Connell (Carolina Reapers 3)

And just as my lids drifted closed and the sounds of the crowded bar faded away—

He released me.

My eyes flew open, and I breathed deep and slow.

“How did you do that?” I asked, flabbergasted. The pain that had plagued me for nearly a week was entirely gone. Nothing but free-flowing circulation and loose muscle now. It made my head spin.

He smirked, scooping up his drink. “Old Scottish magic,” he said, wiggling the fingers on his free hand.

I laughed. “Whatever it was,” I said, raising my glass to his. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he said, clinking his glass against mine.

We sat there, sipping our drinks, letting the chatter of the other Reapers fill the space between us. Most were talking about travel preparations for the little time off they had in the summer.

A pang of guilt hit me square in the chest.

Connell wasn’t making travel preparations.

He wasn’t excited over a trip home to Scotland.

Because of me.

Because of my outrage over the statute.

Because—

Oh, calm down. Just because the man has magic hands doesn’t mean he gets out of repaying the community for his rash actions.

I nodded to myself, steeling my heart against the guilt gnawing at it.

“I don’t believe it!” Connell’s booming voice sounded over all the combined Reaper voices, his eyes locked on Logan Ward and the girl on his arm.

“What?” I asked.

“I’ve never seen him with a girl. Not ever.”

Logan made his way over to us, meeting Connell’s high five with gusto. “See you started without us,” he said, flashing me a soft smile.

“Couldn’t wait forever, Ward,” Connell said, his brows raised at the girl.

Logan straightened a bit, motioning to the gorgeous brunette who was nearly as tall as him in the heels she wore. Her make-up was perfectly in place, like those internet tutorials I sometimes tried to duplicate and always utterly failed at. “This is my girlfriend, Blaire,” he said. “Blaire, this is Connell MacDhuibh. And Annabelle Clarke, city clerk of Sweet Water.”

I smiled back at him, raising my glass to him, shocked that he’d remembered me at all. He’d always been so quiet any time I came around here to visit Echo, but he must’ve been paying attention instead of sulking in silence like we all assumed.

“Nice to meet you,” Blaire said, gently touching Connell’s shoulder. She lingered there for a few seconds too long, in my opinion, not that anyone asked. She gave me a sweet smile, then focused on Logan. “Anywhere to sit, babe? These heels are killer!”

He nodded, ushering her off toward the corner of the bar with a few extra round-tops.

“Whew,” Connell said, leaning against the bar. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

“Maybe he was just waiting for the right person,” I offered. “Instead of hopping from bed to bed.”

Connell shot me a glare. “Who does that?”

It was my turn to smirk. “Not you, surely.”

“I wouldn’t exactly call it hopping.” He tilted his head from side to side. “More like mutual visits where both parties leave completely satisfied.”

I laughed so hard I nearly spit out my drink. “Cocky, Scot, aren’t you?”

“Not cocky when it’s true.”

“How can you be so sure?”

He leaned closer to me. “Trust me, I know.”

“Do you, though?” I teased. “Loads of women are fantastic performers.”

His mouth dropped, but his blue eyes danced with amusement. “Why would you say such cruel things?”

“I’m just being real,” I said, shrugging. “A majority of men think they hung the moon when it comes to the bedroom, but more often than not, they fall flat.”

Connell licked his lips. “Sounds to me like you’ve been sleeping with the wrong people.”

“Or sex is overrated.”

He grabbed his chest. “Now you’re really trying to kill me.”

“What’d she say now?” Echo stopped before us, eyeing me like I was about to get sent to the principal’s office.

“What?” I gaped at them both. “Is it so bad to be honest? I mean, if I can do it better myself then why waste time—”

“Annabelle!” Echo said, laughing. “Are you recanting the tale of the time I dragged you to the Madame Matrix’s Toy Shoppe?”

My cheeks instantly flamed, my stomach dropping to the floor.

“Oh,” Connell said. “Do tell.”

“No!” I snapped. “Don’t you dare, Echo Hayes!”

She ignored me. “Well, there was this one time I took Annabelle shopping for some fun little things, and the cashier actually recognized her. While she was buying…well, anyway. She got so flustered she ended up dropping the three things she’d gathered and made me sprint out of the store.”

I ducked my head, covering my face with my palms. “Echo!” I groaned through my fingers. My heart raced, and I was quite sure the bar was on a tilt. “You know I can’t handle public embarrassment!” I said through clenched teeth. “How could you tell that story!”

Echo waved me off. “It’s hilarious. And I thought that’s what y’all were talking about anyway.”