead in his tracks. She looked lovely. Her hair appeared lighter, with gold and bronze shades mixed together and styled to frame her face. The color made her gorgeous eyes even more wondrous. She wore a tight sweater of gold and brown and a fair amount of cleavage showed, proving her even curvier than he'd first thought. His hands itched to cup those luscious breasts. His cock stirred to life.

“Julie. You look beautiful,” he whispered with awe. The smile slid from her face and her lip trembled
. Oh, damn. What did I say?
He wasn't lying. He held out his hand, she took it and stood. “You've done your hair. Like ribbons of golden sun.” He dropped her hand and stepped close so her breasts brushed against his chest. He bit back a groan, then framed her face and stroked her flushed cheeks with his thumbs. A sheen of moisture glittered in her beautiful eyes. “Brings out those adorable gold flecks in your lovely eyes, darlin'.”

“Thank you,” she murmured.

Her vulnerable response touched him in a deep uncharted area of his heart. He lowered his head and tilted her face up. “I've been aching to do this since that night at the pub. Indulge me. Only a taste.”

His lips barely touched hers, but it sent roaring heat to all parts of his body. Lorcan suddenly had a vision of sprawling her across the counter and plunging himself into her feminine heat. Where did that come from? Just from an innocent kiss? He didn't dare suckle those lips any more or he'd lose all control. He stepped back. Julie's eyes were closed and her lips still slightly puckered. A slight whimper of protest came from her when he moved away.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

Lorcan smiled broadly. “You're welcome. You'd best prepare yourself, Julie. Whenever we find ourselves alone like this, I
will
be kissing you. You'll never know when it's coming or just how wicked it will be.”

Her eyes snapped opened. “Wicked?”

“Aye, I've been told I've a wicked kiss.” He winked at her. “Shall we head out? Nick recommended this place so if it's no bloody good, we can blame him.”

Julie smiled and nodded. He took her hand.
Simmering flame, bloody hell.

• • •

Julie could not keep her admiring gaze from checking out the vehicle, which was gorgeous and fit Lorcan perfectly. They both were sleek, powerful, and dazzling.

The black sports car also had a black leather interior. The dashboard resembled the cockpit of a plane. Van Halen played and even though the music wasn't very loud, her seat vibrated from the bass. Were there speakers under the seats? She wouldn't be surprised.

Julie's insides still swirled from his gentle, soul-stirring kiss. Ronnie had spoken the truth.
It's in his kiss
, no doubt about it and the revelation had her stunned beyond belief. He'd said she looked beautiful. His words and kiss convinced her. Never had she felt so attractive in her life. The prospect was dreamy and the absolute epitome of a teenage girl's most romantic fantasies, most of which she'd given up on years ago. For tonight, she would live it. Or try to.
Talk, Julie. Say something.

“You like Van Halen?” she asked.

Lorcan turned briefly toward her. He lowered his sunglasses to the edge of his nose and those Cortina eyes twinkled mischievously. “Aye, What did you think I would be listening to, The Irish Rovers?”

She couldn't help but giggle. “Well, I thought maybe U2 at the very least.”

He faced straight ahead, a broad smile on his face. “Bono is God.”

“The Irish Rovers—they did that Unicorn song years back.”

“Brilliant! Two points for you, darlin'. I prefer the Chieftains myself if we're talking Irish-themed folk music. I like pretty much all types of music. Blues, classical, rock. How about yourself?”

“Yes. I do, too. I haven't listened to much classical though,” she replied.

Lorcan pushed his sunglasses back up, asked for classical music and magically it began to play. The elegant tones of violins enveloped the interior of the car. “Linguatronic Voice Command. Though, I don't care much for talking to an automobile.” He smiled and it grew wider as he listened to the music. “Pachelbel Canon in D Major, and I didn't look at the screen.”

She was suitably impressed. “It's lovely. Oh, leave it there.” She leaned back and closed her eyes. “Beautiful.”

They were quiet the rest of the way to the restaurant. She felt so relaxed, the exact opposite of how she thought she would be feeling. Julie breathed deeply. A combination of new car smell with Lorcan's cologne mixed together in an invigorating scent. Her thoughts drifted into a pleasant daydream. A rapid roll of images passed through her mind. She and Lorcan as a couple doing all those mundane things couples in love do. A picnic, long drives, and walks on the beach. She'd seen waayyy too many old romantic movies. Could there be more between them than a friendly dinner? By the time Lorcan pulled into the parking lot of the downtown restaurant, she'd nearly fallen asleep.

“Wake up, darlin'. We're here.”

“Oh, did I sleep? I'm so sorry. I've been like this since I was a kid. Always drifting off in the car—Oh, God. I wasn't drooling, I hope!”

Lorcan laughed. “The drool was adorable,
a stóirín
.”

Lorcan climbed out of the car and walked around to open her door. What did he call her?
A storeen
? She couldn't have heard him right, was it Celtic? A roll of warmth curled about her insides. He gallantly opened the door and offered his hand. She took it, and it felt warm, dry, and wonderfully masculine.

She glanced at the restaurant. Chop Steakhouse? The place was expensive, or so she'd heard. Was she dressed well enough? So much for feeling relaxed and confident.

She glanced at Lorcan who appeared causal and elegant wearing beige front-pleated Dockers with a long-sleeved brown shirt that lay open at the neck with the cuffs neatly turned up showing lean, muscular forearms. A silver chain with a small medallion on it nestled between what she imagined were two perfectly muscled pecs. He wore brown leather loafers and appeared cool, relaxed, and sexy as hell.

After they were shown to their seats, Lorcan ordered a bottle of white wine. He placed his iPhone on the table. “I'm hoping we'll be able to enjoy this meal undisturbed, but there's the chance this phone will ring. If so, I'll have to take you home. I started a new job with the De Lucas.”

Julie smiled and tried to sound light and airy. “Oh, really?”

He inclined his head toward the parking lot. “The car was a signing bonus. I'm to be Vinnie De Luca's driver for the next few months. I'll be at his beck and call. He did say he didn't need me tonight, but that could change.”

Julie had no idea what to say. Vinnie De Luca's driver?
Whoa.
She cleared her throat and was about to speak, but the waiter returned. The young man made a big production out of opening the wine, pouring it, and letting Lorcan inhale its essence. Lorcan nodded and the waiter left. He picked up the bottle and poured her a little more.