“Aye, that was a touching moment,” Liam said with a satisfied sigh as he dropped down on the office chair while Shayne lay there, seething as he thought about the moment when she took him by surprise and even he had to admit that she was adorable when she fucked him over.
That led to him thinking about just how good she looked in his shirt. When she opened his bedroom door and he saw her standing there in nothing but his shirt, his legs nearly fucking buckled. He liked the way she looked in his shirt, Shayne decided as he found himself thinking about every generous curve and-
Decided that he’d tortured himself enough for one night.
Ignoring the annoying bastards fucking with his head for the hell of it, Shayne closed his eyes only to frown when he heard it, the panicked muttering coming from what sounded like the foyer. That was followed by the sounds of small feet racing across the hardwood floor, the office door being thrown open only to be pulled shut seconds later, the muffled sounds of someone racing across the rug and-
“Just pretend that I’m not here,” came the softly whispered demand as the blankets were suddenly yanked off him and the small woman, that was driving him crazy, was climbing on top of him only to bury her face against his chest. That was followed by her blindly reaching back, frantically searching for the blankets before she found them and yanked them back up, covering herself in the process and leaving him admittedly confused.
“What the hell are ye doing, lass?” Shayne found himself asking even as he wrapped his arms around the small bundle currently cowering on top of him.
“Nothing,” came the muffled answer against his chest that had his lips twitching.
“Yer welcome, lad,” Declean said with a satisfied sigh as he popped into the office seconds before all of his brothers suddenly disappeared, somehow leaving him even more confused, that is, until the small bundle cowering on top of him cleared the air.
“Incidentally, on a completely different topic, is this house by chance haunted?” Ashlyn asked as he was forced to bite back a chuckle as the realization of what his brother did hit.
Clearing his throat, he said, “Aye, lass. Did I forget ta tell ye that? It’s haunted by leprechauns determined ta get their hands on yer magically delicious marshmallows.”
He watched as she raised the blanket just high enough so that she could glare at him. “I know you’re behind this.”
“Behind what, lass?” Shayne asked, doing his best to appear innocent.
He watched her eyes slowly narrow as she said, “I know,” as she once again pulled the blanket over her head and went back to cowering.
“How long are ye planning on staying here, lass?” Shayne asked conversationally as he shifted to make it easier for her to cower.
“I’d rather not say,” came the muffled reply.
He released a heartfelt sigh, making sure to sound put out before he said, “Then, I’m afraid that I’m gonna have ta charge ye, lass.”
“I could always just go home,” Ashlyn pointed out against his chest.
“Yer keys are upstairs in my room, lass,” he reminded her.
There was a pause, and then, she said, “I’m listening.”
“I’m going ta need that goodnight kiss,” Shayne said with a heartfelt sigh and a sad shake of his head that she had no chance of seeing.
“Or, and hear me out, you could always be a gentleman and go upstairs and get my bag for me,” Ashlyn said, sounding really fucking hopeful.
“I could, lass, but then, that would just draw the ghosts ta me and that just doesn’t seem like a good idea,” he said, even as he couldn’t help but wonder what his brother did to make her run.
“I hate you.”
“I’m waiting, lass,” Shayne drawled, honestly surprised that she hadn’t gone for his balls yet.
With a grumble, Ashlyn shoved the blanket off her head, leaned over and kissed his cheek before she ducked back down and pulled the blanket back over her head with a grumble.
“I’m afraid that doesn’t count, lass.”
“It counts,” came the stubborn reply that had his lips twitching.
“Ye know what would be fun, lass?”
“You admitting that you’re an asshole?”
“That does sound like a good time, but that’s not what I was thinking. I was thinking that this might be a good time ta break out the Ouija board and see if yer ghost was up for a late-night chat.”
