IRISH (The Trident Series Book 4)

by Jaime Lewis

  She grinned. “Boy, you really know how to pull out the big guns to get what you want, don’t you?”

  Ace and Alex snickered, then made their exit, saying they needed to get home. That left Irish alone with Bailey.

  Yeah, he knew it was a dick move to bring up Sienna, but he knew she wouldn’t be able to say no to that. He would do anything to get her to stay at his place because they needed to talk, and it would give him plenty of time.

  She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, and he knew she was considering it.

  “I guess so. But I’ll take the couch. I don’t want to put you out of your own bed,” she said after several seconds of silence.

  “Good, now that’s settled, there is one more thing I need.”

  “There is?” She asked cautiously, and he took a step closer to her and placed his hands on her hips. Her eyes grew wid.

  He bent his head and pressed his lips gently against hers, then pulled back. It was quick, but he needed it. Last night had been a tease, and he needed to feel that connection again. He smiled. “You pack one hell of a punch, woman.” He moved his hands and squeezed her hand. “I have to be at the base at o-seven-hundred. I’ll drop Sienna off around quarter to. Is that okay?”

  He had to laugh. She was still in a state of shock from his kiss that all she could do was nod her head. He kissed her forehead and opened her car door for her. She went to say something, but he just lifted a finger to her lips.

  “Shh…we’ll talk more tomorrow when I get home.”

  “Okay,” was all she said and got into her car and pulled out of the parking lot. He watched as she drove down the road, then shook his head in disbelief. Holy shit, this was really happening.

  ◆◆◆

  Bailey didn’t even know if she was driving in the right direction. She was still trying to process what in the hell had just happened. Irish kissed her again. That’s twice now that he had kissed her. She lifted her fingers to her lips. And what was she thinking, agreeing to stay at his house? Oh God, now she didn’t know if she could go through with it. What if things didn’t go as planned. Then she’d be stuck in his house and no way to leave because of the storm. She didn’t know what to do, so she called Alex.

  “Did he scare you off already?” Alex said with a laugh, but Bailey couldn’t respond. She couldn’t get her brain to function properly. “Bailey? Are you there?”

  She shook her head to get her mind on the right track. “He kissed me.”

  “Huh?”

  “Ky…he kissed me right before I got into my car.”

  “Oh my God! Yes! This is great!” Alex may have been happy, but Bailey was panicking.

  “No, this is not great.”

  “Why not? You like him, and he likes you. What’s stopping you.”

  “Alex, we talked about his. He is so more experienced than me. What if I mess everything up?”

  “Oh, honey. You will be fine. Irish is a great guy and very understanding. Just be honest with him.”

  “You mean, tell him everything, including my virginity?”

  “You are going to have to tell him some time or another. If the subject comes up, just be upfront with him.”

  “I’m scared, Alex.”

  “What are you scared of?”

  “Rejection. Alex, Ky is the first guy that I’ve really liked. I’ve never had a boyfriend and never had sex. And I’m afraid that my experience or lack thereof will scare him away.”

  “If my gut is right, I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Plus, he’s a SEAL. Nothing scares him.” Bailey thought about it for a second. “Look, if you need anything and need to talk, just call me, okay?”

  “Okay. And Alex?

  “Yeah?”

  “Thank you.”

  “Anytime. Us women need to stick together. Just relax and let things go at their pace. It will all be good. Enjoy the time together.”

  “I will. Thanks again.”

  “You bet. I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Bye.”

  She got out of her car and headed upstairs. It looked like she would need to pack an overnight bag. She still wasn’t sold on the idea, but she would do what Alex said. She would take the time to talk to him and get to know him. If it didn’t work out, then so be it. At least there wouldn’t be any regrets.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Irish pulled into his driveway. He turned the ignition off and sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. He was glad to be home. Forecasters now believed that the storm was going to turn eastward, causing it to just skim the coast. The state had already declared a state of emergency, and flood watches had already been issued for coastal areas. Winds were predicted to gust as high as 90 mph. They didn’t have to report back to base until tomorrow afternoon unless an emergency or crisis occurred. And even then, it would have to be something major, considering they have a full staff on base to ride the storm out.

  He got out and pulled his bag from the back and slung it over his shoulder. He saw his neighbors Will and Nicole outside, putting their outdoor furniture inside the garage. He wished he could use his garage to pull his car in but unfortunately, it was full of boxes. When he bought the two-bedroom, two-bath house, he wasn’t expecting anyone other than himself to be living there. With Sienna living here now, he needed the spare room for her—not that he minded being put out because it was for her.

  As he climbed the steps to the front porch, he noticed the front door was open, but the screen door was locked. An enticing smell caught his attention, and his mouth instantly watered. It smelled so good. “Bailey!” He called through the screen door. He heard a sound from the kitchen, then a few seconds later, she appeared, and his chest tightened at the thought that if he played his cards right, he could home to this every night. The baby blue lounge pants and matching tank top gave her a casual look. Her long hair was down, and her face was free of make-up. She looked fresh and comfortable. She smiled wide, unlocked the door, and opened it for him.

  “Hey! Sorry about the door. It is so nice outside, and with the breeze, I thought it would be nice to let some fresh air in before the storm hits, and we have to close up the house.”

  He grinned and entered right behind her. His eyes immediately went to her ass. Although the lounge pants she wore were loose through the legs, they fit perfectly around her ass. Her tank top was snug and showed just how well-endowed she was. His dick was instantly hard.

  She turned toward him. “Oh! I wasn’t sure where your uniforms from the cleaners needed to go, so I hung them on the hook on the back of your door. Sienna showed me.”

  “So, you were in my bedroom?” He teased.

  “I promise I didn’t snoop, but I do have to say I was quite impressed by the neatness,” she smiled, although her cheeks turned a little pink, and he thought it was cute she was blushing.

  “I can thank the Navy for that.” He turned his nose in the air and sniffed. “What smells so great?”

  “Oh, crap!” She squealed and ran toward the kitchen, her little bare feet barely making a sound on the wood floors as she ran through the house. Yeah, he noticed her little sexy feet as well. Her toes were painted fire engine red.

  He took his boots off by the front door, then followed her into the kitchen. As soon as he entered, he stopped and leaned against the doorway. He watched Bailey ease around the kitchen like it was her own domain. He saw the table had been set for three. The new colorful flower arrangement in the middle of the table didn’t go unnoticed either. She must have picked that up while she and Sienna were running errands. It made him smile. It was like she belonged here in his home. His heart stopped momentarily when the thought hit him. Holy shit! He could actually see himself coming home to this, to her every night. She stopped in front of the stove and stirred whatever was in one of the two pots. Her back was to him and he hadn’t realized she had been talking to him. Christ, he had been so engrossed in her he hadn’t heard a damn word she said.

  He pushed himself
from the wall, walked up behind her and pressed his body against her back and let his hands rest on her hips. The light and sweet perfume she wore tickled his nose. She stopped stirring and stood still. Her body was tense. He wanted her to feel relaxed. He moved her hair, exposing the side of her neck, then bent his head so his mouth was right next to her ear, and he smiled when he felt a slight shiver wrack her body.

  “What are you making?” He asked in a low voice, using his thumbs to caress her hips. Her tank top stopped just short above the waistband of her pants. As he kept rubbing her hips every now and then, his thumb would hit her bare skin, enticing him to explore more. She was taking deep breaths, and he could see how fast her heart was beating by the pulse in her neck.

  She took a shaky breath before she spoke.

  “I made macaroni and cheese, and broccoli to go with the roasted chicken. Do you want to taste?”

  She turned in his arms with a spoon in her hand, making his hands fall from her body. She held the spoon of mac-n-cheese out, offering it to him. Instead of taking the spoon himself, he gently grabbed her wrist. Her eyes held his as he leaned forward and took the spoon into his mouth. As he licked the spoon, he heard her gasp, and her lips parted. She looked at his lips, then back at his eyes. Her pupils were slightly dilated. He still had a hold of her wrist, and he watched as her chest rose with every breath. Oh, yeah, she was feeling the attraction as much as he was.

  “Ky…”

  “Shh…That was really good, but I want a taste of something else.” He released her wrist and cupped her cheek with his large hand. Just as he leaned down and was going in for something a little tastier, he heard Sienna squeal. Instantly, he dropped his hand, and Bailey turned back toward the stove. He knew the moment was over, but he still had all night.

  ◆◆◆

  “Uncle Ky! You’re home!”

  Bailey was thankful for Sienna’s intrusion. Jesus, what was she thinking? They were in the kitchen for God’s sake, and honestly, if Sienna hadn’t made her appearance when she did, it was quite possible she and Irish would have taken the moment a little too far. She felt really hot and aroused. She wanted him, and damn did the man look hot in his uniform.

  She reached over and turned the stove off, then smiled as she watched Irish squat down as Sienna barreled toward him. When she got to him, he scooped her up and held her with one arm. Bailey could only imagine what it might feel like snuggle with him with all those muscles he could wrap around her.

  “We are going to make a huamongous fort tonight,” Sienna told him.

  “Oh, a huamongous fort?” He asked amusingly at her pronunciation of humongous.

  Sienna shook her head up and down. “Uh-huh. Ms. Bailey got the blankets and sheets down from the closet, and she said, when you got home, we can make it.”

  “She did, did she?” He looked over at Bailey and grinned, and she smiled back. The man’s smile alone made her belly do somersaults.

  “Yep, and I was a big helper today. After we did our work at her house, we did everything on your worklist. And I even got to check off the things on the paper.” She looked at Bailey and whispered, “What’s the name of the paper again?”

  Bailey smiled, loving Sienna’s personality. She whispered back, “To-do list.”

  She looked back at Irish. “I got to check off the things on the to-do list.”

  “You were a big helper, and I’m sure Ms. Bailey appreciated your help.” Again, he smiled and winked.

  “And I already got my bath. See…smell.” She lifted her leg and stuck her foot in his face.

  He pretended to sniff her feet and made her giggle, which made Bailey smile. “Well, they do smell clean,” he told her.

  “Ms. Bailey said we should get our baths now before the storm comes. She said it’s not safe to take baths when it’s storming out. The latricity can hurt you.

  “Do you mean the electricity?”

  “Yeah, the latricity.” Sienna gave him a look. “Don’t you know what latricity is, Uncle Ky? It’s dangerous.” Irish chuckled. “Yes, peanut. I know what electricity is.”

  They continued to talk. Sienna told him everything they had done today, from cleaning up her condo to going to the store to get hurricane supplies, then picking up his clothes from the cleaners. The interaction between the two of them warmed Bailey’s heart. It was amazing to see this giant of a man give a little girl his complete attention. How she wished she could’ve had even an ounce of that type of love from her parents. Even if it were just a small hug or hell, even a smile would’ve been better than what she got. Her parents hadn’t loved her, and they never would. She was just a type of business transaction for them. A tax write-off, and someone that her mother could show off at Junior League and beauty pageants. She felt the tears start to fill her eyes, thinking about her fucked up childhood. She turned back toward the stove to make herself look busy and not draw attention.

  A few minutes later, Irish set Sienna down and sent her to wash her hands. Bailey sensed him approaching and turned around.

  “Is everything okay?” He asked, and he cupped her cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned into his palm, loving how his large hand felt pressed against her skin. It was soothing and comforting—something she’d never experienced before.

  When she opened her eyes, his concerned blue eyes held hers. She smiled, wanting to assure him that everything was okay.

  “Everything is fine,” she told him. He caressed her cheek with his thumb. “We didn’t know what time you’d be home. I was going to wait until about seven, and then I was going to feed her.”

  He smiled. “That’s fine. Thank you again for everything today. You didn’t have to cook, but it is a really nice surprise to come home to.”

  “It’s no problem, and I actually like cooking. I don’t get to do it often.”

  “Why is that?”

  “Well, for starters, I live alone, and I’m not going to cook a big meal for just myself.”

  His eyes held a sparkle to them. “Well, then I guess we need to have you over more often, and we can cook together.”

  Sienna came back in, ending their conversation. She stood in-between Irish and Bailey and looked up him. “Uncle Ky, Ms. Bailey made my favorite, macaroni and cheese, and it didn’t come from a box. She said her grandma taught her. Do you think she can teach me how to cook dinner?”

  “I think we could persuade her,” he said, smiling and ushering Sienna into a chair at the table. He looked over at Bailey. “Do I have time to take a quick shower? It’ll only take a couple of minutes. Another thing I can thank the Navy for,” he uttered as he unbuttoned his uniform blouse, revealing a tan t-shirt that molded to his chest and biceps. Her tongue nearly rolled out of her mouth.

  Thankfully, she hadn’t made a complete ass out of herself and was able to speak. “Sure. I hope you don’t mind, but I got a shower myself. Sienna showed me where you keep the towels. The food is just warming, so take your time, and I’ll start dishing everything out.” She tried to look away, but he took a step toward her, took her chin between his thumb and index finger, and held her gaze.

  “I don’t mind one bit; you make yourself at home. I’m really glad you’re here.”

  She was glad too, even if she was a nervous and emotional wreck right now. Then, she thought back to what Alex told her. Everything would work out.

  She smiled up at him. “Me too.” She was looking forward to the rest of the night and getting to know more about Irish.

  He leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers. It was quick, and he released her and walked toward his room, pulling off his t-shirt and revealing an upper body she had only seen on the covers of romance novels. He was lean but muscular with a waist that dipped in. And his back…oh, how she just wanted to run her hands up and down all the muscles. Just as she turned to dish the mac-n-cheese into the bowl, she heard Irish shout from his bedroom. Did he just call the cat a nasty fucker?

  ◆◆◆

  Irish was grinning as he p
ushed open the door to his bedroom. He was looking forward to spending the evening with Bailey, especially after Sienna went to bed. There were so many questions he wanted to ask her so he could get to know her better.

  He went to grab his lounge pants he’d left on the bed this morning but saw they weren’t there. He looked around the room, then walked into the bathroom, thinking maybe he put them in there. Suddenly, he heard a growling noise come from the other side of the bed.

  Slowly, as he wasn’t sure what he would find, he made his way around the bed, and the growling grew louder. When his eyes landed on the cat, he had to do a double-take. The damn cat was humping a piece of clothing. And not just any clothing, he was playing “bury the bone” with his lounge pants!

  “Oh, you nasty fucker!” Irish yelled and tried grabbing the pants, but the cat hissed and growled, trying to take a swipe at him. Okay…so Mr. Whiskers gets angry when you interrupt his sex romp. But then again, wouldn’t any male act that way?

  “Ky…Is everything okay?” Bailey asked, entering the room with Sienna right behind her.

  Irish looked at Bailey, who was looking at the cat and gaining an understanding of the situation. When her eyes grew wide, and she covered her mouth, he couldn’t help but laugh.

  Sienna stood between him and Bailey and asked, “Uncle Ky, what is Mr. Whiskers doing with your pants?”

  “Umm…” He looked at Bailey, hoping she might know what to say, but the sparkle in her eye told him he was on his own. He cleared his throat. “He’s just playing or maybe exercising.” Bailey tried unsuccessfully to cover her snort of laughter.

  “But he has toys to play with. Why does he want to play with your pants?”

  Thank God Bailey put him out of his misery. “That’s a very good question, Sienna. Why don’t you and I go and gather some of Mr. Whiskers’ toys? Maybe he couldn’t find them. That will give your uncle a few minutes to jump in the shower, and then we can eat.”

  When Sienna agreed and left the room with Bailey, Irish felt relieved. He tried one last time to grab the pants, but Mr. Whiskers wasn’t budging. Finally, he just said fuck it; if the cat wanted those pants that bad, he could have them. Damn, if he was ever going to wear them again, knowing the cat had his way with them.