I have been in the States for the last two weeks, visiting my family here. My trip started in New Jersey, staying with my aunt and uncle, Nora and Nick Caldwell. My dad, Keefe, is Nora’s older brother, both siblings having been born and raised in Dublin. But Aunt Nora moved to the States going on close to thirty years ago and stayed because she married a Yank. That would be my Uncle Nick. I spent a week there, hanging out with them and my cousin, Flynn, who I don’t get to see enough of as I live across The Pond in Dublin, where I was also born and raised.
It was a whirlwind week. Flynn is a firefighter just across the river in Brooklyn and along with his girlfriend, Rowan, took me out in the Big Apple a few times, showing me all around the touristy sights. I also spent some time with my other cousin, Nix Caldwell, and his wife, Emily. Nix is sort of my cousin… by marriage anyway. His dad, Hank, is my Uncle Nick’s brother, and the Caldwell kids all grew up together. Nix, his brother Linc, and my true cousins, Flynn and Renner Caldwell. We came to visit the Caldwell clans every few years, and since we were all close in age, I was just as close to Nix and Linc as I was to Renner and Flynn, although being as Renner was the only girl, I was obviously much closer to her than I was the boys. Which works out nicely for me now that she lives in Dublin with her rock star boyfriend, Cillian, and I get to see her all the time.
Nix and Emily live in New Jersey and my nights with them were quiet, consisting of family dinners and lots of catch-up talk. I had a great time with them, but before you knew it, I was flying out west… to Phoenix, to visit, Linc and his fiancée, Ever Montgomery. He’s the star goalie for the Phoenix Coyotes and because it’s the off-season, he had nothing better to do than hang out with me during my visit, which was a wonderful end to my vacation. We mostly chilled out at his home, and I soaked up the hot Arizona sun by lounging outside by Linc and Ever’s pool. I read books, listened to music, and was basically a slug. It was the most relaxed I’ve ever been, and it was just what I needed before returning to Dublin, where I’d be entering into my second year at Trinity College, working toward my master’s in Education.
“You’re thinking too much,” Zane says, and I raise my gaze to his. His brow is furrowed in worry. “I see regret in your eyes that you promised me wouldn’t be there.”
“No,” I hastily say as I smooth the anxiety out of my face. Giving him a smile, I say, “I don’t regret last night at all. It was amazing. It’s just a little awkward for me facing the ‘morning after’. I thought one-night stands usually ended with one party slinking out of the other’s bed to make a hasty escape.”
Zane laughs, his green eyes sparkling, and he lays a swift kiss on my lips. “You crack me up, Cady. It’s one of the reasons I’m insanely attracted to you.”
Now, that’s nice, but it makes me feel shallow because I was initially attracted to those eyes… and that body. Oh, geez. Wanton hussy here, I think as I mentally point to myself.
Last night was intense. Linc and Ever suggested going out clubbing as a memorable way to send me back off to Dublin and celebrate my last night of vacation. I was all for that. Linc also mentioned that he happened to invite a few of his teammates. And how could I argue with that? I mean… what girl doesn’t want to be surrounded by gorgeous, professional hockey players?
I’ll admit, I know next to nothing about hockey. We play rugby in Ireland… a real man’s sport, but I wasn’t let down in any way as I met all of Linc’s friends at the nightclub he took us too. They were all handsome… most in a charmingly rugged way. But when I met Zane, my fate for the evening was sealed. He captured me with those eyes, and then proceeded to sinfully flirt with me for the next hour, causing Linc’s gaze to harden and Ever to roll her eyes at his antics.
As drink after drink went down, as I danced with Zane song after song, my attraction to him increased tenfold. By the time Linc and Ever were calling it a night, because Ever had to go to work the next morning, I was seriously trying to figure out how I could get in Zane’s bed.
Me! Cady Dunne… nice girl… studious, serious girl… trying to figure out how to seduce a professional hockey player for the night.
Turns out… I didn’t even need to. As Linc and Ever were saying their goodbyes, Zane turned to look at me, leaning in close, and said, “Don’t go home with them. Stay out with me tonight. Let’s keep having some fun.”
I didn’t hesitate a second, giving Ever an intent look as she walked up to me. “I’m going to stay out with Zane. Just leave the door unlocked for me.”
She gave me a knowing smile in return.
Linc growled at Zane that he better take good care of me, and that he’d kick his ass if he harmed a hair on my head.
And yup… just as Zane pointed out, he had not harmed me in anyway. Unless you counted the fact I was slightly sore from the numerous times we had sex last night.
“So, what do we do now?” I ask Zane, tapping my index finger in the center of his chest. “Walk out all nonchalantly, or have you make a beeline for the front door?”
Zane smirks and then wraps his arms around me, pulling me in so every bit of my body from my chest down is mashed up against his. I can feel his dick twitch against my leg.
“I say you let me fuck you one more time before you leave,” he murmurs, just before brushing his lips against mine. “Just one more time so I have something to remember you by.”