Wild Night: Frenemies Romance (Wilder Irish Book 10) Read online

  When she caught his eye, she lifted her hand and waved, giving him a slightly nervous smile that told him she at least had the good grace to feel bad about leaving him high and dry the morning after. She had even left her panties—he’d found them in his bed the next day. They were currently on top of his dresser, sitting there like some goddamn souvenir, taunting him.

  Kelli gave him a slight nudge. “Go talk to her. See if…”

  She didn’t finish her sentence, didn’t have to. Kelli knew exactly how much that night with Brooke had rattled him, shaken up his well-ordered, no-rush-to-the-altar lifestyle.

  He nodded, then gave Kelli a smile, feeling slightly torn. He’d been having a good time with her. So much so, he’d been able to push Brooke from his mind.

  He no longer considered her his frenemy, but did he really think of her as a friend?

  As just a friend?

  Kelli leaned closer, her breath hot on his cheek, and once again he was overwhelmed by the desire to turn his head the slightest bit to kiss her.

  “What are you waiting for?” she murmured, obviously confused by his hesitance, considering how many times he’d mentioned wondering why Brooke had vanished without a word.

  “I…don’t know.”

  She laughed quietly. “You’re a lunatic, Colm. Go talk to the woman, you big chicken shit.”

  She’d referred to herself as that very same thing several times the past couple weeks, in regard to the way she’d turned tail and run rather than talking to Padraig. Although, neither of them was sure that was actually a bad thing.

  Of course, her taunt struck a nerve, just like it always did. Only this time, he didn’t feel the need to one-up her insult.

  No. This time, he felt the need to drag her upstairs, pull her over his knee and spank her until she came.

  Fuck.

  His cock was now on full alert.

  This wasn’t good.

  This was very, very bad.

  When he still didn’t move, Kelli tilted her head. “Are you okay?”

  He nodded slowly, realizing he must look like a lunatic.

  He wanted Kelli. He really wanted her.

  Before he could think about that—Jesus, it would take a long time for that to soak in—he needed to talk to Brooke. He’d spent every night since Halloween, reliving every moment of their time in bed together. He’d jacked off to the memory more times than he could count…but he’d noticed the last few nights it had been Kelli’s face he saw when he closed his eyes, instead of Brooke’s.

  Right now, he was torn and confused as fuck.

  He turned away from Kelli and walked across the room. “Hi, Brooke.”

  She lifted her hand. “Hey, Colm. I was wondering if you had a minute? I wanted to talk to you.”

  He nodded. “Sure.” Glancing around, he found an empty table toward the front of the pub, away from the singing and dancing and revelry around the stage. “Might be quieter up there.”

  The two of them walked to the table, sitting down. “Want a drink?” he asked, looking around for Padraig.

  Brooke shook her head. “No. I can’t stay long. I just wanted to apologize for Halloween.”

  “You left without saying goodbye,” he said, fighting to keep his voice impassive. He and Brooke hadn’t been in a relationship, hadn’t made any commitments to each other. At least not with words. But damn if that night in his bed hadn’t felt like…something that felt meaningful, important.

  “I know. I shouldn’t have done that. I’m afraid I had way too many screwdrivers. Between that and the blackout, I was a bit fuzzy when Robbie came in and we started making out.”

  Colm frowned. “What?”

  “Well, I’m embarrassed to admit when Robbie came in, I thought it was you for a minute or two. I’d been waiting for you, so needless to say, it took him by surprise when I wrapped my arms around his neck and started kissing him.”

  “You and Robbie?” Colm knew Brooke had been tipsy that night, but he hadn’t thought her so drunk she didn’t even realize she’d been with him.

  “Robbie thanked me for it when we broke apart, said it was a great kiss. We both laughed. Obviously, I’d gone to the wrong bedroom. The thing is…it really had been a great kiss.”

  “You were in the wrong bedroom?” Colm realized he was parroting everything she said, but his brain was struggling to keep up.

  If Brooke had been with Robbie that night, who the fuck had he…

  His gaze traveled across the pub to where Kelli was sitting with Darcy and Sunnie, laughing.

  His attention returned to Brooke, when he realized she was still talking.

  “Anyway,” Brooke said, still rambling on. “We started talking, and then, well, he kissed me again, and…”

  “You left with Robbie.”

  She nodded, biting her lower lip, clearly feeling guilty. Colm had noticed Robbie and Brooke had hit it off at the party. The science teacher didn’t seem to mind Brooke’s never-ending talking.

  “We’ve been going out since then. I’m so sorry I avoided your calls and texts. I just didn’t know how to tell you. And that was wrong. I really am sorry.”

  “It’s okay, Brooke. Honest. I’m happy for you and Robbie.”

  She blushed. “Thanks. I know it’s early, but God, I kind of think he might be the one.”

  Colm smiled. Brooke and Robbie had been in the Collins Dorm just one time, and they’d both been struck down by the curse. “That’s great.”

  “Well. Um. He’s actually waiting for me in the parking lot. We have dinner plans tonight. He wanted to come in himself to apologize, but I asked to do it alone.”

  “You and I weren’t in a relationship, Brooke.”

  “I know,” she said quickly. “But that night…” She lifted one shoulder. “I was wrong to leave with him, without telling you.”

  “I’m glad you stopped by. Tell Robbie it’s cool.”

  “Thanks for being so understanding.” Brooke stood, leaving, but Colm didn’t spare her a second glance.

  Instead, he looked back at Kelli, who was obviously telling a heck of a story. Her hands were waving a mile a minute, and his two cousins were laughing so hard, they had tears in their eyes.

  A light flashed on, and for a second, he swore he actually felt something inside go…click.

  He glanced over to the bar. Rising, he walked across the room, stopping next to Pop Pop, right in front of Padraig.

  “Where did you spend Halloween night?” Colm asked.

  “What?” Padraig was clearly confused by the abrupt, odd question, but Colm needed to know.

  “Halloween night. After the party. Where did you sleep?”

  Padraig looked confused. “At my place. Emmy was my DD. She drove me home, got me into the apartment, poured me into bed, and then slept on the couch.” He looked over at Emmy and smiled.

  Emmy shrugged casually. “I was worried about him. So much bourbon.”

  “Lovely lass,” Pop Pop said with a smile.

  “Never again,” Padraig promised her before looking back at Colm. “Why?”

  “No reason.”

  All of Kelli’s worrying, her guilt, had been for nothing. She hadn’t been with Padraig.

  She’d been with him.

  All the pieces fell together, the puzzle complete.

  Colm stood by the bar, trying to get himself together. He felt raw inside, ragged. Like he’d just gone twelve rounds with the heavyweight.

  “Colm?” Pop Pop said.

  At the same time, Padraig asked, “You okay, Bro?”

  Colm considered the question…then felt a grin spread across his face. “Yeah. I’m good. I’m really fucking good.”

  “Language,” Pop Pop murmured.

  “Sorry, Pop Pop. I gotta go.”

  He walked away, leaving a confused twin and grandfather in his wake. He didn’t stop until he was standing next to Kelli’s table. “Hey, Kell. You got a second?”

  “Sure.” She rose quickly, no doubt cu
rious about Brooke’s reasons for stonewalling him the past week and a half.

  He grasped her hand, leading her to the back of the pub.

  “Where are we going?” she asked.

  “Upstairs. Can’t talk down here. Too loud.”

  “Okay. So what did Brooke say?” she asked as they climbed the stairs.

  “Not yet,” he said when they reached the top of the first flight.

  Kelli started to walk toward the couch, but Colm pushed her toward the second set of stairs that would take her to his bedroom. “Keep going.”

  She paused for a moment, then shrugged nonchalantly, climbing the stairs. “Not sure what’s wrong with the living room. Everyone else is downstairs,” she argued.

  He didn’t reply, just kept his hand on the small of her back, guiding her up the stairs, then turning her toward his room once they reached the top. And she didn’t hesitate.

  It spoke to their level of friendship, to the innate trust that existed between them, forged by thirty years of living within each other’s space. He and Kelli had grown up together, seen each other through every single awkward phase of their lives. They’d eaten hundreds of school lunches at the same table, played a million different games, gone to concerts and football games, and too many bars to count. They’d laughed and fought like siblings and enemies—and friends.

  “Colm?” she asked, as they entered his bedroom. “What the hell did she say? Why are you so worked up?”

  He didn’t answer. He couldn’t.

  It was Kelli.

  It had been Kelli all along.

  He shut the door and locked it.

  She frowned. “What’s wrong with you?”

  He walked over to his dresser and picked up her panties, swinging them nonchalantly on his finger.

  She realized what he had—and blushed. “Oh damn. Yeah. It occurs to me I probably should have told you something that…I forgot. Paddy and I were in your bed Halloween night. Did you just find those?” She was grinning now, clearly thinking he’d brought her up here to give her a hard time about sleeping with his brother in his bed.

  She couldn’t be more wrong.

  She reached out, intent on taking them from him, but he closed his fist and held them away from her.

  “Don’t be a perv, Colm. That’s my favorite pair of panties.”

  “They’re mine now.”

  “Don’t think they’ll fit you,” she joked.

  “I took them off you Halloween night, Kell. Claimed them. They’re mine.”

  “You…you didn’t take them off me.”

  “Brooke wasn’t in this room with me. She was next door. With Robbie.”

  “No. You were at Brooke’s apartment. I saw you leave.”

  “We went downstairs to borrow a bottle of vodka from the pub because she was out. Told Brooke to meet me up here while I fixed the tap on the keg, but everyone was still playing that stupid game. Brooke didn’t hear me whisper second door at the top of the stairs. She went to Finn’s room.”

  “Your beard,” she said, still fighting the truth. “It wasn’t there.”

  “I shaved it off. It was the only way I could get the fake Hagrid one to stick to my face. You know me, in it to win it. I started growing it back the next day.”

  “I just thought you’d trimmed it too much.” Colm watched her process what he was saying, and realized she was almost there when she said, “Paddy…”

  “Spent the night happily passed out in his own bed. Think about it, Kell. He was way too wasted to do what we did that night.”

  Her shoulders drooped and for a second, she looked like a balloon someone had stuck a pin in, all the air seeping out of her. Then a huge smile filled her face. “Oh thank God. This is amazing! I can’t tell you how relieved I am. I mean…when I thought I’d…with Paddy. This has been killing me. It’s like I can breathe for the first time in a week and a half!”

  Colm leaned against his dresser and grinned, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

  It didn’t take too long.

  “Fuck,” she said, looking at him. “We had sex!”

  “We had good sex.”

  “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  Colm laughed. “Don’t be shy, Kell. You can admit every single one of those orgasms were real, and then tell me I rocked your world. It won’t be the first time I’ve heard it. I’m sure it won’t be the last.”

  She gazed heavenward and closed her eyes. “Oh my God. Now I’m sorry I didn’t sleep with Paddy.” Then she started laughing. “And by the way, you owe me an apology. You said only I could manage to sleep with the wrong person.”

  Colm chuckled. “I stand corrected.” Then, he couldn’t resist poking a little fun. “You know, I’m really trying to remember your exact words last Friday.” He tapped his lips as if thinking hard. “Think you called me a stud.”

  “I never said the word stud. Not once. Ever.”

  He shrugged. “It was definitely implied,” he teased, enjoying the way she blushed.

  Of course, it was Kelli, so he should have known it wouldn’t take her too long to recover and manage to get in a dig of her own.

  “Careful, hotshot. I was so good that night, you were ready to marry Brooke. Brooke, who never stops talking…about reality TV…and thinks throwing on a pink sweater and calling herself Regina George is a stellar Halloween costume. Think about that. Let it sink in. That’s how hot I am in bed.”

  Colm didn’t bother to admit that was all he’d been thinking about since Brooke dropped the bomb that it hadn’t been her in his bed that night.

  He walked over and sat on the edge of his bed, patting the mattress next to him. “Come here.”

  “Fuuuuuck no.”

  “I just want to talk to you.”

  “We can talk just like this.”

  “Chicken shit,” he said, throwing her own taunt back at her.

  It worked. Just like he’d known it would.

  Kelli crossed over to him, sitting on the edge of his bed with one leg curled beneath her as she faced him. “What?” Her tone was hostile, but he knew it was a defensive move, so he didn’t take offense.

  He ran the back of his knuckles along her cheek, taking note of her soft intake of breath. “It’s going to be okay, Kell. We’re fine.”

  The storm clouds gathering in her expression as she prepared to go to battle lifted. “Yeah. Right. I mean…it’s not like you and I are strangers to one-night stands. We’ll just chalk it up to alcohol and bad decisions and move on.”

  He shook his head. “Nope. That’s not happening.”

  “But you just said—”

  “That we’re fine. And we are.”

  Kelli was analyzing what had happened between them using historical data, taking everything she knew about him—his resistance to commitments, his sexual track record, his aversion to clingy women—and coming up with what she assumed would be a rock-solid conclusion.

  That he wouldn’t want more from her than just that one night.

  That he wouldn’t want to pursue anything serious.

  She was wrong.

  But Kelli wasn’t a Collins. Which meant it was going to take her a little longer to catch up. To figure out what he’d just realized down in the pub.

  The curse had struck.

  And damn if it didn’t have a sick sense of humor.

  So he was going to give her time. But not much.

  “I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

  “Why don’t we take a few days?” he suggested. “Let the dust settle on this. You coming Sunday for football?”

  She hesitated just long enough that he knew she was planning on avoiding him for a while. So he needed to put her on more solid ground, give her the Colm she was used to. It was a sneak attack on his part—but he played to win. Which was something Kelli knew very well but was probably going to forget in this instance.

  He fought to school his features.

  This was going to be fun.

&nb
sp; “Let me rephrase that,” he said. “You’re coming for football on Sunday.”

  Kelli rolled her eyes. “You know that macho shit doesn’t work with me.”

  “I don’t know,” he murmured. “I seem to recall something different on Halloween. You liked it when I spanked your ass. Oh…and I was right about the hair-pulling too.”

  She sighed. “You’re going to be insufferable about this, aren’t you?”

  “Would you expect anything different?”

  “How many years until I live this down?”

  He chuckled. “All of them.”

  Indomitable soul that she was, she just grinned. “You’re an asshole.”

  “And you’re beautiful.”

  She froze, waiting for the punch line.

  There wasn’t one. He was overwhelmed by the desire to kiss her confusion away, to push her onto her back and show her exactly how things were going to play out from here…but Kelli wouldn’t go down without a fight.

  So he was going to take some time and figure out his game plan first.

  When the silence stretched just a second too long, she glanced over his shoulder at the door. “I should…go.”

  He nodded, following suit as she stood up.

  Kelli walked to the door and unlocked it, but he pushed it closed just as she started opening it.

  “Turn around, Kelli.”

  She sighed, feigning annoyance, though he suspected what she really felt was nervousness. She twisted, her back pressed against the door, stealing every inch of distance she could manage from him.

  “Aren’t you forgetting something?” he asked.

  “Thought you weren’t giving me my panties back.”

  “My goodbye kiss.”

  Kelli rolled her eyes as he chuckled. He reached out and gave her a hug. She went stiff for just a moment, then her arms wrapped around his waist and she hugged him back, sighing.

  “This should feel so weird,” she whispered.

  “But it doesn’t.” Colm gave her a platonic kiss on the top of the head. “We’ll sort it all out. Don’t worry.”

  It took everything he had to let her go and take a step back, but Kelli needed time to process. He knew she—like him—would relive Halloween night over countless times between now and Sunday, but in a different light. The things that hadn’t made sense about that night did now. And they both needed time to put the memories together the right way, to let the emotions swirling around what they’d done emerge.