“Because I set the school on fire?”
“That’s one of the reasons,” she says with a laugh. “I’ve never set anything on fire. That I’m aware of.”
“Let’s play Never Have I Ever,” Maggie says, clapping her hands.
“Yes!” Anastasia agrees. “Does everyone know how to play?”
Keegan’s eyes narrow. “You’re all going to call a rideshare to get home tonight.”
“Of course,” Stasia says, waving him off before turning to me. “Do you know how to play?”
“Uh, yeah, I went to college.”
Granted, college was a long time ago, but I’m pretty sure I remember how this goes. With my drink in hand, I wait for the first question.
“I’ll go first,” Maggie says. “Never have I ever set the school on fire.”
I laugh and take a drink, while everyone else looks on.
“I’m going to have such a hangover tomorrow.”
“No, lass,” Keegan says, “You’re drinking top-shelf whiskey tonight.”
“Okay, my turn,” Maeve says. “Never have I ever been to Africa.”
I look on while Shawn is the only one to drink. “You were in Africa?”
“In college,” he confirms.
“Never have I ever stolen a car,” Kane says, staring at Keegan while Keegan takes a shot of whiskey, making us all laugh.
“You stole a car?” I ask.
“It was our parents’ car, but technically, yes, I stole it.” Keegan refills our glasses. My lips are already tingling, and before long, I know I won’t be able to feel my legs. Keegan asks the next question. “Never have I ever married a jackass.”
Both Maggie and Stasia drink, making everyone laugh.
“I do believe I’ll be spankin’ your arse this evening,” Kane says to his wife, who simply laughs and kisses his cheek.
“I couldn’t help myself. It was too easy.”
“Oh, he can be a jackarse, that’s the truth,” Maeve says. “Okay, never have I ever been in a threesome.”
Without thinking, I take a drink, just as Keegan does. I look around to find the rest of them staring at me in shock.
“Are you telling me that only Keegan and I have not been in a threesome?” I demand. “Jesus, I’m too sheltered. I guess I need to get out more.”
Maeve bites her lip, and Kane throws his head back and laughs. Shawn shakes his head. “Honey, you drink when you have done it. Remember?”
I squint at him. “Why are there two of you? And…oh, yeah. Oops. Do I have to throw it back up or something?”
“Please don’t,” Maggie says, laughing so hard I’d bet her stomach hurts.
Suddenly, it occurs to me that Keegan also drank. “Wait. You drank.”
He winks at me and gives me that same charming grin that Shawn has down pat. “That I did, lass.”
I blink at him. “You know I’m a writer, right? I need details.”
“Give me a few more shots of the Irish, and I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”
“Right on. Is it my turn now?”
“Go for it,” Kane says.
“Okay. Let me think.” I bite my lip, trying to come up with a really good one. “Okay. Never have I ever had sex in a cemetery.”
Maggie is the only one to drink. The room goes quiet as we all stare at her.
“You don’t want to know,” she says at last, breaking out in laughter again. “You really don’t.”
“I mean, I kind of do,” I admit.
“I don’t,” Keegan says, holding up his hand. I notice Shawn and Kane are also shaking their heads.
“Nope, I’m good,” Shawn says.
“Don’t say another bloody word,” Kane agrees.
“I’m going out on a limb here to say that no one at this bar is a virgin,” I say. “Better yet, never have I ever had sex.”
We all drink.
“See?”
“Doesn’t mean we want to hear stories about our baby sister in the biblical sense,” Keegan says.
I roll my eyes and feel myself getting a little wobbly, but Shawn catches me and sets me straight.
“You doing okay, Lex?” he asks.
“I’m great, thank you for asking.” I boop his nose with my finger. I’ve wanted to do that for a long time. “You’re adorable, by the way, Shawn O’Callaghan.”
“Adorable?”
“Like, super adorable. Okay, maybe you lean more toward hot.” I give him a good once-over. “How do you feel about orgasms?”
He chokes on his spit but then nods and looks as if he’s going to give me an honest answer.
Which is good, because that’s exactly what I’m looking for. Always. Every day. I’m all for honesty.
“I guess I’m fond of them.”
I grin. “Right? So fun. Okay, who’s next?”
“I feel like you belong here,” Maeve says to me, and I clutch my chest in joy.
“You do? That might be the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me. For real.”
“You’re the best,” Maggie agrees. “You served all of those meals tonight, on one of the busiest nights we’ve seen in a long time, and you didn’t so much as flinch. Your feet have to be killing you.”
“I can’t feel my feet,” I realize and lean over to make sure they’re still there. In doing so, I almost fall off the stool, but Shawn catches me. “Are my feet there?”
“Yes.” He has laughter in his green eyes. “And we should think about getting you home.”
“It’s early.”
“It’s three,” Stasia announces. “We should go, too. I have to work in the kitchen all day tomorrow.”
Shawn taps on his phone and then looks up at me. “Our ride will be here in three minutes. Let’s go wait outside, and get you some fresh air.”
“Why don’t you seem drunk?” I ask after we say goodbye to everyone and make our way out to the sidewalk in front of the pub.
“Oh, I’m pretty wasted,” he says. “Definitely had too much to drive safely.”
“You’re not even slurring your words.”
“I’m a mellow drunk,” he says. “And I’m not quite as sloshed as you.”
“It’s the whiskey. I’m not used to it.”
He smiles and kisses my temple. It feels so damn good every time his lips touch me. I could quickly become addicted to having him near, to feeling his touch. And I’m not usually one to enjoy a handsy man, but Shawn has a special gift for touch.
Our car arrives, and we jump into the back. The driver is quiet, and we follow suit, sitting silently in the dark backseat. I lean my head on Shawn’s shoulder, and his fingertips drift up and down my thigh.
I may look relaxed, but my body is on high alert. I want Shawn O’Callaghan—in the biblical sense, as Keegan put it. But I’ll be damned if I say so. Because we’re working together, and I do not, under any circumstances, want to make it weird.
The ride to Shawn’s is fairly fast. Once we’re parked, Shawn thanks the driver and leads me to the front door, which he quickly unlocks. He gestures for me to walk in ahead of him, and I drop my bag on the table inside the door and slip out of my shoes. When I turn to face Shawn, I find him staring at me with intense green eyes, his hands fisted at his sides.