Kiss of Fire (St. James Family) (8 page)

“What have you got going on over here?” she said, her smile bright. Frankie looked up at her, startled.

“
Just... uh, just got a game of darts going,” Frankie said, his glass eye practically whirring in his head.

“
Darts, huh? Is that an easy game or does it take a lot of skill? It seems like you're pretty good at it.”

“
Well, I think it takes a lot of skill, yeah,” Frankie said, looking completely flabbergasted. O'Donovan couldn't help but laugh.

“
You up for showing me how to play?” Toni glanced back at O'Donovan, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “O'Donovan over here is boring me.” she said, in a stage whisper, motioning to him. He could only shake his head, waiting to see how the scene was going to play out. Cranky Frankie surprised O'Donovan and himself, probably, by nodding in agreement. Toni clapped her manicured hands and then put her full attention on Frankie, her eyes never leaving his face as he showed her how to best aim for the bulls-eye. She squared her shoulders, placing her feet hips-width apart. She took a deep breath and took aim. When she hit the board, not a bulls-eye but close, she squealed in excitement. Even Frankie couldn't suppress a gruff smile. O'Donovan motioned for Murph to keep the drinks coming. He had a feeling it was going to be a long night.

As the late-spring afternoon faded into early evening, Frankie and Toni took on other patrons that wandered in to Murphy's. Two twenty-something boys that looked familiar but O'Donovan couldn't remember their names were especially interested in playing. He felt his body tense when the taller boy bent to whisper in her ear. Watching her lips curl in a flirtatious smile made him want to shoot off of his stool and punch the little motherfucker in the face.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Toni seemed to remember O'Donovan was there and skipped over to him. She nudged her shoulder against his and leaned in like they were sharing a private joke. “Old white men love me,” she whispered in his ear. “So you better watch out.” Then she took his whiskey and downed it, like it was water. He could only stare at her. He couldn't think of one witty thing to say. The booze was making his brain sluggish.

Yeah, sure it was.

Just like it was responsible for his cock springing to life when she slid off her cardigan and hung it on the hook below the bar. All of the satiny skin she revealed, combined with a flash of lacy black bra strap, had him itching to throw her up on the bar and have a go at her right then and there. Antoinette St. James was most definitely an evil genius, he decided. She tossed him a wink and headed back to her game. He watched her go, his eyes glued to her ass, like a fucking idiot.

Murphy slid him another Jameson, and he downed it. That's when shit started to get hazy. He didn't remember much after that, but later he would remember the softness of her sweater as he ran his rough fingers over it. He would remember her laugh from across the bar, echoing in his ears. And he would remember the smell of her perfume on his shirt, the tangy scent slowly driving him insane.

Chapter 7

“I'll be back to see you, you can count on that. And when I come back, I'm gonna be a champ!” Toni said, waving goodbye to Frank, the sweet old Irishman who'd been her companion for the last couple of hours. He tossed a wave and a smile over his shoulder as he exited the front door of the bar. Thank God for Frank.  He'd taken her mind off of O'Donovan, and she'd had the best time learning to play darts. Darts was one of those things people did in bars, and Toni didn't spend a lot of time in bars. But she had to admit, it was fun. She was competitive, and she loved having Frank on her team. They had wiped the floor with whomever was foolish enough to take them on. They should have been taking money bets. They would've killed.

An arm slid around her shoulders and she jumped. It was Ryan, one of the guys they'd played against. He was a little handsy, but not completely unattractive. Just not her type, especially when O'Donovan was mere feet away.

“Hey girl, we're about to go up the street to play pool,” he said, his mouth to her ear. He smelled like beer and cigarettes, not exactly a pleasing combination. “Come with us. It'll be fun.” His friend, flipping a joint between his fingers, nodded and smiled. The only thing tempting about those two was the joint. Toni ducked out of his embrace, and shook her head.

“
Sorry, boys. My man and I are going to hang here.” Toni pointed to O'Donovan at the bar. For the first time that night, he was actually looking at her. His eyes were unreadable, but he was working his jaw angrily, like he'd be ready to beat the shit out of Ryan at the slightest provocation. Toni couldn't help the big smile that blossomed on her face. Aw, he was protective. How cute.

Ryan got the hint pretty quick and took a step back. “Alright, girl, it's all good. If you change your mind...”

“I won't, but thanks,” she smiled and then turned her back on them. She only had eyes for O'Donovan.
Girl, you are such a sap,
she admonished herself but it didn't help. She wanted to run her hands through his unruly hair and kiss his whiskey-flavored lips. She sidled up to him, pressing her side against his until Ryan and his friend had exited the premises. He dropped his arm over her shoulders and pulled her close and she damn near swooned. The bare skin of his arm felt so warm against her shoulders and he smelled so good. Like soap and spicy aftershave. All man.

“
You little tease,” he growled in her ear. “He actually thought he had a chance.”

“
I can't help but be friendly. It's not my fault men think it's flirting.”

“
You're so full of shit.” He brought his face closer, his words slurring. His nose grazed her cheek, and she felt her pussy clench. “So bringing me a pie, was that you being friendly? Or you flirting?”

“
What do you think?” she asked, turning her face quickly, so that their lips almost brushed together. He looked at her from beneath heavy-lidded eyes, then he pulled away. She missed the warm weight of his arm on her shoulders immediately. With a sigh, she forced herself to remember that he didn't want her. He wasn't interested. No matter how much her body wanted him, she wasn't going to be desperate. Desperation was the opposite of sexy.

She took a step away from him to give them both some distance. She pulled the pie tin over to her and laughed when she realized it was empty. He had eaten the whole damn thing. Well, either he really liked it or he was really hungry. Her ego said he really liked it. She gave him the side-eye and she noticed he was looking a little worse for wear.

“How are you feeling over there?” she said.

“
Pretty good,” he said, patting his pockets like he was looking for something. He pushed off the stool and stood, swaying. He shoved his hand in his pocket and pulled out his wallet. She slid her arms around his waist and grabbed him before he fell over. He chuckled, his chin against her hair.

“
How much I owe you, Murph?” he said.

“
Fuck off, O'Donovan,” the bartender said, throwing him a disgusted look.

“
I owe you,” O'Donovan said, pointing at him.

“
Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Murphy waved them off, shaking his head as he turned away. “Get lost.” Toni pulled O'Donovan's heavy arm over her shoulders.

"Lean on me," she said, in the kind of no-nonsense tone her sister had perfected and he obliged her. "Where's your keys?" she asked. He patted his back pocket. She could hear the metallic clink of his keys there and she sighed with relief. She hoped he could get himself home. A backup plan would be to drop him at the firehouse, but she hoped it didn't have to come to that. She grabbed her sweater and her purse, tangling her hand in his shirt to steady him. She tried to ignore the flash of toned abs that she caught as his shirt lifted. “Come on, you lush,” she said, rolling her eyes at the warmth that flooded through her.

Within moments, they were out the door into the warm night. He pulled her toward him, into a kind of embrace, and she fell into rhythm beside him. Occasionally he would stumble, and she would hold onto his shirt until he regained his balance. They walked like that for two blocks.

"I hope you remember where you live," she said dryly.

"Lovely night for a stroll," He said, his accent thicker than normal.

"If by 'stroll' you mean stumbling around in the dark, sure."

"Toni, you gotta learn to enjoy the little things. A cold drink, a long night, the thick scent of May flowers in the air."

"I never pegged you as the poetic type," Toni said.

"You don't know me, lovely. I can be downright fucking romantic." He winked at her, and she felt that now-familiar electric spark in between her legs that he induced in her.

"We'll see," she said, not doubting him for a minute. She bet he was the penguin mate-for-life type. “So why are you drinking so much on this lovely, romantic night?”

“Hmm?” he mumbled, tightening his arm around her.

“
You don't seem to be very happy, O'Donovan. Happy people don't act like assholes and drink themselves into oblivion,” she said.

“
I can't argue with that logic,” he said.

“
Was I right?” she said, carefully.  He was being so open with her, she didn't want to ruin it. But she was dying of curiosity. “Did your wife leave you?” He surprised her by laughing, and she glanced up at him.

“
She did,” he said. “You win.”

“
What do I win?” she asked. He stopped in his tracks and pointed to a six story apartment building.

"That's it. My place." He dug his keys out of his pocket and he began walking toward the building, dragging her along with him. She felt her stomach drop. She was actually going to O'Donovan's apartment. Her mouth went dry. The man was drunk, she reminded herself. Very drunk. He probably had whiskey dick. Nothing was going to happen.

He pulled her into the elevator and jabbed the button for the fifth floor. As the elevator door rumbled closed, he was on her, pressing her against the wall.

“Antoinette, what do you want from me?” he said, his mouth close to hers. Her heart was instantly pounding in her chest and in her ears.

“
I...” she trailed off, her mouth dry.

“
I think you want to torture me,” he said.

“
I just... I just...” Toni was speechless, which didn't happen very often.
I want to fuck you!
her mind was screaming, but her mouth wouldn't form around the words. He was so big and warm. She wanted to crawl into him, slide herself under his skin and be as close to him as possible. She wanted to so badly it hurt.

“
Fuck,” he said, the word hoarse. Then the elevator slowed to a stop and he pushed away from the wall. And her. “Go home, Toni.” But she didn't. She followed him down the hallway to his apartment and stood beside him like a dummy as he unlocked the door. He moved aside and let her pass, into the dark entryway. The apartment was pitch black. No light, not even from the street. Toni slid her hand along the wall, looking for a light switch as O'Donovan slammed the door behind them. In an instant, he was pressed against her, his chest against hers, his hands on her ass in the dark. He let out a slow breath against her cheek, and she jerked against him, her whole body responding to him.

“
I told you to go home,” he said. Her hand found his chest in the dark, her quest for light abandoned. She couldn't see him, only feel him, and the fact only amplified her arousal. She didn't know what he was going to do next. She craved this closeness. This intimacy. When she felt his mouth on her neck, she gasped and tilted her chin to give him better access. When his teeth nipped at her collarbone, she felt a moan escape from her lips. The lust sliced through her like a knife, and all she wanted was release. He pulled away roughly and she heard a swift rustle of clothes. She groped in the dark for him, wanting him back. Her fingertips found bare skin. She pulled her hand back with a gasp as if burned. His shirt had disappeared and couldn't stop herself from reaching again, drawn to him.

She ran her hands over the planes of his chest and it was better than she'd imagined
—rough skin pulled taut over hard muscle. He was back on her in a flash, all moist lips and a hot tongue. She snaked her arms around his neck as his hands groped under her top. He found her bra immediately, yanking it down and freeing the swell of her left breast while sucking on her bottom lip. He ran his calloused thumb over her nipple and she damn near came out of her skin. She knew he was drunk. She knew that he wouldn't be touching her this way otherwise. But she wanted him. God, she wanted him.

“
Antoinette,” he murmured her name. “I remember you.” He dipped his tongue into her mouth and she felt a thrill go down her spine. She arched her back into the kiss, bumping her hips against his. He was hard, his big erection straining in his jeans. So much for whiskey dick. “It was dark and I held you in my arms,” he said, kissing her deep.

“
I'll never forget,” she whispered, feeling breathless. Her fingernails dug into the skin of his shoulders as he sucked and nipped at her mouth. “You saved me.” She found his mouth in the dark and kissed him, deep. When she came up for air, she felt the words flowing again. “I could see the stars,” she whispered. “Did you see them?”