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Cyn Becket groaned in frustration, clenching her pale hand in a fist before releasing it and tracing patterns on the wooden table in front of her. It had been a full five minutes, and Tomas still hadn’t returned from the loo. For the past two hours, they’d been drinking at Tí Joe Watty’s, and she’d lost count of just how many Tom Cream Irish Lagers she’d knocked back. Her face was flushed, and she pulled a small compact from her purse to check her lipstick. Maybe that was the reason why Tomas hadn’t kissed her yet. Oh, please, she said to herself. If he hasn’t kissed me by now, I don’t think it’s because of my bloody lipstick.
After what seemed like an eternity, Tomas emerged from the loo and loped toward the table, smiling at her. Cyn couldn’t help noticing how the late-afternoon sun created gold glints in his hair. She tried to resist the urge to run her hands through it, before bringing his face to hers, and—Cyn, get it together. Exhaling, Cyn made herself straighten up, avoiding Tomas and his golden hair. She flashed him a sexy grin as he sat across from her.
“I want to discuss something with you. I need to know you understand. Cynthia...” Tomas cleared his throat, and paused.
His normally-cool façade was flustered, Cyn noted with satisfaction. The alcohol must be getting to him as well. Perhaps she’d finally get to shag him, she thought as she tapped her long, painted nails on the table.
“Why don’t you like my nickname?” Cyn asked. She leaned lasciviously over the table to display her magnificent cleavage.
Ignoring both Cyn and her breasts, Tomas changed the subject. “How much did Felicity tell you about her research here, and the story of the púca?”
“Hmmm,” Cyn murmured, through the slow fog of alcohol descending on her brain. “Only a little...”
“Well,” Tomas said, carefully. “It’s true we have our own way of doing things that you’re not used to in London—”
Cyn snorted. “Right. Because other blokes I go with always ask if we can do a photoshoot. It really was a lovely gesture.”
“You are a model, you know,” Tomas said lightly. “And the camera loves you. But back to what I was saying... I know you probably think it’s antiquated, but when we mate here, we mate for life.”
“Or not at all,” Cyn muttered darkly under her breath.
Tomas stopped talking, swallowed, and took a breath. “It’s like Felicity told you, about the púca. They mate for life, and when they mate with a human, the human becomes immortal in exchange for bearing púca offspring. But we take it very, very seriously. We—”
“Ohhh,” Cyn said flirtatiously as Tomas continued on, completely unaware he’d been interrupted. She batted her long mascaraed lashes, suddenly feeling like she understood. “Of course.”
She smiled at him, reaching out and stroking the back of his hand with her red-polished fingernail. Tomas gently removed her hand. Cyn sighed. She kept forgetting affection was apparently not something he liked to display.
“And sometimes the transformation is rather shocking to see. Which is understandable, but you’ll get used to it...”
As he continued rambling on, Cyn relaxed happily. Why had Tomas suddenly decided to explain how shy he’d been? Maybe it had something to do with the beer. She should have known he’d hide behind metaphors and use the púca mythology to cover up his obvious desire for her.
“I am so glad you understand. I wanted to tell you before, but I didn’t want to scare you off, and I had to make sure you were the right fit. There’s someone I’d like you to meet,” Tomas said, smiling at Cyn. “And I think you’ll like him.”
She smiled back, suddenly intrigued. Oh, she really loved the sound of this, especially if it was going where she thought it was.
“Who?” She flashed a charming grin at Tomas, raising one of her eyebrows.
His smile faltered, but his nervous reaction was kind of cute.
“Is he a mate of yours and Niall’s?” she asked.
Tomas nodded. “Aye. And I believe you and he would get along. He’s one of my oldest friends, and I hold him very dear. His approval means a lot to me.”
A slow warmth spread from her belly to between her legs. Could it be he’d taken so long because he was waiting to see if his ‘friend’ would like her, too? Cyn had been starting to suspect he was gay, but she’d had no idea he was bi! In her head, a delicious vision formed of herself, Tomas, and a gorgeous dark-haired stranger tangling, naked and moaning. She envisioned Tomas licking and nipping at her breasts while the dark-haired stranger went down on her. Cyn almost gasped, and her panties dampened from the thought of taking two men at once. It was all she could do not to squirm.
“I’d love to meet your friend,” she purred, downing the last of her beer.
Tonight would be smashing. She licked her lips at the juicy idea of a threesome. It wasn’t something she’d ever done, but it had crossed her mind a few times. Would she have the guts to go through with it?
* * *
FLUSHED AND BREATHLESS, Cyn followed Tomas out of the pub like a dog in heat. Her head was spinning. She couldn’t believe she’d gone from barely seducing Tomas to somehow winding up with a delicious ménage a trois. Happy Birthday to me! A tinge of trepidation crept into Cyn’s heart when she remembered she’d never been with two men at the same time, before her normal sass and confidence returned. Cyn was always up for new adventures, and there was no reason why Felicity should have all the fun with a sexy stranger. She may have lost the bet, but maybe when she revealed she’d shagged both Tomas and his friend, she could win retroactively. Or at least make Felicity gape, which would be almost as good as winning.
“It’s just a bit farther,” Tomas called over his shoulder.
At five-foot-ten with long legs, she wasn’t exactly slow, but it was still difficult to keep up with his long stride. The alcohol made Cyn’s legs feel a bit wobbly. She stopped to catch her breath, panting with the effort of trotting after Tomas. Pausing, she placed her hand up against a wall, the stone cool beneath her palm. Cyn looked up with some surprise, craning her neck. The sky was a brilliant blue, and she could still smell the salty sea air. But somehow, Cyn never noticed before how beautiful the Aran Islands really were. It was almost like another world...the air was so fresh. And while the island of Inis Mór wasn’t what she would call crowded (by any stretch of the imagination), it seemed positively deserted. Her skin broke out in goosebumps. It was almost eerie, and the fact it was still daylight made it even eerier. Bloody hell, I must really be squiffy. Her head was spinning.
Cyn looked around. “Are we going to the ruins?”
Tomas laughed. “Aye, there is a tower in need of repair, but I wouldn’t call it a ruin.”
In the near distance there was a tall stone tower, and much farther away, cliffs. Even though she didn’t remember ever seeing ruins in this direction, it was possible she’d missed them. After all, she’d spent nearly all of her energy trying to shag Tomas.
In this pastoral setting, it suddenly occurred to her perhaps this tryst was to take place al fresco. Despite herself, Cyn blushed. Being sprawled on the grass, deliciously naked and exposed, in a tangle with two men was unbelievably sexy. She shivered, feeling incredibly turned on. The sun was hot through her black pencil skirt and blouse, but a glance at the grass—and the thought of how her bare skin would be splayed out on it soon—gave her a delicious chill.
“Cynthia, are you feeling well back there? We’ve almost arrived,” Tomas said in a light tone, thankfully taking no notice of her flushed and heated state.
“Yes... I’m getting excited,” Cyn said slyly. Her words came out a bit slurred.
Tomas arched an eyebrow. “Cynthia, did you have too much to drink?”
Cyn took a deep breath, steadying herself. She didn’t want to mess this up. She’d never had such a difficult time getting a man to notice her. “I’m fine,” she said, hoping he believed the lie.
He searched her face, and seemed satisfied. Maybe he was nervous, and wanted to make sure she was okay with having a threesome. “Cynthia, are you certain you want to do this?”
“I really want to meet your friend.” She peeked at Tomas for any signs of recognition, but he was gentlemanly as always. Her stomach twisted.
Tomas nodded. “Aye, you’re very bonny. You’re going to enjoy this immensely.”
She had no doubt the experience would be incredible, but she’d be hungover tomorrow. “Yes, I believe I will.”
Tomas smiled and beckoned for Cyn to come closer. He pointed to a castle up ahead. “That is our destination,” he said, turning and walking toward it. “Do you remember everything I told you at Tí Joe Watty’s?”
“Sure I do,” she said with a purr. “You said this is taken very seriously here.”
The castle was slightly unsettling to Cyn, but she couldn’t quite figure out why it made her gut churn. She was absolutely certain she hadn’t noticed a castle on the island before. Damnit, this is an adventure, she told herself. I don’t know anyone who’s slept with two gorgeous blokes in a castle. She chalked the feeling up to her being pretty darn pissed. She was sure her morning would involve a massive headache, but she’d worry about that later.
They reached a pair of massive wooden doors that were so tall Cyn had to tilt her neck to see where they ended. Tomas pushed on one, and it swung open quietly, revealing a dark hallway.
He looked at Cyn before gesturing down its length. “Shall we?”
Cyn walked inside, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the shadows. There were windows set high into the walls, and shafts of sunlight spotted the stone floor. She breathed in a delicious and heady mixture of incense. The whole effect was intoxicating.
Hearing footsteps, Cyn turned in their direction. A drop-dead gorgeous man with slightly shaggy dark hair and eyes penetrated Cyn with his gaze. His effect on her was immediate: her panties moistened again, and she licked and bit her lower lip. The man looked as though he wanted to devour Cyn. As she took a step toward him, Tomas spoke.
“Cynthia, I’d like to introduce Fallon O’Leary.”
Cyn blushed, her breath hitching in her throat. “Pleased,” she said, smiling flirtatiously as she extended a pale arm.
Fallon took her hand. His skin was warm and dry. Sparks shot through her whole body at his slight touch.
“The pleasure is all mine,” Fallon said huskily, before lifting Cyn’s hand and kissing it.
Oh, my, Cyn thought. This is going to be a long night.
