Beers, Lies and Alibis (Warblers Point Series Book 2) (19 page)

“How is he?” Blaire asked, almost in a whisper.
 

“He’s probably the strongest out of all of us,” Fiona answered honestly. “He’s kind of holding us all together and taking charge, but I can tell he’s hurting inside.”

“He’s been sending me letters.”

“I know,” Fiona admitted.
 

“I know I shouldn’t be talking about this with you, especially right now while your dad is in the hospital…”

“Blaire, I could use the distraction.”

She blew out an exasperated breath, as if she had been carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.
 

“I miss him, Fiona.” Fiona wanted to giddily dance around the living room at Blaire’s confession. “I just don’t know if we can make it work. We live three thousand miles apart. He can’t move and I just don’t know if I can live in Warblers Point…no offense.”

“None taken.”

“Fiona, me love, I need to take off,” Murphy cut in, speaking loud enough for the stores across the street to hear him.
 

Fiona quickly covered the mouthpiece of her phone, but she knew it was too late; Blaire had definitely heard the very obvious Irish male voice.
 

“One sec, Blaire,” Fiona said into the phone and then covered it up, so this time Blaire could not hear their conversation.
 

“What the hell? Just leave Murphy.”

Murphy walked toward her with all the swagger of Bradley Cooper, Ryan Gosling, and Liam Hemsworth combined, practically melting the robe right off of Fiona’s body.
 

He leaned down and placed his hands on the back of the couch as he trapped Fiona with his arms. She leaned as far back into the sofa as she could, trying to avoid any contact with Murphy.
 

“I came over here to tell ya that I will be donating me time to help rebuild The Sleepin’ Potato. I feel terrible about what happened and I want to be there for ya and ye family.” He brushed Fiona’s cheek again and leaned closer so his lips danced across her right ear. “I love ya, Fiona. Ye’r me girl, always.”
 

He lightly kissed the side of her face and then took off toward the door, leaving Fiona breathing heavily and wondering why there was a slight ache between her legs.
 

“Fiona?” Came Blaire’s voice from the phone that was currently being held against Fiona’s chest.
 

“Sorry,” Fiona said, while shaking her head and bringing the phone back to her ear, the one that Murphy practically nibbled off.
 

“Was that Murphy?” Blaire asked in a stern tone.

“Yes, he came over this morning to talk to me about the rebuild,” Fiona said rather quickly, before Blaire could form any ideas.
 

“Are you sure that was all?”

“Yes!” Fiona exclaimed defensively. “I love your brother, Blaire.”

“I know. I’m sorry. It’s just that…” Blaire trailed off.
 

“What?” Fiona asked, as fear started to trickle down her spine.
 

“I shouldn’t get in the middle of you guys.”

Fiona knew Blaire was right, but at the moment, she didn’t care. She wanted to know what Booker must have told his sister.
 

“Just tell me,” Fiona practically begged.

“He told me he felt like he was losing you. He was panicking the other day about it and I had to remind him how in love you two are, how you would do anything for each other and how you were meant to be together. I’m right…aren’t I?” Blaire asked.
 

Thoughts of Booker ran through Fiona’s head as she pictured him holding her, kissing her…draping instant mashed potatoes across her body. Yes, Blaire was right, she was so right and, at that moment, Fiona hated herself for being one of those annoying girls who flip-flopped their emotions with every turn of the page.
 

“Fiona?”

She quickly wiped a tear that was trickling down her face and said, “You are so beyond right, Blaire. Now enough about me, let’s talk about you and Finn.”

“Ugghhhh. Not now, I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

Fiona felt like the vise that had been clamped around her lungs loosened a little from talking with Blaire.
 

“I’m doing better now and, once Booker gets here, I will be even better.”

That was the God’s honest truth.
 

***

Beams of light shined down on Booker’s face as he held the love of his life in his arms. He couldn’t remember being happier than he was at the moment. He was warm, he was with his girl and she was naked. What more could he want?

Booker snuggled closer and brushed his thumb across Fiona’s nipple that was puckered and completely ready for his lips. He was sporting some good morning wood and was ready to have his sassy little Irish girl take care of it for him.
 

Still semi-conscious, Booker brought his lips to Fiona’s ear and whispered, “Good Morning, gorgeous. I’ve missed you.”

“Mmm…”

Fiona shifted, pressing her bare ass against Booker’s jean-clad crotch. Why was he wearing jeans, he thought to himself as he shifted on the bed. That was when he realized he was also wearing a shirt and he was on the most uncomfortable mattress known to man.
 

“Holy shit!!!” Booker nearly screamed as he leapt out of bed and started pacing the floor of the trashy little motel.
 

He wasn’t with Fiona, he wasn’t spooning Fiona, he wasn’t pressing his dick against her bare ass and he sure as hell wasn’t caressing her pert little nipple.
 

“What? What’s going on?” Keara asked, as the blanket slipped past her top, exposing her breasts.
 

Quickly turning around, Booker shouted, “Can you please put some clothes on?”

“Sorry,” Keara said in a panicked voice.
 

She scurried off to the bathroom, but not before grabbing her clothes and sniffling as she shut the door. He’d made her cry; that was all he needed…more guilt.
 

His actions weren’t intentional, that was what he kept telling himself. He missed Fiona like crazy and his subconscious was playing mind games with him. He couldn’t be blamed for what happened when he was sleep-deprived and craving his girlfriend more than ever.
 

“Nothing happened,” Booker muttered to himself as he ran his hand through his hair, “Nothing.”
 

This whole trip was a nightmare for him. Not only was his reunion with Fiona delayed, but he was stuck in the middle of nowhere with a damn Victoria’s Secret model who loved sleeping naked and modesty was nowhere near her radar.
 

The bathroom door clicked open and Booker saw Keara come out, finally wearing clothes…and a bra. Life was starting to get better already. Her hair was tied up in a slick ponytail and her face was completely devoid of any make-up. Her fresh face was beautiful, Booker couldn’t deny that.
 

Feeling guilty as hell, Booker said, “I’m sorry about this morning. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

“Whatever, let’s just get going,” Keara said, as she grabbed her purse, the only thing she had, and headed toward the door.
 

Booker grabbed her by the arm and turned her around before she could head out into the wintery cold.
 

“Wait, I have to warm up the car and hit the head.”

Keara grabbed the keys and said, “I’ll start the car; you go to the bathroom. The sooner we’re out of here, the better.”

Booker nodded, not wanting to argue because he wanted nothing more than to leave the seedy motel and headed toward the bathroom.
 

One bathroom stop and a half an hour of silence later, they traveled through the back roads of Vermont on their way to Warblers Point. The roads were clear of snow, thanks to the valiant efforts of the snow patrol, which made for an easy drive. If it wasn’t for the awkward tension between Keara and Booker, he would actually have enjoyed the drive. The snow stuck to the trees and ground like Velcro to a sweater. The scenery was pure white, from the leaves to the fences to the power lines that sporadically draped over the roads; it was brilliant to look at. Booker had never seen anything like it.
 

Wishing Fiona was here, he reached into his pocket and grabbed his phone to dial her number. When her phone went to voicemail, he left her a quick message.
 

“Hey babe. You’re probably with your dad right now, but I just wanted to tell you that we’re on the road and on our way to Warblers Point. I should be in your town in an hour or so, but I have to stop at the airport first to pick up my luggage. Text or call when you get a chance. I love you.”

Booker hung up and, as he put his phone down in the center console, he caught a glimpse of Keara looking at him.
 

“What?” he asked, a little too harshly. He was in such a bad mood and there was no controlling his emotions.
 

“You’re Booker James aren’t you?”

 
Shocked that it took her so long to recognize him, he only nodded. Not that he was a self-absorbed kind of man, but his face was pretty recognizable, especially after his latest makeover, so it was surprising someone else in the entertainment business took so long to recognize him.
 

“That explains everything.”

“What do you mean by that?” Booker asked, trying to keep his eyes on the road and not look at Keara’s facial expressions to read her better.

“It explains why you’re so freaked out about being near me. You don’t want someone taking a picture of us together because it will get back to your girlfriend.”

“I think any man with a girlfriend would want to steer away from you.”

“And why is that?” Keara asked, while shifting in her seat so she was facing Booker.
 

Booker ran his hand over his face. “I’m not getting into this with you. Just drop it.”

“You like me, don’t you?”

“No!” Booker said, a little too abruptly. He calmed his voice and tried again. “No, not in that kind of way. I mean you’re nice and all, but I don’t like you, like you. You’re hot, I will give you that.”

Why did he just admit to that? Well, it’s not like she already didn’t know he thought she was hot. She found out his attraction for her this morning when his stiff dick was pressing up against her bare ass.
 

“I think you’re lying to me, but that’s okay. I get it; you have a girlfriend who you love and you don’t want to ruin anything you have with her. But, can I ask you one thing?”

“I’d rather you not,” Booker said, while turning up the radio to drown out Keara’s voice.
 

She laughed, turned the radio back down and said, “Too bad. I just wanted to know, how did it feel?”

“How did what feel?”

“How did it feel to hold my naked body in your arms this morning? How did it feel to rub your cock against my ass and rub your thumb over my nipple? I will tell you right now, if it wasn’t for your girlfriend, I would have straddled you so quickly you wouldn’t have known what hit you.”

Booker swallowed and shifted in his seat as he pictured Keara straddling him as he lay on the bed. Her gorgeous body sitting up for him to take in as her brown hair cascaded down her shoulders. He could envision her riding him while her tits bounced up and down from their copulating. She would throw her head back in pleasure as he shoved his…

“We are done with this conversation,” Booker said, as he turned the music back up and stared straight ahead into the white abyss.
 

Keara laughed to herself as Booker tried to erase all the images of Keara he had built up in his head. He needed Fiona. Once he had Fiona in his arms, everything was going to be okay and life would be back to normal.
 

***

To my dearest Blaire,
 

Remember the time we made French toast at the pub? I do, it is one of my favorite memories we have together and not because we made love on every counter in the kitchen, violating every health code imaginable. It’s one of my favorite memories because I remember how well we worked together, how we didn’t even have to speak to know what each other’s next move was going to be. It was the first time in my life that I felt in-sync with someone else.
 

I have been in a few relationships in my lifetime, but nothing compared to the connection I shared with you. You might not believe it now, but I know we were meant to be together, Blaire. We might have to travel down different paths in order to find each other again, but I know we will. You are the light at the end of my tunnel and I can’t wait to finally get to the end of my path, hold you in my arms and spend the rest of my life kissing you, making love to you and loving you in every possible way.
 

You are my forever. I love you.