Shamrock Kisses (Kissing Junction, TX 7)

“Someone who has the potential of breaking my heart into a million pieces.”

“You know that there is always a chance of that, but do you really want to live your life based on what ifs and maybes?”

“No, no I don’t.”

Chapter Two

Ryder

Suzy St. James gets more and more beautiful every time I see her. Tonight, is no fucking different. She makes my mouth water and it is getting harder and harder to not claim her. Jesus, even her voice makes me hard. She is the total package.

Don’t get me wrong, she is thick as fuck with ample curves that I want to run my tongue over, but I am interested in more than just her looks.

Her sassy ass mouth is going to write checks she can’t cash, and when she does I’ll be waiting. Lord knows I am not the man she needs, but fuck if I can care at this point. I am too gruff, tatted beyond belief, and I’ve been in trouble with the law before.

There are a few things I can give her. I am already halfway in love with her. Loyalty and babies. Lots of babies.

When I met her at Thanksgiving, I just knew this woman was meant to be mine. I feel like we have been dancing around each other for months and I can’t take it anymore. I have reached my breaking point and for the first time in my life I am not sure what the best course of action is.

My pub, On the Shamrocks, used to be the only thing that mattered to me besides my sister Verity, but since meeting her my focus has shifted significantly. My parents died, ironically in a drunk driving accident, when I was eighteen and Verity was six.

That was twelve years ago now. We moved to town about four years ago when I bought the pub. Before that I worked two jobs in Dallas to make ends meet.

My father’s family owned one in Dublin where they are from. My father came to Texas for college and then opened one in Dallas. I feel like running a pub is in my blood and it has always been my passion. I remember making my allowance by polishing the floors in my father's place, The Crooked King. Verity would be running around, messing up my hard work. Little did I know that the last Saturday I spent in there would be the last time we were allowed in there. My parents hadn’t made any provisions for us, I am sure they thought they still had time. The bank took it back after a few weeks. As I was eighteen, I had to work my ass off to show the state of Texas I could care for my sister. The rest of my family was still in New York on my dad’s side and Ireland on my mom’s. It was just us and there was no way I could be separated from her. I had to grow up quickly, so I could be a parent to Verity.

Now that she is grown, we are slowly getting back to a brother sister relationship. I still remember the first time I had to ground her. She was always very smart, but when she did math problems on the window with a Sharpie, I had to put my foot down. I had just told her to clean it up, but when she chucked her abacus at the window, breaking it, I had to ground her. Her temper is legendary. She is quick to anger but even quicker to forgive.

Verity is in college now and working as a nanny for Victoria, my buddy Donnie’s daughter. I get the feeling that there is something going on there, but she is a grown ass woman. It’s not my place to tell her what to do anymore. I do wish her future husband luck though, she still throws things when she is pissed.

My thoughts drift back to Suzy. My Anamchara. My soulmate. I am supposed to be tending bar at Matt and Jules’s little reception, but I can’t focus. I toss my apron on the hook.

“Eddie, I’m taking thirty. You got this?” I ask him.

“Sure do Boss.” He says with a mock salute. I chuckle and open the bar top and step out into the seating area.

Making eye contact with Suzy, who is talking to Trinity, I make my way over to them. When I am close enough to hear the conversation, I don’t like what I hear at

all.

“He is so much everything. And hot too.” Suzy says, hiccupping. Damn, my woman is getting sloshed tonight. I inadvertently let out a growl at her words. She gasps and places her hand over her chest. That just draws my attention to her luscious tits.

“What’s up Ryry?” Suzy asks me.

“Just seeing what you are up to over here.” Jesus, I sound like a fucking idiot.

“I am just drinking with my new friend Trinity. She likes girls, so I don’t have to worry about nothing.”

“How much have you had to drink, Anamchara?” I ask her. When she lifts both hands to do her counting, I let out a chuckle.

“1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10. Probably 10.” She says, but she looks unsure.

“Do you think you’ve had enough?” I ask as Trinity steps away from the table and heads toward the bar. I’ll need to make sure she doesn’t drive home but right now my girl is my main concern.

“I don’t know, maybe. Why do your arms have to be so big?” She asks with a giggle as she reaches up with her hand and squeezes my bicep.

“Baby, you’ve had way more than enough. I am going to go get my stuff then I’ll take you home.”

“Ohh… Now? Do I get to see you naked?” She asks me. When she looks up at me with her big gray eyes and bites her bottom lip, I have to grab ahold of the table edge. Her eyes dart to my white knuckled grip, then to my eyes. They get wide and drop back down to the table top.