He nodded. “I’ll meet you there.” She hit the unlock button on her key fob and he opened the door, helping her inside. Closing the door, he tapped her hood and stepped away, watching as she pulled off.
Things had shifted between them. Burying their heads in the sand was no longer an option.
“A mhuirnín” (uh WUR-neen): “darling”
“A chroí” (uh KHREE): “heart”
Chapter Five
Enzo
As he made the drive to Aibhlinn’s apartment, one thought echoed in his skull. I have no idea what I’m doing. He gripped the steering wheel hard enough to crack it, and his knuckles ached in protest. He took a deep breath. I can’t screw this up. She looked at him with those damn blue-green eyes that reminded him of the ocean, and he’d caved. She never asked for much. His best friend put her heart on the chopping board and waited for him to respond. He had to step up and meet her halfway. Everything he wanted dangled in the balance. He tugged at his collar and squirmed in his seat, feeling uncomfortable in his own skin. He was breaking his rules. I set these guidelines up for a reason. Why the hell am I going against them? It’s been working just fine. Even as he thought it, he knew he was lying. He ignored the screaming voice in his head. She made it clear. They tried this, or she would back off. He wasn’t sure if he could handle that. His stomach bubbled like a pot of boiling water.
Aibhlinn was his sunshine. The goodness rewarded to balance out all the evil he’d seen and been a part of in life. Without her, he would be lost to the darkness completely. His heart pounded in his chest. He felt like a teenage boy on his first date. It’s just Ave. There’s no need to freak out. Logic failed him as he pulled into a parking space outside of her building. Cutting the engine, he took a deep breath. There was no backing out at this point. Sink or swim, things were changing between them. He glanced up at the star-studded sky and closed his eyes. God, if you’re out there, help me out. I don’t deserve any of your grace, but that woman up there waiting for me does. She loves you with all her heart, and she deserves more than my shriveled heart is capable of giving. He’d never been religious growing up. His mom had barely managed to get him to school every day, let alone instill religious beliefs. By the time he got to the Jordans’ home, his heart was hardened, and his trust was broken.
Then Aibhlinn had come and showed him by example what religion did for people. He saw how those who believed acted. She was kind, forgiving, and gracious. He thought at first, it was an act, but as time went by, he realized it was much more. She’d dragged him to mass on a few occasions. There truly wasn’t much he wouldn’t do to make her happy. Stepping from the car, he made his way inside her building. He had a set of keys, but it felt important to seek permission to enter right now. He tapped on the door, and it opened almost immediately.
“You came,” she said breathlessly.
“I’ll never leave you hanging, babe,” he whispered, smoothing down her hair and tucking a few strands behind her ear.
“Come in,” she said in a husky voice that made his dick twitch. She was perfection in the slinky black dress and heels she wore to the gallery. The scent of something light and floral teased his sense of smell. Her hair tumbled around her face in fat curls his fingers itched to touch. He stepped inside and the door shut, leaving their old relationship on the other side. This was uncharted territory. Unsure what to do, he shoved his hands into his pocket.
“Are you getting shy on me, a mhuirnín?” Aibhlinn asked.
He snickered. “Not sure how to proceed. This isn’t my area, darling. You’ll have to speak plainly about what you want.”
“You sure you’re ready for this? We can’t go back, you know?”
“Babe, we passed that road a long time ago. That line in the sand got obliterated when you came with my name on your lips and put your hand down my pants.”
A wicked smile spread over her face. “There’s plenty of things I want you to do. I’ve been dreaming about this for a long time.”
Her accent was thicker, and her eyes were darker. His cock strained against his jeans. He was mesmerized by the woman in front of him. For the first time, he didn’t feel guilty about seeing her as someone he desired. “You’re so fucking beautiful, Aibhlinn. I don’t even feel fit to touch you. You’re too pure. I’ve got so much dirt on my hands.”
Aibhlinn walked over and placed her hands on his chest. “You’re not a mobster, and we both know the things my family are still involved in. None of us is spotless. I don’t care about your past, Enzo. I’ve never seen that. I only see you and the way you make me feel.”
“How do I make you feel?” he whispered.
“When it’s just you and me, I feel like the luckiest girl in the world because you make me feel like I’m the only woman you see.”
“You are for me,” he murmured, wrapping his arms around her waist.
“I want you to show me, Enzo. No holds barred, no worries about tomorrow. I want you to make me feel how much I mean to you. I’ve spent so long thinking about this moment.” Her voice shook, and she took a shaky breath.
Seeing this effect on her, made him feel ten feet tall. Gripping her jaw with his hand, he held her in place as he thoroughly kissed her mouth, exploring every nook and cranny.
She was a fine whiskey full of hints of heat, spice, and notes of things he couldn’t put his finger on. Her tongue touched his, and his nerves caught fire. He moaned into her mouth, ti
lting his head as he devoured her. He could never get enough of this woman ... once forbidden to him. His other hand came up and wound in her curls; the silken strands wrapped around his fingers. They surfaced for air.
“You’re so gorgeous, Ave,” he said, studying her flushed cheeks, kiss-swollen lips, and mussed hair. He wanted to see her wild, undone, and moving on his cock. The thought of her naked had his tip leaking pre-come. The episode outside the gallery was just an appetizer. He would need all night to be anywhere near satisfied when it came to her. “I want this to be slow, but I don’t think I can. Waited too long. Denied myself too much,” he whispered. His voice cracked, and heat rushed to his face. He’d been reduced to acting like a boy who just found out he could make himself come.
“I don’t want it slow,” she said.
His eyes went wide. He hadn’t expected this.
Rising up on her tiptoes, she brushed his ear with her lips.